Reshaping Environments: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Sustainability in a Complex World draws together a team of specialist authors from disciplines including urban planning, social sciences, engineering and environmental science to examine the diverse influences humans have upon the natural environment. This interdisciplinary approach presents multifaceted responses for complex environmental issues. The book explores current environmental science theories to provide a solid foundation of theoretical knowledge. Drawing on a range of case studies, it develops core analytical skills for application to real-world environmental issues. Reshaping Environments gives environmental science students the tools and insight to comprehend the range of influences society imposes on the natural environment. It is essential reading for those interested in creating a mutually beneficial future for human society and the natural environment.
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Este artigo examina o Plano de Remodelação da Área Sudeste de Buenos Aires (1956), proposto por Antonio Bonet, entendendo-o como projeto que coloca discussões importantes ao estudo da cidade moderna. Pela pesquisa bibliográfica, tem-se que o projeto defende a habitação como programa importante a existir no centro da cidade, sendo articulado por outros, como trabalho e lazer. A cidade existente é o ponto de partida da proposição, e é reconfigurada em três elementos – a torre, a grega, e o edifício baixo. Este último se torna um elemento importante, capaz de controlar a área de verde, e de formalizar uma rede de percursos pedestres. Desta forma, o plano continua uma investigação anterior ao estabelecer novamente um sistema que interliga as escalas da cidade e da paisagem, do bairro e da habitação.
Overabundant wild populations of herbivores often present challenges to primary industry, competing with stock, and damaging crops and property. Eastern grey kangaroos (Macropus giganteus) are one of seven macropodid species that are considered a problem in agriculture in Australia. Most deterrent devices available commercially use sounds that do not occur in nature (i.e. artificial sounds), which often have a short-lived or no effect on the target species, whereas trials with biologically significant sounds are often more effective and provide greater resistance to habituation. I used a playback trial of an eastern grey kangaroo foot thump, a biologically significant signal that is given in response to a predator and is usually followed by flight. I determined its effectiveness compared with a recording of background noise (control) for deterring kangaroos over a seven-week period. Kangaroos significantly increased their vigilance levels in response to the foot thump, but not in response to the control signal. Just over 60% of kangaroos took flight in response to the foot thump and the control signals, but more kangaroos took flight in the first 3 s when the foot thump was played. The foot thump shows potential as a deterrent of eastern grey kangaroos for primary industry, and is less likely to suffer from habituation because it is a natural sound.
Intro -- Acknowledgements -- Contents -- List of Figures -- Chapter 1 Finding Ourselves in the Messy Entanglement of Complexity: An Introduction to the Challenges and Opportunities in Social Ecological Systems -- Context in Which We Write the Book -- Why This Book -- Approach Taken in the Book -- Who Is the Book for? -- Structure of the Book and the Function of Each Chapter -- References -- Chapter 2 Engaging with a Social Ecological System: The Swamp -- The Biophysical Setting -- The Social Setting -- Example Narratives About Tarerer/Kelly Swamp -- Scientists -- Farmers -- Artists -- The Gunditjmara -- References -- Chapter 3 A Critical Reflection on Social Ecological Research and Turning to Practice -- Embedded Assumptions in the Language of Social Ecological Systems Research -- Examples of the Difficulty with Language in Practice: Non-linearity -- Critical Reflection for Social Ecological Systems Research -- A New Chapter of Social Ecological Interdisciplinarity -- Bringing Critical Reflection to the Ordering of Knowledge -- Turning Away from the Assumption of Social and Ecological Determinism -- Structure and Function -- Attending to Time in Social Ecological Research -- Centring on Learning and Practice: Turning to an Epistemology of Practice -- References -- Chapter 4 Adaptive Doing: Reimagining Social Ecological Practice -- Adaptive Doing: a Process for Changing and Integrating Knowledge and Practice -- The Agora: a Deliberate Space for Creating Change in Understanding -- Navigating Adaptive Doing: Engaging Process in the Agora -- Phase A-Disrupting the Status Quo: Invoking the Agora -- Phase B-Engaging in the Agora: Critical Reflection and Discussion -- Phase C-Orienting to Understandings of a Shared Concern -- Three Reframing Tools for Fostering Critical Reflection -- Phase D-Returning to Practice: Embracing a Changed Perspective.
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Purpose This paper aims to describe the development, promotion and evaluation of sustainability learning experience database (SLED), a university-curated database of sustainability experiences to augment formal student learning. Its purpose was to encourage students to participate in experiential learning, to facilitate students' critical appraisal of programs ostensibly designed to create sustainability and to, thus, develop students' sustainability self-efficacy and employability.
Design/methodology/approach In total, 55 sustainability experiences were curated and placed into the SLED database, which was promoted to students in nine subjects. Supporting materials designed to assist critical evaluation, reflection on experiences and to build student employability were also developed. A comprehensive mixed-methods evaluation of the program was conducted.
Findings The quantitative evaluation revealed some changes in environmental behaviors, depth of critical sustainability thinking and graduate attributes. The qualitative evaluation revealed that students see the value of a university-curated database of experiences and provided ideas for improvements to the database. It also revealed examples of higher-order learning facilitated by SLED.
Research limitations/implications Recruitment and attrition of research subjects, common challenges in pedagogical research, were experienced. "Opt-out" is one response to this but it comes with ethical challenges.
Originality/value This exploratory study demonstrates the potential of SLED to build students' sustainability efficacy and suggests ways in which it and similar programs can be developed for improved student and sustainability outcomes. Namely, the use of an online platform closely associated with existing learning management systems, higher-level institutional stewardship, closer curriculum integration and close partnering with credentialing programs.
