HUMAN ECOLOGY

Author: SOUZA DAMIANI ROSALBA DE.
Year: 2005.
University: LEÓN [www.unileon.es].
Place of defense: FACULTAD DE FILOSOFÍA Y LETRAS.
Place of preparation: UNIVERSIDAD DE LEÓN Y UNIVERSIDAD DE SANTA CATARINA.

Summary: Considering the current environmental problems being experienced in the world, and especially in Mercosur this work investigaicón proposes the adoption of a systemic vision as a basis for the study of reality, beginning with the understanding of the interrelationship between man and their peers and the media, in an attempt to find viable alternatives to the reformulation of the development model, and consequently the improvement of the quality of life. In this sense, in our research we tried to check the need to rethink the human condition as an integral part of a whole, composed of forces that interact constantly changing, where the Human Ecology offers a good foundation for Environmental Education, therefore, is into account the principle of unity environment as complex and as a synthesis functional in everything. With this approach, we believe that any proposals for resolving environmental problems in the beginning of the new millennium, have a greater chance of success.

Author: REYES CATALÁN MYRIAM DEL CARMEN.
Year: 2005.
University: PÚBLICA DE NAVARRA [www.unavarra.es].
Place of defense: DEPARTAMENTO DE CIENCIAS DEL MEDIO NATURAL DE LA UNIVERSIDAD PÚBLICA DE NAVARRA.
Place of preparation: UNIVERSIDAD PÚBLICA DE NAVARRA.

Summary: We must bear in mind that environmental education deals with the relationships between individuals, social groups and their environment, is primarily education for action, training not only for the individual but also for the collective, especially in the processes of planning and decision making, seeking alternatives and improving the environment. It is known as "Agenda 21" action plan or "Programa de las Naciones Unidas para el siglo XXI", invites all local communities to create their own Agenda 21, is the assessment of the state environmental, social and economic development of the municipality , supposed to discuss improvements and guide a creative process and gradual change towards a more healthy urban environment and quality for people with the least impact on natural systems. It is a project that requires the participation of all citizens who, through concrete actions seeking ways to solve - within its capabilities-the problems of their city. The Strategy Navarre Environmental Education (ENEA) is a comprehensive and holistic principles and courses of action, which guides present and future actions in the areas of environmental education, institutions, businesses, groups and individuals. Environmental education depends largely on the consolidation of the equipment and its interdisciplinary nature, as well as available resources, which are increasing year by year. Agenda 21 of Pamplona and ENEA have allowed the participation of representatives of the entire community, directing education programs toward the topics of relevance to society of Navarre. Citizen participation has allowed the increase in community awareness about environmental problems. We have identified and prioritized the major problems of socio Pamplona alongside them have been prioritized actions that directly help to solve these problems and have been identified indicators of environmental sustainability, which will measure the effectiveness of these efforts to improve the problems. In the university sector of the ENEA has made a diagnosis of environmental education in teaching, management, research and projection university and has organized the seminar environmental experiences at the university, along with the creation of environmental volunteers. Finally Determining that education is of great importance to promoting sustainable development, is crucial for acquiring awareness, values and attitudes, technical and ecological and ethical behavior consistent with sustainable development and conducive to effective public participation in the process of making decisions.

Author: RIBAS MATAMOROS MONTSERRAT.
Year: 2005.
University: BARCELONA [www.ub.es].
Place of defense: FACULTAD DE BIOLOGÍA.
Place of preparation: FACULTAT DE BIOLOGÍA.

Summary: In the Mediterranean region, climate predictions point to an increase in the frequency and intensity of droughts which can have serious repercussions on the development of vegetation. This work has evaluated the response of the growth of pine forests carrascoso in relation to climate within its area of distribution in Spain through analysis of the series of radial growth of 27 populations of Aleppo pine and its relation to the different climate spatial scales (local, regional and global) and temporal (intraanual and annual). The results show that there is a huge variety of weather conditions over the range of the species in Spain, especially in relation to the length and position intraanual of drought. The cause of this variety is in the overlap of two climatic gradients: one related continentalidad and the other with aridity. The reconstruction of the recent history of forest each of the network and its disturbance regime through the analysis of the series of thickness of the rings of growth shows that the existence of a variety of forests in response to its demographic structure, the regime disruptions and, as a result of all this, in their vertical structures and special today. These results indicate that forest management can substantially alter the structure and dynamics of forest communities and, therefore, alter their sensitivity to climatic conditions. By monitoring the radial growth of Aleppo pine in the Garraf (NE of the peninsula) has been given the pattern of radial growth, the degree of adjustment of the radial growth of the species to climate variability and its effect on the anatomy of the ring growth. The radial growth pattern is biomodal begins in February and ends in December, the highest rate of growth occurs in May and the second highest in October. The lack of water and high temperatures in summer causing a decrease or even stop their growth radio. This interruption occurs mostly in August, but its beginning and end aviarían depending on weather conditions through their ability to respond immediately to fluctuations in the availability of water in the soil (Species drought tolerant). All these results have provided a solid foundation for the interpretation of the growth-environment relationships in the network of Aleppo pine forests established. The radial growth of Aleppo pine in Spain is mainly limited by the available water, so that responds strongly to the local rainfall. Despite them, by between 6% and 30% growth is explained with the series of regional temperature and precipitation, and the proportion of variance explained by the indexes of general circulation is, on average, close to 5%. Finally, analysis of temporal relations crecimiento-clima has shown that the Aleppo pine has responded to changes in the climate of the last 50 years you adjusted your period and pattern of growth. Consequently, relations crecimiento-clima are not stable, so that the use of these relationships to reconstruct climate in the past and / or similar response of this kind of climate in the future should be done cautiously.

Author: GOMES ALVIM RONALDO.
Year: 2005.
University: SALAMANCA [www.usal.es].
Place of defense: FACULTAD CIENCIAS SOCIALES.
Place of preparation: FACULTAD DE CIENCIAS SOCIALES.

Summary: This work consists of a research activity historic, environmental and social done in the city of Itabira that discussed public policy, social programs business, as well as the international community in pursuit of collective self development mainly after the privatization of the main local company. The city, from the first human settlements, as had the main shaft development, mineral extraction, in principle by the gold and then by the iron, the latter being driven by the middle of the last century, assuming strategic importance not only for the region , but for the whole country that eventually becomes one of the three largest mineral exploration companies in the world. In the nineties, it is observed in the city after the privatization process and the possibility of closing activities in the locality because of the depletion of natural resources, which accounts for seventy percent of direct financial resources in the community, a major crisis of social identity remains a determining influence increased rates and consumaciones suicide attempts.

Author: ARIZA SOLE EDUARD.
Year: 2006.
University: POLITÉCNICA DE CATALUÑA [www.upc.edu].
Place of defense: AULA 104 (MÃ’DULD.1).
Place of preparation: EDIFICI D1 Campus NORD.

Summary: This thesis stemmed from the idea that the beach is an integrated system where different and interconnected processes occur. The analyses of these processes and of the physical and administrative framework in which they occur, was the thread of the project. In the development of the study, the processes for the beaches of La Selva Marítima, located in the south of the Costa Brava (northwestern Mediterranean) were analysed. This area is a good example of a coastal area highly affected by tourism dynamics. The analysis of the legal and administrative framework uncovered some important shortcomings. No specific beach policy exists that accounts for the management of all basic aspects. As a consequence, the information available is partial. Strategies (national/regional) are currently being developed in the framework of the Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) strategy, including indicators of processes that, until now, have been excluded from monitoring programs. This may change the current situation of a lack of information. A review of beach assessment measurements (Blue Flag and CEDEX, ACA and CANTABRIA Index) used or potentially used for management of the studied area, revealed important deficiencies in the management of beaches, of which the most important were use, safety and rescue services, landscape, the natural community and certain services. Furthermore, these tools do not take analyses of beach functions into account. In recent years, Environmental Management Systems for Beaches (EMSBs) have begun to be used for beach management. EMSBs allow for the application of proactive and clear management practices, although they need to be complemented with adequate monitoring tools. This research also analysed the work, focus and problems of local managers. Varied management goals are not usual (many processes remain unmanaged) and management is sometimes exclusively service-oriented. Tools that evaluate beach quality do not cover problematic aspects for local managers, such as sediment management, coordination between responsible authorities, or emergency situations. The information available and the characteristics of the studied area demonstrated the need to analyse two particularly important beach management processes: beach use and waste/litter production. Information obtained in the development of this project led to the creation of a Beach Quality Index (BQI) for the studied beaches. This index took into account important issues not represented in other management tools. In the process of allocating weights for the purpose of aggregating partial indexes, user and expert opinions were taken into account. The BQI, which also took account of function analysis, was designed to be used with EMSBs, and can be included at different EMSB stages. The most important index factors are initial environmental diagnosis, the definition of environmentally significant aspects, operational control, and the assessment of steady improvement. Results obtained for beaches for the BQI, its subindices and partial indices, indicated arrange of situations. Aggregated values were high for the BQI (0.63-0.85), and also for the subindices (RF (0.53-0.73), NF (0.80-0.92) and PF (0.50-1)). High scores were typically obtained for partial indices such as water quality, environmental quality, services and facilities, activities, comfort, absence of water and sand pollution, and physical quality. Scores for beach use, surrounding quality, safety, and naturality were low. Future management of studied beaches should focus on the weakest aspects, such as controls over use, transformation of beach environs, and preservation of natural beach communities. Other priorities should be the allocation of resources that guarantee user safety, protection of human facilities, and beach cleaning.