GIS technologies and spatial organization patterns among hunter-gatherers: an archaeological case study from Southern Patagonia (southern South America)

This paper discusses some aspects of hunter-gatherer spatial organization in southern South Patagonia, in later times to 10,000 cal yr BP. Various methods of spatial analysis, elaborated with a Geographic Information System (GIS) were applied to the distributional pattern of archaeological sites with radiocarbon dates. The shift in the distributional pattern of chronological information was assessed in conjunction with other lines of evidence within a biogeographic framework. Accordingly, the varying degrees of occupation and integration of coastal and interior spaces in human spatial organization are explained in association with the adaptive strategies hunter-gatherers have used over time. Both are part of the same human response to changes in risk and uncertainty variability in the region in terms of resource availability and environmental dynamics.

Analyzing Gene Centres with the Help of the Checklist Method – the Case of Syria

The present survey of species diversity of cultivated plants is the first for Syria. Some cultivated species will be added in the future, because due to the civil war in Syria, it was not possible to visit the country in the frame of the present work, as initially planned. Checklists proved to be a useful tool for overviewing the cultivated plants of selected areas and allow a characterization of the state of plant genetic resources of Syria. Syria has experienced several civilizations. Man settled in this productive land since ancient times and used its resources. However, such use has led to changes in vegetation and decline of wildlife through the country, in seashore areas, interior, mountains, and grassland. Plant domestication and growing started more than 10,000 years ago in West Asia. Since then, plentiful of economic plant species were present and used by man and his domesticated animals. Forming a part of the Fertile Crescent, where many of the world’s agricultural plants have evolved, Syria is extremely rich in agrobiodiversity. Wild progenitors of wheat and barley and wild relatives of many fruit trees such as almonds and pistachio as well as forage species are still found in marginal lands and less disturbed areas. These are threatened by a wide range of human activities, notably modern, extensive agriculture, overgrazing, overcutting and urban expansion. Syria is also considered as part of one of the main centres of origin, according to Vavilov, who had collected in Syria in 1926. The first expeditions to crop fields showed the exclusive nature of cultivated plants in Syria with a high number of endemic forms. Furthermore, Syria is a part of a biodiversity hotspot. Several studies have been performed to study agrobiodiversity in different parts of Syria, but usually on wild species. Many collections have been carried out; however, they focussed preferably on cereals and pulses, and particularly on wheat, like Vavilov’s expedition. Only 30 crops make up the major part of the conserved Syrian crop plant material in the genebank, indicating that most of the remaining 7,000 species of cultivated plants and many other valuable genetic resources species have only been included on a limited scale in the genebank collections. Although a small country (185,180 km2), Syria accommodates numerous ecosystems that allow for a large diversity of plant genetic resources for agriculture ranging from cold-requiring to subtropical crops to live and thrive. Only few references are available in this respect. The aim of the present study was to complete a checklist of Syria’s cultivated plants of agriculture and horticulture excluding plants only grown as ornamental or for forestry. Furthermore, plants taken for reforestation have not been included, if they do not have also agricultural or horticultural uses. Therefore, the inclusion of plants into the checklist follows the same principles as “Mansfeld’s Encyclopedia”. Main sources of information were published literature, floras of Syria, Lebanon and the Mediterranean, as well as Syrian printed sources in Arabic and/or English, reports from FAO on agricultural statistics in Syria, and data from ICARDA and Bioversity International. In addition, personal observations gathered during professional work in the General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research (GCSAR) in Syria (since 1989) and participation in projects were taken into account. These were: (1) A project on “Conservation and Sustainable Use of Dry Land Agrobiodiversity in the Near East” with participation of Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and the Palestinian Authority, focussing on landraces and wild relatives of barley, wheat, lentil, alliums, feed legumes, and fruit trees (1999–2005). (2) A project for vegetable landraces (1993–1995) in collaboration with the former International Plant Genetic Resources Institute and the UN Development Programme, in which 380 local vegetable accessions were evaluated. For medicinal plants and fruit trees I was in personal contact with departments of GCSAR and the Ministry of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform, as well as with private organizations. The resulting checklist was compared with the catalogues of crop plants of Italy and a checklist of cultivated plants of Iraq. The cultivated plant species are presented in alphabetical order according to their accepted scientific names. Each entry consists of a nomenclatural part, folk names, details of plant uses, the distribution in Syria (by provinces), a textual description, and references to literature. In total, 262 species belonging to 146 genera and 57 families were identified. Within-species (intraspecific) diversity is a significant measure of the biodiversity. Intraspecific diversity for wild plants has been and remains to be well studied, but for crop plants there are only few results. Mansfeld’s method is an actual logical contribution to such studies. Among the families, the following have the highest number of crop species: Leguminosae (34 spp.), Rosaceae (24), Gramineae (18), Labiatae (18), Compositae (14), Cruciferae (14), Cucurbitaceae (11), Rutaceae (10), Malvaceae (9), Alliaceae (7), and Anacardiaceae (7). The establishment of an effective programme for the maintenance of plant genetic resources in Syria started in the mid-1970s. This programme considered ex situ and in situ collection of the genetic resources of various field crops, fruit trees and vegetables. From a plant genetic resources viewpoint, it is clear that the homegarden is an important location for the cultivation of so-called neglected and underutilized species (neglected from a research side and underutilized from a larger economic side). Such species have so far not received much care from ecologists, botanists and agronomists, and they are considerably under-represented in genebanks.

Análise bioclimática como ferramenta para implementação do plano diretor do campus central da UFRN

This research investigates the microclimate and the morphology features of the central campus of the UFRN, in Natal-RN, through the use of bioclimatic tools of analysis in order to assist the implementation of the campus´ Master Plan. It develops a diagnosis of the evolution and growth of the urban space surveyed by analyzing its initial plan and the basic urban conception behind it, as well as the morphology and typologies utilized. The study makes a qualitative analysis of the local microclimate by using Katzschner (1997) methodology, with land-use and topography maps, building heights, vegetation and soil covering. It also makes use of the methodology proposed by Oliveira (1993), which examines, from the bioclimatic standpoint, the human environment as related to the urban form (site and built mass). It identifies zones whose climatic characteristics are representative of the local microclimate and classifies them into areas to be strictly preserved, areas to be protected and areas to be improved. By means of the methodology for spatial and environmental assessment developed by Bustos Romero (2001), the survey selects characteristic points of each area in order to register the environmental data relative to the two basic seasons found in the region where the campus is located, that is, the dry and the rainy season, so that it can evaluate changes in the environment which might have been caused by urban density growth, by arborization or by the influence of the urban form. It then proceeds to a quantitative and statistical survey of the collected data with the purpose of evaluating the degree of influence of the identified features over the environmental variables along the different scales of approach. The study shows the existence of different microclimates and emphasizes the relevance of the bioclimatic analysis of the built environment as a tool for the decision-making process along the development of the Master Plan for UFRN Central Campus

Clima urbano e vegetação: estudo analítico e prospectivo do Parque das Dunas em Natal

The present study deals with the relationship between urban vegetation and climate. The process whereby the Parque das Dunas a 1,172 ha green area in the city of Natal, State of Rio Grande do Norte exerts influence on the climate of the city is analyzed. The hypothesis on which the present work rests is that the green area referred to acts upon the climate of the city. The study is based on the analysis of climatic factors and elements of this green area and of the city of Natal. In order to give rise to final recommendations, a methodology grounded on a quantitative and qualitative standpoint has been used. The data were collected both within and without the limits of the Parque das Dunas area. Secondary and primary data resulting from the measurements taken by the researcher and her work group have been used. The aim was to contribute to the understanding of the influence of vegetation on the climate of a city having a warm and humid climate. A historical and environmental characterization of the Parque das Dunas was then sought. The local climatic factors and the elements of the climate have been studied within the scope of the city of Natal. A comparative study between the climatic elements within and without the limits of the Parque das Dunas area from the survey of technical data and the systematization of the information collected has been made, aiming at proposing a set of bioclimatic recommendations for the urban design in Natal. The results of such work allowed for the validation of the important role that the Parque das Dunas plays in the climate of Natal. This has led to the acknowledgement of the relevance of the green areas on the climate of cities. They bring about important benefits to the process of rendering agreeable the climate in the urban environment by providing pleasant microclimates that give a valuable contribution to the environmental comfort of urban nuclei having the same size of Natal

Isotope and fatty acid trends along continental shelf depth gradients: Inshore versus offshore hydrological influences on benthic trophic functioning

Anthropogenic activities and land-based inputs into the sea may influence the trophic structure and functioning of coastal and continental shelf ecosystems, despite the numerous opportunities and services the latter offer to humans and wildlife. In addition, hydrological structures and physical dynamics potentially influence the sources of organic matter (e.g., terrestrial versus marine, or fresh material versus detrital material) entering marine food webs. Understanding the significance of the processes that influence marine food webs and ecosystems (e.g., terrestrial inputs, physical dynamics) is crucially important because trophic dynamics are a vital part of ecosystem integrity. This can be achieved by identifying organic matter sources that enter food webs along inshore–offshore transects. We hypothesised that regional hydrological structures over wide continental shelves directly control the benthic trophic functioning across the shelf. We investigated this issue along two transects in the northern ecosystem of the Bay of Biscay (north-eastern Atlantic). Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysis (SIA) and fatty acid analysis (FAA) were conducted on different complementary ecosystem compartments that include suspended particulate organic matter (POM), sedimentary organic matter (SOM), and benthic consumers such as bivalves, large crustaceans and demersal fish. Samples were collected from inshore shallow waters (at ∼1 m in depth) to more than 200 m in depth on the offshore shelf break. Results indicated strong discrepancies in stable isotope (SI) and fatty acid (FA) compositions in the sampled compartments between inshore and offshore areas, although nitrogen SI (δ15N) and FA trends were similar along both transects. Offshore the influence of a permanently stratified area (described previously as a “cold pool”) was evident in both transects. The influence of this hydrological structure on benthic trophic functioning (i.e., on the food sources available for consumers) was especially apparent across the northern transect, due to unusual carbon isotope compositions (δ13C) in the compartments. At stations under the cold pool, SI and FA organism compositions indicated benthic trophic functioning based on a microbial food web, including a significant contribution of heterotrophic planktonic organisms and/or of SOM, notably in stations under the cold pool. On the contrary, inshore and shelf break areas were characterised by a microalgae-based food web (at least in part for the shelf break area, due to slope current and upwelling that can favour fresh primary production sinking on site). SIA and FAA were relevant and complementary tools, and consumers better medium- to long-term system integrators than POM samples, for depicting the trophic functioning and dynamics along inshore–offshore transects over continental shelves.

Conversion of sub-tropical native vegetation to introduced conifer forest: Impacts on below-ground and above-ground carbon pools

Land-use change can have a major influence on soil organic carbon (SOC) and above-ground C pools. We assessed a change from native vegetation to introduced Pinus species plantations on C pools using eight paired sites. At each site we determined the impacts on 0–50 cm below-ground (SOC, charcoal C, organic matter C, particulate organic C, humic organic C, resistant organic C) and above-ground (litter, coarse woody debris, standing trees and woody understorey plants) C pools. In an analysis across the different study sites there was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in SOC or above-ground tree C stocks between paired native vegetation and pine plantations, although significant differences did exist at specific sites. SOC (calculated based on an equivalent soil mass basis) was higher in the pine plantations at two sites, higher in the native vegetation at two sites and did not differ for the other four sites. The site to site variation in SOC across the landscape was far greater than the variation observed with a change from native vegetation to introduced Pinus plantation. Differences between sites were not explained by soil type, although tree basal area was positively correlated with 0–50 cm SOC. In fact, in the native vegetation there was a significant linear relationship between above-ground biomass and SOC that explained 88.8% of the variation in the data. Fine litter C (0–25 mm diameter) tended to be higher in the pine forest than in the adjacent native vegetation and was significantly higher in the pine forest at five of the eight paired sites. Total litter C (0–100 mm diameter) increased significantly with plantation age (R2 = 0.64). Carbon stored in understorey woody plants (2.5–10 cm DBH) was higher in the native vegetation than in the adjacent pine forest. Total site C varied greatly across the study area from 58.8 Mg ha−1 at a native heathland site to 497.8 Mg ha−1 at a native eucalypt forest site. Our findings suggest that the effects of change from native vegetation to introduced Pinus sp. forest are highly site-specific and may be positive, negative, or have no influence on various C pools, depending on local site characteristics (e.g. plantation age and type of native vegetation).

Diagnóstico de qualidade ambiental em unidades de conservação: o caso do Parque Estadual Vitório Piassa

Over time, humanity began to realize the negative impact that the modern world has caused to the environment. The Atlantic Forest is one of the richest biomes in biodiversity, covering more than 60% of all species on the planet. This biome covered about 15% of the Brazilian territory, leaving currently only 7% of its fully fragmented forest remnants. This was the biome that suffered most from modernization and strong anthropogenic pressures in Brazil. For the account of environmental degradation, in the second half of the nineteenth century there was a shift in thinking, giving greater emphasis on conservation of some natural landscapes, with the intention of removing the man still preserved nature. Based on American models of conservation there were created the Nature Conservation Units. This study aimed to analyze the environmental quality of the State Park Vitório Piassa, a Conservation Unit located in the city of Pato Branco - PR. The environmental quality was measured by use of bio-indicators and some environmental pressures that the Park has suffered over the years also were identified. Beetles of the familiy Scarabaeinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) were used as the bioindicators. To compare the most conserved areas and the most degraded areas of the Park, three specific sites were defined within the Atlantic Forest fragment, these insects were captured with pitfall traps and identified as to their species and genera. There were two collections in February and March 2015, which resulted in 945 individuals in 22 species and nine different genus. Then the population of beetles in each area were classified based on ecological measures such as species richness, abundance of individuals of each species through diversity index (Shannon and Simpson) to identify the differences between the sampled groups and equitability (Pielou) to measure the distribution of the total abundance of the species in each area. To meet the objective of identifying the environmental pressures that occur in PEVP, evidence were collected through photographs, watching the field, aerial images and conversations with the resident population in the park. Similarly, if made relevant to build on the project running by the municipality for the construction of infrastructure for public viewing. These data served as subsidies to confront the current situation of the park and the current Brazilian legislation for UC's of full protection, highlighting the existing socio-environmental conflicts in the park, involving political issues and the proximity of the Conservation Unit with the urban area of the city.

Legal consideration on Convention for the Prevention of Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter (at sea) and assessment of its implementation in Iran (The London [dumping] Convention)

Making use of sea, as a place for dumping of wastes and other materials from human activities wasn’t forbidden before creation of the convention on the prevention of marine pollution by dumping of wastes and other matters (London Convention). Therefore, industrial countries, without any specific consideration, were dumping their wastes into the world’s seas. Many years and before the beginning of rapid development of industry, the great self- purification of seas were preventing some of discharging problems. But gradually, the increase of industrial development activities, exceeded the production of wastes and other matters, and this led to the misuse of world’s seas and oceans as a dump site. One of the most important consequences of 1972 Stockholm World Conference was to focusing world attention on threats have jeopardized marine environment balance. World countries` leaders committed in Stockholm to begin protecting the environment. Finally, this movement at marine environment section led to the creation of London Convention in the same year. London Convention was concluded for cooperating between countries at December 29, 1972 to promote effective control of all marine environment polluting resources and to prevent marine pollution by dumping wastes and other matters. Then it was opened for signature to other countries. At last, after 15 states signature, this convention was entered in to force at August 30.1975. Ratification and execution of London Convention resulted in coordinated performance of countries in marine waste management. Common actions with supports and cooperation of different international, regional, governmental and non-governmental organizations and agencies prevent marine pollution by dumping of wastes and other matters. Due to the importance of wastes in our marine and coastal areas, investigation of the performance of London Convention can identify the lack of regulations and lack of regulation supports about marine pollution prevention by dumping of wastes and other matters in Iran. Considering this issue, proper protection of seas will be achieved. London Convention has been studied here to achieve intended purposes. In first chapter, generalities about marine environment, including the importance and necessity of marine environment protection, with the focus on some internal and international resources of environmental law accompanying with marine pollution and its recourses, and finally, due to the study theme, dumping of wastes and other matters at seas with its impacts have been investigated .In the section of international measures, a brief history of marine pollution and marine environment international law with international law framework, exclusively for controlling of wastes and other material discharge at seas and oceans has been reviewed. In second chapter, obligations, amendments, and annexes of London Convention have been investigated and classified. The obligations have been categorized in to legal obligations and technical and organizational obligations. In former section, subject ,purpose, territory, exceptions, rights and duties of parties, convention amendments,… and in latter, special requirements for wastes assessment, determination of pollutants` permissible limit, site selection and type of discharge selection, design principles for marine environment quality monitoring program, and discharge license issuance mechanism have been studied. In third chapter, due to the examination of convention performance in Iran, the internal law system for marine environment conservation and its pollution has been mentioned in detail. Considering this, two issues have been compared .firstly, convention obligations with regional treaties that Iran as a party to them and secondly, Iranian internal law there of .Finally, common and different aspects of these issues have been determined. At last, recommendations and strategies for convention enforcement and conformity of its obligations with internal regulations have been presented. Furthermore, translation of convention English text has been reviewed and its protocol has been translated.

Source populations in coastal crabs: parameters affecting egg production

Benthic marine invertebrates may form metapopulations connected via propagule dispersal. Conservation efforts often target potential source coastlines to indirectly benefit areas depending on allochthonous offspring production. Besides population density, adult size structure, sex ratio, brooding frequency and the proportion of breeding individuals may significantly influence the reproductive output of benthic populations, but these effects have seldom been tested. We used rocky shore crabs to assess the spatial variability of such parameters at relevant scales for conservation purposes and to test their consistency over 2 consecutive years; we then used the data to address whether bottom-up processes or biological interactions might explain the patterns observed. We decomposed egg production rates into their components for the 2 most abundant brachyuran species inhabiting the intertidal rocky habitat. Adult density and brooding frequency varied consistently among shores for both species and largely explained the overall spatial trends of egg production. Temporally consistent patterns also included among-shore differences in the size of ovigerous females of the grapsid Pachygrapsus transversus and between-bay differences in the fecundity of the spider crab Epialtus brasiliensis. Sex ratio was remarkably constant in both. We found no positive or negative correlations between adult density and brooding frequency to support either the existence of a component Allee effect (lack of mate encounters) or an effect of intra-specific competition. Likewise, shore-specific potential growth in P. transversus does not negatively correlate with frequency of ovigerous individuals, as would be expected under a critical balance between these 2 processes. The patterns observed suggest that bottom-up drivers may best explain spatial trends in the reproductive output of these species.

ANALYSIS OF MACROINVERTEBRATE COMMUNITIES IN SEASONAL WETLANDS THROUGH TIME, ACROSS SPACE, AND USING SPECIES TRAITS

Restoration of natural wetlands may be informed by macroinvertebrate community composition. Macroinvertebrate communities of wetlands are influenced by environmental characteristics such as vegetation, soil, hydrology, land use, and isolation. This dissertation explores multiple approaches to the assessment of wetland macroinvertebrate community composition, and demonstrates how these approaches can provide complementary insights into the community ecology of aquatic macroinvertebrates. Specifically, this work focuses on macroinvertebrates of Delmarva Bays, isolated seasonal wetlands found on Maryland’s eastern shore. A comparison of macroinvertebrate community change over a nine years in a restored wetland complex indicated that the macroinvertebrate community of a rehabilitated wetlands more rapidly approximated the community of a reference site than did a newly created wetland. The recovery of a natural macroinvertebrate community in the rehabilitated wetland indicated that wetland rehabilitation should be prioritized over wetland creation and long-term monitoring may be needed to evaluate restoration success. This study also indicated that characteristics of wetland vegetation reflected community composition. The connection between wetland vegetation and macroinvertebrate community composition led to a regional assessment of predaceous diving beetle (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae) community composition in 20 seasonal wetlands, half with and half without sphagnum moss (Sphagnum spp.). Species-level identifications indicated that wetlands with sphagnum support unique and diverse assemblages of beetles. These patterns suggest that sphagnum wetlands provide habitat that supports biodiversity on the Delmarva Peninsula. To compare traits of co-occurring beetles, mandible morphology and temporal and spatial variation were measured between three species of predaceous diving beetles. Based on mandible architecture, all species may consume similarly sized prey, but prey characteristics likely differ in terms of piercing force required for successful capture and consumption. Therefore, different assemblages of aquatic beetles may have different effects on macroinvertebrate community structure. Integrating community-level and species-level data strengthens the association between individual organisms and their ecological role. Effective restoration of imperiled wetlands benefits from this integration, as it informs the management practices that both preserve biodiversity and promote ecosystem services.

Estabelecimento de prioridades para a conservação dos vertebrados terrestres do Parque Natural da Ria Formosa e selecção de áreas para a sua protecção

Dissertação de mest. em Gestão e Conservação da Natureza, Faculdade de Ciências do Mar e do Ambiente, Univ. do Algarve, 2004

Análise bioclimática como ferramenta para implementação do plano diretor do campus central da UFRN

This research investigates the microclimate and the morphology features of the central campus of the UFRN, in Natal-RN, through the use of bioclimatic tools of analysis in order to assist the implementation of the campus´ Master Plan. It develops a diagnosis of the evolution and growth of the urban space surveyed by analyzing its initial plan and the basic urban conception behind it, as well as the morphology and typologies utilized. The study makes a qualitative analysis of the local microclimate by using Katzschner (1997) methodology, with land-use and topography maps, building heights, vegetation and soil covering. It also makes use of the methodology proposed by Oliveira (1993), which examines, from the bioclimatic standpoint, the human environment as related to the urban form (site and built mass). It identifies zones whose climatic characteristics are representative of the local microclimate and classifies them into areas to be strictly preserved, areas to be protected and areas to be improved. By means of the methodology for spatial and environmental assessment developed by Bustos Romero (2001), the survey selects characteristic points of each area in order to register the environmental data relative to the two basic seasons found in the region where the campus is located, that is, the dry and the rainy season, so that it can evaluate changes in the environment which might have been caused by urban density growth, by arborization or by the influence of the urban form. It then proceeds to a quantitative and statistical survey of the collected data with the purpose of evaluating the degree of influence of the identified features over the environmental variables along the different scales of approach. The study shows the existence of different microclimates and emphasizes the relevance of the bioclimatic analysis of the built environment as a tool for the decision-making process along the development of the Master Plan for UFRN Central Campus

Clima urbano e vegetação: estudo analítico e prospectivo do Parque das Dunas em Natal

The present study deals with the relationship between urban vegetation and climate. The process whereby the Parque das Dunas a 1,172 ha green area in the city of Natal, State of Rio Grande do Norte exerts influence on the climate of the city is analyzed. The hypothesis on which the present work rests is that the green area referred to acts upon the climate of the city. The study is based on the analysis of climatic factors and elements of this green area and of the city of Natal. In order to give rise to final recommendations, a methodology grounded on a quantitative and qualitative standpoint has been used. The data were collected both within and without the limits of the Parque das Dunas area. Secondary and primary data resulting from the measurements taken by the researcher and her work group have been used. The aim was to contribute to the understanding of the influence of vegetation on the climate of a city having a warm and humid climate. A historical and environmental characterization of the Parque das Dunas was then sought. The local climatic factors and the elements of the climate have been studied within the scope of the city of Natal. A comparative study between the climatic elements within and without the limits of the Parque das Dunas area from the survey of technical data and the systematization of the information collected has been made, aiming at proposing a set of bioclimatic recommendations for the urban design in Natal. The results of such work allowed for the validation of the important role that the Parque das Dunas plays in the climate of Natal. This has led to the acknowledgement of the relevance of the green areas on the climate of cities. They bring about important benefits to the process of rendering agreeable the climate in the urban environment by providing pleasant microclimates that give a valuable contribution to the environmental comfort of urban nuclei having the same size of Natal

Desarrollo Sostenible y Espacios Naturales Protegidos: el caso de la Reserva de la Biosfera de Urdaibai

En este Trabajo Fin de Grado se analiza el desarrollo y evolución de los Espacios Naturales Protegidos en el marco del concepto de Desarrollo Sostenible. Se ha tratado de mostrar la evolución en el tiempo y en los fines llevada a cabo por estos Espacios, tanto desde el ámbito internacional como europeo, nacional y local, deteniéndose, especialmente, en el estudio de la Reserva de la Biosfera de Urdaibai, al considerarse uno de los elementos más representativos de Euskadi. Con este trabajo, se confirma la hipótesis de que, aunque en la declaración y protección de Espacios Naturales se aprecia un esfuerzo realizado notable, aún queda un largo camino por recorrer.

Landscape Patterns of Permafrost Disturbance and Degradation in the Canadian High Arctic

Intensification of permafrost disturbances such as active layer detachments (ALDs) and retrogressive thaw slumps (RTS) have been observed across the circumpolar Arctic. These features are indicators of unstable conditions stemming from recent climate warming and permafrost degradation. In order to understand the processes interacting to give rise to these features, a multidisciplinary approach is required; i.e., interactions between geomorphology, hydrology, vegetation and ground thermal conditions. The goal of this research is to detect and map permafrost disturbance, predict landscape controls over disturbance and determine approaches for monitoring disturbance, all with the goal of contributing to the mitigation of permafrost hazards. Permafrost disturbance inventories were created by applying semi-automatic change detection techniques to IKONOS satellite imagery collected at the Cape Bounty Arctic Watershed Observatory (CBAWO). These methods provide a means to estimate the spatial distribution of permafrost disturbances for a given area for use as an input in susceptibility modelling. Permafrost disturbance susceptibility models were then developed using generalized additive and generalized linear models (GAM, GLM) fitted to disturbed and undisturbed locations and relevant GIS-derived predictor variables (slope, potential solar radiation, elevation). These models successfully delineated areas across the landscape that were susceptible to disturbances locally and regionally when transferred to an independent validation location. Permafrost disturbance susceptibility models are a first-order assessment of landscape susceptibility and are promising for designing land management strategies for remote permafrost regions. Additionally, geomorphic patterns associated with higher susceptibility provide important knowledge about processes associated with the initiation of disturbances. Permafrost degradation was analyzed at the CBAWO using differential interferometric synthetic aperture radar (DInSAR). Active-layer dynamics were interpreted using inter-seasonal and intra-seasonal displacement measurements and highlight the importance of hydroclimatic factors on active layer change. Collectively, these research approaches contribute to permafrost monitoring and the assessment of landscape-scale vulnerability in order to develop permafrost disturbance mitigation strategies.