18101 research outputs found
Sort by
Does the toad tunnel in Östhammars Kommun help or hinder amphibian migration?
Get PDFGroddjuren hotas av utrotning och minskar snabbt i populationsstorlek. Trafiken är en faktor som kan ge additiv dödlighet till populationer som behöver korsa en väg vid migrationen mellan övervintringsplatserna och lekvattnen. En välkänd åtgärd som används i syfte att reducera andelen överkörda groddjur är passager i form av tunnlar under vägen med vägledande barriärer.
Syftet med den här studien var att undersöka om en groddjursåtgärd med nämnd konstruktion fungerade bra i ändamålet att leda groddjuren förbi vägen eller om den snarare hindrade dem att ta sig till lekvattnet. Platsen inventerades 5 gånger, då groddjurens art, position och riktning noterades, och beteenden hos ett urval av individer studerades medan de befann sig vid ledarmarna.
Jag fann flera argument för att groddjursåtgärden på platsen utgör ett hinder för groddjurens migration. Avståndet mellan tunnlarna varierade och var uppenbart för långt emellanåt vilket ledde till att några vände tillbaka. Långa avstånd kan även skapa onödig stress hos groddjuren på grund av fördröjd vandringstid. Fler studier avseende populationsstorlek och groddjursarters beteende kan underlätta avgörandet om huruvida liknande projekt är motiverade samt förbättra planeringen av tunnelavstånd efter groddjurens kapabilitet. Uppföljningar i likhet med denna studie är av stor vikt för ökad förståelse om groddjurens anpassning till groddjursåtgärder och för att lättare kunna dra en gräns gällande när en åtgärd behövs.Amphibian species are threatened by extinction and show a fast decline in population size. The traffic may cause additive mortality to populations in need of passing a road during their migration between hibernation sites and breeding pools. A well-known method used to reduce the number of amphibians killed by traffic is an amphibian passage. These are often constructed as tunnels under the road with barrier walls to guide the amphibians to the tunnels.
The aim of the study was to investigate if an amphibian passage of mentioned construction functioned properly in guiding the amphibians past the road, or if it rather constituted a different kind of obstacle. The site was surveyed 5 times at which species, position and direction of movement was recorded, and behaviour of a selection of individuals was studied while at the barrier wall.
I found multiple arguments for the passage being a different kind of obstacle for migrating amphibians. The distance between the tunnels varied and was apparently too long sometimes which led to some individuals turning back. Long distances may also cause unnecessary stress because of prolonged migration. Further studies involving population sizes and the behaviour of amphibian species can be used to determine the motivation of similar projects as well as improve the planning of tunnel distances according to the capability of the amphibians. Follow-ups similar to this study is highly relevant to increase the understanding of the amphibian’s adaptation to amphibian passages and to more easily be able to draw a line for when a passage is necessary
Värdet av naturmöten för barn på skolgården
Get PDF"If children don’t grow up knowing about nature and appreciating it, they will not understand it. And if they don’t understand it, they won’t protect it. And if they don’t protect it, who will?"
(Attenborough 2014)
Arbetet är uppbyggt kring barns syn på deras skolgårdar. Barnen anses vara en viktig del i samhället, samtidigt upplevs det som att de förbises och inte tas på allvar i deras egna miljöer. Det finns bristfällig information om just barns synvinkel och fokus hamnar hellre på barns deltagande i gestaltning. Ett vanligt problem är att fråga om barns önskemål och sedan räkna med det som ett deltagande. Traditionella lekmiljöer med lekredskap är en del av deras vardag och blir lätt ett önskemål i gestaltning. Istället bör undersökningar utföras med barnen, för att se vilka områden som uppskattas och vad som möter deras behov.
Mycket av litteraturstudien tyder på att det finns många fördelar av att uppleva naturmöten i barndomen. Välmående, uppförande och relation till naturen gynnas av rik tillgång på grönytor. Skolgården kan vara en trygg plats som ger ett stort värde för barns utforskande och bör gestaltas med fler vegetativa ytor.
Undersökningen på skolorna fokuseras på barns uppfattning om skolgården och deras relation till natur. Det finns en antydan till att skolgården som har låg tillgång på vegetation uppskattas mindre och bidrar till färre fantasilekar, medan hög andel grönytor leder till fler fantasilekar. Dock finns det skillnader i undersökningen som kan påverka resultatet och studien är för liten för att vara avgörande. Däremot kan den användas som en början att ta vara på barns synvinkel och öka förståelsen för hur betydelsefull deras sätt att leka är."If children don’t grow up knowing about nature and appreciating it, they will not understand it. And if they don’t understand it, they won’t protect it. And if they don’t protect it, who will?"
(Attenborough 2014)
This study is built around the child's view of their schoolyards. The children are considered to be an important part of the society, but at the same time they tend to be neglected and not taken seriously in their own environments. There is little information on the children's point of view, and the focus is rather on the child's participation in the mode of implementation.
A usual misunderstanding is to ask for the child's desires and count it as a form of participation. Traditional play milieu with traditional playground equipment is a part of their everyday and therefore easily becomes their desire for the implementation. Instead, the observations should be done with the children to see which areas that are really being appreciated and meet their needs.
Big part of the literature study show there are many advantages of experiencing nature encounters in the early years of life. Wellbeing, manners and relationship to nature enhances by a rich supply of green spaces. The school yard could be a safe place that has great value to the child's exploration should be embodied by more vegetative surfaces.
The focus on the school surveys was on the child's perception and their relationship to nature. There’s an insinuation that the schoolyard that has low access to vegetation are less appreciated and contributes to lesser imaginative games, whilst a plethora of green spaces leads to more imaginative games among the vegetation. There are differences in the survey that could affect the results, and the study is too little of its kind to be conclusive. On the other hand, it can be used as a starter to seize the child's view, and enhance the understanding of how important their way of playing is
Complexity - a dilemma for planning
Get PDFThis thesis draws the point of departure from the issues between planning and
complexity. On the one hand, planning reduces complexity in order to organize
cities, while on the other hand, complexity studies, a growing interest in urban
planning discourse, suggest that increased complexity should be allowed to emerge
in cities. Conceptual and practical tendencies between planning and complexity are
investigated to explore the potentials for planning to deal with this issue. The main
concern of the study is to contribute to improved responses to complexity in
planning in order to realize the potentials of emergent complexity. Within this
scope, the available theoretical information was compiled based on a literature
review and then developed with syntheses and insights by means of a case study.
The case study provided this study with the opportunity to illustrate the potential
for actual complexity emerging in new and large-scale urban planning practices,
and also the ways in which planning can foster such a potential.
The results provide insight into different ways of thinking that can be brought to
the development of cities and places, through planning that takes complexity into
account theoretically and practically
Skolvägens betydelse för barn och ungdomars skolgång och skolresultat
Get PDFForskning visar att en aktiv skolväg bidrar till bättre skolresultat och hälsosammare liv för elever. Forskning visar också att barn och ungdomar som aktivt tar sig till skolan (till fots eller med hjälp av cykel) minskar medan allt fler blir transporterade till skolan med bil. Arbetet omfattar en fallstudie i Östra Göinge kommun där statistik visar att skolresultaten är bland de sämsta i Sverige sedan en längre tid.
Syftet med det här arbetet är att undersöka vilka kvalitéer hos skolvägen som främjar aktiv transport för barn och ungdomar, samt att ta fram kunskap om aktiv skolväg, dess kvaliteter och dess inverkan på skolresultatet.
Arbetet baseras på en litteraturstudie och en fallstudie av området kring skolorna i Broby i Östra Göinge kommun. Litteraturstudien har genomförts med hjälp av informationsinsamling av forskningsbaserad kunskap samt av relevanta rapporter från myndigheter. I fallstudien ingår platsbesök med observation och foto samt dokumentstudier och intervjuer. Kolada.se samt Lantmäteriets karttjänst har varit viktiga verktyg med att analysera området.
Resultatet från litteraturstudien visar en tydlig bild av att en aktiv skolväg gynnar skolresultat och även andra faktorer så som bättre hälsa hos elever som väljer att färdas aktivt till och från skolan. Resultatet från fallstudien visar att Broby i Östra Göinge kommun kan bidra till att göra skolvägen säkrare, tryggare och mer lockande för aktiv transport till och från skolorna.
Slutsatserna i denna studie är att Broby bör satsa på att få fler barn och ungdomar att aktivt ta sig till och från skolan och att det finns möjligheter att arbeta med både en fysisk miljö och andra faktorer. En grundlig kartläggning av hur eleverna tar sig till och från skolan bör göras av skolan och samband mellan skolresultat och skolresa kan studeras både lokalt i Broby och i nya studier.Research shows that an active school route contributes to better school results and healthier students. Research also shows that children and young people who actively get to school (on foot or by bicycle) are decreasing, while more and more are being transported to school by car. This thesis includes a case study in Östra Göinge municipality, where statistics show that school results are among the worst in the nation since a long time.
The purpose of this work was to investigate which qualities of the school route that promote active transport for children and young people, as well as to develop knowledge about the active school route, its qualities and its impact on school results.
The work is based on a literature study and a case study of the area around the schools in Broby in Östra Göinge municipality. The literature study has been carried out with the help of information gathering of research-based knowledge and relevant reports from authorities. The case study includes site visits with observation and photos as well as document studies and interviews. Kolada.se and the Lantmäteriet’s map service have been important tools in analyzing the area.
The results from the literature study show clearly that an active school route benefits school results and also other related factors such as better health in students who choose to travel actively to and from school. The results from the case study show that Broby in Östra Göinge municipality can contribute to making the school route safer and more attractive for active transport to and from the schools.
The conclusions of this study are that Broby should invest in getting more children and young people to actively get to and from school, both through interventions in the physical environment and other actions. A thorough mapping of how students get to and from school should be done and connections to school results both locally and in general…
Platsspecifika kvaliteter i transformationsprocesser
Get PDFOmvandlingen av postindustriella hamnområden har under de senaste decennierna sett snarlik ut
i städer världen över. Stadsbyggnadsidealet om den täta blandstaden har resulterat i en generell
utveckling från industrilandskap till högprofilerade waterfronts, vars gestaltning tar marginell
hänsyn till existerande platsspecifika värden. Att i stället använda sig av ett transformativt
förhållningssätt har visat sig ha resurssparande effekter, och skapat områden karaktäriserade av en
större heterogenitet.
Detta arbete utgår från Hafenareal, ett hamnområde i centrala Basel, som står inför stora
förändringar när hamnindustrin på sikt flyttas ut från staden. Syftet med arbetet är att diskutera
hur platsspecifika kvaliteter värderas och kommuniceras i de omvandlingsprocesser som
postindustriella landskap genomgår, samt belysa hur narrativ kan användas för att förstå
platsspecifika kvaliteter och dess betydelse i omvandlingsprocesser.
Utifrån en litteraturstudie formuleras i studien ett antal analytiska frågor, som används för att
identifiera hur platsspecifika kvaliteter kommuniceras inom olika aktörers narrativ om Hafenareal.
Resultatet visar att värderingen av områdets kvaliteter skiljer sig åt mellan olika aktörer, vilket
sammanfaller med vilken agenda som ligger bakom narrativen. Eftersom planeringsprocessen
befinner sig i ett tidigt stadie, har diskussionen om området främst rört sig på en politisk
och ideologisk nivå, där narrativen formats av olika retoriska strategier. Studien rymmer ett
gestaltningsförslag, med två nedslag i området, vilka ger idéer till hur gestaltning kan öppna upp
för diskussion kring platsspecifika värden i omvandlingsprocesser.The transformation of post-industrial harbour areas has been similar in cities around the world
in recent decades. The prevailing urban planning ideal - the dense mixed-use city - has resulted
in a generic development from industrial landscapes to high-profile waterfronts, in which the
design takes marginal account of existing site-specific values. Instead, using a transformative
approach has proven to have resource-saving effects, and creating areas characterised by greater
heterogeneity.
This master’s thesis takes its point of departure in Hafenareal, a port area in the centre of Basel,
which is facing major changes as the port industry is being relocated out of the city. The aim of the
work is to discuss how site-specific qualities are valued and communicated in the transformation
processes that post-industrial landscapes undergo, and to highlight how narratives can be used to
understand site-specific qualities and their importance in transformation processes.
Based on a literature study, a number of analytical questions are formulated in the study, which
are used to identify how site-specific qualities are communicated within different actors’ narratives
of port areas. The results show that the evaluation of the area’s qualities differs between different
actors, which coincides with the agenda behind the narratives. As the planning process is at an
early stage, the discussion about the area has mainly operated on a political and ideological level.
The study includes a design proposal, with two interventions in the area, which provide ideas on
how design can open up discussion about site-specific qualities in transformation processes
Plant performance in controlled environment agriculture, the effect of different ebb and flow irrigation intervals on Brassica oleracea and Lactuca sativa
Get PDFIncreasing productivity in controlled environment agriculture may decrease environmental footprint and increase profitability of food produced in a vertical farm. Irrigation may be a limiting factor when it comes to plant performance and relevant research is limited. This study aims to increase productivity of lettuce and kale in a vertical farm by finding what irrigation levels enable highest crop productivity. Crops were grown in stone wool substrate in an ebb and flow irrigation system under four different intervals (4, 15, 60, and 270 min). Results in fresh and dry weight indicate an optimal irrigation interval for lettuce between 5- and 15-min interval. This data is supported by mineral content of lettuce. No significant difference between these two smallest irrigation intervals can be found. For kale data is inconclusive and no optimal irrigation levels have been found. During the experiment airflow was hardest to control which may affected results
An interview study about farmers who grow landrace cereals in Norther Sweden
Get PDFEn framtid med varmare klimat och mer oberäkneliga väderförändringar ställer krav på livsmedelsproduktionens anpassningsförmåga. Forskningen visar att en genetisk diversitet är viktig för att stärka resiliensen inom odlingslandskapet och stå emot framtidens utmaningar. Samtidigt blir konsumenter alltmer medvetna om livsmedlens klimatpåverkan samt hälsoaspekter och just nu går det att urskilja en konsumtionstrend som gynnar lokalproducerad mat. En gröda som har fått ökat intresse i och med denna trend är kulturspannmål. Både konsumenter och producenter har fått upp ögonen för dessa grödor men trots det ökade intresset är kunskapen om kulturspannmålsodlingar i Norrland fortfarande begränsad. I den här studien undersöker jag vad som motiverar lantbrukare till att börja odla kulturspannmål vid tuffa odlingsförutsättningar, vilka resurser som behövs vid start av dessa odlingar samt hur producenter kan kommunicera produktens fördelar till konsument. Fokus ligger på småskalig produktion av kulturspannmål och fem intervjuer har gjorts med kulturspannmålsodlare i Norrland. Resultatet visar att en av de viktigaste drivkrafterna till att börja odla dessa grödor är att kunna bidra till bevarandet av genetisk mångfald och långsiktigt nyttjande av jordbrukslandskapet. För att kunna starta odlingarna behöver lantbrukare tillgång till kontakter, då utsädet oftast inte går att få tag på via officiella marknader. Resultatet visar också att de småskaligt odlade kulturspannmålen har värden som skiljer sig åt från de moderna spannmålssorterna. Direktkontakt mellan konsument och producent möjliggör för lantbrukare att kommunicera dessa värden och ta ut högre priser.A future with warmer climate and more unpredictable weather changes puts much pressure on food productions’ adaptability. Research shows that a genetic diversity is important for strengthening the resilience in the agricultural landscape and resist future challenges. At the same time consumers are becoming more aware of food’s carbon footprint and health aspects, and currently a consumer trend benefiting locally produced food can be distinguished. A crop that has gained increased interest with this trend is landrace cereals. Both consumers and producers have discovered these crops but even though there is increased interest, the knowledge about landrace cultivation in Northern Sweden is still limited. This study investigates what motivates farmers to start growing landraces in tough growing conditions, what resources are needed when starting these cultivations and how producers can communicate the product's benefits to consumers. The focus is on small-scale production of cultivated grains and five interviews have been conducted with farmers who grow landraces in Norrland. The result indicates that one of the most important driving forces to start growing these crops is the ability to contribute to the preservation of genetic diversity and long-term use of the agricultural landscape. In order to start these cultivations, farmers need access to contacts, as the seeds are usually not available at official markets. The study also shows that the small-scale cultivated landrace crops have values that differ from the modern cereal varieties. Direct contact between consumer and producer enables farmers to communicate these values and charge higher prices
Smallholder Farmers' Willingness to Pay for Improved Access to Irrigation Water Supply in Egypt : a Contingent Valuation Approach
Get PDFThe agriculture sector in Egypt is heavily dependent on the River Nile's water. However, the country is facing a severe water scarcity problem, affecting crop yields, farmers' income, food security, and the environment. To address this issue, recent irrigation projects require farmers to contribute financially to enhance the financial sustainability of the projects, improve water management practices, distribute the benefits more equitably, and increase the efficiency of water use. This study examined smallholder farmers' willingness to pay (WTP) for improved access to irrigation water supply, which has not been studied before in Egypt. A survey of 313 smallholder farmers was conducted using a double-bounded dichotomous choice contingent valuation method in the Nile Delta region's Fayoum province. The interval regression model was used to estimate the determinants of farmers' WTP and their mean WTP. The results indicated that farmers are willing to pay a significant amount of around 1230 Egyptian pounds (409 SEK) per feddan (roughly 0.42 hectares) per year for improved irrigation water supply. Factors such as attitudes towards improved irrigation supply, efficient irrigation practices and adoption of new technologies, and average income from agriculture have a significant positive influence on WTP. On the other hand, access to loans has a significant negative impact on WTP. The results have substantial implications for policymakers and other stakeholders as they provide a better understanding of the smallholder farmers' behavior, who play an important role in water use and agriculture production in Egypt. Furthermore, it offers realistic estimates to design and implement well-structured water pricing in the country
Complex KPIs versus the usual benchmarks : a case study on Svensk Dos order picking department
Get PDFThis thesis addresses the research gap of a limited discussion on how to establish targets and expectations for Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) related to order processing in warehouse settings. It emphasizes the scarcity of studies addressing this problem and the challenges faced by larger companies in monitoring their order processing performance without clear benchmarks.
Svensk Dos, a major pharmacy in Scandinavia, faces challenges in accurately measuring productivity at its medication roll packaging station. The current Key Performance Indicator (KPI) of 100 packed rolls per hour/operator may not be equitable and accurate due to external variables affecting performance, such as roll type and quantity per box. This raises concerns about the KPI's effectiveness in measuring productivity. Hence, this study develops complex KPIs based on cycle time per packed product and investigates the KPI’s impact on productivity and management. Data collection involves performance observations for a regression model that make up the complex KPI and qualitative interviews for understanding the use and application of the complex KPIs for Svensk Dos. The study contributes to warehouse KPI literature and provides recommendations for accurate productivity measurement in medication roll packaging stations. In conclusion,
KPIs proved themselves to be great for staffing the order handling station in the case study. The use of complex KPIs is better than the use of simple averaging
Preferences for carbon information : a Discrete Choice Experiment with Swedish non-professional investors
Get PDFGHG targets, an aspect of carbon disclosure are an integral part of corporate carbon management and overall carbon accounting. GHG targets and the target-related attributes – including target difficulty, target progress, and external validation of target as a science-based target, along with past GHG emission performance are attributes related to carbon information that is increasingly included in the corporate carbon disclosures. However, challenges persist questioning the relevancy of the targets and the effectiveness of its role, not only to corporate carbon management but also to external stakeholders. In this study, the focus is on non-professional investors. Impact investing is a relatively underexplored domain, there is unsettled uncertainty about what implication can carbon information, specific to GHG targets and the target-related attributes, have on investment decision-making. Therefore, this study conducted a discrete choice experiment with a panel of Swedish Non-professional investors to examine the roles of these attributes in influencing investors' preferences on impact investment choices.
The findings from this research study show that GHG attributes are relevant for investors in prioritizing their impact investment choices. The results show the highest preference for target progress followed by target difficulty which is higher than the target being externally validated as science-based. Additionally, the results showed the highest negative estimates for GHG emissions lower than the industry average suggesting aversion towards companies with higher emissions. These results show that these attributes are relevant for investors in making impact investment decisions. However, investors also take other conventional fund attributes like expected return and level of risk associated with the investment alternative into consideration while making investment decisions. The results show the positive return is at least expected even though the willingness to pay estimates from the results suggest that the non-professional investors are willing to forgo part of their expected marginal return for the level of GHG attributes that indicates positive and higher environmental commitment and performance