Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Human-Nature Interactions'

The nature of protein-protein interactions was explored through the design of polypeptide ligands targeting specifically human a-thrombin. Design strategies ranged from isolation of binding fragments from natural proteins, conformational stabilization using structural scaffold, to bivalent linkage of library-selected components.
The interaction of thrombin with a 28-residue polypeptide from the sixth-epidermal growth factor-like repeat of human thrombomodulin (hTM-EGF6) was characterized in solution by use of NMR spectroscopy. The thrombin-binding region was identified and the thrombin-bound structure of the binding region was determined. The thrombin-bound structure of this fragment of thrombomodulin was then used as a basis for the design of peptide ligands with potentially enhanced thrombin-binding activities. Attempts for affinity enhancement through conformational stabilization by structure-based methods exemplified the need for alternative approaches that exploit the ubiquitous weak molecular interactions.
Bivalent ligands of thrombin were constructed via linkage of natural protein fragments. It was found that bivalent effects can be afforded by the proper linkage of the individually weak binding moieties. The bivalent designs were further generalized to include linkage of novel polypeptides selected from combinatorial libraries as individual binding components. These novel bivalent ligands targeting both the active site and the exosite I of thrombin exhibited up to 110-fold enhancement of binding activity.
The present study renews the interests in weak protein-protein/polypeptide interactions and their use in protein biochemistry. The design of thrombin-targeting bivalent ligands from weakly-binding moieties highlights the nature of bivalent molecular interactions, emphasizing the synergistic interplay between the two binding sites conferred by linker residues with a proper covalent geometry. It also illustrates that bivalent/multivalent binding can be applied as a general and practical approach for the design of high-affinity inhibitors targeting discrete sites on functionally important proteins, especially those involved in biological and cell signaling processes.

The human population is rapidly urbanizing, creating dramatic changes in local land use and land cover, unprecedented species loss, and a society increasingly disconnected from nature. Nature, specifically biodiversity, has been shown to provide benefits and enhance well-being to humans. Living in an environment with reduced opportunity to interact with or experience biodiversity has increasingly been recognized as both a public health and environmental issue, whereby separation from nature can negatively impact human well-being and how humans value nature, diminishing interest in and understanding of nature and its conservation. Because urban living reduces contact with nature, it is imperative to understand how urban residents perceive and benefit from urban nature to better manage urban biodiversity to both support human well-being and conservation efforts. This study examines how urbanites perceive and benefit from two types of urban nature, trees and birds, by combining surveys of local residents with tree and bird data collected in two Midwestern agricultural cities, Cedar Rapids and Iowa City, Iowa from neighborhoods of varying urban intensity. A residential survey was distributed to these neighborhoods during the summer of 2018 to assess resident perceptions of neighborhood biodiversity and its benefits. In general, residents were not able to assess relative levels of biodiversity compared to other neighborhoods, except in the case of high tree species richness. There was a strong relationship between perceived biodiversity and actual biodiversity, as well as reported knowledge of a given taxon, but only residential perceptions of biodiversity, not actual biodiversity, were strongly related to reported benefits. Respondent perceptions of the influence of trees on their well-being exhibited strong relationships with a person’s connection to trees. Reported influence of birds on well-being was strongly related to a person’s connection to trees, connection to birds, and landscaping practices to support wild species in their yards. Actual bird species richness was significantly negatively related to perceived influence of birds on well-being. Perceived nuisances associated with trees were significantly negatively related to perceived tree species richness, while a person’s connection to trees was strongly positively related to tree nuisances. These results indicate that reported perceptions of the benefits from biodiversity are most heavily influenced by resident perceptions of biodiversity itself and orientation toward nature. This finding also implies that residents benefit from the presence of biodiversity, but that perceived benefits are only related to respondent perceptions of biodiversity, not to actual biodiversity. Further research is necessary to understand why and how this paradox occurs, yet this study provides reason to support efforts to increase knowledge of species as well as provide biodiverse environments that create opportunities for interaction with urban nature. Providing both would strengthen urban resident well-being and support biodiversity and conservation initiatives within cities.

Les biens et services fournis par la nature sont d'une importance capitale pour le bien-être de l'Homme, et les services culturels sont spécifiquement le résultat des interactions de l'Homme avec la nature. Il est donc essentiel de comprendre ces interactions afin d'orienter les politiques de gestion du paysage et la protection de la biodiversité afin de maintenir les liens entre l'Homme et la nature et les bienfaits que ces liens procurent. Avec l'utilisation massive des réseaux sociaux, un énorme volume de données spatiales multimodales dites « crowdsourced » est disponible à partir desquelles les scientifiques peuvent aujourd'hui acquérir des connaissances plus approfondies pour mieux comprendre les services écosystémiques culturels (SEC). Parallèlement, des techniques de science des données, telles que l'apprentissage automatique et le traitement automatique du langage naturel, sont apparues pour automatiser l'extraction d'informations pertinentes à partir ces données, afin de quantifier et d'analyser les SEC. Cependant, l'utilisation des données « crowdsourced » pour quantifier les SEC n'est pas encore complètement développée. Par conséquent, cette thèse vise à appliquer différentes techniques de science des données à des données « crowdsourced » pour mieux quantifier les SEC à l'échelle paysagère. La zone d'étude considéré est l'ancienne région Auvergne, pour sa diversité d'éléments paysagers.Dans ce travail de thèse, nous avons utilisé trois sources de données (Flickr, NaturaList, Wikiloc) et une gamme de méthodes analytiques (analyse du contenu des images, analyse textuelle et analyse spatiale) pour décrire plusieurs facettes de l'expérience Homme-nature. Premièrement, en utilisant l'analyse spatiale, les préférences des photographes (Flickr), des randonneurs (Wikiloc) et des naturalistes (NaturaList) sont comparées et nous avons constaté que la diversité des habitats est visée indépendamment de l'activité récréative, tandis que les préférences pour des habitats spécifiques dépendent de l'activité récréative (Chapitre 2). Ensuite, nous avons exploré le contenu des images de Flickr et Wikiloc à l'aide d'un algorithme d'apprentissage automatique afin de comprendre la raison pour laquelle un élément du paysage est préféré (chapitre 3). En classant les images en deux catégories, celles qui se concentraient sur l'esthétique du paysage et celles qui se concentraient sur l'appréciation des espèces, deux aspects clés des SEC, nous avons constaté que les photographes et les randonneurs photographiaient davantage de paysages ouverts que d'espèces végétales ou animales, que ce soit dans les prairies ou dans les forêts. En ce qui concerne l'appréciation des espèces animales ou végétales, les espèces facilement observables, telles que les fleurs et les animaux d'élevage, ont été les plus photographiées. Finalement, en explorant les données textuelles, les perceptions et les émotions que les randonneurs associent aux caractéristiques du paysage et aux activités physiques de plein air ont été mises en évidence.Cette thèse met en évidence l'importance de combiner plusieurs sources et types de données « crowdsourced » et de les analyser en utilisant des méthodes interdisciplinaires afin de faire avancer la quantification des SEC. En utilisant différentes méthodes, nous avons présenté une mesure plus significative des SEC qui prend en compte différentes facettes de l'interaction Homme-nature, qui pourraient ne pas être entièrement prises en compte par une seule méthode isolée. Les résultats peuvent contribuer à la gestion du paysage en Auvergne afin de promouvoir les interactions positives avec la nature dans le cadre de loisirs, essentielle pour le bien-être de l'Homme
Mankind crucially depends on the goods and services provided by healthy ecosystems, with cultural services depending on the contact of humans with nature. Understanding human-nature interactions is therefore critical to guiding management and conservation policies aiming to reconnect humans with nature and the health benefits it provides. With the ubiquitous use of mobile technologies, there is an enormous volume of multimodal spatial data available from which science can nowadays gain enhanced insights to better understand cultural ecosystem services (CES) provided by the natural and agricultural ecosystems that make up our landscapes. At the same time, data science techniques, such as machine learning and natural language processing have emerged to automate the extraction of relevant information from crowdsourced data to quantify and analyze CES. However, this is not yet fully developed. Hence, this thesis aims to harness multiple crowdsourced data sources and data science techniques to better quantify CES at the landscape scale, focusing on the rural areas of the Auvergne region in France.In this work, we explored three different crowdsourced sources (Flickr, NaturaList, andWikiloc) and employed a range of analytical methods, including spatial analysis, imagecontent analysis, and textual analysis to reveal the complex and multifaceted interactionsbetween humans and nature. First, we presented a novel approach, the “Trail-User-Day”,which allows the combination of different spatial data types and integrates multiple sitesvisited during a day to comprehensively explore recreationists' preferences for different landscape features during a day trip (Chapter 2). By comparing the patterns of use and potential supply, we found that a diversity of habitats is valued regardless of whether the recreationist is a photographer (Flickr), sports visitor (Wikiloc), or naturalist (NaturaList), while preferences for specific habitats depend on the recreational activity. Second, we explored the visual content of Flickr and Wikiloc using a machine learning algorithm to quantify “why” a landscape feature is preferred (Chapter 3). By classifying photographs into landscape aesthetics versus species appreciation, two key aspects of CES, we found that recreationists photographed more open landscape views than plant or animal species in both grasslands and forests. Regarding the appreciation of animal or plant species, easily observable species, such as flowers and grazing livestock, were the most photographed. We further examined the textual data associated with hiking trails shared on Wikiloc using natural language processing techniques to capture hikers' perceptions associated with different landscape features and physical outdoor activities (Chapter 4). Results revealed that specific natural features of the landscape - mainly the textual cluster “ecosystems, animals and plants”- stimulate different perceptions of hikers, ranging from aesthetics, joy, and restoration to the sensation of enhanced physical effort during hiking. Moreover, the cluster composed of “outdoor physical activities” stimulates both “joy and restoration” and “physical effort sensation” perceptions. Such multiple associations reveal the bundled nature of people's perceptions of the landscape during recreation activities.This thesis demonstrates the value of combining multiple data sources and types andanalyzing them using interdisciplinary methods to push ahead the quantification andunderstanding of CES. Findings can further help inform landscape management in Auvergne to promote high-quality nature contact to recreationists while preserving areas of natural and cultural interest. Future work must continue to explore the potential of both crowdsourced data and data science techniques to advance knowledge on human-nature interactions for the benefit of people and nature

Everyday we come up with new solutions for our existing problems. But the solutions of today are tomorrow’s problem. The products we create as designers are often bringing more complexity in our society than it is initially intended for. This thesis aims to give a new perspective on the design practice community. Instead of starting with a problem-solving scope, this thesis intent is to find what is truly meaningful for human life, meaning finding, and to propose how we can envision new ways of meaning making within interaction design. The two processes together of meaning finding and meaning making is how we can aim for concrete results that are relevant for our society. To better understand what truly matters for human life, I collected 14 stories through ethnographic research. These ethnographic stories reveal the nature of human characteristics when people face and overcome big challenges in life. Some of these ethnographic stories highlights the life of a WWII survivor, war refugee, leukaemia child-patient and a widow. Parallel, to the ethnographic work, I explored how I can evoke a deeper connection between people, by making them listen to each-other’s heartbeat.  Inevitably, by exploring the fundamental elements of human life and observing the emotions and behaviour of my interviewees and participants, the thesis find itself often on the playground between philosophy and human life. But by taking a strong interaction design perspective, these insights were manifested in the human design manifesto booklet. This booklet proposes six expressions for designers, with the intention to embrace the fundamental elements of human life when we design:  1. Design attitudes, not solutions. 2. Design the medicine of the mind. 3. Design for relationships. 4. Design for our direct senses. 5. Design for the deep human connection. 6. Design the act of kindness  Later on, for the meaning making part: one statement from the Human Design Manifesto was selected to explore in depth: Design the act of kindness. For this expression project Hidden Figures was created. Hidden Figures is a design proposal which demonstrates that a design creation can be driven by the fundamental elements of human life. In this case proposing the act of kindness as a vision on how our society could be.  In overall, this master’s thesis demonstrates how our design proposals can embody and resonate well between the three levels of design philosophy, a designer’s vision and interaction design practice: How we, as designers, can use meaning-making and meaning-finding to create more relevant impact for our society. Last, I hope this work encourages other designers to think deeply about their own creations and its impact. And help designers reflect on why they create and how they could also alternatively practice design.

Over the last two decades, there have been increasing concerns about environmental degradation and its consequences on the long-term sustainability of socio-economic systems around the world. The publication of the report of the Club of Rome in 1972, (Meadows et al. 1972) focused on the issue of limits to growth. Since then, there has been a profusion of literature and general models have been developed to address the causes of environmental degradation and the unsustainability of current patterns of growth (Ehrlich and Ehrlich 1970; 1990). Essentially these models used parameters that included population growth, consumption levels and aspects of technology, and their effects on the environment. While these models and studies were at a macro level that helped focus attention on the patterns of growth and their unsustainability, they did not provide insights into the mechanisms that were driving ecological change, nor suggest alternative models of growth. An entry point into the current study is to understand the mechanisms that drive ecological change. Motivated by concerns for environmental degradation, and the need to understand the mechanisms that drive ecological change, the study is situated in the academic domain of studies on human-nature interactions. The complex nature of interactions between human groups with their environment and their dependence on the situational context, requires that such studies be at a regional and local scale for which sufficient detail is available. This particular study is situated in the Nilgiri hills in the Western Ghats of Southern India for which such detailed information is available. The study reconstructs the ecological history of the Nilgiri area during the last 200 years, and from this laboratory of human-nature interactions, attempts to derive general patterns.

Over the last two decades, there have been increasing concerns about environmental degradation and its consequences on the long-term sustainability of socio-economic systems around the world. The publication of the report of the Club of Rome in 1972, (Meadows et al. 1972) focused on the issue of limits to growth. Since then, there has been a profusion of literature and general models have been developed to address the causes of environmental degradation and the unsustainability of current patterns of growth (Ehrlich and Ehrlich 1970; 1990). Essentially these models used parameters that included population growth, consumption levels and aspects of technology, and their effects on the environment. While these models and studies were at a macro level that helped focus attention on the patterns of growth and their unsustainability, they did not provide insights into the mechanisms that were driving ecological change, nor suggest alternative models of growth. An entry point into the current study is to understand the mechanisms that drive ecological change. Motivated by concerns for environmental degradation, and the need to understand the mechanisms that drive ecological change, the study is situated in the academic domain of studies on human-nature interactions. The complex nature of interactions between human groups with their environment and their dependence on the situational context, requires that such studies be at a regional and local scale for which sufficient detail is available. This particular study is situated in the Nilgiri hills in the Western Ghats of Southern India for which such detailed information is available. The study reconstructs the ecological history of the Nilgiri area during the last 200 years, and from this laboratory of human-nature interactions, attempts to derive general patterns.

The objective of this creative project is to develop a series of paintings in oil on canvas that focus on the issue of mankind's crumbling relationship with the natural world. The paintings will be produced through a process that begins with an intuitive abstract approach and will later develop layered representational imagery. My technique of painting involves initially choosing and mixing colors without regard to the finished painting, allowing the subconscious to determine the direction that the painting will take. Upon completion of the under painting, I begin creating stencils and layering imagery that provoke thought concerning nature and our place in it. This collection of paintings is representative of the process I have developed through a wide variety of influences, and is a means of communicating my concern for the ever dwindling natural environment and our connection to it.
Department of Art

This paper examines Human Computer Interaction artworks and how notions of interactivity are evolving due to the presence of expanding architectonic schemes in and around these artworks. This research draws on sources that use rapid ethnographic methodologies to collect data and argues for a redefinition of current understandings of interactivity within the field of multimedia and art practice. My research has been practice based and is reflected in the arworks and writing that I have produced. Participants' highly differential levels of commitment with an artwork while examining understandings of co-creativity are explored. Artworks of contemporary artists who use Human Computer Interaction and computer technologies to experiment with the idea of expansiveness through spectator participation in the field of HCI artworks are discussed. In varying degrees, and due to varying aspects of immateriality, artworks are considered as being extended beyond the confines of both the multimedia interface and even the architectural structure of the art gallery or exhibition space. Terms such as architectonics, touchpoints, configuration and agora are employed when describing interactive processes in the field of Fine Art installation. Modernist writer and critic R.H. Wilenski is referenced regarding the relationships between art, architecture and the artist/spectator. Current and past understandings of interactivity, as well as terms used by contemporary interface designers such as Don Norman and Dan Saffer are used in relation to the study of HCI artworks. In addition, this paper focuses on the modes in which audiences 'look away' and use a range of devices that exist around artworks to expand the architectonic schemes in and around them.

Adventure tourism (AT), defined as “a broad spectrum of outdoor touristic activities,often commercialized and involving an interaction with the natural environment away from the participants’ home range and containing elements of risk,” (Hall, 1992, p. 143) is currently one of the fastest growing sub-sectors of the tourism industry (Buckley 2010). Because it has emerged relatively recently as a field of study, a number of scholars have called for ongoing research in the area, see Swarbrooke (2003), Pomfret (2006), Buckley (2010), Rogerson (2007), and Williams & Soutar (2005). Much of this research, to date, has focused on marketing, injury caused by AT participation, environmental impacts, and the broad notion of “risk” associated with AT. The problem is that little of this work has focused on the significance of the environment in adventure tourism – an important element inherent in its definition. Thus, this thesis aims to move beyond a general risk-based analysis of AT, and focus on the role of the environment. This is done through a human-environment interaction approach undertaken in Tsitsikamma Village where five adventure tourist operations are based. The first step in operationalizing this approach was to develop a conceptual framework that integrated adventure tourism into a general framework on humanenvironment interaction. The second step was to use a research instrument which enabled one to examine the influence of the environment on human motivations and adventure tourism experiences, and not only the influence of humans on the environment. The former was accomplished through questionnaires based on external, environmental elements that attract adventure tourists as well as inherent personality traits impel such tourists to participate in AT. The latter, based on interviews and participant perceptions, sought to establish the significance of impacts on the environment as well as initiatives taken by AT companies to minimize environmental damage. The findings show that although risk/thrill does play a role, AT motivations and experiences are complex and multidimensional. The environment does significantly influence both motivations and even more so AT experiences. Furthermore, there are distinct differences between the motivations and experiences of participants in different types of AT activities, indicating that generalizing the industry as whole neglects these significant differences. In terms of influences on the environment, the results show that most AT operators in the Tsitsikamma have some consideration for environmental protection and take some initiatives to minimize environmental damage, though the degree to which this occurs differs significantly. Furthermore, activity participants do not believe that the activities have a strong negative impact on the environment, though the majority acknowledge small impacts. The types of impacts observed by participants vary significantly between companies. This thesis demonstrates the manner in which the two-way relationship between humans and the environment manifests itself in the commercial AT industry. The result is a well-rounded examination of the influence of human-environment interaction on AT participants.

This study is an exploratory study to understand what kinds of interactive technologies can enhance nature engagement for children in urban Bhutan. The study undertook online and distributed methods of qualitative study during the time of the Covid-19 pandemic. The thesis suggests technology design opportunities that can enhance children’s engagement with nature. It also contributes to knowledge by bringing forth challenges and benefits of conducting distributed research with children.

Masters of Art
The rapid increase in urbanisation and tourism in the Cape Peninsula has increased the rate of human-wildlife interaction. The Cape Peninsula is unique in terms of placing urban areas next to protected natural areas with no physical barriers, thus allowing animals, especially baboons, to travel between the two areas, occasionally leading to conflict between humans and wildlife. Visitors to popular tourist sites may also actively participate in feeding baboons or through negligence by leaving food items in the open. As a result, changing the habits of the baboons as human food and food waste are seen as the preferred option in terms of dietary habits. The main aim of this study was to investigate the perceptions and social construction of visitors in the Cape Peninsula towards baboons at tourist sites. Social constructionist theory was used as the theoretical framework for the study, which looks at the way people perceive nature and wildlife, which is unique to each person. The study uses an exploratory sequential mixed methods design, with a qualitative section that includes three semi-structured interviews, followed by a quantitative section consisting of a questionnaire survey, with 201 questionnaires being completed. The survey was conducted at key tourist sites around the Cape Peninsula that are well known for baboon sightings, including Bordjiesrif Picnic Site, Buffels Bay viewpoint, Cape of Good Hope/Cape Point and Dias Beach. The study used discourse analyses and the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) to analyse the data, which allowed for ideas to be labelled and linked to opinions in the literature, and patterns identified during the data collection. Visitors viewed tourism spaces as anthropocentric areas, and thus perceived baboon-visitor interactions through conditional acceptance. Visitor perceptions and social construction of baboon-visitor interactions may be positive when conditional acceptance is adhered to, and negative when conditional acceptance is broken. Recommendations for further research includes more research on non-consumptive tourism activities and its impact on human-wildlife interactions, with a need for more literature on the influence of education on people’s attitudes towards wildlife, and finally, more research that focuses on the changing behavioural ecology of baboons, due to an increase in tourism/visitation.

Background The foundation for life on our planet are all the resources we can draw upon: sunlight, clean water, fresh air and many more. But one existential resource a lot of people are not aware of, is the rich variety of life forms on earth. Biodiversity surrounds us every day: It is in the clothes we wear, the food we eat and the medicine we take. It is also an important driver for tourism, economy and technology: Various technological innovations are directly inspired by nature.But biodiversity is degrading rapidly caused by the rising land consumption in many countries. In Germany, this pressure is exceedingly high: 70% of natural habitats are endangered, 40% of animal species are on the IUCN red list and every second bird species is threatened.Using scientific methods and inventive technology, SPAN helps to monitor bird protection areas in Germany and to collect data as a basis to enforce conservation supported by European legislation.
Methods Involving all important stakeholders was inevitable to make sure the result will fit their needs. In meetings with coordinators of different existing caretaker networks in Berlin I learned about the organizational aspects and got an holistic perspective on the topic. The creation of blueprint drafts and stakeholder maps in an early phase was an effective way to figure out what kind of touchpoints are needed by which users.Voluntary caretakers who monitor protection areas are the primary users, so I conducted interviews with caretakers of other networks to learn everything about their monitoring work, their needs and experiences.An in-depth analysis and synthesis of my research findings led to the ideation phase where I explored in which ways I could involve, educate, bond and assist caretakers with diverse profiles. Getting their feedback on the ideas helped me to select the most promising concepts and consolidate the final result.
Result SPAN consists of a web-application and a smartphone app performing a wide range of functions for caretakers of protection areas. With their help they can retrieve information, network with other caretakers, conduct monitoring activities and submit reports about the condition of protection areas.With SPAN, caretakers can learn about habitats, species, and other caretakers who help with monitoring them. Together they can plan their activities and exchange information with the shared schedule and annotation tools.With the smartphone app, caretakers can take notes or retrieve location based information while being out in the field. Another mobile feature are customizable print-out forms making the caretakers independent from access to power or signal-coverage.Filled-in forms are digitalized and put into the database with the help of an image recognition scanning tool.With SPAN, caretakers can also lend unmanned photogrammetry vehicles to conduct aerial monitoring in a feasible and easy-to-use way.
SPAN - A platform to monitor bird protection areas.

According to Frumkin (2001), now more than ever before people need to reconnect with nature. Contact with nature is considered by many as crucial to mental health and wellbeing (Kellert & Wilson, 1993) and there are many ways in which these benefits can be accessed. Wilderness therapy is considered as a popular concept in the mental health field in the USA and Australia (Levine, 1994) and there are many different structured programmes that exist (Crisp, 1997), with similar potentials and outcomes. A review of the literature considers the purposes and meaning of terms like wilderness; mental health and wellbeing in the natural environment, particularly in a UK context; the features of structured outdoor programmes; and theories related to contact with nature. The aim of this research is to examine the relationship between humans and their environments, and what might be therapeutic in these relationships. The thesis seeks to explore the best way to work with the features of the natural environment, in order to identify the qualities that contribute to people's experiences. A custom-designed walking and solo experience (WSE), suited to UK conditions, is presented. Two WSE's were run, to explore university students' perceptions of walking through and being with the environment. The first was a five day journey (n=4; 3 females and 1 male) and the second (n=5; 3 females and 2 males) consisted of the same elements and number of days, but took place over two weekends; with a two week interval in-between. Participants' perspectives were gathered from pre- and post-experience interviews, journal writing, group discussions and a nine month follow-up interview. A thematic analytic approach was taken to analyse the data. Both WSEs were considered together in analysis, but comparisons were made so as to evaluate implications for practice. As one of few UK-based studies on experiences of outdoor structured experiences, this research makes a valuable and essential contribution. Considerations of the WSE structure of the two studies are discussed and suggestions are made for alternative approaches to this kind of research. It infers that if time and cost allow, a longer five consecutive day WSE is better, but using weekends may still be effective. A good balance should also be sought between group and solo elements as the latter aspect was reported to be more beneficial for these two groups.

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CNPq - Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico
A lontra neotropical (Lontra longicaudis) ocorre desde o México até a Argentina, estando entre as espécies de lontra com a maior área de distribuição. Mas apesar desta grande área de distribuição pouco se sabe sobre sua ecologia, comportamento e relação com os homens. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo geral estudar as relações entre os produtores de peixes localizados em 3 Estados brasileiros (Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro e São Paulo) e as lontras, animais estes freqüentemente associados a ataques aos tanques de peixes. Para tal estudo um questionário foi enviado a 50 piscicultores presentes nos estados acima citados, tal questionário continha questões relativas ao levantamento de informações sobre os ataques realizados pelas lontras aos tanques de peixes e se estes geram um conflito entre estas e os piscicultores, assim como questões relativas ao conhecimento dos piscicultores sobre aspectos da ecologia e comportamento das lontras. Os resultados relacionados aos ataques indicam que apesar destes ocorrerem na maior parte das propriedades investigadas, as perdas serem tratadas como grandes pela metade dos investigados e que quanto maior o dano causado maior o sentimento negativo para com as lontras, tais elementos por si só não foram suficientes para a instauração de um conflito entre as lontras e os piscicultores, sendo sim o termo conflito de interesses mais bem colocado, uma vez que a idéia de conflito vem acompanhada de ações danosas entre as partes envolvidas, fato não demonstrado, pois dentre as medidas possivelmente adotadas para a resolução da predação pelos produtores a morte do animal figurou em último lugar. Alguns métodos foram propostos pelos produtores para a solução da predação, em destaque: a utilização de cães, a implementação de cercas e a baixa estocagem de peixes nos tanques. Com relação ao conhecimento dos produtores para com as lontras, estes nos forneceram informações sobre a presença destas em suas propriedades, pequenos córregos e brejos como principais locais de sua ocorrência, tendo as lontras como período de atividade toda a extensão do dia, com picos matutinos e noturnos, sendo animais de hábitos solitários ainda que relatos do avistamento destas em grupos tenham sido freqüentes e com o status atual de sua presença na natureza considerado estável pelos piscicultores que também colocaram que antigamente seu número fora maior. Aspectos de difícil avaliação como a caça e motivos desta também foram avaliados. As 7 abordagens do conhecimento dos produtores de peixes, apresentada neste trabalho foram efetivamente substanciais à obtenção e acréscimo de informações relativas às lontras. Embora exista, obviamente a necessidade de investigar mais detalhadamente algumas das informações obtidas junto aos produtores antes que sua veracidade possa ser atestada, os dados aqui relatados todos a partir do conhecimento dos produtores são uma importante fonte de embasamento e direcionamento para ações conservacionistas a serem desenvolvidas na região, além de contribuírem significantemente para o aumento do conhecimento das relações homem e natureza.
The Neotropical otter (Lontra longicaudis) occur since México toward Argentina, staying among the most widespread species of otter in the world. In spite of this great distribution area a little is known about its ecology, behavior and human relation. The present work aim was to study the relationship between fish farmers placed in three Brazilian States (Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro e São Paulo) and the otters, animals frequently associated with fishing tanks’ attacks. For such study, a questionnaire was sent to 50 fish farmers located in the states cited above, containing questions to rise information about the otters’ attack to fishing tanks and if these generate potential conflict between otters and fish farmers, as well as questions concerning the fish farmers’ assessment about otters’ ecology and behavior aspects. The results accounted to attacks shown that, in spite of these attacks occur in the majority of the investigated farms, the losses being threatened as big by the half of investigated and that as larger the damage larger the negative feeling to the otters, such elements by itself were not enough for the establishment of a conflict involving otters and fish farmers, being interest clash the better put term, once that the idea of conflict comes accompanied with harmful actions among the involved parts that in fact, was not verified, cause the dead of the animal figure last in the middle of possible actions adopted by the fish farmers to solve the predation problem. Some fish farmers’ proposed methods to minimize the predation, in prominence: the use of dogs, to implement of fence and low down the stock of fish in fishing tanks. Regarding the farmers’ assessment to the otters, the information supplied by them about otters’ presence in their property, show up small streams and swamps as main place of otters’ occurrence, having as activity period the whole day extension, with morning and night picks, being animals of lonely habits although sighting them grouped reports have been frequent and with current presence status in nature stable by fish farmers that in addition assumed that formerly its number had been larger. Difficult evaluation aspects as the hunt and the reasons of this were also appraised. The approaches of fish farmers’ assessment, presented in this work were substantial indeed to obtaining and increase information about the otters. Although there is, obviously the need of deeper investigation of some information obtained through the farmers before its could be truly attested, the data here reported, from farmers’ assessment onwards, are an important basis and direction source for conservationist actions for being developed in this region, further than significantly contribute to raise the knowledge of human-nature relation.

Current research in the field of numerical cognition reveals strong behavioral interactions and similar processing mechanisms for the perceptions of space, time, and number; which is generally believed to indicate that these dimensions share a common metric for representation in the brain. These three dimensions of magnitude––analog, ratio dependent representations of space, time, and number––are essential for interaction with the environment, and provide a conceptual basis on which further perceptual experience enhances the discrimination of distance, speed, numerosity, quantity, and size. Basic, approximate and non-verbal conceptions of spatial navigation, temporal orienting, and numerical computations have been found in human adults and children, as well as non-human animals, while the employment of discrete measures seems to be a consequence of a verbally and culturally mediated ontogenetic shift exclusive to humans (e.g. Feigenson, Libertus, and Halberda, 2013). This thesis investigates the link between nature and nurture, in an attempt to find the key factor that ultimately induces the ontogenetic shift from approximate to exact representations of space, time, and number. An extensive theoretical review is performed, based on both neuroscientific and cross-cultural data, where I propose that cultural and linguistic mediation is as vital to the representational advancement of numerical cognition as our biologically predisposed magnitude system. The neuroscientific approach is strongly based on a leading––but controversial––theory in the field of numerical cognition, ATOM (Walsh, 2003), which suggests that both human and non-human animals possess a generalized magnitude system with fully shared representational mechanisms for space, time, and number. To further illustrate the assumed theoretical stance of ATOM, an exploratory fMRI study with a single participant is performed, with results closely resembling those argued by Walsh (2003).

This project stems out of the need to improve the quality of life for both animals and humans, and facilitate the interaction between both environments into one habitat. The design will serve as a framework for the co-habitation and interaction of humans and animals in one habitat. At the core of this dissertation lies the concept of an animan habitat. This term embodies the concept of an intergrated habitat for all species. In arriving at the final design, a sequential thought process was applied. The logic behind this process will now be outlined (each corresponding section will be addressed in this document). Exploring the diversity of Architectural habitats and products has made it evident that involving Architects and Interior Architects into projects concerning animal space design can benefit wild animals and humans alike. Research into South African recreational nature spaces show the importance of the conservation of these existing spaces to different parties on local, national and international levels. The investigation of the importance of experiential nature spaces in Tshwane and the Tshwane CBDs (section 2.2.2) shows the importance and location of an establishment (the National Zoological Gardens of South Africa) with great human experiential, and animal conservation opportunities. The study of the contributions of global zoos to the world (section 2.3) confirms that any designs need to consider the principles and ethics followed by these zoos-conservation, recreation, education, experience, research, and community values. Behavioural enrichment (section 2.4) as a conservation contribution of zoos is an aspect that can be reinterpreted and incorporated into animal enclosures to enrich their environments, and further educate visitors. Studies about zoo evolutions (section 2.5) through the ages show how thoughts about captive environments are evolving. The subsequent study of exhibit design (section 2.6) makes clear the importance of considering the needs of the environment, animals, zoo occupants and visitors alike. Furthermore, research into design styles and illusions (section2.6) prove that designs (using whichever approach) should consider the wellbeing of animals before educating or entertaining humans. Design illusions could instead be used to change mans’ negative perceptions about zoos and other conserving environments. A study into design elements and principles (as studied by Ching and Miller) are currently used at the Zoo (section 2.7) to claim human and animal spaces. A variety of precedent investigations (section 3) make it clear that other institutions, zoos, reserves, bird parks, discovery centres, playgrounds, and an amphitheater, individuals (the work of Frei Otto) or companies (lightweight structure experts) offer products and techniques that could well suit animan space design. The result of the above is the cohabitation and respect for humans, animal and the environment in a bidirectional habitat. This forms the core of the animan concept and approach for the design of the Parrot Animan Precinct at the National Zoological Gardens of South Africa (Zoo). This development is a turnkey solution comprising of Site Selection and Study (section 4); Design Discourse (section 5); Technical Investigation (section 6) and Design Drawings (section 7).
Dissertation (MInt(Prof))--University of Pretoria, 2006.
Architecture
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Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2008.
Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 69-11, Section: B, page: 6668. Adviser: Joanne Vining. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 150-156) Available on microfilm from Pro Quest Information and Learning.

This document is submitted in partial fulfilment for the degree: Master of Architecture [Professional] At the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, in the year 2014
“Architecture embodies humanity’s relationship with the earth” (Hoosey, L. 2012. Pg. 118) There are many threats facing South Africa’s wildlife including the spread of diseases, increased poaching and habitat loss. As a result the Kruger National Park is one of South Africa’s most prized treasures and has become a wildlife recreation, resource and research hub attracting tourists and researchers from around the globe. However, despite the number of visitors to the area, there is an increasing number of local communities specifically on the Southern border of the park, experiencing high levels of unemployment and poverty. As a result, community members are often involved in the harvesting and trade of natural resources through activities such as subsistence poaching and farming. These practices are gradually destroying the natural landscape on the periphery thus posing a significant threat to the park’s biodiversity. In a contest between resource consumption and resource conservation architecture has the opportunity to mediate between the user groups of the region, sparking conversation about conservation. This thesis seeks to provide a building complex which will become the interface between land users and land uses and in so doing become a catalyst in the rehabilitation of the natural landscape. It will provide a platform for an exchange of conservation-based resources, information and skills intended to enhance the experience and understanding of nature. The complex includes a seed bank facility to store and grow a variety of indigenous botanical species to rehabilitate the landscape and support the harvesting of sustainable natural resources. The seed bank is directly linked to the research facility which is dedicated to the investigation and understanding of human-nature interactions along the park’s border. These conservation processes and findings are captured and revealed in the narrative of the ecological museum which forms a large component of the education spaces provided within the project. The three primary programs are consolidated within the design to create a constructed journey through the site. This enables the architecture to become the tour guide that enhances the visitor’s experience through man-made and ecological encounters along the way. In so doing a layering of public/private spaces is established using thresholds to create transition zones which blur the boundaries between inside and outside whilst maintaining a hierarchy of space. As with the building’s program the design is sensitive to its context. The project explores the typologies of the local community, farm structures and botanical nurseries to create an appropriate hybrid between the manufactured and hand crafted. This aesthetic is achieved through the use of locally sourced materials and labour in an attempt to reintroduce the disappearing vernacular building techniques to the region. This exploration is realised in the structural concept of articulating and combining elements of mass, skeleton and skin. In so doing, the architecture becomes a living organism which is climate responsive and houses both people and nature within its form. The structure is designed using the ‘eave’ to create an edge condition that modifies the micro climate of the interior and exterior spaces. It is through these edge conditions that the aesthetic of the building is transformed as species inhabit the structure to establish new ecosystems. This thesis does not attempt to provide a solution to the many threats facing this conservancy, but rather to focus on an area dealing with such challenges and allow architecture to house the means to empower, educate and expose users to the fragility of the natural landscape of the region. It is essential that wildlife conservation is extensively studied and implemented in order for nature to sustainably benefit the communities living off it; tourists travelling to it and conservationists working for it.

This exegesis explores, through an art practice, the environmental issues of species decline and loss. It asks the question ‘what can artists do to elevate public awareness of destructive environmental practices that are upsetting the ecological balance?’ References are made to historical searches for species on the brink of extinction, and present day fears of further decline in environmental diversity are examined. The design and construction of movement sensing cameras and the results of using unusual methods of detecting species type and abundance at several study sites will be presented in the final exhibition, alongside conventional drawings, paintings and sculptures, demonstrating that the potential for works generated directly from the natural environment and its creatures can be a genuine art form. The current practice of clear felling native forest has fragmented and isolated remnant forests, leading to an actual or perceived decline in resident native animals and birds. In Tasmania, some species of birds have been lost forever, while the marsupial wolf or thylacine maintains a slender chance for discovery and possibly, recovery. I have developed and employed specific equipment in an attempt to establish what animals are active in a land area at Golden Valley on the slopes of the Western Tiers in Tasmania. This site has been the base for explorations into the surrounding bush land, where three other specific sites with different landforms have been chosen for more detailed study of the area’s flora and fauna. On my own property in the area, the construction of extended wetland earthworks has given me the opportunity to study the effects of human intervention in the landscape and how this has affected the local resident creatures. These animals and birds have been drawn into a creative process to produce art works that are an assimilation of their input and my own.

Protected areas are increasingly becoming islands of habitat surrounded by seas of cultivation and development. Mole National Park, Ghana’s premier park, has an emerging nature-based tourism that is not large when compared to park tourism in other African countries. The park attracts many tourists seeking to observe charismatic wildlife such as elephants. However, many of the species that are attractive to tourists can create problems for adjacent communities. The overarching focus of this study was on how human-wildlife interactions impact on nature-based tourism in order to inform tourism development in Mole National Park and in nearby communities. The study was designed to address the following research questions: (1) How do human-wildlife interactions impact on nature-based tourism in Mole National Park and in nearby communities? (2) How do adjacent communities perceive the concerns and benefits of living near Mole National Park, and what factors explain the differences in perception of these concerns and benefits? and (3) How do park-adjacent communities perceive wildlife impact, and how are the perceptions of wildlife shaped by culture, involvement in a community conservation area, and a community’s distance from the park? A variety of research instruments such as key informant interviews, focus groups, field observations, and surveys were used to gather data from tourists and the diverse range of communities that surround Mole National Park. The study revealed high levels of tourist satisfaction with fundamental attractions such as wildlife and the environment. However, managerial deficiencies were noted in terms of infrastructure and services. CREMA (a variant of community-based natural resource management) influence communities to have positive attitude towards the park and tolerate wildlife because of the benefits they gain or perceive they will potentially gain. Communities closer to the park although have concerns, rated benefits higher than communities farther away from the park. Cultural valuation of animals also influence people’s interactions with wildlife. For example, taboo and totemic animals are revered and tolerated, not killed or eaten, although the same species may be considered problematic in other communities. Park ranger patrols, protecting water bodies, and livestock pens were rated as effective enhancement and mitigation measures of human-wildlife interactions. Properly developed nature-based tourism in and around PAs can serve both conservation and development outcomes. However, the success of PAs as a conservation strategy depends to some extent on the support of the nearby communities. Park-adjacent communities’ valuation of wildlife and the perception of concerns and benefits are important in the conservation process. Therefore, efforts should be made to ensure that concerns do not outweigh the benefits of living near PAs. Also tourism development in PAs should benefit nearby communities to offset the negative impacts of PAs on adjacent communities.
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Adults associate their childhood with playing outdoors, often in natural settings. This type of free play is valuable to child development. Children tend to use outdoor play areas in physically active ways, and time spent outdoors relates positively to increased physical activity in children. However, children today are spending an increasing amount of time indoors rather than outdoors. Recent research has shown that the amount of time children spend in outdoor play is directly related to parental concerns about their children's exposure to outdoor hazards. The purpose of this project was to investigate the relationship between parental attitude toward nature and the development of fine and gross motor skills in young children. The sample for this study was drawn from parents of children ages 3 to 5 years old enrolled at one of two University Child Development Centers. The assessment tool used was composed of sections that ask parents about their attitudes toward nature, about their young children spending time outdoors, how much time their children actually spend in outdoor and indoor activities, and standard demographic questions. The childcare centers independently assessed d correlations and ANOVA. Results from this study indicated that parents had positive views toward nature and towards their child's recreation. Children who participated in certain indoor activities tended to score higher in the area of fine motor skills. However, children who spent more time indoors in free play had lower gross motor skill scores. Parents who scored better on the Parental Attitude toward Their Child's Outdoor Recreation scale reported that their child spent more time in outdoor free play and outdoor organized sports and activities. Parents preferred outdoor play spaces when compared to indoor play spaces and specifically those outdoor spaces that were constructed with more nearby natural components.