Bombing for Biodiversity : Integrating the MilitaryTraining and Environmental Values of MilitaryTraining Areas

Military training areas (MTAs) cover an estimated 2-3 percent of the Earth’s terrestrial environment, occurring in all major biomes. These areas are important supplementary sites for biodiversity conservation, with the potential to increase the global protected area network by approximately 12-15 percent if recognised for their environmental values and managed appropriately. Despite the significant area that MTAs occupy, and their potential contribution to biodiversity protection globally, there is a paucity of research and understanding of their environmental values, and how best to integrate management of military training and environmental values. My research focussed on understanding and integrating management of the military training and environmental values found on MTAs. The first part of my research focussed on understanding the military training and environmental values of MTAs. This research highlighted that only limited empirical data exist on the environmental values of these areas. An investigation of the Australian MTA management framework revealed that management of military training and environmental values are not integrated. Second, I focussed on developing a set of management principles to guide the management of MTAs. As MTAs are unique, with no other land management unit being subject to similar types of impacts, the principles combine existing and novel approaches for the management of these areas. Central to the design of the principles are two adaptive management loops that integrate military training and environmental management outcomes. This is the first time that two adaptive management loops have been used to manage the one land use activity. The final part of my research focussed on 1. Developing a land management model and management prescriptions for MTAs that integrate the management of the military training and environmental values of these areas, allowing for improved management outcomes that are transparent and accountable, and, 2. Providing guidance, in the absence of further detailed environmental information, on how best to manage military training-related environmental disturbance. The land management model consists of two management equations and a four-part management condition test that, when appropriately applied, should result in improved management outcomes for both the military training and environmental values of MTAs. The new approach allows for the assessment of different MTA land management configurations prior to on-ground implementation. The model also makes provision for the incorporation of management costs. Guidance on how best to manage military training-related environmental disturbance was developed by initially investigating the causes for military training-related disturbance and simulating military training-related environmental disturbance at different range usage rates under a typical range rotation use strategies. These results were compared to estimated ecosystem recovery rates from training activities. We found that even at relatively low usage rates, random allocation and random spatial use of training ranges within an MTA resulted in environmental degradation. To avoid large scale environmental degradation, we developed a decision-making tool that details the best method for managing training-related disturbance by determining how training activities can be allocated to training ranges. Collectively, the research in this thesis has resulted in the development of a new approach to the management of MTAs that allows for better integration of the military training and environmental values

Bombing for biodiversity-enhancing conservation values of military training areas

Global defense spending is $US1753 billion annually or approximately 2.5% of the world GDP. Significant time and resources is spent in training 28 million defense personnel worldwide. Much of this training on land takes place within specifically designated military training areas (MTAs). Globally, the size of the MTA estate is likely to be very large, but just how large is unknown. Our preliminary analyses has identified that MTAs cover at least 1% of the Earth's surface. This figure is believed to be closer to 5–6% as no verifiable data exist for the majority of Africa, South America and Asia. MTAs occur in all major global ecosystems and have the potential to increase the global protected area network by at least 25%. MTAs therefore have an important complementary role to play in global conservation. However public policy makers, the scientific community, government agencies, and nongovernment organizations have largely ignored MTAs as a conservation resource. To realize the potential major contribution to conservation that MTAs can play we propose four key policy changes: (1) better document the environmental values of MTAs, (2) develop integrated MTA land management models, (3) increase dedicated financial resources for the land management of MTAs, and (4) strengthened global leadership to manage MTAs as an environmental resource

Multiplicity of late-type B stars with HgMn peculiarity

Observations at various wavelengths of late B-type stars exhibiting strong overabundances of the chemical elements Hg and Mn in their atmospheres indicate that these stars are frequently found in binary and multiple systems. We intend to study the multiplicity of this type of chemically peculiar stars, looking for visual companions in the range of angular separation between 0.05" and 8". We carried out a survey of 56 stars using diffraction-limited near-infrared imaging with NAOS-CONICA at the VLT. Thirty-three companion candidates in 24 binaries, three triples, and one quadruple system were detected. Nine companion candidates were found for the first time in this study. Five objects are likely chance projections. The detected companion candidates have K magnitudes between 5.95m and 18.07m and angular separations ranging from <0.05" to 7.8", corresponding to linear projected separations of 13.5-1700 AU. Our study clearly confirms that HgMn stars are frequently members of binary and multiple systems. Taking into account companions found by other techniques, the multiplicity fraction in our sample may be as high as 91%. The membership in binary and multiple systems seems to be a key point to understanding the abundance patterns in these stars.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures, 3 tables, accepted for publication in A&

Radial velocities of early-type stars in the Perseus OB2 association

We present radial velocities for 29 B- and A-type stars in the field of the nearby association Perseus OB2. The velocities are derived from spectra obtained with AURELIE, via cross correlation with radial velocity standards matched as closely as possible in spectral type. The resulting accuracy is ~2 - 3 km s$^{-1}$. We use these measurements, together with published values for a few other early-type stars, to study membership of the association. The mean radial velocity (and measured velocity dispersion) of Per OB2 is 23.5 \pm 3.9 km s$^{-1}$, and lies ~15 km s$^{-1}$ away from the mean velocity of the local disk field stars. We identify a number of interlopers in the list of possible late-B- and A-type members which was based on Hipparcos parallaxes and proper motions, and discuss the colour-magnitude diagram of the association.Comment: 20 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in A&A, minor revision

Olympic legacy and cultural tourism: Exploring the facets of Athens' Olympic heritage

This study examines the effects of the Olympic Games on Athens’ cultural tourism and the city’s potential to leverage the Olympic legacy in synergy with its rich heritage in order to enhance its tourism product during the post-Games period. In doing so, a qualitative and interpretive approach was employed. This includes a literature review on Athens’ 2004 Olympics to identify the sport facilities and regeneration projects, which constitute the Olympic legacy and heritage. Based on that, an empirical analysis was undertaken, by collecting official documents about the 2004 Olympics, and conducting five semi-structured interviews with tourism/administrative officials. The findings indicate that the Olympiad contributed significantly to Athens’ built and human heritage, revealing the dimensions of new venues/facilities, infrastructure, transportation and aesthetic image of the city, and human capital enhancement. Hence, the Games affected to the multifaceted representation and reconstruction of the city’s identity and cultural heritage. However, the potential afforded from the post-Olympic Athens remains unrealised due to lack of strategic planning/management. The study concludes that there is a need to develop cross-leveraging synergies between the Olympic legacy and cultural tourism for the host city. Finally, a strategic planning framework for leveraging post-Games Olympic tourism is suggested in order to maximise the benefits of Olympic legacy and heritage in a host city’s tourism development

Parallaxes and proper motions for 20 open clusters as based on the new Hipparcos catalogue

A new reduction of the astrometric data as produced by the Hipparcos mission has been published, claiming that the accuracies for nearly all stars brighter than magnitude $\mathrm{Hp}=8$ are improved, by up to a factor 4, compared to the original catalogue. As correlations between the underlying abscissa residuals have also been reduced by more than an order of magnitude to an insignificant level, our ability to determine reliable parallaxes and proper motions for open clusters should be improved. The new Hipparcos astrometric catalogue is used to derive mean parallax and proper motion estimates for 20 open clusters. The HR-diagrams of the nearest clusters are compared and combined to provide future input to sets of observational isochrones. The positions of the cluster HR diagrams are consistent within different groups of clusters shown for example by the near-perfect alignment of the sequences for the Hyades and Praesepe, for Coma Ber and UMa, and for the Pleiades, NGC 2516, and Blanco 1. The groups are mutually consistent when systematic differences in $\Delta c_0$ are taken into account, where the effect of these differences on the absolute magnitudes has been calibrated using field-star observations.Comment: 34 pages, 36 figures, 7 tables. Accepted for publication by A&

Investigating mechanisms of Epstein-Barr virus reactivation in epithelial cells

Approximately 10% of all gastric cancer cases worldwide are associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. This subgroup differs from non-infected equivalents through a distinct mutational and epigenetic signature, which is crucial for the establishment and maintenance of the viral latent state. Disruption of the latent state and subsequent induction of the lytic cycle, called reactivation, can be used as a therapeutic strategy for this cancer type through either combination with antiviral agents or by induction of an EBV-specific immune response. In this study, epigenetic inhibitors were tested for their potential to reactivate EBV using a novel screening method based on the expression of Zebra, a key regulator of EBV reactivation. Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACis), more specifically benzamide-based HDACis, were the most potent group of reactivating agents in this screen. Those HDACis induced the expression of lytic cycle genes as well as targeted cell killing in combination with antiviral agents. Moreover, the reactivation through those agents was sufficient to activate cytotoxic T-cells and thereby ensured a supportive role of the immune system in targeted cell killing. In an additional screen, topoisomerase inhibitors and other chemotherapeutic agents showed synergistic effects on Zebra expression together with HDACis, which was linked to the induction of p53 expression through those compounds. While p53 is known to be involved in the expression of Zebra, the viral DNA processivity factor Ea-D and the viral DNA binding protein DNBI were identified as a potential novel binding protein of p53 and could thus point towards a novel role of p53 in EBV lytic replication. Taken together, this study identifies potential novel therapeutic compound combinations for the treatment of EBV-associated epithelial cancers that could be translated into the clinic after further assessment.</p

Investigating mechanisms of Epstein-Barr virus reactivation in epithelial cells

Approximately 10% of all gastric cancer cases worldwide are associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. This subgroup differs from non-infected equivalents through a distinct mutational and epigenetic signature, which is crucial for the establishment and maintenance of the viral latent state. Disruption of the latent state and subsequent induction of the lytic cycle, called reactivation, can be used as a therapeutic strategy for this cancer type through either combination with antiviral agents or by induction of an EBV-specific immune response. In this study, epigenetic inhibitors were tested for their potential to reactivate EBV using a novel screening method based on the expression of Zebra, a key regulator of EBV reactivation. Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACis), more specifically benzamide-based HDACis, were the most potent group of reactivating agents in this screen. Those HDACis induced the expression of lytic cycle genes as well as targeted cell killing in combination with antiviral agents. Moreover, the reactivation through those agents was sufficient to activate cytotoxic T-cells and thereby ensured a supportive role of the immune system in targeted cell killing. In an additional screen, topoisomerase inhibitors and other chemotherapeutic agents showed synergistic effects on Zebra expression together with HDACis, which was linked to the induction of p53 expression through those compounds. While p53 is known to be involved in the expression of Zebra, the viral DNA processivity factor Ea-D and the viral DNA binding protein DNBI were identified as a potential novel binding protein of p53 and could thus point towards a novel role of p53 in EBV lytic replication. Taken together, this study identifies potential novel therapeutic compound combinations for the treatment of EBV-associated epithelial cancers that could be translated into the clinic after further assessment.</p