Tesis sobre el tema "Ecosystem-based"

Le développement, l'exploitation et la maintenance des systèmes urbains intelligents sont des tâches très complexes et impliquent de nombreux acteurs de différentes disciplines et domaines. Dans la plupart des cas, ces systèmes se trouvent à différentes phases de conception, de déploiement et d'exploitation, c'est-à-dire à différentes phases de leur cycle de vie. Par conséquent, les concepts de gestion du cycle de vie sont très importants pour mieux gérer le développement des villes intelligentes en tant qu'écosystème complet à travers les différentes phases du cycle de vie. Cet argument est étayé par les résultats de notre enquête sur les villes intelligentes, où les informations récoltées des parties prenantes interrogées prouvent la pertinence d’une approche cycle de vie pour répondre aux neuf préoccupations identifiées; non alignement sur les objectifs stratégiques, échec réglementaire au niveau des différentes phases, retard dans le «time to market», processus disjoints, partage des connaissances et traçabilité des données difficiles, échange inefficace de données/informations; et utilisation inefficace et inefficiente des infrastructures. Pour répondre aux préoccupations mentionnées ci-dessus, cette thèse propose l'application des éléments fondamentaux du cycle de vie aux villes intelligentes, ce qui nécessite l'introduction de la notion de temps dans la modélisation urbaine intelligente en ajoutant le point de vue « cycle de vie » comme nouvelle dimension de leurs architectures multicouches. L'approche proposée comprend deux éléments. Le premier est le modèle tridimensionnel qui permet aux développeurs de villes intelligentes d'envisager trois points de vue : les couches de l'architecture, le temps (phases du cycle de vie) et les domaines. Le deuxième correspond à la notion d'interaction qui permet l'intégration entre les systèmes de gestion du cycle de vie et les plateformes IoT. Cette approche est validée à travers un cas d'utilisation d’un système de stationnement intelligent « Smart Parking », proposé dans le cadre de la Coupe du Monde™ de la FIFA 2022. Le système de stationnement intelligent proposé est stratégiquement aligné sur les objets Smart Qatar et relie toutes les parties prenantes concernées à travers les différentes phases du cycle de vie. Pour assurer l'interopérabilité sémantique, le système de stationnement intelligent utilise les normes DATEX II pour les données statiques et dynamiques liées au stationnement. Enfin, le cas d'utilisation met l'accent sur l'intégration entre les données liées au cycle de vie et les données IoT à travers l'interaction entre un système de cycle de vie Aras Innovator® (construction de nomenclatures, gestion de configurations, etc.) et une plate-forme d’implémentation de référence IoT O-MI/O-DF (publication peer-to-peer, découverte d'informations liées au stationnement sous une forme agrégée)
Smart city system development, operation and maintenance are very complex tasks and involve numerous stakeholders from different disciplines and domains. In most cases, these systems are at different phases of design, deployment and operation, i.e. at different phases of lifecycle. Hence, lifecycle management concepts are very important to better manage smart city development as a complete ecosystem across different phases of lifecycle. This argument is supported by the findings of our smart city survey, where the information gathered from interviewed stakeholders proves the relevance of a lifecycle approach to address the identified nine concerns; non-alignment to strategic objectives, regulatory failure at different phases, delay in “time to market”, disjointed processes, difficult knowledge sharing and data traceability, inefficient and delayed exchange of data/ information, and inefficient and ineffective use of infrastructure.To address the abovementioned concerns, this thesis proposes the application of lifecycle management concepts in smart cities, which requires the introduction of the time notion to smart city modeling by adding the lifecycle viewpoint as a new dimension to the multi-layered architecture. The proposed smart city lifecycle-based approach consists of two components. First, the three-dimensional model that enables smart city developers to consider three viewpoints: Architecture Layers, Time (Lifecycle Phases), and Domains. Second, the interaction approach that enables integration between lifecycle management systems and IoT platforms. This approach is validated through a use-case of Smart Parking System, proposed as part of the FIFA World Cup™ 2022. The proposed smart parking system is strategically aligned to Smart Qatar objectives and connects all relevant stakeholders across the different lifecycle phases. To ensure semantic interoperability, the smart parking system uses the DATEX II standards for static and dynamic parking related data. Finally, the use-case focuses on the integration between lifecycle related data and IoT data through the interaction between Aras Innovator® lifecycle system (BoM construction, configuration management, etc.) and the O-MI/O-DF IoT Reference Implementation Platform (peer-to-peer publication and discovery of parking-related information in an aggregated form)

This thesis assessed the current prospect for implementing an ecosystem-based management for fisheries (EBFM) in the Bay of Bengal Large Marine Ecosystem from national and regional level perspectives. A central result of the study is that the governance concept had been defined and used imprecisely in the literature. The way the different elements constitute EBFM revealed that both Bay of Bengal LME countries and existing regional fisheries organisations are unlikely to satisfy all the elements on the EBM checklist. The study also observes that the Bay of Bengal countries do not share a common understanding of EBFM.

Thesis advisor: Gabor T. Marth
Rapid advances in genome sequencing enable a wide range of biological experiments on a scale that was until recently restricted to large genome centers. However, the analysis of the resulting vast genomic datasets is time-consuming, unintuitive and requires considerable computational expertise and costly infrastructure. Collectively, these factors effectively exclude many bench biologists from genome-scale analyses. Web-based visualization and analysis libraries, frameworks, and applications were developed to empower all biological researchers to easily, interactively, and in a visually driven manner, analyze large biomedical datasets that are essential for their research, without bioinformatics expertise and costly hardware
Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2014
Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Discipline: Biology

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate if the application of the ecosystem services concept can provide decision makers and stakeholders with additional relevant information for decisions regarding establishing of aquaculture on a local level, using the Lake Storsjön as a case study. In order to provide this knowledge, three different tasks are carried out within this thesis: the identification of the main ecosystem services provided by Lake Storsjön, the understanding of ecosystem services that will be affected by the expansion of aquaculture and the identification of the services that will be used for a possible expansion of the aquaculture sector. The CICES methodology (Common International Classification of Ecosystem Services) is used to identify the ecosystem services provided by Lake Storsjön. The understanding of the affected ecosystem services is carried out with the use of a Delphi-inspired approach. The identification of the services required for the establishment of aquaculture is driven by a cross-reference matrix. Lake Storsjön provides thirty-nine out of the fifty-nine ecosystem services included in the CICES. About half of these will be effected by environmental impacts connected to operations of ecosystem management required by aquaculture expansion, mostly with a low or medium degree of impact. An increase in the implementation of aquaculture might cause detrimental trade-offs with these ecosystem services: “Wild animals”, “Genetic materials from all biota“, “Disease control”, “Maintaining nursery populations and habitats” and “Filtration/dilution/sequestration/storage/accumulation by ecosystem”. An expansion of the aquaculture sector requires seven of the ecosystem services provided by Lake Storsjön. The vital services for this process are: “Surface water for non-drinking purposes”, “Filtration/dilution/sequestration/storage/accumulation by ecosystem” and “Chemical condition of freshwater”. These services have to be safeguarded and maintained in order to guarantee adequate conditions for an expansion of this sector. At the same time the expansion of aquaculture supports the service “Animals from in situ aquaculture”. The benefits connected to the implementation of aquaculture shall be economically assessed and compared to the actual economic value delivered by the other ecosystem services in order to further understand the positives and negatives outcomes of aquaculture expansion in an ecosystem services perspective. This is considered to be a relevant step for strategic and decision making processes concerning aquaculture expansion in Lake Storsjön. In addition to the economic perspective, it seems that the most relevant factor when discussing planning and development processes towards ecosystem services is the importance of not overshooting the resilience ability of the ecosystem in order to ensure the accessibility of the services to future generations. This belief is recommended to be applied to Lake Storsjön in order to guarantee a conscious expansion of the aquaculture sector on a social, economic and environmental level.

This research examined whether microfinance-assisted developmental mechanisms can integrate ecological objectives alongside social and economic ones—thus promoting sustainability. The specific focus was to test the ability of microenterprises operated by community-entrepreneurs in supporting local ecosystem services. To this end, the research: elucidated the nature and dynamics of linkages between communities and the local ecosystems with the lens of coupled social-ecological systems, i.e. illustrated ecological modernization of microenterprises in a developing country context; tested how community-based enterprises transform upon application of green microfinance strategy; and then recognized how social learning is promoted through such community-based intervention mechanisms, e.g. microfinance. The research used case study and participatory approaches. The case study comprised two components: i) a green microfinance program, and ii) communities in a riparian, and a wetland ecosystem in Bangladesh engaged in entrepreneurship. The major tools that the study employed for data collections were: household surveys, participatory land -use surveys, semi-structured interviews, key informant interviews, focus group discussions, multi-stakeholder workshops, field observations, and document reviews. The research findings reveal that the green microfinance strategy, in the short and medium terms, catalyzes entrepreneurial and social innovations, and combine the embedded economic and social objectives of the classic microfinance with the new ecological objectives towards sustainability. The strategy applied by Microfinance Institution (MFI) and adopted by community enterprises transformed the ventures—helping them to go green and reducing greenhouse gas emission. Besides, the partnerships that occur between non-governmental organization (NGO) and community-based organization (CBO) in the process of implementing developmental programs—result social learning and innovations in the communities. The research review found grassroots developmental initiatives as an evolving phenomenon over time. With this view, and with its observation through this cross-sectional study, the research proposes a framework entitled ‘community-based developmental enterprise (CBDE)’. The framework proposes community level entrepreneurial ventures, associated NGO-MFIs, CBOs and other development partners to consider ecosystem services and wellbeing components in entrepreneurial design and actions.
October 2016

Ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) advocates that well-functioning ecosystems are critical for building resilience and supporting society's adaptation to the adverse impacts of climate change. The National Department of Environmental Affairs, Fisheries and Forestry in South Africa has decided to mainstream EbA into its climate response actions, developing a strategy and set of guidelines to steer implementation. However, little work has been done to grasp different actors' perspectives and understandings of EbA, its implementation and how to link EbA to existing related projects and programmes that focus on natural resource management and ecological restoration. This research presents findings from a qualitative study in the Western Cape that sought to investigate what EbA means ‘on the ground' and how it can be actioned. The objectives for this research were to 1) unpack how government actors in the Western Cape relate to, understand and give meaning to EbA in their specific and existing work contexts and how they relate EbA to other concepts such as green infrastructure, restoration and various forms of natural resource management (NRM); 2) explore the concerns and challenges encountered and what support is needed to implement EbA within each actor's sector; and 3) interpret what the findings mean for future conceptualization, and promotion of EbA mainstreaming in the Western Cape. Semi-structured interviews with 19 government officials and participant observation at EbA related events in South Africa were the main methods used in the research. Findings suggest that despite some conceptual confusion related to EbA, EbA can be ‘grounded based on the three spheres EbA explicitly builds on; namely biodiversity and ecosystem conservation, climate change adaptation and socio-economic benefits. That said, the study also found that practitioners might struggle to successfully address climate change as one of the critical areas of EbA, due to the difficulties of integrating climate change science and projections into projects. In addition, three challenges were identified that relate to funding availability, silo mentality and the mismatch between short-term objectives and decision making in government, and the need for long-term thinking and planning. Increased climate change understanding together with effective demonstration and the use of applicable language that relates to what the different actors are already doing can help improve EbA uptake and mainstreaming, as well as address the challenges related to conceptual confusion, funding, silo mentality and short-term thinking.

This dissertation follows the trajectory of fisheries management in British Columbia from a period prior to European contact when Aboriginal people encountered limits, learned to live within them and indeed enhance productivity of lands and waters. The diversity of ecological contexts and human experience created a rich diversity of eco-social-spiritual communities, sustained by the interweaving of scientific, economic, social, spiritual and aesthetic values. Since then, fisheries managed primarily for commodity value have depleted marine life, while the growth of other economic sectors has transformed ‘fisheries’ from a mainstay of culture and existence to a tiny fraction of BC’s economy as measured by GDP. Globally, depletion and chronic undervaluing have prompted leading marine scientists, conservationists and others to call for a sea or ocean ethic. A literature review reveals a strong public demand for inclusion of immeasurable values between the lines of the ecological economics literature and in declarations from leading scientists and world religions, but there is no coherent way to implement it. A research project using Q methodology indicates that the public demand for inclusion of a spiritual dimension holds for a wide cross-section of people engaged in the governance, management and use of BC’s marine environment. The dissertation outlines a concept of the secular sacred based on a spirituality of dedicated attention to relationships. Dedicated attention confers the knowledge to enhance relationships that contribute to flourishing and unravel those that are destructive. The secular sacred can draw on the moral authority of science to report objectively on large-scale relationships, the moral authority of Aboriginal and local people at local scale, the moral authority of ordinary people committed to flourishing of people, species and places, the moral authority of religion in terms of gratitude, generosity, compassion, love and justice and the moral authority of artists who can represent complexity and tension and point ways to sustainability which words cannot. Drawing on multiple sources of knowledge and authority without belonging to any of them, the secular sacred opens the door to transformative change in and beyond British Columbia.

The following thesis discusses the implementation of ecosystem-based management, an emerging concept in the field of environmental planning and management, in the Morro Bay watershed and estuary. Ecosystem-based management offers solutions to problems associated with human interaction within the natural environment; former President Barack Obama advised by the National Ocean Council, Pew Oceans Commission Report and the US Commission on Ocean Policy, has mandated implementation of this concept in coastal and marine systems (National Ocean Council, 2016). The theory behind ecosystem-based management challenges many tenets of existing natural resource management. This thesis finds the concept of ecosystem-based management as favorable despite tradeoffs and impacts of changing status quo. The preliminary research question asked if key criteria of ecosystem-based management were integrated into existing management plans of institutions such as the Coastal San Luis Resource Conservation District, Morro Bay National Estuary Program, and the San Luis Obispo Science and Ecosystem Alliance. The study answers this question through a document analysis of three local management plans. Survey and interviews were used to assess inconsistencies between management plan goals and on-the-ground implementation in the Morro Bay ecosystem. The results were used to incorporate tenets of ecosystem-based management into the Coastal San Luis Resource Conservation District’s five-year and annual strategic plan update.

Changing climates, human population growth, and aging infrastructure threaten the availability and quality of one of life's most vital resources, water. Hydrological ecosystem services are goods and benefits derived from freshwater that include flood damage mitigation, water for agricultural and commercial use, swimmable and navigable waters, and healthy aquatic habitats. Using computer algorithms inspired by biological and ecological processes known as evolutionary algorithms and on-site stormwater management practices such structural best management practices (BMPs) and green stormwater infrastructure (GSI), this research aims to maximize hydrological ecosystem services at the watershed-scale in both agricultural and urban environments by integrating these algorithms with the watershed model Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), and the hydraulic model Storm Water Management Model (SWMM). This dissertation first develops an information theoretic approach to global sensitivity analysis for distributed models, demonstrated using SWAT, and later uses the sensitive model parameters in a multi-objective automatic calibration scheme using multi-objective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO). Multiple alternative watershed-scale BMP designs (parallel terraces, detention/infiltration ponds, field borders, and grade stabilization structures) that help minimize peak runoff and annual sediment yield were simultaneously identified using SWAT coupled with the species conserving genetic algorithm (SCGA). Finally, using recently developed economic estimates called triple bottom line (TBL) accounting, watershed-scale GSI designs are identified that reduce combined sewer overflow volumes in an urban setting while maximizing the net benefit across social, economic, and environmental categories. Overall, this dissertation research provides useful and relevant computer-based tools for water resources planners and managers interested in maximizing hydrological ecosystem services benefits.

Ecosystem-based management (EBM) is increasingly seen as the new paradigm for managing the use of marine resources and ecosystems. Although EBM has been defined in theory, its implementation has faced challenges worldwide. This research aims to examine two approaches to contribute to the operationzalization of EBM by incorporating stakeholder values in the decision-making process, and by better representing ecosystem dynamics in ecosystem models. First, I illustrate a decision-making framework for EBM rooted in structured decision-making (SDM), a well-known systematic approach for planning and stakeholder-consultation processes. SDM helps to identify the values of the constituents and define objectives and indicators that are consistent with those values. I demonstrate how SDM can enable managers to evaluate the performance of management alternatives using indicators specifically chosen to reflect values. This can help managers make more systematic, transparent and informed decisions with respect to the use of marine resources. As a case study, I apply SDM to the marine planning process on the west coast of Vancouver Island (WCVI). Second, as ecosystem models play an important role in EBM, I strive to improve the representation of marine ecosystems using ecosystem models in Ecopath with Ecosim (EwE). I focus on incorporating mediating effects and species reintroductions, both common situations that can strongly influence ecosystem dynamics. These considerations are essential when applying holistic approaches to management but they are not generally included in EwE. I use EwE to model the reintroduction of sea otters (Enhydra lutris) and the mediating effects provided by kelp forests in nearshore ecosystems of the WCVI. Because EwE does not have the functionality to represent reintroductions, I created two scenarios to work around the assumptions of Ecospace on the initial state of the ecosystem. In addition, I demonstrate how mediating effects can be represented using the ‘mediation’ function in Ecosim. These methods and results can contribute to advance EBM on the WCVI and offer insights to other marine planning processes. Both strengths and limitations of this work are presented and analyzed.

Екосистемне управління природогосподарюванням спрямовано на реалізацію екосистемного підходу до раціонального використання та відтворення природних ресурсів, який також значною мірою має регулюючу основу з боку державних структур з урахуванням міжнародних ініціатив щодо сталого розвитку. При цитуванні документа, використовуйте посилання http://essuir.sumdu.edu.ua/handle/123456789/36914

Within the last five years, the market of cloud computing has shown rapid growth. However, despite the increasing popularity, researchers highlight numerous concerns regarding limited interoperability of systems hosted by different cloud providers as well as restricted customization of cloud solutions. In order to counter aforemen-tioned challenges, this study investigates the idea of introducing a marketplace for cloud services that leverage the service-oriented architecture (SOA) paradigm and of-fers software solutions, computing capabilities from cloud providers, components developed by third parties, as well as access to integration and audit services. The goal of the study lies in conceptualizing the idea and the evaluation of demand it may raise from the key cloud actors. In this regard, existing frameworks of cloud compu-ting and SOA contributed to the development of an initial model that was further improved through the interviewing process. The results of this study include a capa-bility-based framework for the cloud marketplace which not only clarifies the role and activities of the different actors but also contains the necessary features of the marketplace that are needed to ensure the proper workflow. In addition to that, the actors’ incentives and concerns regarding the marketplace were analyzed by applying SWOT-analysis. While the analysis revealed both positive interest and present de-mand among the actors, the identified weaknesses and threats highlight the need for further investigations in order to put the idea into practice.

Doctor of Philosophy
Department of Geography
Lisa M.B. Harrington
The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) is a large, nearly intact ecosystem with significant protection that has often been considered an ideal location to examine coupled human-environment interactions due to the region’s complex mosaic of private and public lands, competing natural resource uses, and rapid population growth. A transition toward sustainability suggests that current societal and economic needs can be met while simultaneously maintaining the planet’s life support systems for future generations. To facilitate sustainability transitions it is imperative that the perceptions and experiences of local communities be documented. The objective of this study was to determine how residents of amenity-driven gateway communities (West Yellowstone and Red Lodge, Montana, and Jackson, Wyoming) surrounding Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks perceive and experience their transition toward sustainability and the challenges inherent in that transition, how those perceptions inform locally produced and extra-local policies, and how institutions influence sustainability goals. Further, this study determined which factors contribute to these perceptions, and whether they differed spatially and temporally. To meet study objectives, a mixed methods approach was implemented, including the content analysis of local newspapers and key informant interviews. Content analysis of local newspapers was used to investigate decision maker and stakeholder priorities for the local and regional environment, economy, and communities, and to determine what actions had been taken to promote sustainability. A total of 193 articles from West Yellowstone News, 287 articles from Carbon County News, and 333 articles from Jackson Hole News & Guide for the ten year period 2000-2009, were analyzed. Specific focal topics varied among the newspapers/communities, but in general terms the most discussed topics in West Yellowstone during this time were focused on natural resources, economic development, community development, sustainability and conservation, and growth and development. The most discussed topics for Red Lodge were community development, government services, tourism and recreation, and growth and development. The most commonly discussed topics in Jackson were natural resources, growth and development, community development, and government services. A total of 35 semi-structured interviews were conducted with key informants in the three study communities during the summer of 2010 to allow for specific questioning and to gain additional information. Definitions of sustainability differed based on the key informant’s community, role in the community, and length of residence in the community. Overall, definitions of sustainability focused on the environment, the economy, and multi-generational or long-term thinking. The prioritization of the economy, environment, and society also differed based on community; however, there was overall recognition that each community was dependent upon the natural environment for economic vitality. In all three study communities, dependence on tourism and recreation-based industries, the lack of a diversified economy, and continued growth and development have resulted in a disconnect between perceptions, priorities, and goals as they relate to sustainability. In addition, each community was focused on multiple goals that further complicated the fulfillment of sustainability objectives. The multi-goal orientation of study communities is reflected in the multiple visions that various decision makers and stakeholders have for the community and their futures. What is needed most is a hierarchical approach to a sustainability transition, with each community setting its own, as well as ecosystem-wide, goals, objectives, and visions. Findings suggest that a transition toward sustainability is perceived and experienced differently based on local context. In the GYE, that context includes a tourism-based economy that is dependent upon the natural environment, a myriad of local, regional, national, and global stakeholders, and the presence of federal land agencies that are responsible for the sustainability of natural systems, freeing local communities to focus on the societal and economic dimensions of sustainability. A transition toward sustainability will be manifested differently in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, and potentially other communities adjacent to protected lands, than it is other areas because of its unique milieu. While the close proximity of federal lands, including Yellowstone National Park, may complicate the sustainability discourse at times and may, in certain instances, add additional challenges through extra-local control of change, these same federal lands may also favor a transition toward sustainability in amenity-driven gateway communities. In addition, the disparate socio-economic conditions present in study communities, as well as extra-local institutions and agencies, directly influence, and may at times further complicate, a transition toward sustainability. This study is based on the theory that in order to successfully transition toward sustainability, a better understanding of coupled human and natural systems is critical, and because of the close couplings between human and natural systems in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, and because of the unique challenges and conflicts present in the region, the GYE is an ideal location to study human-environment interactions. The use-inspired orientation of sustainability science aims to provide tangible, real-world, and place-based understanding of a transition toward sustainability. The contribution of this study to the field of sustainability science is the understanding that, while sustainability visions, goals, and objectives may be similar across a region, consideration of local contexts affecting goals and perceptions provides valuable insights that may inform sustainability pathways at local scales and, as a result, provide deeper understanding of global sustainability. One of these insights is that communities that seemingly have much in common due to their shared region, physical environmental surroundings, and history, the specific concerns to ensure place-based sustainability can show variability. Another important point from this research is that, while most depictions of sustainability are focused on three elements—the economy, society, and the environment—individuals also key in on multigenerational concerns.

Climate change is one of the most pressing issues facing civil society. Scientific evidence indicates the likelihood of greater variability and more frequent extremes of temperature and precipitation which will result in increased flood risk and corresponding social, economic and environmental impacts. Complementing more traditional structurally-based engineering interventions, an important additionaladaptation strategy is through natural flood management (NFM). NFM seeks to utilise natural processes (i.e. by promoting higher infiltration through land management practices) to attenuate flood peaks. Such measures have wider significance in the context of Ecosystem based Adaptation (EbA), to deliver highly beneficial solutions as they provide important benefits in relation to runoff rates but also in terms of wider environmental aspects (e.g. water quality, biodiversity). The present study used a holistic approach to evaluate the effectiveness of NFM options in reducing the flood risk for the current and future climate with a consideration also for the wider delivery of ecosystem services. Tarland Burn catchment (NE Scotland) was used as a platform to explore individual adaptation options through woodland expansion (distinguishing between coniferous and deciduous) and drainage schemes, together with land use scenarios that explore emergent socio-economic contexts. The distributed hydrological model WaSiM-ETH was utilised for the analysis linking land management options with climate projections obtained from UK Climate Projections (UKCP09). Modelling results showed that the magnitude of extreme weather events is expected to increase up to the end of the century with important implications for climate adaptation strategies. Woodland expansion could help attenuate the high flows, with the benefit for flood protection significantly higher for coniferous woodland compared to deciduous woodland and up to 1.5 more if woodland is located in lowland areas. However, modelling results suggested that there are potential negative impacts of afforestation on low flows (and hence water quality) which could exacerbate existing vulnerabilities. This may become an even greater issue in the future as summers are predicted to be drier and warmer. Improving the efficiency of the drainage network was seen to reduce the high flows, though the results are marginal for the winter when most floods occur. Modelling results suggested that climate change will eventually exceed the capacity of beneficial land use change by itself (through NFM measures) to avoid significant changes on catchment hydrology. This has important implications as other complementary engineered solutions may therefore be required to counteract the adverse impacts of climate change on flood risk. Moreover, the EbA assessments results indicated that NFM options may not always be ‘win-win’ solutions as commonly advertised (McShane et al., 2011). Instead trade-offs between the delivery of different services may be required and decisions should be aimed at maximizing benefits whilst minimizing the disbenefits. This novel approach highlighted that land use change should be carefully managed and the choices about land use and flood risk should always have at their core an enhancement of landscape resilience, particularly at the catchment scale.

Il fondamento di ogni scelta politica riguardante la biodiversità risiede nella possibilità di misurarne lo stato di conservazione e l’evoluzione. Il concetto di biodiversità si presenta come estremamente complesso, pertanto la scelta di quantificarne i principali elementi facendo ricorso a diversi indicatori appare appropriata. Obiettivo di questa tesi è l’identificazione del rapporto esistente tra la biodiversità e il benessere umano, tramite l’analisi dell’impatto della diversità di specie, habitat e paesaggio su settori economici differenti, tra cui il turismo. Inoltre, essi costituiscono un punto di riferimento per la definizione di scelte politiche e per la valutazione della loro efficacia, diventando così strumenti imprescindibili per il decisore politico.
At the very basis of biodiversity conservation stands the need to be able to quantify status and trends of biodiversity. Biodiversity is too complex to be fully quantified at policy-relevant scales and its assessment can only be done by means of indicators. This thesis establishes a link between biodiversity, measured via indicators, and human well-being, through the impact exerted by biodiversity on different economic sectors, for instance tourism. Moreover they can be employed as benchmarks for the evaluation of the effectiveness of policy decisions. Finally, they can be used to define priorities and policy objectives, thus becoming decision-making tools for biodiversity conservation.

In the quest for adaptation to climate change, Ecosystem-based Adaptation is being distinguished for its integrated approach to reduce vulnerability to global changes and strengthen adaptive capacity of communities. Despite the notable progress of this concept on the international agenda, few obstacles still prevent it to be better embedded in decision-making and planning for climate adaptation. This research seeks to demonstrate that acknowledging ecosystem services in decision making for adaptation would result in the design and implementation of effective and sustainable responses. The research is built upon an integrated decision-support approach and proposes a methodological enrichment to incorporate the concept of ecosystem services in the decision cycle. Field studies from Macedonia and Guyana undertake a methodological journey to identify challenges and opportunities presented in its application. Therefore, this research strengthens the knowledge on possible paths to transform ecosystem services research into rigorous decisions.

The dissertation will describe how Industry 4.0 is impacting temporary agencies’ strategies, with a specific focus on Maw. The new industrial revolution and its enabling technologies are fostering several significant changes of working models and, in a similar scenario, it is obvious how staffing industry’s players have the key role of driving the change. Maw has already embraced this challenge because its strategies follow three Industry 4.0 trends that can be found in other sectors too: Mass Customization for consumption, Servitization for production and Indirect Data Monetization for exchange. But the hypothesis sustained throughout the analysis is that the most valuable trend concerns distribution and is represented by a Broker and Technology Platform. Its use enables the implementation of a Business Ecosystem, that is a network of relationships between stakeholders where new value co-creation and its subsequent inner distribution are possible. My idea consists in basing on this model a strategic innovation proposal for Maw, through which the company could address the increasingly relevant problem of capability gap: nowadays, in fact, there is an incredibly demand of IT and Big Data management related profiles, as well as the necessity to develop cross competences in order to speed up collaborative processes between different realities. In addition, the identification of the best fit for new job positions requires a shift towards skill evaluation instead of merely looking at qualifications, given that interdisciplinarity and personal attitudes mostly determine the success in the transforming work environment. Therefore, the hypothetical Maw platform will be aimed to support members’ competence assessment, to share its results and to display the most appropriate training and professional growth paths for students and workers.

Platform based ecosystems are becoming dominant models in the software engineering industry. ‘Big data’ has recently gained increased attention from both academia and practitioners and it is believed that big data affects every sector and industry. While an abundance of research focuses on big data and platform-based ecosystems, these two are typically approached as secluded spheres. This study aimed toward an investigation of big data’s role in the evolution of platform-based ecosystems in the software engineering industry. In the present thesis the influence of big data on the software engineering industry and more specifically, the impact of big data on the evolution of software ecosystems, is examined. A case study focused on a platform owner and pioneer in the software engineering industry has been conducted. This study identifies challenges and opportunities triggered by the advent of big data in context of platform-based ecosystems. Hence, considerable insight regarding the impact of big data on contemporary platform providers and the evolution of platform-centric ecosystems is gained. The findings illustrate that software ecosystems are affected by big data in a positive manner, but some identified challenges emerge and have to be tackled. Additionally, in this paper, it is suggested that both academia and practitioners should dig deeper into this relationship and identify how the evolution of platform-based ecosystems is impacted by the advent of big data.

La mise en place de l’approche écosystémique des pêches (AEP) requiert une amélioration de nos connaissances sur la complexité des écosystèmes. Comprendre la réaction de l’écosystème à des mesures de gestion est essentiel pour atteindre les objectifs de conservation. La modélisation écosystémique a amélioré nos connaissances sur le fonctionnement des écosystèmes et leurs interactions avec les usages du domaine maritime; et est de plus en plus utilisée pour évaluer l’impact de mesures de gestion. Le comportement de pêche des flottilles démersales françaises en Manche Orientale a été analysé. Les résultats montrent que les pêcheurs conservent leurs habitudes de pêches et que le trafic maritime peut impacter leurs décisions. Une analyse globale des résultats d’études menées au cours des trente dernières années démontre l’influence des habitudes et des espèces ciblées sur le comportement de pêche. L’exploration de la dynamique de l’écosystème a nécessité l’utilisation du modèle Atlantis, en focalisant sur deux espèces commerciales, la sole (Solea solea) et la plie (Pleuronectes platessa). L’importance des zones estuariennes est révélée, ainsi que le rôle joué par les rejets et par deux espèces clés, la morue (Gadus morhua) et le merlan (Merlangius merlangius). La sole et la plie ont peu d’influence sur le réseau trophique excepté sur la dynamique des invertébrés benthiques. Nous évaluons les conséquences de l’application de fermeture de zones et d’une réduction d’effort sur le comportement de pêche et l’écosystème et mettons en évidence un bénéfice de l’application combinée de ces mesures sur la biomasse des espèces commerciales et sur la valeur débarquée par unité d’effort
The implementation of the ecosystem approach to fisheries management (EAFM) requires an enhancement of our knowledge of ecosystem complexity. Understanding the ecosystem reaction to management regulation is a key to achieve conservation objectives. Ecosystem modelling improves our knowledge on ecosystem functioning in interaction with human activities, and it is now widely used to evaluate management strategies. The fishers’ behaviour of the French demersal fisheries in the Eastern English Channel (EEC) has been investigated. Results showed that fishers tended to adhere to past annual fishing practices and maritime traffic may impact on fishing decision. A global analysis of the fisheries science literature during the last three decades evidenced the influence of tradition and species targeting in fishers’ behaviour. The exploration of ecosystem dynamics required the use of the ecosystem model Atlantis with a focus on two commercial flatfish species, sole (Solea solea) and plaice (Pleuronectes platessa). The importance of estuary areas and of nutrient inputs has been revealed as well as the role of discards and of two key species, cod (Gadus morhua) and whiting (Merlangius merlangius). Sole and plaice did not have a strong influence on the trophic network excepted on the benthic invertebrates’ dynamics. Finally, we investigated the consequences of area closure and effort reduction on fishers’ behaviour and the ecosystem impacted. We observed a noticeable benefit of combining area closure and effort reduction on the biomass of most commercial species and on the total value landed per unit effort

An ecosytem-based spatial conservation plan for the South African sandy beaches. Sandy beaches are valuable ecosystems. They support a collection of species that is unique, comprising many endemic species, and provide a number of key ecosystem goods and services, including scenic vistas for human recreation, nesting sites for turtles and birds, and important areas for biogeochemical recycling, water filtration and purification. However, sandy beaches have not been well understood or appreciated as ecosystems, and consequently have a legacy of poor coastal management. In many instances this has lead to a "tyranny of small decisions", where multiple, seemingly insignificant management decisions and actions have resulted in complete transformation and degradation of the shoreline in several places. In addition to inappropriate management strategies, beaches are also poorly represented in conservation areas. Further, where they are recognised as being "conserved" in marine protected areas, this often is a false sense of protection because the far more sensitive dune portion of the littoral active zone is invariably not included in the reserve. In short, there is a need for a new way to approach sandy beach conservation and management that includes the system (dunes, intertidal beaches and surf zones) as a whole. On one hand, the approach should make provision for use of the abundant natural resources and opportunities associated with sandy shores in ways that are sustainable and contribute to biodiversity stewardship - through ecosystem-based management and marine spatial planning. But, on the other hand, it must simultaneously contribute to securing a sufficient amount of the key ecological attributes of beaches (habitats, biodiversity and processes) in a network of reserves, to ensure that the ecosystem, natural resources, and services all persist in perpetuity - through systematic conservation planning. The aim of this Thesis is to integrate these into a single approach, which I call ecosystem-based spatial conservation planning for sandy beaches, using the South African sandy shores as a case study. To achieve this broad aim, the Thesis is divided into three parts. Part 1 deals with establishing baseline information by quantifying spatial patterns in sandy beach habitats (Chapter 1), biodiversity, key assemblages and processes, and outstanding physical features (Chapter 2). First, mapping sandy beach habitats is a challenge given the vast, linear extent of shorelines and significant resources required to complete the project. Therefore, a novel approach was derived using statistical techniques (conditional inference trees) to identify physical features of beaches that can be observed on Google Earth (or similar) imagery, and that can provide good predictions of beach morphodynamic (habitat) types. Based on the results of this analysis, sandy beaches (and all other coastal habitat types) were mapped digitally in ArcGIS. Second, spatial patterns in sandy beach biodiversity (vertebrates, macrofauna, microflora and foredune plants) were mapped by compiling existing data on the distributions of key species that have been well studied or mapped previously (vertebrates and foredune plants), and by niche modelling (macrofauna and microflora). For the latter, data from all previous sandy-beach sampling events in South Africa were compiled from published and unpublished sources, and supplemented with additional sampling of 23 beaches along the national shoreline, targeting macrofauna and phytoplankton. Altogether, the macrofauna database comprised data from 135 sites and 186 sampling events, and the microflora (phytoplankton and microphytobenthos) database comprised data from 73 sites and 510 samples. The probabilistic distribution of each "resident" species (present at 10 or more sites) was modelled in MaxEnt version 3.3.3k, probability thresholds were determined statistically (to convert the data into predicted presence-absence), and displayed as a digital map. A composite biodiversity map was compiled, and key trends in species richness and endemism along the national shoreline were quantified. To supplement biodiversity proper, additional valued-features of sandy beaches were mapped, including: important assemblages; unique habitat features; and sites associated with key ecological processes. Part 2 considers threats to sandy beaches in the context of deriving an appropriate management strategy that seeks to provide for use of the coast, but in a way that has least overall impact to the ecosystem. A method for assessing cumulative threats to sandy beaches is adapted from an existing framework (Chapter 4). This entailed compiling a list of threats to beaches, and scoring these (out of 10) in terms of the severity of their respective impacts to beaches, and how long it would take the ecosystem to recover should the threat be removed. The scoring was based on the collective expert opinion of the scientific community working on sandy beaches, at a workshop during the VIth International Sandy Beach Symposium 2012. To standardize the scores and ensure broad applicability, a base case scenario of a pristine beach was established, and maximum theoretical scores were provided for this context. The method for integrating these scores into a spatial, cumulative threat assessment was then determined. In Chapter 5, the maximum theoretical scores (from Chapter 4) were down-scaled to suit the current threat regime to the South African sandy beaches, and the cumulative threat assessment methodology was applied. From this analysis, the most threatened beaches in South Africa, and the most important threats were highlighted. A decision-support tool for managers was derived from the site-specific cumulative threat-impact scores, based first on the degree of permanent habitat transformation, and second on the cumulative impact of other stressors where the impacts these stressors have could potentially be mitigated or ameliorated. Part 3 concerns conservation of beaches explicitly. It addresses how much of which valued features of beaches is required to ensure their long-term persistence, and the design of a network of beaches in South Africa that are of ecological importance and should be set aside as reserves. Conservation targets are set in Chapter 6, using species-area curves to determine a baseline percentage-area required to protect sandy beach habitats, which is modified using heuristic principles based on habitat rarity and threat status (from a recent national assessment). A fixed target was applied to all species, also modified by heuristic principles, and another fixed target was applied to key assemblages and processes.

Single-species and multi-species modelling was employed to seek options for sustainable management of Mille Lacs Lake, the second largest lake within Minnesota, known primarily for its walleye (Sander vitreus) fisheries. Managers of the lake face challenges in adapting to changes that include changing temperature of the water body, changing community structure, growing number of piscivorous birds, and an invasion of zebra mussels leading to greater water clarity. The lake experienced a historical decline in the population of cisco (Coregonus artedi)—a cold-water stenothermic forage species. Surplus production models of cisco population suggested that temperature explained 36-40% of change in cisco abundance and that the decline in the species was due to a combination of temperature increase and high fishing pressure. To rebuild the depleted stock, I concluded that strong restriction was required on cisco fisheries especially in warmer years. For multi-species analysis, I built an ecosystem model with the Ecopath with Ecosim (EwE) modelling suite using extensive field data on organism parameters and diet. The EwE model was fitted to abundance and catch data for the period 1985 to 2006. Influence of temperature on the model predictions were simulated by adding temperature data as forcing function in the EwE model. The model was driven forward 25 years to evaluate the ecosystem-wide predictions for prevailing harvesting strategies and other possible fisheries scenarios of interest to the lake managers. The ecosystem model was used to estimate single-species and ecosystem-level reference points for thirteen fished species in the lake with and without including the effects of temperature change. The analysis helped comparison of ecosystem effects and temperature effects on the estimated reference points. The EwE model sucessfully forecast most of the changes seen in the lake after the period of fitted-data from 2007 to 2012. The model was extended for evaluation of ecosystem-wide impact of zebra mussels invasion. The model predicted that the mussels population would stabilise in the lake after attaining maximum density. But during this period several species, including the important walleye, could be negatively affected by the filtration of phytoplankton by zebra mussels.
Science, Faculty of
Resources, Environment and Sustainability (IRES), Institute for
Graduate

Computational models of the ocean plankton ecosystem are traditionally based on simulating entire populations of microbes using sets of coupled differential equations. However, due to recent advances in high-performance computing, a new class of individual-based models (IBM) has come to the fore, which uses computational agents to model individual sub-populations of marine plankton. Although computationally more expensive, these agent-based models offer features that cannot be re-created using population-level dynamics, such as individual life cycles, intra-population variability and an increased stability over parameter ranges. The main focus of this thesis is the implementation and verification of an embedded modelling framework for creating agent-based plankton ecology models in Fluidity-ICOM, a state-of-the-art ocean model that solves the Navier-Stokes equations on adaptive unstructured finite element meshes. Since Fluidity-ICOM provides an interface for creating population-based ecology models, a generic agent-based framework not only enables the integration of existing plankton IBMs with adaptive remeshing technology, but also allows individual and population-based components to be used within a single hybrid ecosystem. This thesis gives a full account of the implementation of such a framework, focusing in particular on the movement and tracking of agents in an unstructured finite element mesh and the coupling mechanism used to facilitate agent-mesh and agent-agent interactions. The correctness of the framework is verified using an existing agent-based ecosystem model with four trophic levels, which is shown to settle on a stationary annual attractor given a stable cycle of annual forcing. A regular cycle of phytoplankton primary production and zooplankton reproduction is achieved using a purely agent-based implementation and a hybrid food chain version of the model, where the two top-level components of the ecosystem are modelled using Eulerian field equations. Finally, a standalone phytoplankton model is used to investigate the effects of vertical mesh adaptivity on the ecosystem in a three-dimensional mesh.

Ecosystem services (ES), payments for ecosystem services (PES), and the development of markets for PES are transformational concepts and practices that emerged from environmental and ecological economics. Although the establishment of regulatory markets tends to be “top down,” there is evidence that more locally acceptable and successful markets tend to come from the community, from the “bottom up.” This meta-analysis analyzes 20 recent articles that examined approximately 454 PES cases from around the world, most organized from the bottom up. Cross-case analysis reveals possible best practices. Involving communities in design, decision-making, governance, and operation of local PES programs is found in many cases to contribute to improvements in both ecosystems and community livelihoods. Devolving project administration and ES provision monitoring to the local level is found to lower costs, increase project legitimacy, community equity, and leaves efficiency and fairness tradeoff decision-making in the hands of local communities. This in turn adds to feelings of competence, autonomy, and control. The experience of cooperative learning, skill acquisition, and enhanced individual and community capacities that results from participation in PES program design is found to positively influence social, cultural, economic, and multilevel political dynamics, allowing local sustainable resource use and management to emerge. In several cases, there are indications that this leads to a changed local and regional political economy due to successful value capture of enhanced ES resulting from restored ecosystems, as well as indications of other transformative changes in communities. These findings are used to provide recommendations to a watershed restoration initiative in the borderlands of Southern Arizona.

[EN] The main objectives of this research are the following. First, to analyse the models and methods in Decision Support Systems (DSS) for forest management, taking into account the important features which allow forestry related problems to be categorized. Second, to define strategic criteria for the sustainable management of Mediterranean forests, as well as to elicit and aggregate the stakeholders' preferences. Third, to propose a robust methodology to implement collaborative management focused on ESS and to develop indicators for the main functions of ESS. The methodology is based on a workshop and surveys to elicit the decision makers', experts' and other stakeholders' preferences. Several techniques were then used to aggregate individual judgements and determine social preferences, in particular, Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Goal Programming (GP). In addition, a PROMETHEE based method has been developed to provide indicators of the ESS, classified into provisioning, maintenance and direct to citizens services. The analysis of DSS for forest management has shown that the best choice of approach to solve a given problem depend on its nature, which can be characterized by the temporal scale, spatial context, spatial scale, number of decision makers or stakeholders, objectives and finally goods and services involved. A decision hierarchy for strategic management of Valencian forests has been developed by involving experts during the design phase. This was later validated in consultation with the stakeholders in a workshop and provides the base from which to obtain the social preferences. The results show greater importance for environmental and social criteria and lesser relevance for economic criteria, valid for both public and private Mediterranean forests. This result is the same regardless of which preference aggregation technique was used and takes into account the preferences of the majority of the stakeholders and also the minority opinions furthest from the consensus. New products and services such as rural tourism, renewable energies, landscape, hydrological regulation and erosion control, biodiversity and climate change mitigation are relevant. This research also proposes a robust methodology to implement collaborative management focused on ESS provided by protected areas and aggregated indicators for their main functions. Decision makers, technical staff and other stakeholders are included in the process from the beginning, by identifying ESS and eliciting preferences using the AHP method. Qualitative and quantitative data are then integrated into a PROMETHEE based method in order to obtain indicators for provisioning, maintenance and direct to citizens services. This methodology, which has been applied in a forest natural park, provides a tool for exploiting available technical and social data in a continuous process, as well as graphical results, which are easy to understand. This approach also overcomes the difficulties found in prioritising management objectives in a multiple criteria context with limited resources and facilitates consensus between all of the people involved. The new indicators define an innovative approach to assessing the ESS from the supply perspective and provide basic information to help establish payment systems for environmental services and compensation for natural disasters.
[ES] Los principales objetivos de esta investigación son los siguientes. En primer lugar, analizar los modelos y los métodos de los sistemas de ayuda a la toma de decisiones para gestión forestal, teniendo en cuenta las características relevantes que permiten clasificar los problemas forestales. En segundo lugar, definir los criterios estratégicos para la gestión forestal sostenible del bosque mediterráneo, así como obtener y agregar las preferencias de los decisores y otras partes interesadas. En tercer lugar, proponer una metodología robusta para implementar una gestión colaborativa centrada en los servicios del ecosistema y desarrollar indicadores para las principales funciones de estos servicios. La metodología se fundamenta en una jornada de trabajo con decisores, expertos y otros grupos de personas interesadas, así como en encuestas a todos ellos. Después se han utilizado varias técnicas para agregar las preferencias individuales y determinar las preferencias de los distintos grupos sociales, en particular el proceso analítico jerárquico y la programación por metas. Adicionalmente, se ha desarrollado un método basado en PROMETHEE que permite obtener indicadores de los servicios del ecosistema, clasificados en servicios de producción, mantenimiento y directos a los ciudadanos. El análisis de los sistemas de ayuda a la toma de decisiones para gestión forestal ha puesto de manifiesto que los mejores enfoques para resolver los problemas forestales dependen de su naturaleza, caracterizada por la escala temporal, el contexto espacial, la escala espacial, el número de decisores o personas interesadas, el número de objetivos y por último los bienes y servicios involucrados. Se ha desarrollado una jerarquía de decisión para la gestión estratégica de los bosques valencianos involucrando a expertos en la fase de diseño. Este modelo fue validado posteriormente por las partes interesadas en una jornada organizada con esta finalidad y ha sido la base para obtener las preferencias sociales. Los resultados ponen de manifiesto la mayor importancia de los criterios medioambientales y sociales y la menor relevancia de los económicos, tanto para el monte mediterráneo público como privado. Este resultado es independiente del método de agregación utilizado y tiene en cuenta tanto las preferencias de la mayoría como de la minoría más alejada del consenso. Son relevantes los nuevos productos y servicios tales como el turismo rural, las energías renovables, el paisaje, la regulación hidrológica y el control de la erosión, la biodiversidad y la mitigación del cambio climático. Esta investigación también propone una metodología robusta para implementar una gestión colaborativa centrada en los servicios del ecosistema que proporcionan las áreas protegidas e indicadores agregados para sus principales funciones. Los responsables de las decisiones, el personal técnico y otras personas interesadas han participado desde el inicio del proceso, identificando los servicios del ecosistema y proporcionado sus preferencias mediante la técnica del proceso analítico jerárquico. Después se integran los datos cualitativos y cuantitativos en un método basado en PROMETHEE con la finalidad de obtener indicadores para los servicios de producción, mantenimiento y directos a los ciudadanos. Esta metodología, que se ha aplicado en un parque natural, facilita la explotación de los datos técnicos y sociales en un proceso continuo y proporciona resultados gráficos muy fáciles de entender. Este enfoque también permite superar las dificultades que surgen al priorizar los objetivos de gestión en un contexto multicriterio con recursos limitados y facilita el consenso entre todas las personas involucradas. Los nuevos indicadores representan un enfoque innovador para la valoración de los servicios del ecosistema desde el punto de vista de la oferta y proporcionan información básica para establecer sistemas de pagos por
[CAT] Els principals objectius d'aquesta recerca són els següents. En primer lloc, analitzar els models i els mètodes dels sistemes d'ajuda a la presa de decisions per a gestió forestal, tenint en compte les característiques rellevants que permeten classificar els problemes forestals. En segon lloc, definir els criteris estratègics per a la gestió forestal sostenible del bosc mediterrani, com també obtenir i agregar les preferències dels decisors i altres parts interessades. En tercer lloc, proposar una metodologia robusta per a implementar una gestió col·laborativa centrada en els serveis de l'ecosistema i desenvolupar indicadors per a les principals funcions d'aquests serveis. La metodologia es fonamenta en una jornada de treball amb decisors, experts i altres grups de persones interessades, i també en enquestes a tots ells. Després s'han utilitzat diverses tècniques per a afegir-hi les preferències individuals i determinar les preferències dels diferents grups socials, en particular el procés analític jeràrquic i la programació per metes. Addicionalment, s'ha desenvolupat un mètode basat en PROMETHEE que permet obtenir indicadors dels serveis de l'ecosistema, classificats en serveis de producció, manteniment i directes als ciutadans. L'anàlisi dels sistemes d'ajuda a la presa de decisions per a la gestió forestal ha posat de manifest que els millors enfocaments per a resoldre els problemes forestals depenen de la naturalesa d'aquests problemes, caracteritzada per l'escala temporal, el context espacial, l'escala espacial, el nombre de decisors o persones interessades, el nombre d'objectius i, finalment, els béns i serveis involucrats. S'ha desenvolupat una jerarquia de decisió per a la gestió estratègica dels boscos valencians involucrant experts en la fase de disseny. Aquest model ha sigut validat posteriorment per les parts interessades en una jornada organitzada amb aquesta finalitat i ha sigut la base per a obtenir les preferències socials. Els resultats posen de manifest la major importància dels criteris mediambientals i socials i la menor rellevància dels econòmics, tant per a la muntanya mediterrània pública com privada. Aquest resultat és independent del mètode d'agregació utilitzat i té en compte tant les preferències de la majoria com de la minoria més allunyada del consens. Són rellevants els nous productes i serveis, com ara el turisme rural, les energies renovables, el paisatge, la regulació hidrològica i el control de l'erosió, la biodiversitat i la mitigació del canvi climàtic. Aquesta recerca també proposa una metodologia robusta per a implementar una gestió col·laborativa centrada en els serveis de l'ecosistema que proporcionen les àrees protegides i indicadors agregats per a les seues funcions principals. Els responsables de les decisions, el personal tècnic i altres persones interessades hi han participat des de l'inici del procés, identificant els serveis de l'ecosistema i proporcionant les seues preferències mitjançant la tècnica del procés analític jeràrquic. Després s'integren les dades qualitatives i quantitatives en un mètode basat en PROMETHEE amb la finalitat d'obtenir indicadors per als serveis de producció, manteniment i directes als ciutadans. Aquesta metodologia, que s'ha aplicat en un parc natural, facilita l'explotació de les dades tècniques i socials en un procés continu i proporciona resultats gràfics molt fàcils d'entendre. Aquest enfocament també permet superar les dificultats que sorgeixen a l'hora de prioritzar els objectius de gestió en un context multicriteri amb recursos limitats i facilita el consens entre totes les persones involucrades. Els nous indicadors representen un enfocament innovador per a la valoració dels serveis de l'ecosistema des del punt de vista de l'oferta i proporcionen informació bàsica per a establir sistemes de pagaments per serveis ambientals i compensacions per desastres naturals.
Segura Maroto, M. (2015). ASSESSMENT OF ECOSYSTEM SERVICES BASED ON MULTIPLE CRITERIA AND GROUP DECISION MAKING [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/57955
TESIS

There are a number of reasons for the move towards sustainable development and ecosystem based fisheries management. Public concern and awareness over the impact of development on the environment started in the 1960s and 1970s with the emergence of the environment movement and the global sustainability debate. This was in response to visible effects of degradation on the environment caused by human activities, and a challenging of traditional assumptions that the natural environment had the capacity to provide unlimited resources for continued economic and population growth. The past two decades has been characterised by an acknowledgement that previous management approaches have failed to effectively address the issues effecting oceans and fisheries, and the growing realisation that a holistic approach is required to ensure the proper governance and management of the oceans and fisheries. The overall objective of EBFM is to sustain healthy marine ecosystems and the fisheries they support. There is now a large literature on EBFM, but much less on implementation and no general agreed framework for assessing EBFM. A systems approach is one way to deal with the above difficulties. The central proposition of this thesis has argued that managing under ESD/EBFM principles is complex and one needs to understand the big picture in order to identify and understand the parts. This approach has been used throughout each stage of the thesis by way of unpacking the whole into its constituent parts and developing an understanding of the key dependencies and relationships; and repacking by discussing the importance of integrated governance and management in terms of consistency when translating from general concepts and definitions into principles, criteria, objectives, and the specific approaches for implementation. To assess management strategies in the context of the overall “fisheries system” that links the marine ecosystem, users, scientists, government agencies and other stakeholders, it is helpful to begin to get a sense of what such a system might look like. To achieve this, an integrated model has been developed, which displays the broad dimensions and interconnected and interlinked nature of ecosystems and human systems under EBFM principles. The model was further developed in terms of the biosocioecomic and the governance and management dimensions, which are underpinned by a set of frameworks. These provide a framework for describing and understanding of the dimensions, components, characteristics and key drivers for each of the dimensions. Australia has adopted ESD and EBFM which forms the basis for governance and management of oceans and fisheries across all jurisdictions. In moving from the more theoretical and conceptual aspects to an application of ESD/EBFM, the model was applied to Australia, providing empirical material through which to qualitatively assess its application. It was argued that the conceptual model could be used to successfully represent the real world in moving from a broad representation of ESD and EBFM to the detailed implementation at the fisheries level in Australia. One area of the model that requires further development, and is necessary for fully implementing EBFM, concerns societal choice and values. Future key challenges at the international level and nationally for Australia is the need to simultaneously govern and manage both current and emerging issues, which will require different approaches; and the need to move to a fully integrated assessment approach so that adaptive management can be implemented.

The Eastern stock of Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus thynnus) has experienced a steep decline, 74.2%, in recent decades, mainly driven by large unreported catches and growth of the capture-based aquaculture of this species in the Mediterranean. This study addresses the potential food-web effects on trophic linkages in the ecosystem through the removal of both small pelagic fish species and wild bluefin tuna (BFT) for capture-based aquaculture operations. An Ecopath model of the Southern Catalan Sea (Western Mediterranean) was modified to include a BFT farm supplied entirely by the area modeled (Coll et al, 2006). Six scenarios were developed to simulate possible changes to the system using Ecosim, including the continued growth of aquaculture operations, as well as changes to the total allowable catch for BFT as set by ICCAT. Species not directly connected with the production of BFT showed large fluctuations in biomass and yield as a result of these simulations. Using these models, increases in biomass of lower trophic level functional groups were observed with reductions in biomass from other top trophic level predators. Jellyfish and benthopelagic fish exhibited an increase in biomass, the largest being 8.76% for jellyfish and 69.76% for benthopelagic fish, while wild BFT biomass decreased 87.26%. Atlantic bonito and swordfish showed similar rates of decline in biomass levels. These outcomes stress that fishing at top trophic levels can have unforeseen outcomes on the structure of the ecosystem, due to the complexity of the food web. Capture-based aquaculture of Atlantic bluefin tuna can be expected to increase along the proposed scenario levels, due to the decision not to place this species on Appendix I of CITES during the CITES meeting of 2010. This study suggests that farming activity has additional impacts on the ecosystems that should be taken into account when evaluating the suitability of this industry and projecting the trends towards the future. Results suggest that, in the case of the Western Mediterranean Sea, increasing BFT farming activities will likely contribute towards further degradation of an already highly exploited marine ecosystem. The development of hatchery technology to close the life cycle and produce juvenile BFT for stocking cages as well as using artificial diets during the grow out stage are required to minimize long-term impacts and support industry expansion.

Dissertação apresentada na Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa para a obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia do Ambiente, perfil Gestão de Sistemas Ambientais
Biodiversity has been increasingly recognized as one of the key elements in human development and well-being. The loss of biodiversity is considered alarming not only because of its ethical and esthetical value, but also, because it comprises a variety of services essential for the health, regulation and prosperity of the biosphere. Given their significance, one might expect that the ecosystem services would be prized by markets and explicitly protected by the law, however, neither has been the case. International experience has shown that market-based instruments (MBIs), which basically provide economic incentives to modify behaviour, may be a more effective way to achieve many environmental goals, often yielding better results by harnessing the powerful cost-benefit motivations of businesses and individuals. This study intends to demonstrate the potential of market-based instruments in biodiversity conservation, particularly in protected areas. However biodiversity is not restricted to the network of national parks and other protected areas on state-owned land, it also needs to be protected and managed on privately-owned land. The goal of this work is to design a MBI, to be implemented in Portugal, in order to incentive private landowners in protected areas to achieve economic and social development without depleting the natural capital available. The design of the instrument started with the assessment of MBIs already running, with a special focus in the Australian experience. A methodology is proposed for that assessment in order to standardize the approach and analysis of this type of instrument. To overcome uncertainties and to get more information on the likely costs and benefits it is considered preferable to use an already trialled mechanism as basic framework. The instrument is designed using the basics of the Liverpool Plains Scheme (Australia), but some changes are introduced to improve it and make it more suitable to Portuguese reality. A potential target area in Portugal is selected according to several criteria, as a case study to illustrate the instrument application. It is proposed an implementation program and schedule. MBIs offer an opportunity to integrate biodiversity conservation into the economic market, however without a strong economic foundation, designing market mechanisms can result in costly mistakes. The success of this instrument will mainly depend on the ability to motivate the landowners to participate, in order to create competition between them, which will result in better outcomes at a lower cost. On the other hand, the ability to involve companies in the scheme, basically increasing the demand, will be decisive to its economic sustainability and growth. These are the keys features that will decide the success or failure of its implementation.

Fisheries managers have the potential to significantly improve reef fish management in the Gulf of Mexico through the use of ecosystem-based approaches to fisheries management. Ecosystem-based approaches are needed to address the effects of fishing on trophodynamic interactions, to better account for ecosystem-scale processes in model projections, and to recognize the short and long-term biomass tradeoffs associated with making regulatory choices. My research was concentrated around three objectives: (1) characterizing the trophodynamic interactions between Gulf of Mexico fishes, in order to construct an invaluable tool (a Gulf of Mexico Atlantis model) to be used in ecological hypothesis testing and policy performance evaluation for years to come; (2) predicting ecological indicators for the Gulf of Mexico that both respond to fishing pressure and are robust to observational error, and; (3) evaluating the performance of an ecosystem-based policy options for managing reef fish species in the Gulf of Mexico. To accomplish these objectives, a spatial, trophodynamic ecosystem model- Atlantis, was employed to represent the Gulf of Mexico marine ecosystem. To characterize trophic interactions between modeled species, I applied a maximum likelihood estimation procedure to produce Dirichlet probability distributions representing the likely contribution of prey species to predators’ diets. This provided mode values (the peak of the distribution) and associated error ranges, which describe the likely contribution of a prey item in a predator’s diet. The mode values were used to parameterize the availabilities (diet) matrix of the Gulf of Mexico Atlantis model. Investigating trophic interactions was useful for determining which species within the Atlantis model were data rich, and justified the emphasis on reef fish species and their prey items in subsequent analyses. Once parameterized and calibrated, I used the Atlantis model to project ecological indicators over a 50 year time horizon (2010-2060) under varying levels of fishing mortality. Principal component analysis was used to evaluate ecological indicator trajectories in multivariate space, to rank indicators according to how well they describe variability in ecosystem structure (termed ‘importance’), to reveal redundancies in the information conveyed, to quantify interannual noise and to determine how robust indicators are to observational error. Reef fish catch, Red snapper biomass, King mackerel biomass and Species richness indicators ranked the highest in terms of importance and robustness to error and in having low levels of interannual noise (i.e., requiring less frequent monitoring). I then used a management strategy evaluation (MSE) framework in Atlantis to evaluate some of these same indicators under an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management – using robust harvest control rules to manage reef fishes. I found that this ecosystem-based policy option was able to maintain higher reef fish biomass, catch and ecosystem-wide biodiversity under any given level of fishing mortality when compared to a status quo management approach. These results suggest that harvesting under the HCRs encourages an alternative ecosystem state with a more Pareto-efficient tradeoff frontier than the status-quo policy. A potentially reduced extinction risk for reef fish is plausible under this ecosystem-based policy option. This research provides a quantitative look at the fishery performance and ecological tradeoffs associated with various policy options. MSE methodology using ecosystem-based policy performance metrics is also demonstrated. Tool development and findings from this research should aid in the development of ecosystem-based policies for this region.

Even as global fisheries are in decline, participation in ecosystem-based marine recreational activities (MRAs), defined here as recreational fishing, whale watching and diving, has increased around the world, adding a new dimension to human use of the marine ecosystem and another good reason to strengthen marine ecosystem management measures worldwide. After compiling available data for maritime countries, a meta-analysis was used to estimate the yearly global benefits of the largest MRAs. Results suggest that 121 million people a year participate in MRAs, generating 47 billion USD in expenditures and supporting one million jobs. Aside from offering the first global estimation of socioeconomic benefits from MRAs, this work provides insights on their drivers of participation and possible ecological impacts. In the case of whale watching, potential benefits are estimated for maritime countries that do not currently engage in this industry based on ecological and socio-economic criteria. Results suggest that whale watching could generate an additional 413 million USD in yearly revenue, supporting 5,700 additional jobs; this would bring the total potential benefits from the global whale watching industry to over 2.5 billion USD in yearly revenue, supporting 19,000 jobs. Recreational fishing is the largest MRA in the world, and can be a vital component of regional economies. Using available fisheries and ecosystem data, an Ecopath model was used to explore the ecological and economic effects of specific fisheries management measures in Baja California Sur, Mexico, particularly regarding longlining effort reductions and billfish bycatch. Results suggest that currently mandated policies will have little effect on marlin abundance in the area. The effects of ecosystem dynamics in an already overfished system must not be overlooked, as they can negate or even reverse desired outcomes from management. All results are discussed from an economic and conservation policy perspective, with emphasis on potential benefits and limitations.

Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) depends on the recognition that benefits associated with healthy functioning (function benefits) of ecosystems are irreplaceable in ecological, geomorphological and social terms. A methodology for evaluating different inter-tidal wetlands on the basis of indicators representing their full range of functions is presented. Each inter-tidal wetland is attributed a function related score. These scores are region specific. Whilst they allow a ranking of inter-tidal wetland importance, they do not equate to economic value. A key advantage of this approach is that it quantifies the regional resource, and forms a basis upon which to consider the impact of future pressures and prioritise conservation actions. The methodology has been applied to the Solent and Poole Bay Marine Natural Area (MNA). The 13 inter-tidal wetlands within this region have been scored and ranked, highlighting the relative importance of the large inter-tidal wetlands of Poole, chichester and Langstone Harbours compared with the snmaller inter-tidal wetlands of the north shore of the Isle of Wight. The main challenges facing the conservation of this regional resource are evaluated and the cumulative impact/risk of key pressures is assessed. Lymington/Keyhaven and Southampton Water are considered to be the regional inter-tidal wetlands whose function benefits are most at risk over the next 20 years. A restoration target of 1200 ha of inter-tidal wetland is suggested for the MNA, with a recommendation that re-creation efforts should focus on Chichester Harbour. A detailed case study of the Lymington/Keyhaven inter-tidal wetland is presented. Technical rehabilitation solutions are suggested based on the synthesis of physical and ecological survey date. This research concludes that work to restore inter-tidal wetlands is urgently needed. Such work requires appropriate central Government funding together with a new mechanism, over and above existing compulstory purchase powers, to rationalize coastal landholdings. Investment should concentrate initially on the most easily rehabilitated and re-created sites, to offset the impact of natural forcing mechanisms associated with global environmental change. A role for environmental mediators in identified to raise the political and social acceptability of inter-tidal wetland restoration and a regional ecosystem-based approach is suggested as the best way forward

Ecosystem services are essential for human climate adaptation. As climate change is a direct driver of change for ecosystem service provisioning, it is of importance to care for our ecosystems to be able to cope with future challenges. Local governance has a central role in climate adaptation due to its responsibility in physical planning. To be able to plan for changes driven by climate change, a flexible, adaptive strategy is necessary. Ecosystem-based Adaptation, EbA, can provide this flexibility to an overall adaptation strategy. In this case study, the potential of EbA to help Nature-based Tourism, NbT, to adapt to a changing climate was spatially mapped to be a useful part of the basis for local physical planning. The mapping includes areas of biodiversity, water infrastructure and features that provide resilience to climate change. The results show that there are areas with potential for EbA that can address adverse effects of climate change for the NbT. These spatial mapped areas provide an instant overview of the key areas to consider when planning for climate adaptation. These mapped areas are also combined with a qualitative assessment of the potential for EbA. By providing decision-makers with information on where and how ecosystem services can assist local climate adaptation, decisions that support both the future of humanity and ecosystems are enabled. However, to reach enforcement of EbA, the knowledge has to be included in binding documents such as detail plans.

Ecosystem services, capturing the benefits and values of functioning ecosystems for human well-being, is a concept receiving increasing attention both in science and policy. This study investigates the utility of considering ecosystem service in the ecological restoration of a river affected by small-scale hydropower. While hydropower is a renewable energy source, it has impacts on the ecological status in water sheds and generates issues addressed e.g. by the EU Water Directive. To mitigate ecological impacts, and maintain hydroelectricity production that better correspond to the Water Directive, several restoration measures are carried out in river Billstaån, County of Jämtland, Sweden.   This study presents an ecosystem service perspective of the restoration process in river Billstaån linked to recommendations in terms of further interpretation, monitoring and communication of the assessment results. By applying evaluation of ecosystem services to the case of river Billstaån, it is examined to what extent ecosystem service descriptions can give support in monitoring and communication of the results of the ecological restoration efforts.   Ecosystem services were assessed for the restoration outcomes in river Billstaån using the two frameworks Corporate Ecosystem Service Review (ESR) and Toolkit for Ecosystem Service Assessment (TESSA), respectively. The ecosystem services deemed most important partly differed between the two frameworks due to different assessment perspectives. However, both ESR and TESSA pointed out ecosystem services connected to recreation and tourism as important, indicating a potential regarding recreational use of the area. Such socio-economic impacts of the restoration project was not included in the planning of the restoration, but if identified and utilized such “added benefits” might give opportunities for local rural development beyond the restoration work itself.   Contrasting the results from the ecosystem service assessment of river Billstaån towards the Swedish Environmental Objectives identified two direct and seven indirect connections. Through these connections the restoration project can be presented in relation to national goals. Indicating such connections can help in communicating the ecosystem service perspective. For future monitoring of project outcomes in river Billstaån, a set of potential indicators were identified using an ecosystem service approach, that can complement the planned monitoring of ecosystem functions. For future monitoring of ecosystem service development it is advisable to use a combination of indicators that reflect both the ecosystem function availability and the ecosystem service use. Three types of illustrations that can support different perspectives in future communication regarding ecosystem services in river Billstaån were identified in this study and termed system, overview and single service perspective. Example illustrations include a Causal Loop Diagram, a hot-spot map and a range of photos, respectively. The illustrations are deemed to present the assessment results in a more accessible way and can be adapted to a diversity of future communication settings.

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This thesis deals with the need to move towards a holistic, truly integrated and ecosystem-based beach management that allows a sustainable use of these systems within the socio-ecological paradigm. However, the scarcity of frameworks for such management has been identified as a major constraint. The goal of this thesis was to apply and develop a set of methodologies based on the introduction of the Ecosystem Approach principles to beach management. These tools would be part of the Ecosystem Based Management System (EMBS), a novel formal system of public good management developed for coastal and marine environments. The study was conducted along the Costa Brava, a coastal area highly affected by tourism that alternates urban and natural beaches. The work starts providing a brief description of major paradigms of environmental management, with special emphasis on beach management. It also discusses the situation in Spain and its differences with main European policies in this area. Results confirm the need of an integrated and holistic beach management based on "sources" and not only on "resources", and the urgency of developing tools that could be really implemented. The main contribution of this thesis is a methodological framework based on multi-hazards risk assessment, which allows managers to identify and prioritize the main hazards potentially disturbing the beach and affecting existing ecosystem services. Thus managers could adapt their strategies according to their priorities, visions and resources. This methodology was validated in S¿Abanell beach, where 7 hazards and 6 ecosystem services were identified. In this thesis, beaches have been analyzed as socio-ecological systems, emphasizing the social dimension of the system that is not always considered. In this dissertation the users¿ perceptions have been analyzed as a feedback of management measures, comparing them in two antagonistic settings: an urban (S¿Abanell) and a natural-protected beach (St Pere Pescador). Learning from previous measures, this feedback should improve the setting of management according to the characteristics of each beach, increasing its adaptability and avoiding its homogenisation. Natural attributes were a priority in the protected setting, while services were highlighted in the urban one. But significant differences were not as important as would be assumed a priori. This homogenization in users¿ perceptions could be due to the scarce information-education provided to users on the protected beach, to the management that not really emphasizes the natural attributes of this beach, and to the strong influence of the surroundings with a long tradition of mass tourism. Achieve an effective implementation of integrated management has been also cited as a critical need. In this sense, this study has addressed a key component by means of an institutional analysis, identifying responsible authorities and key officers in charge of beach management. For 8 beaches of the Costa Brava the assessment identified duplications and absences in the management of key processes underlying main beach functions. Likewise, it showed the great diversity and complexity of the current beach management structures of this zone. The results confirmed the prioritization of the recreational function of the beach, with beach management almost restricted to the summer season. Concerning management structures, even if the three major Spanish legal scales were clearly recognized, a myriad of layouts have been identified within Municipalities. Within the current model, different aspects of the same system are managed in isolation, by different authorities with different objectives. Hence, beach management is fragmented and based on responsibilities, hindering the eventual implementation of new management plans. Thus, this dissertation aims to contribute to the development of a pathway in order to achieve a holistic, truly integrated and ecosystem-based beach management model.
Esta tesis se enmarca en la urgente necesidad de avanzar hacia una gestión de playas holística, verdaderamente integrada y basada en los ecosistemas, permitiendo un uso sostenible de estos sistemas dentro del actual paradigma socio-ecológico. Uno de los principales obstáculos para ello ha sido la escasez de herramientas que puedan ser realmente implementadas. El objetivo de la tesis fue aplicar y desarrollar este tipo de metodologías introduciendo los principios del enfoque ecosistémico en la gestión de playas. Estas herramientas se integrarían en el Ecosystem Based Management System (EBMS), un sistema de gestión de bienes públicos actualmente en desarrollo para entornos costeros y marinos. El estudio se desarrolló en la Costa Brava, una región tradicionalmente turística que alterna playas urbanas y naturales. Este trabajo comienza describiendo la evolución de los principales paradigmas de la gestión ambiental, con énfasis en la gestión de playas. Se analiza además el caso de España y sus principales diferencias con las políticas europeas en esta materia. Los resultados confirman la necesidad de una gestión integrada basada en “las fuentes” y no sólo en “los recursos”, y de metodologías que puedan ser implementadas. La principal contribución de esta tesis es una metodología basada en la evaluación de riesgos por múltiples eventos, que permite identificar y priorizar las principales amenazas que pueden perturbar el sistema y los servicios ambientales que este brinda. Así los administradores podrían adaptar su gestión según sus prioridades, visiones y recursos. Esta metodología fue validada en la playa de S´Abanell, identificándose y cuantificándose siete eventos de riesgo y seis servicios ambientales. En esta tesis las playas han sido analizadas como sistemas socio-ecológicos, destacando la dimensión social del sistema que no siempre es considerada. Como feedback para la gestión, en este trabajo se analizaron y compararon las percepciones de los usuarios en dos playas antagónicas, una urbana (S´Abanell) y una natural protegida (St Pere Pescador). Este feedback permite aumentar la adaptabilidad de la gestión, ajustándola a las características de cada playa y evitando su homogeneización. Los atributos naturales fueron una prioridad en el escenario protegido, mientras que los servicios lo fueron en el urbano. Existieron diferencias significativas pero no fueron tan importantes como se hubiera asumido a priori. Esta homogeneización de las percepciones podría deberse a la escasa información/educación en la playa protegida, a una gestión en dicha playa que no destaca los atributos naturales como debería, y a una fuerte influencia de un entorno con gran tradición de turismo masivo. No lograr una efectiva implementación de la gestión integrada también ha sido un obstáculo, siendo esenciales las estructuras de gestión. En esta tesis se obtuvo un diagnóstico de las autoridades a cargo de la gestión de playas en 8 Municipios de la Costa Brava. Se realizó un análisis institucional analizando duplicaciones y ausencias en la gestión de los procesos que sustentan las principales funciones de la playa, así como la complejidad de sus estructuras. Los resultados confirmaron la priorización de la función recreativa, restringiendo la gestión de playas únicamente al verano y a la temporada de baño. Además de las tres principales estructuras jurídicas responsables de la gestión de playas en España, se identificaron una infinidad de diseños de estructura de gestión a nivel de Municipios. Bajo el actual modelo de gestión, aspectos de un mismo sistema se analizan por separado y en solitario, por diferentes autoridades con diferentes objetivos. La gestión esta fragmentada y basada en competencias, lo que obstaculiza la eventual aplicación de nuevos modelos integrados. De esta manera, esta tesis pretende contribuir al desarrollo de una vía que permita alcanzar un modelo de gestión de playas holístico, verdaderamente integrado y basado en los ecosistemas.

Collective intelligence (CI) emerges from local coordination, collaboration and competition among the individuals within a social group. CI mainly results in a global intelligent behavior. One of the fundamental interactional channels within a CI system is energy flow. Each agent within an artificial or physical ecosystem must absorb energy in order to survive, evolve, breed, and reshape its local environment. In addition because the energy resources are limited in the environment, each agent has to compete with other agents to reach the required level of energy. Understanding the internal energy flow can potentially provide a deep insight into internal activities and external emergent behaviors of a given complex system. This study proposes a stochastic scheme for modeling a multi-species prey-predator artificial ecosystem with two levels of food chain. This will enable us to investigate the influence of energy flow on the ecosystem’s lifetime. The proposed model consists of a stationary hosting environment with dynamic weather condition and fruit trees. The inhabitants of this ecosystem are herbivore and carnivore birds each consisting of species. In our model, the collective behavior emerges in terms of flocking with more added rules consist of breeding, competing, resting, hunting, escaping, seeking and foraging behaviors. Using multi-species scheme, we define the ecosystem as a combination of prey and predator species with inter-competition among species within same level of food chain and intra-competition among those belonging to different levels of food chain. Furthermore, in order to model the energy within the ecosystem, some energy variables as functions of behaviors are incorporated in to the model. Finally, a simulation and visualization structure for implementing the proposed model is developed in this study. The experimental results of 11,000 simulations analyzed by Cox univariate analysis and hazard function suggest that only five out of eight behaviors can statistically significant influence the ecosystem’s lifetime. Furthermore, the results of survival analysis show that out of all possible interactions among energy factors, only two of them, interaction between flocking and seeking energies, and interaction between flocking and hunting energies, have statistically significant impact on the system’s lifetime. In addition, software implementation of the proposed framework validates the stability of simulation and visualization architecture. At last regression results using Nelson-Aalen cumulative hazard function and Cox-Snell variable and scaled Schoenfeld residuals test strongly validate our experimental results. To the best of our knowledge, there are three contributions in this research: First, the high level of complexity in the structure of the proposed model in comparison with the other systems which mostly contains only one species of prey, one species of predator and a kind of resource. While this study introduces two species of prey, capability of competition among species, dynamic weather condition with two element of wind and rain and dynamic resources, various behavioral rules such as escaping, breeding, hunting, resting, etc. Energy flow analysis within an artificial ecosystem is the second contribution. To the best of author’s knowledge there is no similar comprehensive model in the previous literature that investigates the life span of a stochastic multi-species predator-prey artificial ecosystem based on energy flow using Survival Analysis method. Lastly, the simulation results show that the flocking and seeking energy and flocking and hunting energy interactions are the most significant interactions which match with the Thompson iii et al. [ 65] observations in the real life. Their findings indicate that in the real life, birds use flocking behavior for better movement, more efficient food searching and social learning. Flocking motion also decrease predation risk as much as the flock size increases.

This thesis aims to analyse the law-making of EBFM (ecosystem-based fisheries management) as a post-development of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and as one of the instruments to avoid stocks collapse, destruction of critical habitats, ensuring a healthy marine environment. This analysis focuses on UNCLOS as the main legal instrument governing the use of the ocean and its living resources in the light of recent developments of international law in accordance with the Vienna Convention on the Law of the Treaties. Therefore, the research concludes that a systemic interpretation of UNCLOS in the light of recent conventions and other legal instruments among their parties provides a legal basis for the implementation of EBFM in marine areas beyond national jurisdiction. The research also discusses the role of regional fisheries management organisations as a key element for the implementation of EBFM. The thesis then looks beyond the issue of interpretation and proposes actual means for the implementation of EBFM in accordance with international law. It suggests that an implementing agreement to UNCLOS should be adopted in order to regulate the establishment of marine protected areas as a tool to EBFM in marine areas beyond national jurisdiction.

A key challenge for sustainable urban development is to deal with the effects of climate change. To approach this issue, ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA), i.e. the use of ecosystem services for climate adaptation, has been promoted by both scholars and practitioners. In this context, the thesis addresses two research questions: how EbA is included in strategic climate adaptation planning and how EbA is implemented in practice. To tackle these topics, the study uses a multiple case study design, where the process from strategic planning to its implementation is investigated in two Northern European cities: Copenhagen and Malmö. To collect in-depth data, qualitative methods were used: a document analysis and semi-structured interviews with planning officials were conducted. The findings of the study show that there is a high degree of awareness of the different EbA measures, their potential role to address climate change effects and their co-benefits in climate adaptation plans. However, the practical implementation of the plans was executed only at a project-based scale to address some climate change impacts rather than holistically and on a regional level. The main EbA measure that was used was the expansion and transformation of public green space. The thesis concludes that a more comprehensive approach concerning the use of EbA is needed and further mainstreaming is highly required.
En viktig utmaning för hållbar stadsutveckling är att adressera effekterna av de stundande klimatförändringar. För att ta sig an denna fråga har användningen av ekosystembaserad anpassning (EbA), dvs. användningen av ekosystemtjänster för klimatanpassning, främjats av både forskare och utövare. I detta sammanhang behandlar studien två forskningsfrågor: hur EbA ingår i strategisk klimatanpassningsplanering och hur EbA implementeras i praktiken. Studien innehåller en fallstudie- design, där processen från strategisk planering till dess genomförande undersöks i två nordeuropeiska städer: Köpenhamn och Malmö. För att samla in data användes två kvalitativa metoder: en dokumentanalys och semistrukturerade intervjuer med tjänstepersoner på kommuner. Resultaten från studien visar att det finns en hög grad av medvetenhet om de olika EbA åtgärderna, deras potentiella roll för att hantera klimatförändringseffekter och deras synergier i klimatanpassningsplaner. Det praktiska genomförandet av planerna utfördes endast i en projektbaserad skala för att ta med vissa klimatförändringseffekter snarare än på ett holistiskt vis och på en större regional nivå. Den viktigaste EbA åtgärden som användes var utbyggnaden eller omvandlingen av de offentliga grönytorna. Sammanfattningsvis har studien visat på att det finns behov av ett mer heltäckande tillvägagångssätt och ytterligare integrering beträffande användandet av EbA krävs.

The purpose of the study has been to investigate and shed light on practical measures companies take to create a culture that promotes learning, as well as the role of technology. It is an important topic for organizations to face major challenges regarding reskilling and upskilling of employees, to ensure that the company has the right skills for the future. We have examined 11 companies where we took a closer look at their organizational structure, how they use leadership around learning, their vision, mission and strategy for learning, what technology is used for learning (and how and why exactly these technologies), how they create and buy digital content / courses, what can be measured and used as guidelines for driving learning and finally we have looked at the challenges production companies are especially faced with. Our analysis shows that there are some common denominators in which competencies and tasks must exist and take place internally to be able to facilitate work towards a learning culture, that learning is designed after having a high business relevance, that the top management's attitude to learning is essential, that learning technologies are used frequently, there is data on learning activities that can be used as guidelines and that production companies need to take special measures to be able to include their entire workforce in their learning initiatives. Our analysis also shows that the quality and usefulness of learning technologies has accelerated in recent years and has been given a leading role in organizations' investments to improve the learning culture. In the report, we propose that companies realize the power they have to influence how learning is done by setting up and working with the essential building blocks of the learning ecosystem we have identified.
Syftet med studien har varit att undersöka och belysa praktiska åtgärder företag tar sig an för att skapa en kultur som främjar lärande, samt vilken roll teknologi har. Det är ett viktigt ämne för att organisationer står inför stora utmaningar gällande upplärning och omskolning av anställda, för att säkerställa att företaget har rätt kompetenser. Vi har undersökt 11 företag där vi har tittat närmare på deras organisationsstruktur, hur de använder sig av ledarskap kring lärande, deras vision, mission och strategi för lärande, vilka teknologier som används för lärande (samt hur och varför just dessa teknologier), hur de skapar och köper in digitalt innehåll/kurser, vad som kan mätas och användas som riktlinjer för att driva lärande och till sist har vi tittat på utmaningar produktionsföretag speciellt ställs inför. Vår analys visar att det finns några gemensamma nämnare i vilka kompetenser och arbetsuppgifter som ska finnas internt för att lättare kunna arbeta mot en lärande kultur, att lärande designas efter att ha hög affärsrelevans, att högsta ledningens inställning till lärande är essentiell, att lärande teknologier används flitigt, det finns data kring lärande aktiviteter som kan användas som riktlinjer samt att produktionsbolag behöver vidta särskilda åtgärder för att kunna inkludera hela sin arbetsstyrka i sina lärande initiativ. Vår analys visar även att kvaliteten på och nyttan av lärande teknologier har accelererat de senaste åren och har fått en huvudroll i organisationers investeringar för att förbättra lärande kulturen. I rapporten föreslår vi att företag inser makten de har att påverka hur lärande går till genom att sätta upp och arbeta med de olika delarna vi belyser är essentiella i ett lärande ekosystem.

Despite advances in Earth observation and modeling, estimating tropical biomass remains a challenge. Recent work suggests that integrating satellite measurements of canopy height within ecosystem models is a promising approach to infer biomass. We tested the feasibility of this approach to retrieve aboveground biomass (AGB) at three tropical forest sites by assimilating remotely sensed canopy height derived from a texture analysis algorithm applied to the high-resolution Pleiades imager in the Organizing Carbon and Hydrology in Dynamic Ecosystems Canopy (ORCHIDEE-CAN) ecosystem model. While mean AGB could be estimated within 10% of AGB derived from census data in average across sites, canopy height derived from Pleiades product was spatially too smooth, thus unable to accurately resolve large height (and biomass) variations within the site considered. The error budget was evaluated in details, and systematic errors related to the ORCHIDEE-CAN structure contribute as a secondary source of error and could be overcome by using improved allometric equations.

Bioeconomy strategies are currently promoted as progressive sustainability avenues in the Nordic countries and globally, also engaging key economic sector and industries. Different bioeconomy activities imply changes in the redistribution of biological resources, which have a direct influence on natural capital and ecosystem services. Based on a systematic review, the existing evidence regarding the impacts (positive and negative) of selected bio-based products (bio-energy, bio-chemicals, bio-products) on ecosystem services is analysed. The review will include scientific studies published in English and using life cycle assessment (LCA) and related methods. The aim is to understand the state of art of available literature, and to identify missing indicators and areas of improvement. Data and analysis will be used to develop an article written in English to be published in a scientific journal