The relationship between community-based organisations and the effective management of coastal and marine resources in the Western Indian Ocean region

This study examines the relationship between community based organisations and marine and coastal resource management in the Western Indian Ocean Region.

The development of soil organic matter in restored biodiverse Jarrah forests of South-Western Australia as determined by ASE and GCMS

Background, aim and scope Soil organic matter (SOM) is known to increase with time as landscapes recover after a major disturbance; however, little is known about the evolution of the chemistry of SOM in reconstructed ecosystems. In this study, we assessed the development of SOM chemistry in a chronosequence (space for time substitution) of restored Jarrah forest sites in Western Australia. Materials and methods Replicated samples were taken at the surface of the mineral soil as well as deeper in the profile at sites of 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 17 years of age. A molecular approach was developed to distinguish and quantify numerous individual compounds in SOM. This used accelerated solvent extraction in conjunction with gas chromatography mass spectrometry. A novel multivariate statistical approach was used to assess changes in accelerated solvent extraction (ASE)-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS) spectra. This enabled us to track SOM developmental trajectories with restoration time. Results Results showed total carbon concentrations approached that of native forests soils by 17 years of restoration. Using the relate protocol in PRIMER, we demonstrated an overall linear relationship with site age at both depths, indicating that changes in SOM chemistry were occurring. Conclusions The surface soils were seen to approach native molecular compositions while the deeper soil retained a more stable chemical signature, suggesting litter from the developing diverse plant community has altered SOM near the surface. Our new approach for assessing SOM development, combining ASE-GCMS with illuminating multivariate statistical analysis, holds great promise to more fully develop ASE for the characterisation of SOM.

Man kan både sitta bredbent och med benen i kors : En kvalitativ studie om hur genusvetare praktiserar genuskunskap

There is an awareness of the importance of gender equality in most western societies, both at the political level and in everyday life. In academia, for instance, gender is nowadays a scientific field which indicates that there is a lot of knowledge about the subject. What we do not have much knowledge about is whether gender knowledge leads to changes in gender relations in practice. The aim of this study is to explore how gender scholars relate to using – practicing – gender knowledge. Key issues in this study are how gender scholars construct gender, how they practice gender theoretical knowledge, and their reflections of gender boundaries.             Theoretically, this study is mainly based on Sara Ahmed’s perspective on gender. The main finding of the study is that despite gender knowledge gender scholars tend to reproduce traditional gender orders. By identifying concepts such as reflected and unreflected masculinity/femininity, different ideals of masculinity/femininity are made visible. There seems to be an ideal among gender scholars to practice their gender knowledge. This ideal is practiced among “gender scholar women” by doing reflected masculinity and reflected femininity. Among “gender scholar men”, however, the ideal to practice gender knowledge by doing unreflected masculinity and reflected femininity seems to be a taboo at the same time. For men, it seems important to mark a distance to a certain type of femininity and to maintain the heterosexual – straight – line. For women, it seems desirable both to distance themselves from a certain type of masculinity and femininity and thereby follow alternative – queer – lines.

Musilian Concept of Modern Man

German-Austrian Robert Musil (1880-1942) is considered an artist with an extremely unorthodox conception of art to a basic human problem. In his time, there existed a dissociation of substance from social values. Musil actually started with this foundation in considering the taunting dilemma that the accelerating technology of the century is overstepping each day the ability of the human mind to adjust to it. Musil maintained that social organization, patterns of thought and cherished ideals correspond to a reality that no longer exists

Estimating Stormwater Runoff for Community Gardens in New York City

While much of the literature cites community gardens as providing urban ecosystem services, there is very little research quantifying these benefits. This thesis compares the stormwater runoff rates of urban vacant lots, community gardens, and residential developments in New York City and evaluates community gardens as green infrastructure.

Liberdade de expressão artística: concepções filosóficas, fundamentalidade constitucional e política da pluralidade

The right to artistic expression, freedom granted in the western democratic constitutionalism, is a fundamental right that cyclically, compared to other cohesive rights of expression, has been forgotten and put in an irrelevant juridical-dogmatic position. The first reason for this behaviour that disesteems artistic freedom is the valorisation of rationalism and scientificism in the modern society, subordinating academic researches to utilitarianism, relegating the purpose of feelings and spirituality on men s elocution, therefore, we investigate, guided by philosophy, the attribution of art on human formation, due to its capacity in harmonising reason and emotion. After that, we affirm the fundamental right to artistic expression s autonomy in the 1988 valid constitutional order, after a comparative explanation of freedom in the Fundamental Laws of United States, Portugal, Spain and Germany; and the construction historic-constitutional of the same right in the Brazilian Constitutions. In this desiderate, the theoric mark chosen is the Liberal Theory of the fundamental rights, guiding the exam through jusfundamental dimensions: juridical-subjective and juridical-objective. Whilst the first, classical function of resistance, delimitates the protection area of the artistic expression right from its specific content, titularity and its constitutional and subconstitutional limits, the other one establishes it as cultural good of the Social Order, defining to the State its rendering duties of protection, formation and cultural promotion. We do not admit artistic communication, granted without legal reserve, to be transposed of restrictions that belong to other fundamental rights and, when its exercise collides with another fundamental right or juridical-constitutional good, the justification to a possible state intervention that tangentiates its protection area goes, necessarily, through the perquisition of the artist s animus, the used method, the many viable interpretations and, at last, the correct application of the proportionality criteria. The cultural public politics analysis, nevertheless, observes the pluralism principle of democratic substratum, developer of the cultural dialogue and opposed to patterns determined by the mass cultural industry. All powers are attached, on the scope of its typical attributions, to materialise public politics that have the cultural artistic good as its aim, due to the constant rule contained in §1, art. 5º of the Federal Constitution. However, the access and the incentive laws to culture must be constantly supervised by the constitutional parameter of fundamental right to equality

Short report: Application of an alternative Aedes species (Diptera : Culicidae) surveillance method in Botucatu City, São Paulo, Brazil

One of the main problems with dengue is the control of Aedes aegypti, its major vector. In Brazil, the current control program for Ae. aegypti and Aedes albopictus populations includes larval density surveys. An interesting alternative is the use of a distinct index, the Premise Condition Index (PCI). This tool relates conditions of property, such as houses and yards, and the degree of shade with the occurrence of Aedes sp. oviposition, and is calculated as scores from 3 to 9. The lowest score indicates property in good condition and an unfavorable breeding environment, while the highest score indicates property at high risk for infestation by Aedes sp. The present study is based on the application of the PCI in an urban area of Botucatu, Brazil to confirm its effectiveness.

Medicinal plants used by "Passo da Ilha" rural community in the city of Pato Branco, southern Brazil

O objetivo deste trabalho foi resgatar e documentar o conhecimento popular referente às plantas medicinais utilizadas na comunidade rural do Passo da Ilha, em Pato Branco-PR (26° 11' S, 52°36' W e 760 m de altitude). Optou-se por utilizar o modelo de entrevista estruturada com 16 informantes, os quais possuíam o conhecimento sobre o uso das plantas medicinais em suas famílias. O período da realização das entrevistas foi de outubro a dezembro de 2000. As plantas foram coletadas no campo, identificadas e vouchers foram depositados no Herbário Irina Delanova de Gemtchjnicov (BOTU) da Universidade Estadual Paulista, em Botucatu-SP. Foram identificadas 47 famílias botânicas e 114 espécies de plantas medicinais. Estas plantas foram indicadas para mais de 30 usos medicinais diferentes. A comunidade é composta na maioria por descendentes de europeus, justificando a presença de muitas plantas exóticas. O domínio do uso das plantas é feminino, porém o conhecimento é menor nas gerações mais novas, denotando um processo de erosão cultural.

Tourism for whom?: Different paths to development and alternative experiments in Brazil

The tourism policies pursued by the Brazilian government since the 1990s have not produced the benefits that were expected from mass tourism. The example of two very successful cases of community-based tourism, stressing paths rooted in a development model that is fair and environmentally responsible, shows that tourism development can improve the quality of life in communities that receive an influx of tourists provided that the local community is taken into account and the planning and implementation of such development focus on creating opportunities and benefits for its members. © 2008 Latin American Perpectives.

O Profissional de educação física e as práticas corporais alternativas: interações ocupacionais

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Práticas de cidadania em narrativas de professores de ciências: trabalho coletivo de ensino e de aprendizagem

Esta investigação teve como contexto o município de Altamira, situado na região oeste do Estado do Pará. Foi realizada com professores de ciências de escolas públicas do ensino fundamental e teve como propósitos: i) identificar elementos presentes no fazer pedagógico de professores que afirmam vincular sua prática docente à aprendizagem para a formação da cidadania dos alunos; ii) compreender as razões que levam os educadores a desenvolver atividades com tal perspectiva. Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa, na modalidade narrativa, utilizando como instrumento investigativo entrevista semi-estruturada na coleta dos relatos orais das professoras investigadas. As participantes da pesquisa revelam um ensino de ciências conectado com as demais áreas do conhecimento buscando apoio e participação da comunidade escolar. Destacam-se elementos da prática docente, tais como: i) Prática docente reflexiva, favorecendo a auto formação do profissional, por reconhecer seu fazer pedagógico como um ato de conhecimento e compreender sua importância política, ética, estética e também epistemológica. ii) Participação ativa em fóruns escolares, nos quais se planejam várias ações do processo educativo por meio de discussões de diferentes argumentos e troca de experiências. iii) Construção e execução de projetos temáticos que potencializam a alfabetização científica, por meio da exploração de ambientes socioambientais de ensino e de aprendizagem favorecendo a interação escola comunidade e a compreensão pública da ciência. iv) Democratização do espaço escolar, cuja utilização pela comunidade ocorre de diversas formas, dentre as quais se destacam a participação e socialização de atividades de ciências como: feira de ciências, jardinagem e horta escolar. v) Parceria, que se estabelece como meio de partilha de responsabilidade no ato de formar e de educar com o objetivo de estabelecer o diálogo entre a ciência e o senso comum. vi) Atitude como conteúdo expressa nas práticas dos professores que levam os alunos a tomadas de consciência e mudança de postura. vii) Solidariedade, um agir local que pode tomar maior dimensão, ato de reconhecer o outro como semelhante. viii) O cuidado no trato pedagógico, buscando caminhos para educar para além de sua disciplina ciências. Uma prática pedagógica estruturada sob a visão de ser humano que se indaga a respeito de seu lugar no mundo. Estes elementos permitiram a construção de três princípios educacionais pautados no aprender, uma vez que a intenção, da maioria das entrevistadas, ao ensinar ciências, se situa em dar condições intelectuais aos alunos para compreender processos naturais e tecnológicos presentes no mundo que os rodeia e comportarem-se nele como atores responsáveis.

Biodegradação de filmes de polietileno de baixa densidade (PEBD), polihidroxibutirato-co-hidroxivalerato (PHBV) e blenda de PEBD/PHBV (70/30), em coluna de solo

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)