Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Lichen conservation'

This study investigates the effects that lichens have on rock surfaces in which ancient rock art (petroglyphs and pictographs) may be found. The study area includes four sites in the United States: one quartzite site in southwest Minnesota, two sandstone sites in Wyoming, and one volcanic site in Central New Mexico. One additional granitic site studied is located northeast Queensland, Australia. The questions driving the pursuit of this dissertation research are: 1. How does the chemistry of the rock change with weathering and how deep is the profile? 2. Do lichens cause differential chemical changes? 3. How does the chemistry of the unaltered rock influence these changes? 4. Do lichens strip the patina or “desert varnish” from the rock surfaces? The results of this research confirm from elemental chemical analyses that geochemical changes do take place in the presence of lichens. The combined mechanical and chemical processes contribute to the degradation and greater erodability of all the rock surfaces studied. Chemically, we have demonstrated that cements that hold grains of rocks together can be dissoluble by lichen byproducts in the presence of an aqueous environment whether the rocks are sandstone or granite. This information regarding the mechanical and geochemical processes at work in natural environments has significant practical benefit for the management, conservation, and preservation of rock art sites everywhere.

Thesis (doctoral)--Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 2008.
Thesis documentation sheet inserted. Includes appendix of reprints of five papers and manuscripts co-authored with others. Includes bibliographical references. Also partially issued electronically via World Wide Web in PDF format; online version lacks appendix of papers.

The objective of the current study was to analyse the effect of landscape structure (habitat size and exposure to farmland) on the occurrence and abundance of Lobaria pulmonaria, a foliose cyanolichen. Since the agrarian revolution during the 19th century the agricultural landscape has become increasingly fragmented resulting in isolated meadows and wood-pastures surrounded by farmland. Lobaria pulmonaria is one of the species being affected by this habitat change, much due to their dispersal limitations, specific habitat demands and susceptibility to air pollution. 36 localities of two different size classes (< 1.5 ha and > 4.5 ha) and two different exposure classes (exposed or unexposed to farmland) were studied. The occurrence, size of lichen thallus and height of lichen patches on tree trunks were significantly positively affected by habitat size and negatively affected by habitat exposure. The implications of these findings for strategies to manage and conserve L. pulmonaria in a fragmented landscape are discussed.

Cette etude a ete proposee par l'institut national de recherches agronomiques et le laboratoire de recherche des monuments historiques dans le cadre d'un programme step europeen (step ct 90 - 0101). Ce travail essaie d'etablir les differents effets de la presence des etres vivants sur la degradation des monuments en granite. L'interface lichen-roche granitique est etudiee chez neuf especes de lichens saxicoles (caloplaca sp. , catillaria chalybeia, diploicia canescens, ochrolechia parella, pertusaria sp2. , tephromela atra, verrucaria tectorum, verrucaria sp. , lichen endolithique) par la methode micromorphologique sur lames minces. Une nouvelle methodologie a ete adaptee pour la preparation d'echantillons biologiques de la pierre, notamment par une coloration au calcofluor white m2r (colorant fluorochrome). Les resultats ont montre que les lichens exerces une alteration importante sur les mineraux de la roche. L'etude micromorphologique permet d'obtenir des valeurs moyennes de penetrations dans le substrat granitique jusqu'a 2 millimetres de profondeur. Des micro prelevements d'echantillons de roche non perturbes permettent a une autre echelle, en utilisant la microscopie electronique a transmission, d'observer la presence d'hyphes myceliens entre les paquets de feuillets de mica ou bien de constater la secretion d'acide organique sous la forme d'oxalate de calcium. Une cartographie de la colonisation biologique des facades externes de l'eglise de penmarc'h a ete menee et les surfaces presentant un recouvrement biologique ont ete calculees grace aux outils performants d'un systeme d'information geographique (arc-info). Il a de plus ete estime les surfaces presentant d'eventuelles alterations biologiques. La presence de bacteries dans des echantillons de granite est montree par des analyses microbiologiques quantitatives provenant de cinq monuments en bretagne. Un resultat interessant a la basilique du folgoet (finistere) revele une presence importante de bacteries nitrifiantes. Leur presence est egalement quantifiee avec la meme importance sur trois autres monuments en cotes-d'armor (la chapelle saint malo, l'eglise de meslin et la chapelle saint jacques le majeur). Leur developpement serait en relation avec l'existence d'une source d'ammoniac provenant des epandages de lisiers. Il ne semble pas en resulter de degradation specifique du granite

Este trabalho teve como objetivo determinar e avaliar as respostas físico-químicas, fisiológicas, bioquímicas e sensoriais associadas às técnicas de conservação pós-colheita de lichia, sendo que para isso foram realizados seis experimentos. No primeiro experimento, foi estudado o efeito da temperatura de armazenamento (0, 5, 10, 15 e 20ºC) em lichias Bengal por 15 dias. A taxa respiratória e a produção de etileno foram significativamente influenciadas pela temperatura de armazenamento, sendo que o aumento da temperatura ocasionou maiores perdas de sólidos solúveis totais (ºBrix), ácido ascórbico e aparência. Conclui-se que as temperaturas de 0ºC e 5ºC são as mais indicadas para a conservação de lichia durante 15 dias, nas condições do presente experimento. No segundo experimento, avaliaram-se embalagens de filme de policloreto de vinila (PVC) (12, 14 e 17 m de espessura); filmes plásticos de polietileno de baixa densidade (PEBD) de 10 e 20 m; filmes plásticos de polipropileno (PP) de 0,06 e 10 m; e embalagens de tereftalato de polietileno (PET), em lichias Bengal armazenadas a 5ºC e 90% UR por 15 dias. Os filmes PP de 0,06 e 10 µm, assim como os filmes PEBD de 10 e 20 µm, apresentaram reduções drásticas dos teores de O2 e aumentos significativos de CO2. Para as condições deste trabalho conclui-se que os filmes de policloreto de vinila (PVC) de 12, 14 e 17 µm e a embalagem de tereftalato de polietileno (PET) são os melhores filmes ou embalagens para o armazenamento de lichias a 5ºC durante 15 dias. No terceiro experimento foi estudado o efeito da aplicação de diferentes antioxidantes na conservação de lichias Bengal armazenadas a 5ºC e 90% UR por 15 dias. Verificou-se que o tratamento com ácido cítrico reduz a taxa respiratória de lichia durante o armazenamento a 5oC. Entretanto, nenhum dos antioxidantes testados foi eficiente para minimizar o escurecimento do pericarpo das lichias durante o armazenamento refrigerado. O quarto experimento avaliou o efeito da aplicação de diferentes concentrações de cloreto de cálcio (CaCl2) sobre lichias Bengal armazenadas a 5ºC e 90% UR por 15 dias. Conclui-se que o cloreto de cálcio reduz a taxa respiratória de lichias armazenadas a 5oC, mas não é eficiente para minimizar a perda da coloração vermelha do pericarpo destes frutos durante o armazenamento refrigerado. No quinto experimento foi estudado o efeito da aplicação de diferentes recobrimentos na qualidade de lichias Bengal armazenadas a 5ºC e 90% UR por 15 dias. Conclui-se que nenhum dos recobrimentos ou ceras testados minimizou a perda de qualidade de lichias armazenadas a 5ºC por 15 dias. O sexto experimento avaliou diferentes tempos e temperaturas de resfriamento rápido com água em lichias B3 por 10 dias. Nas condições deste experimento, conclui-se que o pré-resfriamento da lichia com água auxilia na minimização da perda de qualidade destes frutos, mas favorece o surgimento de altos índices de podridões.
The purpose of the present work was carried out with the objective to determine and to evaluate the physicochemical, physiological, biochemical and sensorial answers associated to the techniques of postharvest lychee conservation, and for that six experiments were evaluated. In the first experiment, the effect of the storage temperature (0, 5, 10, 15 and 20ºC) was evaluated in lychees \'Bengal\' for 15 days. The respiratory rate and ethylene production were influenced significantly by the storage temperature, and the increase of the storage temperature caused more losses of soluble solids (ºBrix), ascorbic acid and appearance. Temperatures of 0 and 5ºC are recommended for lychee conservation for 15 days, in the conditions of the present experiment. In a second experiment, packages of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) films (12, 14 and 17 m thickness) were evaluated; low density polyethylene (LDPE) films of 10 and 20 m; polypropylene (PP) plastics films of 0,06 and 10 m; and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) packages, in lychee \'Bengal\' stored at 5ºC and 90% RH during 15 days. The films PP 0,06 and 10 µm, as well as the films PEBD 10 and 20 µm, presented drastic reductions of the tenors of O2 and significant increases of CO2. For the conditions of this work it was concluded that the polyvinyl chloride (PVC) films of 12, 14 and 17 µm and the packing of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) are the best films or packages for the lychee \'Bengal\' storage at 5ºC for 15 days. The third experiment studied the effect of the application of different antioxidants in the conservation of lychees \'Bengal\' stored at 5ºC and 90% HR during 15 days. It was verified that the treatment with citric acid reduces the respiratory rate of lychee during the storage at 5ºC. However, none of the tested antioxidants was efficient to minimize the pericarp browning of the lychees during the cold stored. The fourth experiment evaluated the effect of the application of different concentrations of chloride of calcium (CaCl2) on lychees \'Bengal\' stored at 5ºC and 90% HR during 15 days. It was concluded that the chloride of calcium reduces the respiratory rate of lychees stored at 5ºC, but it is not efficient to minimize the red coloration pericarp loss of these fruits during the cold stored. In the fifth experiment it was studied the effect of the application of different coatings in the lychees \'Bengal\' quality stored at 5ºC and 90% HR during 15 days. It was concluded that none of the coatings or waxes tested minimized the of lychess quality loss stored at 5ºC during 15 days. The sixth experiment evaluated different times and temperatures of hydrocooling in lychees \'B3\' for 10 days. In the conditions of this experiment, it was concluded that the hydrocooling of the lychee aids in the minimization of the loss of fruit quality, but it favors the appearance of high indexes of rottenness.

The Cyanobacteria are the only group of prokaryotic organisms known to possess a circadian program. Efforts to elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying the cyanobacterial circadian clock have focused almost exclusively on the kaiABC gene cluster of the unicellular model organism Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942. The considerable morphological and habitat diversity of cyanobacteria raises obvious questions: Do all members of the Cyanobacteria utilize circadian programs? How similar might other cyanobacterial clocks be to the S. elongatus model? To investigate whether clock molecular biology is conserved, I undertook a comparative study with Nostoc strain PCC 9709 as the subject. Nostoc PCC 9709 is a heterocyst-forming filamentous cyanobacterium originally isolated as a symbiont within the lichen Peltigera membranacea. Methods: The Nostoc PCC 9709 genome was screened for clock gene homologues using PCR-based methods and Southern blot hybridization. To support genetic identification with functional data, the temporal gene expression profiles of putative kai homologues were compared against the previously determined rhythmic abundances of kaiA and kaiBC transcripts of S. elongatus with the use of Northern blot hybridization and relative RT-PCR assays. Conclusions: The prokaryotic circadian clock gene cluster kaiABC is conserved in Nostoc PCC 9709. Deduced amino acid sequence homology (46 % identity for KaiA, 81 % for KaiB, 80 % for KaiC) is consistent with conservation of function in accordance with available structure-function data for the S. elongatus model. A relative RT-PCR assay method was validated on the S. elongatus model system. Time course studies on kai gene transcription demonstrated peak-and-trough patterns in cultured Nostoc and field specimens of P. membranacea that are consistent with circadian oscillation.

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Characterising the future risk to biodiversity across multiple environmental drivers is fraught with uncertainty and is a major conservation challenge. Scenario planning - to identify robust decisions across a range of plausible futures - can aid biodiversity conservation when tactical decisions need to be made in the present-day, yet consequences are realised over many decades. Management responses to the impact of tree disease are an excellent candidate for scenario planning, because actions to reduce an imminent biodiversity threat need to be effective in the long-term by accounting for concomitant factors such as a changing climate. Lichen epiphytes were used to exemplify a guild sensitive to woodland change, such as a tree disease impact. Bioclimatic models for 382 British epiphytes were combined with species-specific tree association values, to explore scenarios of tree disease (ash dieback), climate change, and range-filling under a lower SO2 pollution regime, for northern Britain focussed on Scotland. Results indicated: 1. Exposure of lichen diversity to projected climate change is spatially structured and expected to be greater in continental northeast Scotland, compared to oceanic western Scotland. 2. Impact of tree disease showed analogous geographic trends, evidencing a critical interaction between the climatic and local ecological setting. On average, the loss of ash could have an effect on epiphyte assemblages comparable in magnitude to that of climate change under a 2080s high emissions scenario. 3. In general, tree disease impacts can be mitigated by increasing the diversity of substitute tree species within a stand, to generate complementarity among epiphyte communities. However, the effectiveness of alternate management scenarios varied locally between sites and temporally with the progression of climate change. Given this variability, scenario analysis is recommended to effectively manage for resilience, by scoping how local factors (e.g. managed woodland composition) can reduce epiphyte assemblage turnover beyond that uniquely associated with larger-scale environmental impacts. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

La structure des communautés de lichens épiphytes de la forêt boréale demeure peu décrite, particulièrement dans les forêts d'épinette noire de l'est de l'Amérique du Nord. Il est important de mieux décrire ces communautés et de mieux comprendre les facteurs qui déterminent l'abondance des différentes espèces ou groupes d'espèces de lichens épiphytes. Ces connaissances seront utiles pour formuler des recommandations d'aménagement, dans l'optique où il est de plus en plus reconnu que les pratiques d'aménagement forestier ne doivent pas mettre en péril le maintien de la biodiversité et des processus écosystémiques. Le premier chapitre contient une évaluation de l'influence du temps depuis le dernier feu, de la structure du peuplement, de la taille et de l'âge des arbres ainsi que la hauteur des branches sur la biomasse de lichens épiphytes dans la forêt boréale de l'Ouest du Québec. Nous avons échantillonné 12 sites appartenant à quatre stades de développement (de 50 à >200 ans). Nous avons estimé la biomasse de trois groupes de lichens épiphytes (Bryoria, Evernia et Usnea) sur 12 arbres dans chaque site. Nos résultats ont montré que la biomasse de Bryoria et d'Usnea était plus élevée dans les stades intermédiaires de développement (entre 101 et 200 ans) comparativement aux plus jeunes (50-100 ans) et plus vieux stades (>200 ans). La biomasse des trois groupes était supérieure sur les arbres de plus gros diamètres (>16 cm) comparativement aux plus petits arbres (<16 cm). Ces résultats indiquent que la protection des peuplements après feu âgés de 101 à 200 ans devrait être priorisée afin de maintenir le rôle fonctionnel des lichens épiphytes dans les paysages aménagés. Le second chapitre vise à comparer les communautés de lichens épiphytes dans différents types de forêts résiduelles laissées après coupe et de comparer les effets de lisière entre des forêts résiduelles linéaires étroites et de plus grandes forêts. Nous avons comparé la biomasse totale de différents groupes de lichens épiphytes (Bryoria spp., Usnea spp., and Evernia mesomorpha) dans quatre différents types de forêts : séparateurs de coupe linéaires, bandes riveraines, grands blocs de forêts résiduelles et forêts d'intérieur. Nous avons aussi examiné si les effets de lisières sur la biomasse lichénique étaient présents dans deux types de forêts résiduelles parmi les quatre, soit les séparateurs linéaires et les grands blocs de forêts résiduelles. Les résultats indiquent que la biomasse de Bryoria était plus élevée dans les grands blocs résiduels et dans les forêts d'intérieur par rapport aux bandes riveraines et aux séparateurs de coupe, et que la biomasse d'Evernia était plus élevée dans les bandes riveraines que dans les autres types de forêts. La biomasse d'Usnea ne variait pas selon les types de forêts. Le long des transects localisés perpendiculairement à la lisière dans les deux types de forêts résiduelles linéaires, la biomasse de Bryoria à 0 et 15 m à l'intérieur de la lisière était significativement plus basse qu'à 30 m. La biomasse d'Evernia et d'Usnea était significativement plus basse à la lisière de la coupe totale (0 rn) comparativement aux parcelles localisées à l'intérieur (30 rn). Nos résultats suggèrent que dans un paysage où seuls des séparateurs de coupe et des bandes riveraines seraient laissés en guise de forêts résiduelles, les communautés de lichens épiphytes typiques des forêts d'intérieur pourraient ne pas se maintenir, particulièrement les biomasses élevées de Bryoria observées dans les forêts d'intérieur. Le troisième chapitre porte sur la colonisation des jeunes peuplements par les lichens épiphytes, un phénomène important pour le maintien de populations viables dans les paysages forestiers affectés périodiquement par les perturbations sévères. Nous avons examiné la colonisation de différentes espèces relativement communes de lichens foliacés et fruticuleux épiphytes dans des peuplements d'épinette noire en régénération dans la forêt boréale de l'ouest du Québec. Le nombre de thalles ainsi que l'abondance des espèces ont été mesurés sur des branches prélevées sur des jeunes arbres localisés dans des coupes totales, à différentes distances de forêts matures adjacentes (de 5 m à 100 m). Nous avons échantillonné des peuplements régénérés de deux façons, soit des peuplements issus d'une régénération naturelle qui s'est établie en sous-étage avant la coupe totale, et des peuplements régénérés par plantation suite à la coupe. Les lichens ont aussi été inventoriés dans deux classes d'âge de coupes, soit des coupes âgées de 12 à 18 ans et des coupes âgées de 6 à 12 ans. Les résultats indiquent que pour les jeunes coupes, le nombre de thalles et l'abondance par branche étaient supérieurs dans les peuplements issus de régénération naturelle pour la plupart des espèces de lichens épiphytes, alors que cette différence entre les deux types de régénération s'estompait dans les peuplements plus âgés. La distance par rapport au peuplement adjacent exerçait peu d'influence sur l'abondance des thalles pour la plupart des espèces, sauf pour celles qui se dispersent principalement par fragments de thalles, et particulièrement Bryoria spp., pour lesquelles le nombre de thalles était significativement plus élevé à 5 m qu'à 100 m. Ces résultats suggèrent donc que la plupart des espèces de lichens parviennent à coloniser les microsites présents dans les peuplements en régénération, peu importe l'origine de cette régénération. Dans le quatrième chapitre, nous examinons les taux de croissance de deux espèces de lichens épiphytes, Bryoria nadvornikiana et Evernia mesomorpha, en fonction de différents gradients d'ouverture du couvert. Les taux de croissance ont été évalués à partir de transplants installés dans deux types de peuplements, soit de vieux peuplements vierges et des vieux peuplements récemment traités par coupe partielle. Les accroissements ont été mesurés sur une période de deux ans, et plusieurs variables environnementales ont été mesurées directement sur les sites pour faciliter l'interprétation des résultats. Les résultats indiquent que malgré une variation importante dans les taux de croissance chez les deux espèces de lichens dans les différents types de peuplements, la création d'ouvertures dans le couvert dominant suite à des coupes partielles a un effet significatif et affecte négativement la croissance des deux espèces. La réponse négative est proportionnelle au degré d'ouverture dans le couvert dominant et B. nadvornikiana, une espèce généralement davantage associée aux couverts forestiers fermés, est significativement plus affectée qu'E. mesomorpha, une espèce plutôt associée aux couverts forestiers plus ouverts. Dans la discussion, nous soulignons que cette réponse négative contraste avec ce qui est généralement rapporté dans la littérature en ce qui concerne l'effet de la création d'ouvertures sur la croissance des lichens épiphytes. En fonction de l'analyse des différents paramètres environnementaux mesurés, nous suggérons que la réduction de la durée d'hydratation dans les coupes partielles, le risque accru de la fragmentation des thalles dans les coupes partielles, le climat relativement sec qui prévaut dans cette région, ainsi qu'une année particulièrement sèche lors de la deuxième année de l'étude peuvent expliquer ces résultats. Les résultats ne remettent pas en cause le fait que les coupes partielles peuvent contribuer au maintien des populations de lichens épiphytes au niveau du paysage, surtout lorsque l'on compare cette pratique aux coupes totales qui prévalent généralement dans cette région. Ils suggèrent néanmoins que, dans notre région, les peuplements récemment traités par coupe partielle offrent des conditions de croissance inférieures à celles que l'on retrouve dans les peuplements non coupés. Dans l'ensemble, cette thèse a permis de faire avancer significativement les connaissances sur les mécanismes déterminant la structure et la composition des communautés de lichens épiphytes en forêt boréale, en particulier en ce qui concerne la dispersion et la croissance de différentes espèces en fonction de différentes variables environnementales. Nous avons montré que la biomasse en lichens varie en fonction de la qualité et de la quantité de substrats disponibles pour la colonisation, tant à l'échelle de la branche, de l'arbre, du peuplement et du paysage. La qualité et la quantité de substrats pour les lichens sont intimement liées au temps écoulé depuis la dernière perturbation. La structure du couvert forestier influence fortement les conditions environnementales prévalant dans les forêts et ces conditions amont une influence importante sur les populations de lichens épiphytes. Les forêts d'intérieur semblent les plus propices au maintien de populations qui pourront servir de foyers pour la recolonisation des superficies perturbées récemment. Le maintien d'une proportion significative de parcelles de forêts matures (100 à 200 ans) présentant des conditions de forêt d'intérieur apparaît donc comme une mesure de précaution intéressante à adopter dans un contexte d'aménagement forestier. ______________________________________________________________________________ MOTS-CLÉS DE L’AUTEUR : lichens alectorioides, effets de lisière, coupes partielles, croissance, dispersion, colonisation.

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One of the major roles lichens play in shaping the natural world, both physically and biologically, is as agents in soil development: formerly considered only in a geological context, recent research has shown that they are capable of biodeteriorating stone substrata within a relatively short timescale. Chemical alteration of the substratum is achieved by the disruptive action of many species, particularly those capable of producing an oxalate at the thallus–substratum interface . The oxalate contributes significantly to the bulk and composition of the thallus itself and persists as an obvious encrustation after the lichen’s death. In the past, these disfiguring oxalate residues on ancient monuments have been variously interpreted as resulting from former mechanical/chemical renovation treatments, atmospheric pollution , and climatic weathering. The origin and nature of oxalate accretions, the factors involved in pedogenesis , and the development of lichen mosaics are reviewed. Aesthetic disfigurement versus physical damage to stonework is considered, and various aspects of stonework conservation are discussed.

碩士
國立東華大學
自然資源與環境學系
100
Academics in Taiwan have been working on landscape conservation for 20 years. Numerous studies focus on investigation, assessment, monitoring and education of special scientific important geo-conservation sites. However, few researches have been done on the issues of local stakeholder participation and rural community development. The author chooses one of the national-level geo-conservation sites, the Lichi Badland in Taitung County, as the case study area. The case study area is surrounded by two rural villages; each has a small elementary school. The theory of collaborative planning and management was employed to explore issues of geo-conservation, geo-tourism and local community development. Many participatory forums were designed and conducted in two villages to enhance school-community-university partnerships for rural landscape conservation of the area. The findings show that the ‘school-community-university partnership platform’ was like a new bridge activating partnership between local communities and schools. Through regular panel discussions on the platforms and training workshops, local people and school teachers figured out a common ground of their interests and goals. They worked together to draw up and conduct several landscape conservation projects which aimed to enhance better understandings of relationships between local people livelihoods and the badland resources. Through the implementation processes of these projects, local people and school teachers had completed local natural and cultural resources investigation, environmental education and interpretation materials, as well as carried out several pilot programs of geotourism. The platforms prove to be a genuine assistance to promote knowledge resources, relational resources, and mobilization capacity among the local stakeholders and help to promote geo-conservation and rural community development. Nevertheless, the outcomes of the two studied areas show remarkably different. The difference might be caused by the following 13 factors, including: ‘local problems and needs’, ‘development goals and visions’, ‘strategies and action plans’, ‘community leadership and coherence’, ‘school leadership and coherence’, ‘ collaborative role of the research team’, ‘collaborative role of local authorities’, ‘role recognition of each other’, ‘operational mechanism of the school-community partnership platform’, ‘policies and resources of relevant community projects’, ‘human resources and participation’, ‘ financial resource and allocation’ and ‘benefits sharing’.

碩士
國立屏東科技大學
森林系
94
Due to the geologic and climatic conditions, bare slopes situated at Lichimudstone formation in Beinan Township Taitung County is the most fragilelandscape in Taiwan. Lichi mudstone formation not only faces the highestdifficulty in re-vegetation, but also creates the greatest challenges for disastermitigation. Hence, Lichi mudstone formation is also known as “The Cancer of Land”. Being deficient in water retention capacity, dissolving easily when wet, hardening when dry, and high in pH, mudstone formation is unfavorable forthe growth of plant roots which in turns encourages surface erosion and rock fall. Field investigations were the main thrust of this thesis focusing on soil and water conservation methods that had been implemented in the watershed of Fuyuan and Lichi villages situated at Lichi mudstone formation in Beinan Township. Key parameters considered in field investigations included site environmental factors, attributes, current status of conservation measures and ground vegetation, causes and characteristics of the damages on conservation measures if any, slope stabilization achievements, as well as improvement or countermeasures. Through data analysis important parameters and slopeland management models for soil and water conservation control methods, vegetation restoration, and ecological engineering applications suitable for Lichi mudstone formation were identified. Results of field investigations from 34 selected construction sites suggest that combination of gabion and sheet piles is the most suitable conservation measure in preventing rock fall and soil movement for mudstone bare slopes; especially for slope-toe protection. With slope-toe protection provided by combination of gabion and sheet piles, group efforts joining staking and wattling, multi-story vegetation plantations, as well as drainage system on slopes makes up the effective tool. It not only enhances slope stability and vegetation restoration, but also achieves soil and water conservation.

Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) are key elements of ecological systems, and play an important role in the cultural foundation of human societies. All species of wild salmon face multiple, simultaneous threats, with habitat degradation likely playing a key role in survival. Open net-pen salmon farms can degrade important nursery marine habitat for wild juvenile salmon by disrupting natural salmonid host-parasite dynamics. The first two chapters in this thesis examine louse parasitism of wild juvenile chum (Oncorhynchus keta), pink (O. gorbuscha), and sockeye salmon (O. nerka) in relation to their marine migration past salmon farms. I compare sites of low and high exposure to salmon farms, and include two areas without farms on British Columbia’s central and north coasts to assess baseline infection levels. Louse prevalence and abundance were lowest and most similar to natural baseline levels at low exposure sites, and highest at high exposure sites in all farm regions. A significantly greater proportion of the lice infecting juvenile chum and pink salmon were Lepeophtheirus salmonis at high exposure sites. Caligus clemensi was the principal louse species infecting all juveniles in areas without salmon farms, and at low exposure sites within salmon farm regions; C. clemensi was also the dominant louse to infect juvenile sockeye that migrated past farms. Mixed-effects modelling results showed that exposure to salmon farms was the most consistent factor to explain the variation in louse infection levels, and support my hypothesis that salmon farms are a major source of sea lice on juvenile wild salmon in regions with salmon farms. I discovered that juvenile sockeye at one particular location within the Georgia Strait hosted unusually high lice levels; this location was situated at a distance from salmon farms, but near a farm salmon processing facility. Upon further investigation, I found live sea lice, Lepeophtheirus salmonis, mucus, and fish tissue in effluent discharged from the processing facility. Sea lice transmitted from this source may pose a threat to wild salmon populations, and the release of potentially untreated offal, including blood water, is of considerable concern. These results form the third chapter in my thesis. Given the challenges facing juvenile salmon in general, and sockeye from the Fraser River in particular (i.e., 2009 was the lowest return on record), and because poor habitat conditions within Georgia Strait are considered the major cause of the recent decline in Fraser River sockeye, this raises the question as to whether food limitations are a factor. The final chapter in my thesis examines the prey assemblage, diet composition, and foraging selectivity of juvenile sockeye, and investigates whether food limitations can be detected during early migration through Georgia Strait. Juvenile sockeye demonstrated high prey diversity, with preference for particular prey. Prey were more concentrated in the north, which may help explain migratory behavior of juveniles through the study region, and temporal similarities in sockeye foraging success may reflect short-term food resource stability. Moreover, I could not find evidence of food limitations that might suggest juvenile sockeye were strongly food deprived during the years of this study. Finally, my thesis explores how best to conserve salmon populations given the multitude of stressors. Because stressors often interact to produce compound effects and unpredictable results, ranking the overall threats in order of severity may not be useful. Instead, the most successful ranking system may be in terms of reducing harm where possible. For juvenile salmon during their early marine migration, risks posed by salmon farms can be more easily mitigated than the far-reaching effects on ocean productivity of climate change and ocean acidification, or predator removal. I recommend we begin here.
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