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In this dissertation, I explore the use of participatory geospatial methods in improving local knowledge integration and inclusiveness in formal land use planning in Tanzania. Communities and governments in the Global South are tackling multiple challenges to human well-being and ecological integrity. Participatory land use planning that combines knowledge sources and balances needs and values of different land users has been promoted as a prerequisite for addressing these challenges in a socio-ecologically sustainable way. Land use planning practice requires tools such as participatory geospatial methods that capture local spatial knowledge (LSK) on human-environment relationships in forms that are compatible with spatial planning standards. There exists, however, little evidence on the usability and impact of these methods in formal planning processes. For my research, Tanzania offers an exciting opportunity to examine the use of these methods due to its decentralized land and natural resource policies and rapid digitalization of planning processes. Through case studies I study what LSK reveals about land use and land use management-related decision-making, how existing Tanzanian land use planning policies and practices integrate LSK into planning decision-making, and I then codevelop participatory geospatial methods capable of integrating LSK into formal land use planning and study their benefits and adoption potential. Finally, I reflect on the limitations of the geospatial methods in representing LSK and diverse perspectives in these processes. The research is based on transdisciplinary and mixed methods approach. I frame my assessments of existing policies and practices with literature-based criteria, which I develop for each study. In each study, I also collaborate with Tanzanian practitioners at various research phases and develop a practitioners’ manual to guide the use of our participatory geospatial method. I combine interviews, group discussions, surveys, participatory mapping exercises and observations to study the relationship between people, their land uses and environment (Article I) and people’s experiences in planning processes (Articles II, III and IV). The findings show that local knowledge is instrumental in identifying land use patterns in the landscape and in explaining the rationale behind local land use, its dynamics and forest-farmland conversion (Article I). The analysis of existing policies and practices reveals that despite the emphasis on inclusive and active participation of local communities, the planning practice does not capture LSK in a georeferenced form or use geospatial tools to facilitate planning deliberation (Articles II and III). Subsequently the plans fail to recognize local priorities and complexities of land use. The codeveloped participatory geospatial method was observed to increase the quality of spatial data in which LSK is captured, and support learning, deliberation and spatial understanding among participants and practitioners during the formal planning process (Articles III and IV). The planning practitioners identified several benefits of the geospatial methods to their work, which is a strong incentive for adoption (Article IV). Wider adoption, however, requires efforts in geospatial education and on-the-job training to practitioners, as well as general commitment to participatory processes at all administrative levels. While the participatory geospatial methods improve integration of LSK into planning decision-making, future research and method development should focus on recognizing the diversity of local spatial knowledge and community priorities. Here self-determination of what LSK is collected and how it is visualized and used plays an important role.
Viime vuosien väärinkäytökset vanhusten hoivassa ja psykiatrisessa hoidossa ovat kasvattaneet tarvetta tuottaa tietoa rajoitetuista tiloista. Rajoitettujen tilojen tutkiminen on tärkeää, jotta hyvän elämänlaadun ylläpitäminen ja laadukas hoito voidaan taata laitoksissa. Käsittelen väitöskirjassani rajoitettuja tiloja erityisesti vankeusmaantieteen (carceral geography) näkökulmasta. Ihmismaantieteeseen kuuluva vankeusmaantiede on verrattain uusi tutkimussuuntaus Pohjoismaissa, eikä sitä ole aiemmin käytetty suomalaisia hoivainstituutioita koskevassa tutkimuksessa. Väitöskirjani tarjoaakin uudenlaisen näkökulman rajoitettujen tilojen tutkimukseen pohjoismaisessa kontekstissa. Väitöskirjassani tarkastelen rajoitettuja tiloja vaihtoehtoisessa yhteisössä, vanhainkodissa ja vanhuspsykiatrisella osastolla. Kysyn: Millaisia vankeuskäytäntöjä ja prosesseja rajoitetuista tiloista voidaan tunnistaa? Millaisia vankeustiloja nämä käytännöt ja prosessit muodostavat? Kysyn myös, miten vankeustiloja voidaan edelleen määritellä ihmismaantieteessä. Väitöskirjatutkimukseni osoittaa, että ihmisten elämää rajoitetaan moninaisista syistä. Ajallinen ja tilallinen kontrolli määrittelee kuka voi olla missä ja milloin, mikä korostaa erityisesti instituutioissa tilan ja tilallisten ratkaisujen merkitystä. Kontrolli ja rajoittaminen voivat toteutua hallinnon tai lakien, mutta myös sosiaalisten ryhmien tai yksilöiden toimesta. Lisäksi kontrollia voidaan toteuttaa ulossulkemisen kautta. Rajoitetuissa tiloissa olevat ihmiset saattavat olla tarkoituksellisesti suljettuja muusta yhteiskunnasta. Ulossulkemisella voidaan myös pyrkiä sääntelemään ihmisen käyttäytymistä. Rajoittaminen liittyy vahvasti valtasuhteisiin, joihin liittyvät valtiovalta ja auktoriteetit, mutta myös yksilön vallankäyttö. Tutkimus osoittaa, että rajoitetut tilat ovat heterogeenisiä ja voivat ilmetä eritasoisina ja erilaisissa muodoissa. Tutkimuksen löydökset osoittavat, että rajoitetut tilat ovat epätasa-arvoisia. Tietyt ihmisryhmät joutuvat alttiimmin vankeuskäytäntöjen kohteiksi ja kaltoin kohdelluiksi. Erityisesti liikuntarajoitteiset voivat joutua hoivalaitoksissa olemaan pitkiä aikoja yksin. Myös muistisairaat ovat haavoittuvassa asemassa, sillä lyhytkestoisen muistin puute voi altistaa heidät kaltoinkohtelulle. Lisäksi kokemukset vankeustiloista saattavat vaikuttaa ihmisen elämään varsinaisen rajoittamisen jälkeenkin. Nämä kokemukset vaikuttavat sekä yksilön näkemyksiin riskeistä, että mahdollisuuksiin selvitä arkielämässä. Tutkimuksessa on huomioitu myös työyhteisön merkitys vankeustilojen tuottamisessa. Tulosten mukaan moraalisesti harmaita alueita esiintyy tilanteissa, joissa ihmisiä painostetaan ja joissa heidät pakotetaan tekemään päätöksiä eettisten näkemystensä vastaisesti. Kaltoinkohtelusta ei myöskään välttämättä raportoida eteenpäin, jos se aiheuttaa riskin työpaikan menetyksestä. Väitöskirjani tarjoaa kaksi uutta näkökulmaa rajoitettujen tilojen tarkasteluun. Ensinnäkin vankeustilojen kerroksellisuuden (carceral layers) tarkastelu osoittaa, että vankeuselementit voivat kasaantua ajallis-tilallisesti ja synnyttää tiloja, jotka ovat enemmän vankeustilojen kaltaisia kuin toiset. Toiseksi riskien ja vankeustilojen välisen suhteen (carceral riskscape) tutkiminen paljastaa, miten näkemykset riskeistä saattavat tuottaa vankeuskäytäntöjä ja -tiloja. Nämä näkökulmat auttavat ymmärtämään rajoitettujen tilojen monimutkaisia tilallisia ominaisuuksia sekä ovat hyödyksi uusia hoitomuotoja ja –tiloja suunnitellessa.
TIIVISTELMÄ Rannikkoalueiden ja rannikon resurssien kestämätön käyttö on heikentänyt meriympäristöjen tilaa maailmanlaajuisesti. Kehityksen suunnan kääntäminen edellyttää luotettavaa tietoa ihmisen toiminnasta sekä sen vaikutuksista rannikoiden luontoon. Vaikka kansainväliset sopimukset ja kansalliset lait pyrkivät osaltaan estämään luonnon tilan heikkenemistä, niiden lisäksi tarvitaan paikallisia toimia. Esimerkiksi laaja-alaiset rannikoilla tehtävät suunnitteluprosessit, kuten merialuesuunnittelu (MSP) ja rannikkoalueiden yhdennetty käyttö ja hoito (ICZM), tavoittelevat kestävää kehitystä, mutta niiden tulee pohjautua luotettavaan tutkimustietoon. Tutkin väitöskirjassani ihmistoiminnan aiheuttamia paineita ja niiden vaikutuksia pohjoisen Itämeren mataliin merenpohjaympäristöihin. Tavoitteenani on parantaa näitä ympäristöjä kuvaavien alueellisten ihmistoimintaan kytkeytyvien paine- ja vaikutusarviointien laatua ja siten tukea matalien merenpohjaympäristöjen erityispiirteet huomioivaa rannikkosuunnittelua. Käytän tutkimuksissani monipuolisia paikkatietoaineistoja LiDAR –pistepilvistä yksittäisten lajien seurantaaineistoihin. Teen monen tyyppisiä maantieteellisiä analyyseja hyödyntäen ja yhdistellen erilaisia skenaariomenetelmiä, alueellisia paikkatietomalleja ja tilastollisia menetelmiä. Tutkimukseni tulokset osoittavat yhtäältä yksityiskohtaisten kaukokartoitusaineistojen, luokiteltujen biotooppiaineistojen ja erilaisten mallinnusmenetelmien arvon keskeisinä merenpohjien tilaa käsittelevän tiedon lähteinä, mutta tuovat esille myös niiden käyttöön liittyviä epävarmuuksia. Työssä tarkastelen erityisesti, miten avoimia tietolähteitä voidaan hyödyntää rannikon kestävän käytön suunnittelussa. Käytän myös mallinnusmenetelmiä ja lajitasoista seurantatietoa osoittaakseni rakkohaurujen (Fucus spp.) taantuneen laaja-alaisesti Suomen rannikkoalueilla. Väitöskirjani keskeisenä tuloksena on, että maantieteellinen lähestymistapa ja alueellinen työskentelymenetelmä vahvistavat rannikkoalueiden kestävää käyttöä ja suunnittelua tukevaa tietopohjaa. ASIASANAT: ihmistoiminnan paine, ihmistoiminnan vaikutus, merenpohjan yhteisöt, Itämeri, merialuesuunnittelu, rannikkosuunnittelu, levinneisyysmallinnus
The study of bedrock fracture networks is essential for applications such as modelling fluid flow, predicting radionuclide and geothermal heat transfer as well as overcoming bedrock engineering challenges since the fractures affect a number of physical characteristics of the bedrock. However, the multiscale nature of these fracture networks poses challenges in observation and analysis as fractures occur at all scales from centimeter-scale features on outcrops to kilometer-scale tectonic margins. To overcome this challenge, this doctoral thesis focuses on the geometry and topology of two-dimensional multiscale fracture networks and presents methods for their multiscale investigation – both existing, from the literature, but also novel methods developed under the course of this work. Scale-independent methods are introduced and employed, allowing for the direct comparison of data collected at different scales. Geometric fracture network properties encompass fracture lengths, orientations, and intensity i.e. the spatial distribution of fractures. Furthermore, the analysis of topological properties focuses on the connectivity and fracture relationships, offering valuable information about the flow potential within the fracture network and potential age relations between fractures, respectively. This thesis comprises three articles that both address a specific research question in fracture studies while presenting novel methods for these purposes. Research issues include the identification of faults, their damage zones and fracturing that is kinematically unrelated, determination of the data requirements for accurate fracture network characterization and prediction of fracture properties, such as length, for scales of observation, where data collection is challenging. As a result of applying the presented methods, it was found how pre-existing faults affect later fracturing and how through subsampling of fracture trace data the accuracy of fracture data can be assessed. Furthermore, the thesis comprised fracture data collection in length ranges that had previously lacking data and provided estimations on predicting fracture lengths within crystalline rocks.
The aim of this study is to investigate the behavior of recently accumulated gyttja in the hydrodynamic environment of the Finnish seafloor. Modern gyttja is typically less consolidated than the underlying postglacial deposits and therefore they can be easily removed back to transport by the waves and currents. Thereby the existence or absence of these soft sediments can be used as an indicator for presence of hydrodynamic movement at the seafloor. Finnish Navy have collected the data by using sediment echo sounder (SES) that produces echograms of the sediments lying underneath the seafloor. Modern gyttja is typically overlying the postglacial sediments and bedrock at bottom of the Baltic Sea. As a study method, the special features of modern gyttja and erosional surfaces are documented from echograms. Results show that modern gyttja is found from the seafloors of the Gulf of Finland, the Archipelago Sea and the Åland Sea. Current channels and gyttja deposits often appear nearby each other's and their sizes correlate as well. It can be concluded that bottom currents are accumulating soft sediments to the seafloor and thereby are forming small-scale contourites even in the archipelago. The deepest area of the Finnish seafloor is not always the main accumulation zone when bottom currents create a deep channel into the bottom sediments. On the other hand, waves and thereby openness of the sea determinate the depth which recent muds can accumulate. Thus as the seafloor is constantly under change by seafloor uplifting, otherwise calm environment can turn into an restless environment and vice versa in shallowing depth and exposure to waves. This study extends the conception of modern gyttja accumulation environment and behavior under the near seafloor hydrodynamics at the seafloor of Finland. The results of this study can be used for mapping nutrients flow or for estimating seafloors quality. In addition, climate change will cause stress to the seafloor and thereby have an influence on the geomorphology of the seabed and to the ecosystems surrounded by it.
This thesis examines bilateral development cooperation between Finland and Tanzania, and more specifically Finland's interests in development cooperation with Tanzania. Finland's development policy is part of its foreign and security policy. Through its own foreign policy, Finland has the opportunity and ability to influence the future of Tanzania and thus also of Africa. The possible slide of Finland's development partners towards more authoritarian models of society makes it more difficult for Finland to achieve its objectives of building more permanent, sustainable, and economically coherent relations with these countries. Liberal democratic states favour other liberal democratic states in foreign policy, and liberal democratic states do not form such deep and interdependent relationships with authoritarian states. This thesis examines how geopolitical interests and values in Tanzania influence Finland's development cooperation and policy there. The material for the thesis consists of three publications of the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs: “The Country programme for development cooperation Tanzania 2021-2024”, “Finland's country strategy for Tanzania 2021-2024”, and Finland's Africa strategy. The methods used are theory-bound content analysis and thematic interviews. The results of the study show that in the broader foreign and security policy and geopolitical context, Finland relies heavily on the European Union. Finland's geopolitical interests include efforts to ensure continuity in foreign and development policy between Finland and Tanzania. Finland also seeks to ensure that Tanzania does not slide towards a more authoritarian regime and that Tanzania does not become a security risk for Finland and Europe. It is important for Finland that Tanzania works together with Finland in the fight against climate change and loss of nature. According to the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Africa is the subject of a growing foreign policy struggle in which various foreign policy actors in Africa and outside Africa are seeking to form partnerships with actors in the region. In the discourse on development cooperation between Finland and Tanzania, the emphasis is more on value politics and more concrete solutions and visions for improving the effectiveness of development cooperation and achieving its objectives. In the discourse of Finland's relations with Africa, more emphasis is placed on traditional foreign and security policy phenomena. The objective of Finland's development policy is to prevent unstable and unpeaceful actors from becoming development policy partners in the future
Fluvial systems are characterized by constant change and the interaction between flow dynamics and stream geometry. Continuous flow of water and spatial heterogeneity define the fluvial ecosystems. Unique habitat requirements control the distribution of each species. In the context of this study, main factors governing the habitat of brown trout (Salmo trutta) are flow velocity, water column depth, particle size and temperature. This study surveyed the current fluvial geomorphologic situation of Kauttuankoski aiming the focus on brown trout habitat requirements and survival. Data was collected using acoustic discharge measurements, sediment sampling and continuous water temperature logging. A digital terrain model based on total station measurements and airborne laser scanning was created and used in building a 2D hydraulic model. The hydraulic conditions in Kauttuankoski were simulated in four discharge scenarios. The temperature data was used to study spatial, seasonal and discharge-bound patterns which then were compared with the habitat requirements of brown trout. Results of the hydraulic modelling were used to create maps portraying the erosion and deposition of particles and to create a habitat model based on velocity, depth and particle size. Suitable environments for different life-stages of brown trout were detected from the study area. The biggest spatial differences in temperature were detected during summer and low discharge periods. In the study area’s conditions juvenile fish were found to be the most vulnerable to high temperatures and strong discharge. Instead, big fish are able to find suitable spots around the area as the discharge changes. Strong discharges might erode suitable sediments for brown trout around the study area as fine sediment deposition from low discharge only occurs on a small area. Irregular flooding due to climate change might risk the success of spawning and the survival of the spawn during winter.
Distance education has long been used in higher education, as it enables flexibility within studies. Online teaching involves organizational and student-driven challenges, such as time management and lack of motivation. On the other hand, for example flexibility of time and space are some benefits of online learning. In the spring of 2020, exceptional circumstances were found in Finland due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and universities had to switch to distance education quickly and unforeseen. In spring distance education came to be called emergency remote teaching because of the desire to distinguish carefully planned distance education from temporary emergency remote teaching caused by a crisis or disaster. In my thesis, I looked at the experiences of Finnish geography students in distance education during the coronavirus pandemic. I found out how the beginning year of studying affects geography students' experiences of distance education. I also looked at the effects of time management skills and IT skills on students' own learning, study, and progress in distance education. I collected my research material with an online survey, which was answered by 148 students from the universities of Helsinki, Eastern Finland, Oulu and Turku. I analyze the data of closed questions by means of descriptive statistical analysis. Qualitative open-ended questions I analyze with the help of theory-driven and data-driven content analysis. I categorized the material of the open questions, after which I continued the analysis with quantification. The results of my research show that students had both positive and negative experiences of distance education. According to the students, the most significant positive aspects of distance education were factors related to the flexibility of time and space, such as the ease of time management. On the other hand, the biggest problems were the challenges related to students' personal experiences and abilities, such as feelings of loneliness and isolation and the challenges of time management. In addition, the lack of interaction, especially between students, also challenged distance education. Students were mainly satisfied with the support and feedback in distance education, but the interaction was seen to be improved. During distance education, real-time online teaching and lecture recordings were used the most in geography studies. These were also commented on positively, and the students especially wanted the lecture recordings to be used in the future. The stage of the studies affected the students' experiences on distance education. Those who started studying geography in 2020 were more dissatisfied with distance education than other groups. On the other hand, students who started in 2021 were more positive about distance education than other groups. Time management skills also influenced distance education and learning. There was variation in students' experience of time management skills, with just under half feeling good about their time management skills and just over half feeling weak. Students who felt that their time management skills were good were more satisfied with their study and learning and with the progress of their studies during distance education. The majority of geography students had good IT skills, which is why their impact on students' experiences was not examined in this study.
The flow and dynamics of ice sheets and glaciers influence the global sea level, and the amount of meltwater delivered to the base of the glacier has been determined to be a major factor in controlling glacier velocities. The amount of meltwater entering the glacier systems will increase due to the warming climate, and thus it is increasingly important to gain a better understanding of the subglacial hydrological system and its mechanics. Murtoos are subglacially formed landforms which have been inferred to represent a transitional hydrological system between distributed and channelized drainage under the Fennoscandian ice sheet. Other landforms with presumably similar origins have been identified to be common along the meltwater routes in the Finnish part of the FIS. The thesis further investigates the sedimentological structure of polymorphic mounds and ridges (PMR), which commonly occur alongside murtoos along the meltwater routes in Finland. Sedimentological and geomorphological evidence were used to discuss their relationship and potential mode of formation in relation to the subglacial meltwater route in the present study site. The thesis aims to increase available information on the structure of the PMRs along the meltwater routes in Finland and thus potentially promote further understanding of subglacial hydrology. The sedimentology of four test pits was studied on the NW side of lake Sääksjärvi in Satakunta, Finland. Their stratigraphy was described according to the lithofacies analysis model. Particle size, directional measurements and clast provenance were analyzed. The geomorphology of the area was studied using LiDAR-based elevation model and field observations. Data was presented as drawings, sediment logs and lithological descriptions and supplemented with photographs and sieving results. Field observations and elevation data were used to produce a map describing the meltwater route and its relation to the studied landforms. The studied PMRs reveal similar structure and sedimentological characteristics to previously studied murtoos and murtoo related landforms in Finland. They consist of glacifluvial sorted sediment core followed by a massive, sandy and gravelly diamicton bed draped by looser, sandy diamicton. The distinct units can be linked to spatiotemporally changing subglacial conditions and meltwater flow along the meltwater route. The geomorphology of the PMR field together with the sedimentological characteristics suggest a concentration of the local meltwater flow into two distinct routes controlled mainly by local bedrock topography and pressure conditions. Based on the results, it is possible that the glacifluvial sediments in the PMRs were deposited in subglacial cavities or conduits that evolved into a more transitional murtoo system as the influx of meltwater increased. The meltwater responsible for the saturation and deposition of the PMR till unit might be supraglacial in origin. The PMRs in the area can represent incomplete murtoos whose formation was interrupted by changing subglacial conditions at the study site. The data and results can be further utilized as part of the research of murtoos and murtoo related landforms in Finland.
Sustainable development has become one of the most significant themes in the curricula of universities. The new strategy of the University of Turku sets sustainable development as an overreaching theme for every level of the university community. The Rectors’ council of Finnish Universities is also committed to making studies in sustainable development a part of all degrees. Teachers have an important role in the implementation of teaching sustainable development. Teaching sustainable development in higher education enables workers equipped in sustainability knowledge to enter workforce and this consequently builds a more sustainable future. United Nations has formed 17 Sustainable Development goals. Universities have a significant role in implementing these goals. The first aim of this study was to gather information of university teachers’ views on teaching sustainable development in the University of Turku. The second aim was to find out whether the teachers are competent and willing to integrate sustainable development in their teaching. The third aim was to find out how the teachers see the future of teaching sustainable development in the University of Turku. The data was collected with an online survey that was sent to the teachers at the University of Turku. The questionnaire was open in February 2021and it had both open and closed questions Descriptive statistics and content analysis were used to analyze the material. Sustainable development is integrated in the teaching of many disciplines in the University of Turku. The amount of sustainable development integrated in teaching varies depending on how familiar the teacher is with sustainable development content, and it also varies depending on the faculty and discipline. Most of the survey respondents were willing to add sustainable development content in their teaching. However, there were still a number of respondents who were not willing to add sustainable development content in their teaching. Teachers had different views on adding Sustainable Development Goals as part of the course descriptions. On the one hand many of the respondents thought that it would help to keep sustainable development more visible on courses. On the other hand, many of the respondents who felt they were very familiar with sustainable development and had already integrated it to their teaching didn’t think it would be useful to add Sustainable Development Goals as part of the course descriptions. The reasons why they didn’t see that Sustainable Development Goals fit the course descriptions was for example their political nature and their complexity. Two thirds of the respondents felt that they have knowledge and skill needed to teach sustainable development in the context of their own discipline. However, many of the respondents felt that they lack knowledge and skills to teach sustainable development. Many respondents suggested that the university should organize training for teachers about teaching sustainable development.
Tässä tutkimuksessa on keskitytty viherkattoihin ja niihin liittyviin perusteisiin ja keskeisiin tekijöihin. Tutkimuksessa selvitettiin viherkattojen määrää, merkitystä ja hyödyntämismahdollisuuksia yhtenä käytännön keinona sopeutua ilmastonmuutokseen kaupunkiympäristössä. Tutkimuskysymyksillä pyrittiin muodostamaan kokonaiskuvaa viherkattojen hyödyntämismahdollisuuksista ja niihin vaikuttavista tekijöistä. Tutkimuksessa on esimerkkikaupunkien kautta nostettu esiin muutamia esimerkkejä, miten näissä kaupungeissa on pyritty kehittämään vihreää infrastruktuuria. Lisäksi esimerkkikaupungeista selvitettiin viherkattojen määrää. Viherkatto on rakennuksen katto, joka on suunniteltu niin, että sen päällä voi ja on tarkoitus kasvattaa kasveja. Viherkatoilla voidaan vähentää kaupunkien ympäristöongelmia. Tutkielmani on laadullinen tutkimus, jossa menetelmänä käytettiin teorialähtöistä sisällönanalyysiä. Teoria minulla on muodostettu aikaisempien tutkimuksien ja kirjallisuuden pohjalta vihreän infrastruktuurin ja viherkattojen ympärille. Tutkimukseni lähdeaineisto muodostuu vihreää infrastruktuuria ja viherkattoja käsittelevästä tutkimuskirjallisuudesta ja asiantuntijahaastatteluista. Tutkimuskirjallisuudella muodostettiin tutkimuksen teoreettinen pohja ja viitekehys. Asiantuntijahaastatteluilla haettiin vastauksia tutkimuskysymyksiin, täydennettiin teoriapohjaa ja haettiin tietoa esimerkkikaupungeista vertailua varten. Viherkattojen on todettu tuovan monia erilaisia rakenteellisia, fyysisiä, inhimillisiä, taloudellisia ja henkisiä hyötyjä ja etuja. Lähdeaineiston perusteella viherkatoista saatavat hyödyt voidaan tulkintani mukaan jakaa kahdeksaan kaupunkiasumiseen liittyvään osakokonaisuuteen. Nämä ovat lämmön säätely, hule- ja sadevesien hallinta, talous, elinolosuhteet ja viihtyvyys, terveysvaikutukset, vapaa-ajan käyttömahdollisuudet, ruoantuotanto ja luonnon monimuotoisuus. Haastatteluista ilmeni viherkatoilla olevan monia hyötyä, jotka voidaan jakaa kolmeen eri kategoriaan. Nämä ovat fyysiset, henkiset ja taloudelliset hyödyt. Viherkattojen haittoja ja haasteita haastateltavat pystyivät esittämään huomattavasti hyötyjä vähemmän. Viherkatot ovat yksi keskeinen keino vastata ilmastonmuutoksen vaikutuksiin. Viherkattojen moninaiset hyödyt on tunnistettu eri puolella maailmaa. Euroopassa johtavia viherkattokaupunkeja ovat olleet esimerkiksi Stuttgart ja Malmö. Niissä kehitetyillä toimintamalleilla ja tutkimustoiminnalla on luotu edellytykset viherkattojen laajempaan hyödyntämiseen globaalisti. Haastattelujen perusteella viherkattojen määrä on lisääntynyt kaikissa esimerkkikaupungeissa 10 vuoden aikana. Saksassa ja Ruotsissa viherkatot ovat jo vanhempi ilmiö. Suomessa ymmärrys viherkatoista ja niiden merkityksestä on viime vuosina kasvanut. Saksa on toiminut viherkattojen mallimaana, mutta haastattelujen mukaan kaupunkien viherkattojen suunnittelussa ei ole suoraan otettu mallia muista kaupungeista. Kaavoituksella on tärkeä rooli viherkattojen yleisyyteen, mutta pelkällä kaavoituksella ei kuitenkaan vielä taata viherkattojen rakentamista.
According to the basics of the basic education curriculum 2014, teaching must always take into account the individual encounter of the student and the differentiation of teaching according to individual needs. In Finland, the Basic Education Act (628/1998) protects the equality of students, which requires the removal of barriers to learning. Completely uniform teaching methods can increase inequality in school because learners are different. With the help of differentiation, teaching should be modified in such a way that the characteristics of each student are taken into account. This study investigated the attitudes of middle school geography teachers towards inclusion and differentiation of teaching. The teachers were asked how they differentiate their teaching and which things burden them the most at work. The data was collected with an electronic Webropol survey, which was distributed on the pages of the Association of Biology and Geography Teachers and on social media and was answered by 53 teachers. The results were analyzed quantitatively in Excel and SPSS statistical program. The answers to the open questions were classified using data-oriented content analysis. Based on the results, the inclusive school was seen positively, but it was felt that it was realized with too few resources and caused too much work. Own competence was considered insufficient to provide learning support. Most of the teachers understood that differentiation applied to each student individually, but still a tenth viewed differentiation as an intervention for already verified learning difficulties. The majority of the teachers said that they lowered the level of the teaching contents of the whole group due to the poor level of the students, and half of the teachers understood that the goal of differentiation was to make the tasks of passing the course easier. For the most talented students, differentiation was not always realized, as a third of the teachers did not deepen their teaching for the most advanced students. Even more than a tenth of the teachers thought that not all students have the ability to show talent. Differentiation was not realized as a comprehensive layering of teaching, but as a reactive action in the teachers' practices, responding to the already verified needs of the students' support. The teachers felt that the students were sometimes stigmatized because of their learning difficulties, but despite this, they did separate tasks for the students who needed support. The most stressful things in the work of a geography teacher were lack of time, weak motivation of students, too large groups of students, behavioral problems of students and learning difficulties.
The White-tailed Deer and the Roe Deer are deer animals occurring in Finland. These two species are less studied than the Elk. There has been a trend of growing abundance of populations of these species and therefore there is a need to survey these species more elaborately than before. The reason for this is to accomplish a successfully targeted and sustainable management of their populations. The nature of this study is comparative and this has been conducted by examining socioecological impacts of the White-tailed Deer and the Roe Deer. There are two study areas in this thesis, one is the county of Southwest Finland and another one is South Ostrobothnia. The comparative setting of this study is focused on examination between aforementioned species and areas. Connections between these have been considered in the results of this study. In the context of this study the concept of socioecology signifies both human activity and ecosystems as well as environmental interactions in relation to those two deer species. These causal relations have been dealt with a holistic manner in this study. The level of analysis utilized in the study is based on the DWiSH-procedure, which is a scientific framework. There are seven various themes which belong to DWiSH-procedure. In the context of DWiSH, there are some level of responsibility and freedom to choose which methods to use. Selection of methods is partially based on the character of the study and partly based on own consideration of the author. In this study, there have been interviewed different stakeholders (nine in total). Interviews have been carried out remotely. On top of that, another method has been examination of newspapers. The interviewees have been acting either in the county of Southwest Finland or in the county of South Ostrobothnia. Newspaper contents have been collected from those two areas (one newspaper/one county). Furthermore, the forms of land cover in the study areas have been examined by means of the QGIS- software, whose material is in a form of geospatial data (Corine). The results of this study are emphasized on the analysis of socioecological impacts of the White-tailed Deer and the Roe Deer. The analysis have been performed within the seven themes that belong to the DWiSH-procedure. The themes are resource dynamics, costs and benefits, management, governance, knowledge, spatiality and legacies. The results have been compared between the areas and between the two deer species of this study.
As the climate crisis accelerates, there is a need for more extensive social debate and research on justice issues related to climate change and its effects. One dimension of climate justice is procedural justice, which illustrates the fairness of decision-making processes and the opportunity for citizens to participate. Participation is central and current issue in climate policies because climate change affects the lives of citizens in a wide and far-reaching way, and everyone has a constitutional right to participate in decision-making potentially affecting their lives and living environment. In addition, according to many studies, participation increases the acceptability of policies among citizens and thus the success of climate actions. In this master's thesis, citizens' participation in climate policy is examined in three different regions in Finland: Helsinki, Southwest Finland and North Ostrobothnia. The aim of the research is to discover in which ways the people living in these areas participate in the climate policy and what possible differences there are in the experiences of participation between different population groups. The research also examines who participates more and less actively and why some of the respondents have not participated in the climate policy at all. The data of the research is the survey data (n=1487) collected online in the summer of 2022 in the “Justice in climate change policy” project of the Finnish Climate Panel. The data is representative in terms of residential area type, gender and age. The survey was conducted to discover citizens’ views about justice in Finland’s climate policy in these three selected regions. The survey contained both close-ended and open-ended questions, and this study examines questions focused on procedural justice using quantitative and qualitative research methods. Most popular ways to participate in the climate policy were voting based on the candidate's climate position, answering a survey and signing a citizen's initiative or petition. There were regional differences in ways of participation between the study areas. Differences were also observed in the perceived adequacy of participation methods, the effectiveness of the participation and access to sufficient information about research areas, types of residential areas, age groups, education levels, knowledge of the climate policy and perceived livelihood. 39 percent of the respondents had not participated in the climate policy in any way. The main reasons for non-participation were lack of interest in climate issues and policies, ignorance of the climate policy and possible ways to participate in it and confidence in the participation being meaningless. Based on the results, participation in the climate policy is differentiated: there are differences in the degree of climate policy participation among various population groups and regions. Taking this variation into account is important in improving the participation in the climate policy.
The definition of a shoreline is the boundary between sea and land area. It provides important information on maps, and therefore defining an accurate shoreline location, is important. Studies of shoreline mapping have increased especially during the 2010’s. There are many different methods, and the use of remote sensing images has been popular in studies. The aim of this thesis is to examine the usage of satellite and aerial imagery for extracting shoreline in the Archipelago Sea. The study area is in the southern Archipelago Sea, and the land areas are rock islets. This thesis focuses on shoreline extraction for the purposes of nautical charts. The used datasets are Sentinel-2 imagery (10 m spatial resolution) and aerial imagery (0,5 m spatial resolution) by the National land survey of Finland (NLS). When mapping the shoreline, sea levels need to be taken into consideration. This affected the selection of Sentinel-2 image used. I chose water level data collected from the Föglö measuring station, located in Åland. I chose the Sentinel-2B image taken on the 23rd of April in 2020, when the mean water was measured at -9 millimeters. The three-band aerial image classification was done with random forest (RF) algorithm. The classification results were converted from raster to polygon, from which the shoreline was extracted. For the satellite data, a normalized water index (NDWI) was calculated, and the shoreline was extracted with the threshold value of 0. To examine general errors in the shoreline position, the results were compared to a manually digitized reference shoreline. Shorelines extracted from both aerial and satellite images were geometrically intact and the shoreline was formed for all the islets across the study area. The average distance to the reference shoreline was 8,25 meters in the aerial image results, with the maximum error of 47,56 meters. The equivalent distances for satellite image results were 20,42 meters and 98,09 meters. Both results were also compared to the shoreline used in the Finnish nautical charts, provided by NLS. The aerial image results were closer to NLS shoreline than the satellite image results. The shoreline provided by NLS was also compared to the reference shoreline, which showed that there are some deviant values in the NLS shoreline. The average error distance between the NLS shoreline and the reference shoreline was 5,75 meters, with deviant values up to 74,03 meters. The distance error was smaller between the NLS shoreline, and the reference shoreline, compared to the shorelines made in this thesis. However, the deviant values indicate that there are some errors in the location of the NLS shoreline. The results showed that the location of shorelines made by NLS is more accurate than the shorelines made in the thesis. However, the results made from aerial images could be used for locating and fixing the errors in the shorelines made by NLS. The results of satellite image classification could theoretically be used in small-scale nautical charts, but the precision of the shoreline is not good enough for large-scale nautical charts. The results of aerial classification could theoretically be used in nautical charts.
Suomessa matkailu on merkittävä työllistäjä, vientitoimiala ja elinkeino, jota kehitetään valtakunnallisesti Visit Finlandin johtaman matkailun suuraluejaon avulla sekä paikallisesti kuntien ja matkailualueiden omilla matkailun kehittämisen strategioilla. Varsinais-Suomen merkittävin matkailualue on Saaristomeri ja siellä tunnetut matkailukokonaisuudet; Saaristomeren kansallispuisto ja Saariston rengastiet. Alue muodostaa erityisesti kesäkuukausina (kesä-elokuu) toiminnallisen matkailualueen paikallisille, vapaa-ajan kävijöille sekä kotimaisille ja ulkomaalaisille matkailijoille. Samaan aikaan on todettu, että kaupunkien ulkopuolella tavoitteellisesti kasvatettavan matkailutoiminnan tulevaisuuden suurin haaste tulee olemaan väestön vanhenemisesta ja eläköitymisestä syntyvä työvoiman negatiivinen kehittyminen. Saaristomeren suurimpien saaristokuntien väestönkehitys on ollut negatiivista koko 2000-luvun ajan ja sen on ennustettu myös jatkavan laskuaan poismuuton, heikon syntyvyyden ja ikääntymisen myötä. Vähenevä työvoima pakottaa toimialan etsimään uusia tapoja hoitaa palveluiden tuottamisen jatkuvuus. Tämän tutkimuksen päätavoite on pohtia valikoidun matkailun kehitystä kuvaavan aineiston avulla, miten Saaristomeren matkailun kehittäminen tukisi alueen tavoitteita ympärivuotisesta elinkeinotarjonnasta ja asumisen turvaamisesta alueella. Tukena tässä hyödynnetään David Weaverin matkailukohteen kehitysmallia. Ensimmäinen tavoite on tarkastella, millaisia teemoja voidaan tunnistaa kansalaisten nimeämistä Saaristomeren matkailun kehitystoiveista ja nykytilaa käsittelevistä vastauksista. Näitä kansalaisten antamia vastauksia verrataan alueen Saaristokuntien matkailun kehittämisasiakirjojen sisältöihin. Toinen tavoite on tarkastella, minne kansalaiset haluaisivat Saaristomeren matkailun sekä asumisen tulevaisuudessa sijoittuvan ja minne eivät. Tavoitteena on tunnistaa alueelta sijainteja, jotka ovat otollisia sekä matkailutoiminnan että asumisen kehittämiselle. Kolmas tavoite on tunnistaa suunnitelmissa ja toiveissa esiintyviä ja ei-esiintyviä kehityssuuntia, joita seuraamalla matkailu kehittyy toivottuun kestävään lopputulokseen. Tutkimuksen tulokset osoittavat, että Saaristomeri on matkailijoiden silmissä kiinnostava ja potentiaalinen matkailualue, jonka ympäristön säilymisestä ja kantokyvystä ollaan huolestuneita kasvavan matkailun kustannuksella. Matkailu muodostaa jo nyt kesäkuukausina alueelle toimivan elinkeinon, mutta muuna aikana alueen hyödyntäminen matkailuun on vähäistä. Aineistosta nousee esiin vahva tahto niin kansalaisten kuin kuntien osalta laajentaa alueen matkailusesonkia kohdennetusti ja kestävästi. Matkailua ei kuitenkaan haluta laajentaa uusille alueille, vaan kehitys tulisi ohjata jo olemassa olevien matkailualueiden ja kohteiden kehittämiseen.
<b>Ihmistoiminnan ja ilmaston vaikutus boreaalisten vuosilustojen ominaisuuksiin ja säilymiseen</b> Suomalaisten järvien pohjakerrostumien avulla selvitettiin, miten järvet reagoivat ilmaston ja ihmistoiminnan muutoksiin. Ilmaston ja ihmistoiminnan vaikutusta tutkittiin pohjakerrostumien vuosilustorakenteiden muodostumisen, säilymisen ja ominaisuuksien avulla. Tutkimuksen kohteena olivat Lehmilammen, Vesijärven, Kallio-Kourujärven, Kanteleen, Kuninkaisenlammen ja Linnanlammen pohjakerrostumat. Järvistä kairattiin sekä pitkiä kairanäytteitä että jääsorminäytteitä, joista tehtiin lusto-, alkuaine-, ja piileväanalyysejä. Näytteet imeytettiin epoksiin lustojen ominaisuuksien kuten lustonpaksuuden ja lustojen mikrorakenteiden tutkimusta varten. Näitä ominaisuuksia tutkittiin stereomikroskoopin, petrografisen mikroskoopin ja röntgenkuvien avulla. Lehmilammen ja Vesijärven pohjakerrostumista tunnistettiin piilevät standardimenettelytavan mukaan. Vesijärven pohjakerrostumista mitattiin lisäksi alkuainepitoisuuksia μXRF:llä. Piileväsiirtofunktiota käytettiin piilevien avulla laskettavan kokonaisfosforin laskemiseksi. Lehmilammen lustojen säilyvyyden spatiotemporaaliseen vaihteluun vaikuttavia ilmastoparametrejä tutkittiin tilastollisien menetelmien avulla. Lisäksi Lehmilammen, Kallio-Kourujärven, Kanteleen, Kuninkaisenlammen ja Linnanlammen lustojen biogeenisen lustonosan paksuuden vastetta ilmastoparametrien muutoksiin tutkittiin tilastollisesti. Tulosten perusteella Lehmilammen lustojen säilyvyyden laajuus ja laajuutta vastaava hapettomien vesien tilavuus ovat vaihdelleet viimeisten 200 vuoden aikana. Laajuuteen on vaikuttanut erityisesti talven ja maaliskuun lämpötila, syksyn ja lokakuun sadanta, sekä marraskuun lämpötila ja lumipeitteen kesto. Lusto- ja piileväanalyysit viittaavat siihen, että Lehmilammen lustojen säilyvyyden laajuus on ennemminkin riippuvainen ilmastosta kuin ihmistoiminnasta. Vesijärvessä lustojen säilyminen alkoi ihmistoiminnan seurauksena Enonsaaren syvänteen syvimmässä osassa 1930-luvun lopussa, ja eteni tämän jälkeen syvänteen matalampiin osiin. Kunnostustoimenpiteiden vaikutuksesta lustojen säilyminen heikentyi ja lustojen ominaisuudet muuttuivat. Järven hapettamisella oli suurin yksittäinen vaikutus lustojen säilymiseen, sillä se johti lustojen säilymisen loppumiseen. Hapettimesta aiheutunut turbulenssi muutti hapettimen läheisyydessä sijainneet kerrostumisalueet transportaatio- tai eroosioalueiksi, jolloin lustonmuodostus loppui. Lehmilammen, Kallio-Kourujärven, Kanteleen, Kuninkaisenlammen ja Linnanlammen biogeenisen lustonosan paksuus on ollut riippuvainen ilmastoparametrien muutoksista viimeisten sadan vuoden aikana huolimatta valuma-alueella tapahtuneesta ihmistoiminnasta. Kasvukauden lämpötila ja jäättömän kauden sateisuus ohjaavat biogeenisen lustonosan paksuutta, mikä mahdollistaa biogeenisen lustonosan paksuuden käytön ilmastorekonstruktioissa.
In cold and temperate climates ice and ice covers are formed in rivers annually. These affect the wintertime flow conditions in riverbeds. As the ice cover breaks in spring, the freed ice floes can form ice jams and thus cause flooding. It is predicted that due to climate warming the annual existence of stable ice covers will shorten in duration. Not all rivers in Finland will necessarily form a stable ice cover, which leads to changes in the wintertime flow conditions. This study examines the mentioned wintertime flow conditions and the factors that affect them through the means of hydraulic modeling and time series analysis. It most notably focuses on analysing the ice cover and ice jam situations. The main object of this study is to investigate the effects these varying situations have on the flow conditions in the riverbed and the movement of the sediment. Furthermore, this study explores the ways in which the ice cover begins its movement, as well as the changes in weather from 1990 to 2020 that have affected those ways. The area of study is Uskelanjoki, to where ice control structures have been constructed in 2018 and 2019, and where a fish habitat restoration has been implemented. This study was conducted by utilizing bathymetric modeling via an Acoustic Doppler current profiler, and digital elevation modeling via terrestrial laser scanning.The underwater geometry of the bathymetric model and the surface geometry of the digital elevation model functioned as a base for the hydraulic model, which was used to model different 1-dimensional ice cover and ice jam situations in different discharges. The results were examined for changes in water elevation, flow velocity and boundary shear stress as well as the movement of the sediment in the modeled situations. Average values were used in the time series analysis, through which ice breakup types and changes in weather conditions could be investigated. The formation of the ice cover slowed down the flow velocity and decreased the boundary shear stress. These changes resulted in a reduced amount of moving sediment in the riverbed. On the contrary, underneath an ice jam the flow velocity fastened and the boundary shear stress increased, causing the amount of moving sediment in the riverbed to increase as well. The formation of the ice jam elevated the water level and led to flooding in the upstream. The changes in the flow conditions did not cause sediment movement in the area of the fish habitat restoration. In the investigation of the ice breakup types no specific type was found to be more common than the rest. The examination of weather conditions revealed a significant increase in the average temperatures during springtime, but no changes in precipitation were detected during the investigated time period.
The main purpose of this MSc thesis is to study the 3D geometry of secondary microfracture associated with faults by using grinding the tomography method. Information on the 3D geometry of microfractures can be used, for example, for predicting the hydraulic conductivity of rocks and for more accurate interpretation of generation mechanisms and kinematics of faults. A 3D model of a microfracture network of one oriented rock sample was constructed from data collected with grinding tomography methods. The interpretations made on the 3D model were compared with the field measurements and GIS fracture trace interpretations based on 2D orthophotography data collected with a drone and a digital SLR camera. The second purpose of this thesis was to compare these two scales of 2D fracture trace datasets and find out how the change of observation scale from meters to centimeters affects the 2D topology and orientation distribution of the fracture networks. The study area is located on the Island of Orrengrund, Loviisa, SW Finland. The fault studied in the thesis is a sinistral strike-slip fault with a vertical dip, and a N-S trend. In the grinding tomography method used in this thesis, a cylindrical 50*50*50 mm sample of rock is glued on a glass plate and grinded in slices with a 3D-grinder, so that after each slice the machine takes an image of the surface of the sample. When the images are combined by knowing the vertical position of each image, interpretations can be made on the observed fractures, and a 3D model can be constructed. In this thesis, a new GRN16 3D grinder of the University of Turku geology section was used. Grinding tomography images of the oriented rock sample were georeferenced on the orthophotos with QGIS software, so that the orientation data obtained from the 3D model of microfracture network was comparable with 2D fracture trace data and field measurements. The results of the thesis showed that the 3D model of microfracture network constructed using grinding tomography has almost perfect correlation with the orientation distribution and crosscut relationships of field measurements. The study also revealed that the new 3D grinder of the University of Turku geology Section solves numerous problems regarding the use of the grinding tomography method in geosciences. In addition, topological differences were observed between the two different-scale 2D fracture trace datasets, reflecting that the topological properties of the fault’s fracture systems could be scale-dependent.
The effects of climate change are already visible in many natural environments, including river environments. In the Arctic region, the change is up to four times faster compared to other regions. Arctic environments are unique and in a very vulnerable position as climate change progresses. Arctic rivers, located wholly or partly in the Arctic region and draining into the Arctic Ocean, are special, as their hydrological annual cycle is dominated by a long cold winter, frost, snow cover, river ice and a spring flood, which causes the most changes in river geometry throughout the year. The rise in average temperature caused by climate change threatens the existence of these climatic conditions. It has already been observed that the duration of snow cover and river ice has decreased during the previous decades. This study examines the changes in the discharge and flow conditions of the Tenojoki, which flows in northern Fennoscandia and drains into the Arctic Ocean, and its watershed from openly available discharge and weather data during the last climate period (1991–2020). Connections between discharge and climate change are evaluated based on the changes. The progress of climate change was observed in terms of changes in annual average temperatures, frost days, precipitation, rainy days, snow depth, and the number of snow-covered days. A modified Mann-Kendall trend test was performed for average temperatures, maximum and minimum temperatures, precipitation and snow depth to find out monotonic trends. The results were compared to the trends of Arctic climate change and the changes observed in Finland. Changes in discharge were observed from annual averages, annual maximum and minimum discharges, annual monthly averages, the weekly progress of the spring flood and the change in anomalies of the average discharge values of the flood weeks. All discharge observations and 30-year averages were tested with the Mann-Kendall trend test. There had been changes in the average temperature, precipitation and snow depth. Trend tests showed a slight increase in average, maximum and minimum temperatures. The climatic change in the area corresponds to the trend observed in other studies in terms of the change in average, maximum and minimum temperatures. In precipitation, there was no trend in the upper reaches and a growing trend in the lower reaches. A decreasing trend was observed in the snow depth. Regarding precipitation and snow depth, the results are partly contradictory. The annual discharge averages have connections to the weather averages, especially to the precipitation totals. An examination of the annual cycle shows the shift of the spring flood, the decrease in importance and the increase of autumn variability. The spring flood has moved forward by about two weeks during the review period. The increasing trend of discharges was observed at all other stations, except Veahhkava station. No trends were observed in annual flow averages, maximum or minimum discharges. The results of the study show that climate change trends can also be seen in the Tenojoki watershed. The study shows that the changes in discharge are probably connected to changes in precipitation and average temperature. The effects of climate change can be seen in arctic river environments in a 30-year climate period. Climate change will decisively change the flow conditions of arctic river environments, and for the future it is important to identify features and processes unique to arctic rivers, so that the progress and effects of climate change can be better assessed in the future.
Privacy is a multifaceted phenomenon and value. It has gained new significance in the smartphone culture into which the technological development of the past few decades has led. In this culture, nearly every individual has their personal, multi-purpose smart device constantly along them and connected to the internet. In this thesis, privacy was studied from the point of view of the experiences of young people in Finland and Canada. The aim was to investigate young people’s experiences and views on privacy both in general and as a part of smartphone-related contexts, using data gathered in Canada and Finland. Privacy was approached especially from contextuality and contextual integrity perspectives according to Helen Nissenbaum's concept. The data consisted of focus group interviews of 68 Canadian and Finnish participants aged 13 to 19. The qualitative data from the discussions include also references to preliminary quantitative Q-sorting and concept mapping tasks. The data from the focus groups were analysed qualitatively using theory-guided content analysis. Privacy was a recognised and significant value for most of the participants. They had multiple practices to manage it, even though the effectiveness of these practices was seen as limited. Participants defined privacy using approaches of 1. risks and safety or security, 2. feelings, and 3. consent and managing. Things that could impose a concrete risk or danger if they spread were considered particularly private, connecting to feelings such are fear, embarrassment, or discomfort. Consent was seen as important, and the ability to manage one’s own information brought positive experiences of trust and independence. Context groups of 1. school, 2. work and other duties, 3. home and leisure, 4. connections to commercial actors, and 5. connections to authorities were recognised. The smartphone-related privacy issues were often linked to physical reality via for example location data. The experiences and perceptions of Finnish and Canadian participants were close to each other, mirroring the relative universality of the smartphone culture. The experiences of young people growing up in the smartphone culture affect not only their choices as individuals but also their actions as citizens, contributing to the state of privacy and surveillance in future societies. Thus, it is important to study these experiences and support young people’s possibilities to make informed decisions. It should also be ensured that changes toward more digital societies with for example increased AI use will not happen without sufficient discussion about the possible effects on privacy and citizens’ rights.
In my geography master's thesis, I examine how various forms of social exclusion can manifest in urban space and impact the opportunities for mobility and leisure activities in Varissuo, Turku. Varissuo is a multicultural neighborhood located in eastern Turku. The focus of my research is on young people aged 13 to 29 who reside in Varissuo. The age range is based on the Youth Act (Youth Act 1285/2016), which governs the provision of services for young people, including sports and recreational services, provided by the city. As a theoretical framework for social exclusion, I draw upon the categorization introduced by social psychologist Kipling D. Williams (2007), which distinguishes three subtypes of social exclusion: ostracism, rejection, and social exclusion (Williams 2007: 427). In my analysis, I particularly focus on invisible and passive exclusion, namely ostracism. So far, there has been very little research on ostracism within the field of geography. In geography, it is natural to examine ostracism concerning everyday spaces, where the significance of external factors like an individual's social background, prevailing norms, and the characteristics of space becomes more evident. Spaces and places provide the context for everyday exclusion, shaping how exclusionary situations develop. In my thesis, I particularly rely on the theoretical framework of Henri Lefebvre when exploring the role of space. Based on the data and analysis in my thesis, three thematic areas emerged, which allowed me to address my research questions regarding what different forms of exclusion can look like, who is at risk of being excluded, and how a sense of belonging and inclusion can be promoted in the mobility and leisure activities of young people and young adults in Varissuo. My thesis reveals that Varissuo offers a wide range of diverse mobility opportunities, provided by the City of Turku and regional organizations. Especially in outdoor spaces, there are quite a few freely accessible options for physical activity. However, not everyone has equal opportunities to participate in hobbies or use existing sports facilities; some groups and individuals are excluded. There appear to be certain risk factors for exclusion in terms of using space and participate in hobbies, including gender, cultural differences, language proficiency, as well as economic and social challenges. Additionally, young adults emerge as a group that is often overlooked, leading to their experience of passive exclusion or ostracism.
The deglaciation of the Fennoscandian Ice Sheet 20 000–10 000 years ago, left numerous different superficial geological units on the ground, revealing information about the dynamics of the continental glacier. Scientifically, the most recent category of superficial geological unit is murtoo, which is a triangular landform formed by subglacial meltwater. Murtoos are characterized by high density of surface boulders, but more detailed study of the stoniness of the meltwater routes has not been made previously. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship and variation of the surface boulders and murtoos in Sääksjärvi, SW Finland. The data used were spatial data from about 4,000 boulders, which were collected in the terrain using GNSS. To delineate murtoos, a digital elevation model created from the laser scanning data was used. The methods were geomorphological mapping, overlay analysis and visual interpretation. A key finding of the study is that on the meltwater route, surface boulders are concentrated over murtoos and other positive terrain forms. The flat areas of the meltwater route, the ancient meltwater channels, and the fan-shaped hollows have relatively less boulders. The processes of glacial transport and subglacial environments explain the impact of topography to the positions of the boulders. Potentially, the bed of the continental glacier has fluctuated between melted and frozen, and when frozen, the boulders have been transported on positive terrain forms. The study presents a novel approach to the paleoglaciological study of surface boulders. It brings valuable additional information to understand the local glacial dynamics together with other methods.
Artificial intelligence enables many things, but alongside its potential, the risks associated with it and its development must also be considered. In recent years, as a result of the awareness of the ethical issues of AI, various ethical guidelines and frameworks have been developed at the international level, at the national level and among different stakeholders. However, ethical guidelines alone are not enough, there is also a need for AI developers who actively identify ethical issues in their work and apply ethical guidelines and principles in the development of AI. Ethical issues related to artificial intelligence may arise for example from the data, programming codes or from the operation and application of artificial intelligence. In this thesis, the ethical issues related to artificial intelligence were divided into data ethics, programming ethics and the ethics of utilizing AI. The aim of this is to examine the content and equivalence of ethical issues related to artificial intelligence at the administrative level and at the practical level in two technologically advanced but geographically and culturally different countries, Finland and Singapore. In this thesis the research questions are, what ethical issues and values related to AI are identified in the guidelines for ethical artificial intelligence in Finland and in Singapore, what ethical issues and values related to artificial intelligence are identified by artificial intelligence developers in Finland and in Singapore, and what are the similarities and differences in the ethical issues identified by the developers of AI and identified at the administrative level in Singapore and Finland. The data of this thesis consists of the interviews of 24 AI developers in Finland (n=12) and in Singapore (n=12). In addition, one administrative level key document including the ethical principles of AI in Finland and in Singapore will be analysed. The data was analysed using theory-based content analysis. The results of this study showed that there are no major differences in the ethical issues and principles of artificial intelligence between Finland and Singapore. In both countries similar ethical issues were identified in the ethical guidelines for AI and the developers of artificial intelligence in both countries also recognize these same issues and principles well in their own work. In other words, guidance on the ethical principles of artificial intelligence at the state level is identified and applied in the development of artificial intelligence. In both countries, most of the ethical issues raised in both the AI interviews and the ethical guidelines were related to the ethics of utilizing AI. Some ethical principles at the administrative level were only general values or virtues without concrete guiding principles for local application. This thesis recognizes the general international ethical principles of artificial intelligence, which, however, are always applied temporally and locally in the context of different cultures, norms and laws, and this application remains the responsibility of artificial intelligence developers.
Nest-site selection is a process driven by bird’s behaviour and it can have significant effects on reproductive success. Through evolution, organisms have developed an innate need to strive for the best possible fitness which can be defined as the ability to produce offspring capable of reproduction. It can be assumed that white-tailed eagles strive to find nesting sites that are as favourable as possible in terms of their own fitness. A nest site with favourable environmental conditions offers, for example, shelter, good opportunities for food acquisition and peace for nesting. The aim of the thesis is to examine whether environmental factors have had a perceptible effect on white-tailed eagles' nesting site selection in the southwestern part of Finland and the Åland Islands. White-tailed eagle nesting has been closely monitored in the study area for many decades, during which the population has recovered from the brink of extinction to a least concern (LC) level. The considerable increase in the population size between 1975 and 2021 allows examining the impacts of territorial competition in relation to nest site selection. The hypothesis of the thesis is that the white-tailed eagles have tried to choose optimal nesting locations but the intensified competition for territory during the review period has forced the white-tailed eagles to nest in areas with weaker environmental conditions. The relationship between environmental factors and the white-tailed eagle's nesting sites was analysed in the thesis using geospatial data methods from the viewpoints of both the nest points and the territory areas. Based on previous research data, the environmental factors that can be assumed to have an effect on the quality of the nesting environment, were chosen for the comparison. The examined environmental factors were, from the point of view of the territory, the proportions of water areas and shallow water areas, the transparency of water areas, the openness class of water areas, and the total length of the shoreline, and from the nest's point of view, the distances from the nearest beach, settlement, settlement cluster and road. In addition, nest sites were examined with land cover data. The results show that there have been change trends in the selection of the white-tailed eagle's nest site with regard to three environmental factors, which are the transparency of water areas, the distance of the nests from the shore and the distance of the nest from populated areas. Due to the increase in territorial competition, white-tailed eagles have moved to nest in parts of the research area where the water areas are cloudier, and the population centres are closer. White-tailed eagles have also built their nests closer to the shore. In addition, the analysis of the land cover categories shows that the proportion of coniferous forests as the nesting sites has decreased whereas the deciduous forests have become slightly more common nesting habitats. The results of the study bring to light the environmental factors that guide the choice of the white-tailed eagle's nest site, but to confirm the results, a similar study would also be needed from other areas.
Due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, comprehensive schools and other educational institutions in Finland were ordered to close in March 2020, and there was a shift from contact education to distance education. For two months, the students studied remotely instead of contact teaching, in which case teaching and guidance were arranged with alternative teaching and learning solutions. Unusual situation and the transition of all schools to distance learning at once required the education providers to adapt quickly. Digital learning environments and technology-assisted platforms and programs have mainly been used in face-to-face teaching alongside teaching, but in distance learning teaching is mainly carried out through information and communication technology. The transition to distance learning has required teachers and students to acquire skills and learn new ways of working digitally as part of learning. In my study, I looked at the experiences of middle school geography teachers about distance learning and teaching. My aim was to find out how geography teaching has been implemented remotely and what kind of challenges and positive experiences the teachers have had. I collected my research data with an online survey that was answered by 40 middle school geography and biology teachers. Content analysis, thematic analysis and quantification were used to analyze the research material. According to the results of this study, geography teachers used a variety of communication and collaboration services as well as applications in their teaching. Most teachers had a similar distance learning lesson structure, consisting first of a common real-time video call and then the student’s independent assignments. The interaction was maintained by teachers through video connections, personal contacts, programs’ chat and comment channels, and other communication systems. In distance learning, various teaching methods, learning environments and e-learning materials typical of the subject of geography were utilized in various ways. According to teachers' experiences, the prerequisite for distance learning is students' digital and autonomy skills. Positive experiences of distance education included work peace, a flexible work schedule, monitoring of individual learning and work, and the provision and differentiation of support, and the development of students' digital and self-directed skills. Individual students showed their skills in distance learning differently than in face-to-face teaching. Challenges experienced by teachers included creating interaction, monitoring actual learning and work, the ability to be self-directed, increased workload of teachers, and the functionality of IT-equipment.
The study uses geospatial time series analysis to investigate the possibility of utilizing satellite remote sensing to monitor air quality in Finland, and the suitability of satellite data collected with the OMI instrument for Finnish air quality research. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is studied as an indicator of air quality and the change in its concentrations during the study period, as well as the geospatial distribution in Finland and Europe, are examined. Satellite remote sensing enables to measure the values of air quality indicators also from areas where data are not available or where data cannot be measured locally. Nitrogen dioxide is still a cause of premature death in Europe, as well as respiratory and circulatory diseases. Research on air quality and nitrogen dioxide concentrations is needed to identify sources of nitrogen dioxide emissions and to identify high-risk exposure areas. The study produces a time series in map format that can be used to monitor the development and distribution of air quality for nitrogen dioxide in two target areas: Finland and Europe. To support the analysis of the air quality trend, trend maps of the change in nitrogen dioxide concentrations during the study period are created from the study areas. In addition, statistical indicators are calculated, and diagrams are used to monitor the distribution of nitrogen dioxide concentration observations. The study shows that nitrogen dioxide concentrations in Finland are quite low compared to the rest of Europe. The development of air quality in Finland largely corresponds to the development of Europe and roughly follows the population density at the provincial level. There is a clear dichotomy in the distribution and change of nitrogen dioxide concentrations on the north-south axis. During the study period, Finnish concentrations have increased slightly on average, but in recent years there has been a downward trend in concentrations in Finland.
Nopea kaupungistuminen Dar es Salaamissa on kasvattamassa siitä pian megakaupungin, mikä uhkaa kaupungin viheralueita laadullisesti ja määrällisesti. Urbaanit viherympäristöt tarjoavat ekosysteemipalveluita, jotka tukevat ihmisten arjen perustarpeita ja toimivat puskureina ilmastonmuutoksen tuomille muutoksille. Näihin haasteisiin vastaaminen vaatii kaupungeilta resilienssiä, mikä tähtää kokonaisvaltaisesti mahdollisimman vakaaseen tulevaisuuteen. Urbaaneista viherympäristöistä huolehtiminen ja niiden kehittäminen edistävät resilienssiä lukemattomin tavoin. Tässä tutkimuksessa Dar es Salaamin urbaaneja viherympäristöjä tarkasteltiin spatiaalisesti ja ekologisesti maisematasolla, sekä tutkittiin viiden ekosysteemipalvelun tuotantoa. Tutkitut ekosysteemipalvelut olivat tulvasuojelu, ruoan tuotanto, lämpöstressiltä suojautuminen, biodiversiteetti ja sosiaaliset & kulttuuriset hyödyt. Tutkimus perustui kaukokartoitusmenetelmien ja osallistavan paikkatiedon (PGIS) yhdistelmään. Korkearesoluutioisen optisen Planet satelliittikuvan ja normalisoidun kasvillisuusindeksin (NDVI) avulla tuotettiin paikkatietoaineisto kaupungin viheralueista, joita analysoitiin maisemaindeksien ja holistisen kuvatulkinnan avulla. Ekosysteemipalveluiden tuotantoa tutkittiin karttapohjaisella kyselyllä, jossa sovellettiin asiantuntijatietoon perustuva ekosysteemipalveluiden arviointimatriisia (ecosystem service assessment matrix). Ekosysteemipalveluiden arviointi analysoi ekosysteemipalveluiden tuotantoa viheraluepiirteiltään tunnusomaisilla maisema-alueilla. Tuloksista voidaan havaita, että Dar es Salaamin viherverkosto koostuu ainoastaan jokilaaksoista, ja moni alue on siitä erillään. Puutteellinen viherverkosto johtaa heikkoihin ekologisiin yhteyksiin ja siten heikentyneisiin mahdollisuuksiin ekosysteemipalveluiden tuotannolle. Viheralueita on erityisen vähän hyvin tiheään rakennetuilla asuinalueilla. Suurien kasvillisuuden peittämien alueiden merkitys ekosysteemipalveluiden tuotannolle oli selkeä, kun taas maisema-alueiden ruoan tuotannolliset mahdollisuudet arvioitiin huomattavan heikoksi, kun ajatellaan niiden tärkeyttä urbaanille resilienssille. Sosiaalisten & kulttuuristen hyötyjen tuotanto huomattiin tapahtuvan eri maisema-alueilla kuin ekosysteemipalvelut tyypillisesti. Tutkimuksessa käytetyt menetelmät havaittiin hyviksi aihioiksi resilienssiä edistävien aineistojen tuottamiselle, mutta parannuksia niihin tarvitaan. Dar es Salaamin viherympäristöjen kehittäminen vahvistaisi kaupungin ekosysteemipalveluja ja siten vähentäisi kaupunkilaisten haavoittuvuutta hitaiden sekä äkillisten muutosten edessä.
This thesis examines the state of knowledge society development in Greenland and the contribution of highly educated returnees to the development of the information society. To ensure sustainable economic development, several Arctic peripheries, including Greenland, are seeking to shift the focus of their economies from the exploitation of natural resources to a knowledge-based and innovation-based society. This thesis examines how the development of the knowledge society is taken into account in the strategies and reports published by the Home Rule Government of Greenland and the Municipality of Sermersooq, and analyzes the role of higher education professionals in their implementation. In addition, the self-governments measures to attract highly educated returnees will be examined, and the motives be hind migration of highly educated Greenlanders and their views on the development of the local information society will be analyzed. The material of the thesis consists of four strategies and reports published by the Home Rule Government of Greenland and the Municipality of Sermersooq, as well as interviews with ten highly educated returnees from Greenland and one local government official. The material is processed using both theory-based and data-driven content analysis. The results of the first section of the study show that, based on current economic structures, the development of the knowledge society in Greenland is still in early phase. The development of Greenlandic society towards a knowledge-based society starts with the improvement of basic conditions, such as the primary school system and infrastructure. Self-government takes action to promote the maintenance of domestic relations for young people studying abroad. According to the results of the second research section, the collective motive for the young Greenlanders interviewed to move elsewhere is the acquisition of education. The range of motives for return migration is wider, focusing on attraction factors. Highly educated returnees feel their contribution to the development of society is strong. The results highlight areas of information society development that have received less attention in the documents examined, such as the development of information and communication technologies and innovations. There may be a need for further research to strengthen these areas. Examining the motives and views of returnees broadens the understanding of Greenland's skills development
Inhabitants of rapidly growing cities in the Global South are vulnerable against risks in their everyday life, such as exposure to violence, diseases, major floods, and storms that leave behind casualties and damages in infrastructure and livelihoods. Vulnerability to disaster risks can be reduced with holistic and knowledge-based decision-making that aims for sustainable resilience building. Informed resilience building calls for accurate and up-to-date digital geospatial data about the existing infrastructure and its condition, population demographics, environmental features, and the risks and hazards themselves. However, such geospatial data is scarce in many parts of the Global South. To tackle the dearth of official geospatial data, community-based geospatial data processes have emerged. Since they are rather recent innovation in the Global South and they are conducted by variety of stakeholders from local community-led NGOs to official sources and huge international organisations, common agreements on safe professional conduct for such data processes are still non-existing. The objective of this thesis was to study the ethics and safety of recently emerged community-based geospatial data processes in the context of urban resilience building in the Global South. Main ethical and safety domains was identified via reviewing existing academic research literature. The findings were used as a basis for interviewing community-based geospatial data professionals with expertise working in the Global South. Aim of the interviews was to generate a proper understanding of the ethical and safety considerations in the research context, based on the knowledge and experiences of the interviewees. Finally, the collection of ethical and safety issues drawn from the interviews were compared to existing ethical guidelines for assessing their adequacy in guiding safe community-based geospatial data processes in the Global South. The results indicate that current academic literature does recognise number of ethical issues that might be encountered when engaging in community-based geospatial data processes in the Global South. However, it is evident that literature is needed from different ethics’ application fields to generate a sufficient collection of possible ethical and safety considerations, not just from the geospatial world. Interviewed experts had experienced similar ethical issues as listed based on academic literature. The main ethical considerations where everything else seems to culminate in are transparency, trust, and truthful delivery of impacts. The results showed that current ethical guidelines are not sufficient for community-based geospatial data processes taking place in the Global South but are rather quite ambiguous in nature and do not cover all relevant ethical domains. Both the academic literature and the interviewed experts called for commonly agreed ethical codes for professional conduct to ensure the safety of community-based geospatial data processes in the given context. However, the former calls for international guidelines that can be applied locally, and the latter would prefer national guidelines that would determine the best practices for e.g. compatible and high-quality data collection, open sharing, and ownership issues. National level guidelines would be able to consider also the ethical and safety problems deriving from the local context, and thus being more representative for the local stakeholders building resilience of their own surroundings than the international common guidelines.
This study examines regional placement of people who have completed master’s degree and doctoral education at the university at the province level (Nuts 3) and according to the main type of activity one year after graduation. The research analyses regional placement nationwide from every university’s main office excluding the National Defence University. University consortiums and branches of university main offices are not included in research due to the usability issues concerning the lack of data. The research includes graduate’s placement according to the type of activity as well as the field of study. The placement of graduates is compared regionally by university and by main type of activity. In addition, the regional placement of master’s degree and doctoral education graduates are compared and researched how they differ from each other. The research data is primarily from the free Vipunen database produced by the Finnish National Agency for Education and secondarily from the Statistics Finland StatFin database. The data is classified and limited to those who have completed master’s degree and doctoral education during the years 2016-2020. Statistical- and cartographic methods are used as research methods. The theoretical framework of the research is theories related to human capital and especially from the regional impact and regional mobility point of view. The research results show that those who have completed master’s degree and doctoral education in Finland are primarily located in the provinces with the largest population and the number of people with higher education which are Uusimaa, Pirkanmaa, Varsinais-Suomi and Pohjois-Pohjanmaa. The position of Uusimaa in the placement of graduates is superior even compared to other large provinces. There is no significant difference in placement according to the main type of activity based on the geographical location of the universities or the size of university. The differences are more based on the graduate’s field of study and language of the degree. The probability of graduates being employed is highest among those who have completed master’s degree in health and welfare, education and engineering, manufacturing, and construction. For those who have completed doctorate school, the probability of employment is highest among those who have completed degree in health and welfare and social sciences, journalism and information. Completing a degree at a Swedish-speaking university in Finland increases changes of being employed. Differences can be found between those who have completed master’s degree and doctoral education, especially in the terms of regional placement. Those who have completed doctoral education are more likely to stay in their own province of education or have settled abroad than those who have completed master’s degree.
Geography possesses the capability to integrate diverse disciplinary perspectives and equip students with the ability to develop powerful knowledge-based skills, which are increasingly crucial for addressing complex global challenges. Consequently, research on the study of powerful knowledge in geography focuses on examining how to cultivate students' capabilities to impact society. This study aims to research how tasks in geography textbooks for upper secondary education support the development of powerful knowledge in geography. Powerful knowledge in geography refers to students' competencies that enable them to influence society. Three geography textbook series for upper secondary education, developed based on the Finnish National Core Curriculum for Basic Education in 2014, were analyzed in this research. The tasks in the textbook series were categorized and further analyzed thematically and statistically. The findings suggest that tasks in upper secondary geography textbooks to some extent facilitate the development of students' powerful knowledge, but the tasks are not evenly distributed among the different types of powerful knowledge. Certain types of powerful knowledge in geography are emphasized more than others in the tasks. The tasks in geography textbooks broadly support the acquisition of general geographical facts and the understanding of geographical phenomena through cause-and-effect relationships. However, there are fewer tasks that develop students' competencies to comprehend the production of knowledge, impact society, and transform their worldview. While the tasks in the different textbook series are similar in the context of powerful knowledge in geography, some differences exist. The eOpin geography textbook series stands out from the others because there are relatively fewer tasks that address cause-and-effect relationships, compared to the Otava and Sanoma Pro geography textbook series. Conversely, the eOpin textbook series contains more tasks that promote the acquisition of basic geographical facts, while the Otava textbook series has more tasks that provide knowledge to understand the production of knowledge. The Sanoma Pro textbook series, on the other hand, contains the most tasks that increase students' competencies to influence society. Further research of powerful knowledge in geography at the upper secondary level is essential, as the topic has been under-researched. The accumulation of powerful knowledge in students alone does not cause a change in students' social influence, as change must stem from individuals' values, attitudes, and identities, whose relationship to powerful knowledge should be studied.
In 2015 EU experienced an unseen amount of asylum seekers. Those asylum seekers spread unevenly across the EU. Finland got 2,6% of the asylum seekers that came to Europe. It was the biggest amount of asylum seekers per year that Finland had ever experienced. The total amount of asylum seekers that came to Finland in 2015 was about 32 000. Besides that, there were also an unseen amount of the unaccompanied minors looking for asylum from Finland 2015. Altogether Finland received a little less than 3 000 asylum applications from unaccompanied minors in 2015. This study examines the decisions and the asylum process of those asylum seekers that came to Finland in 2015. More particularly this study concentrates on the unaccompanied minors that came to Finland in 2015. The data that was used in this study consisted of the information of all the asylum seekers that came to Finland in 2015. The data is from the Finnish migration service called Migri. The data has sensitive information about the asylum seekers, and it needed to be processed carefully and ethically. The methods that were used in this study were crosstabulation and logistic regression. Analyses were done using SPSS-statistics. Majority of the asylum seekers that came to Finland in 2015 were Iraqis. With unaccompanied minors the most common nationality was Afghan. This study showed that one of the crucial factors that effected on the received decision type was the time that the decision was made. Especially in the spring 2016 the amount of the negative decisions started to rise. With the unaccompanied minors, it was particularly important whether the applicant had reached the age of 18 before receiving the decision. The unaccompanied minors that had turned 18 by the time of the decision were more likely to get negative decision than the ones that were still under 18 at the time of receiving the decision. However, unaccompanied minors got refugee status less often than asylum seekers that applied asylum as adults.
Every person has a home range that can be modeled geospatially if the necessary data is available. Most commonly, this kind of data is a set of points that tells about an individual's movement, but in some cases only residence information can be used. Polygon boundaries modeling home ranges have been made using many different methods. The goal of this study was to produce comparative and evaluative information about the methods selected for the study. The methods chosen for the study were circular buffers, road network buffers, standard deviational ellipses, minimum convex polygons and customized minimum convex polygons. The study examined visually the home range polygons produced by the methods, evaluated the methods based on the evaluation criteria, and considered the applicability of the methods. The results of the Tampere citizens' well-being survey were used as data. As part of the survey, Tampere residents were asked to mark their favorite and least favorite places on the map. In addition, they were asked about the statistical area in which the respondent lived at the time of the survey. The map markings marked by the respondents and the home points formed from the statistical area data together formed a set of points with which a home range was created for an individual respondent using different methods. Some of the methods used only home point data, while other methods used the entire set of points. The created home range boundaries were first examined both visually and with the help of graphs depicting the surface distribution. Next the methods were evaluated using three evaluation criteria based on hypotheses. Finally, the limitations and possibilities of the methods were identified and the findings were compiled. The research resulted in general assessments of the methods' usability and suitability for different situations. If the research wanted to know about the size differences of individuals' home ranges, circular or road network buffers were not suitable for such situations. This was due to the fact that the methods in question did not take into account the different amount of movement of individuals. However, the methods in question were good if you wanted to look at the respondent’s immediate home surroundings, i.e. the areas in the immediate vicinity of the home. In the circular buffer method, simplicity and ease of use were considered as strengths, and the inclusion of inaccessible areas was considered a weakness. In the road network buffer method, the pruning of inaccessible areas was seen as a positive aspect, but the method's requirements for data and tools were seen as a negative aspect. The remaining three methods were well suited for comprehensive home range determination, but none of them performed their task perfectly. The problem with standard deviational ellipses and minimum convex polygons was that they easily swelled to enormous size due to individual points. In addition, the formation of really small home range boundaries was considered a problem. The reliability of the customized minimum convex polygons suffered due to the filtering out of distant points and the method was slightly more laborious than the standard deviational ellipse and minimum convex polygon method. Taking into account all areas, the method of customized minimum convex polygons appeared to be the most usable of all methods, but the difference in superiority was quite small and for each method, their weaknesses and strengths must be taken into account. This study produced a kind of comparison and evaluation on the subject, but there was left a lot of room for similar studies in the field of home range research.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the possibilities for weather routing optimization of coastal cargo vessels in the Baltic Sea. The study aimed to identify key challenges and opportunities faced by coastal cargo vessels in changing weather conditions, and to analyze the methods available for weather routing optimization. In addition, this study aims to evaluate the possible route alternatives on the passage between Bornholm and St. Petersburg and the efficiency of different options depending on the weather conditions. The study employed statistical modeling using data collected onboard MV Prima Queen and big weather data. The results of the study indicate that weather routing optimization of coastal cargo vessels is challenging due to the changing weather conditions in the Baltic Sea. Route planning is influenced not only by the weather, but also by the size of the vessel and the quantity of the cargo being transported. Creating a comprehensive model requires data from various weather and loading conditions. Using the methodology of this study, it is possible to create a sufficient model for estimating vessel speed in different weather conditions based on data that can be collected onboard in routine traffic. The results show a possible reduction in travel time and fuel consumption of up to 4.7 % when selecting a more sheltered route instead of the shortest one in specific conditions. The findings of this study can be used to assist in decision making onboard in similar vessels as the study subject. In addition, the methodology can be applied efficiently to other vessels.
This study examined how asylum seekers and refugees were represented on Turun Sanomat before and after the terror attack in Turku. The objective of the study was to find out how asylum seekers and refugees were represented on Turun Sanomat before and after the terror attack and how the terror attack affected the representations of asylum seekers and refugees. The research method in this study was content analysis. The newspaper articles that were examined were gathered from the beginning of February 2017 to the end of January 2018. The material was primarily studied qualitatively, but also quantitative analysis was used. All the newspaper articles on Turun Sanomat that dealt with asylum seekers or refugees were used as a material. The study shows that asylum seekers and refugees were momentarily on media agenda after the Turku terror attack. During about one and a half months after the terror attack, there were more articles on Turun Sanomat that included expressions about asylum seekers and refugees than before the terror attack. Negative expressions about asylum seekers and refugees increased immediately after the terror attack. However, most of the expressions were positive after a couple of weeks after the terror attack. The representations of asylum seekers and refugees on Turun Sanomat were diverse. There were many expressions where asylum seekers and refugees were represented stereotypically as problematic and unreliable, but there were also about the same amount of other kinds of representations. For example, there were many expressions that dealt with difficulties that asylum seekers and refugees have, like discrimination, unfair actions against asylum seekers and refugees and the dangers of the asylum journey.
With the development of artificial intelligence systems, debate about the human-centricity of AI has increased. Several states and scientific communities announce the development of human-centered artificial intelligence. However, in societal discourse, there are discernible differences in what is meant by the term. Human-centricity is an ambiguous concept. This Master's thesis aims to open up the multidimensional concept of human-centric AI and explores the meanings of the concept in the national AI strategies of Finland, Denmark, Japan and Singapore. The thesis draws on critical theory as well as the tradition of value sensitive design, whose mission is to bring unconscious structures, values and attitudes to review. Based on the scientific literature, the thesis identifies 7 major themes of human-centered AI and examines their prevalence and distribution in states' AI strategies. As the thesis progresses, the meanings of themes and the relationship between humans and AI in AI strategies will be examined through the means of content analysis. From the results we note that the themes studied are variously identifiable from the strategies. However, differences in emphasis between strategies are noticeable. In addition, all strategies outline their own attitude towards the relationship between human and AI. Based on the results, it is concluded that national AI strategies embody themes of human-centered AI and the relationship between humans and AI from different starting points, thus reflecting the varying value bases of states. The findings of the thesis contribute to research on the value base of artificial intelligence. The results can subsequently be used in further studies as well as in social debate.
Indium is a critical metal for the world’s electronic industry due to its use in flat panel devices such as liquid crystal displays, plasma display panels and OLED displays. Thus, indium is used in televisions, mobile phones, laptops and notebooks. The current supply and demand has led to an increased interest for indium exploration globally. This thesis describes features of two different rapakivi-related In-rich mineralisations in southeastern Fennoscandia; polymetallic veins in Sarvlaxviken, Lovisa, southeastern Finland and skarn ore in Pitkäranta, Ladoga-Karelia, westernmost Russia. The polymetallic veins in Sarvlaxviken occur in two rapakivi granite varieties and can be divided into five metal associations: Li-As-W-Zn-Mn, Pb-Zn and Cu-As-In in wiborgite bedrock and As-Sn-Cu and Mo-Bi-Be in even-grained granite. These veins form complex systems, with multiple vein generations. The first three associations are strongly controlled by NNW-trending structures and evolved in two main stages (generation 1 and 2). The two latter associations exist in alteration zones of the Marviken granite but have only been observed in glacier transported boulders and thus, the timing of these are uncertain (generation x). The fluid inclusion data indicate that the depositional conditions of the wiborgite hosted veins were almost identical in all generations. The chlorine and sulphur contents in the fluids affected the formation of metals. The F-rich ore forming fluids emanated most likely from the Marviken granite. The skarn ore in the historic mining district of Pitkäranta is composed of four end member ore types, dominated by the metals Fe, Cu, Sn and Zn. However, several ore types exist in one and the same mine with gradational borders between each ore type, most likely reflecting variations in the depositional conditions. Some metals are, however, more common in certain areas and associated with certain trace elements, e.g. Ag, Bi, In and Li. Indium is in both study areas commonly associated with Zn –rich ores with sphalerite as the main carrier. Yet, the indium mineral roquesite has been observed in both study areas. The presence of indium minerals can be predicted by calculating the ppm In / % Zn ratios. If the ppm In / % Zn ratio exceeds 50, it is likely that the sample contains indium minerals. Over 2000 till samples were collected at 100-m or 20-m intervals for geochemical investigations in the Sarvlaxviken area. Numerous anomalous samples indicate several metal sources. The clear connection between anomalies and the already discovered polymetallic veins were not detected. These anomalies strongly suggest undiscovered veins under the soil cover. This thesis provides important information about rapakivi-related In-rich mineralisations in the Fennoscandian Shield. It includes mineralogical, geochemical and fluid inclusion studies, as well as detailed mapping of the bedrock and the till anomaly patterns, and thus provides a tool for exploration of metals in the rapakivi areas.
Perusopetuksen opetussuunnitelman mukaan yläkoulun maantiedon opetukseen tulee sisältyä maailman paikannimistön oppimista sekä ajankohtaisten uutisten seuraamista. Nämä tiedot ja taidot edesauttavat osaltaan vaikuttamistaitoisten, kestävään kehitykseen sitoutuvien kansalaisten kasvattamisessa. Uutisten seuraamisen on tutkimuksissa todettu vaikuttavan positiivisestipaikannimistön osaamiseen. Onkin kiinnostavaa ja relevanttia tutkia, mitenyläkoululaiset seuraavat uutisia, millainen on heidän paikannimistön osaamisen taso sekä mitennämä ovat yhteydessä toisiinsa. Tutkimuksenaineisto kerättiin oppilaiden uutiskäyttäytymistä selvittävällä taustatietolomakkeella ja paikannimistön osaamista mittaavalla karttatehtävälläsekä valtion ja siihen liittyvän kuvauksen yhdistämistehtävällä.Kerätty aineisto analysoitiin kvantitatiivisesti. Vastanneista kahdeksasluokkalaisistalähes 70 % kertoi seuraavansa uutisia vähintään 1 2 päivänä viikossa. Päivittäin uutisia luki neljännes pojista ja noin 9 % tytöistä. Selkeästi tärkein uutislähde nuorille oli internet. Tutkimuksen kymmenestä valtiosta kartalle parhaiten osattiin sijoittaa Espanjaja heikoiten hallittiin Zimbabwen sijainti. Valtion ja siihen liittyvän luonnehdinnan yhdistämistehtävässä parhaiten osattiin karttatehtävästä poiketen Syyria ja Meksiko. Myös tässä tehtävässä Zimbabwe yhdessä Indonesian kanssa oli oppilaille haastavin. Tutkimuksessa ei todettu uutisten lukutiheyden vaikuttavan paikannimistön osaamiseen, mutta tehtävien välillä oli yhteisvaihtelua.Voidaan todeta, että oppilaiden maailmankuva on jokseenkin vääristynyt ja osa maapallon alueista tunnetaan muita paremmin. Oppilaita tulisi kannustaa uutisten monipuoliseen seuraamiseen niin aiheiden kuin lähteiden osalta.Tutkimuksen tuloksia voidaan hyödyntää apuna maantiedon opetuksen suunnittelussa ja oppilaiden maantieteellisen maailmankuvan kehittymisen tukemisessa.
BHLS in imagination and practice - a public transport system as a framework for urban development One of the most important areas of a sustainable community is the spatial structure of it. Transport and public transport systems play an essential role in shaping and forming it. However, different transport systems have different characteristics and therefore have different influence on the urban structure and the surrounding public space. With Bus Rapid Transit and Buses with a High Level of Service it is aimed to achieve rail-like quality transit with rubber tire vehicles. However, there are large variations in BRT systems and each requires case-by-case analysis. The aim of this study was to examine BHLS systems and their impacts in five different urban areas in Europe, and to explore the potential of a BHLS system to function as a frame for sustainable urban structure and urban development. This study also examines what sort of images people have regarding BHLS-like systems. The material was collected using a questionnaire addressed to the representatives of selected European cities and a survey for the residents in the Turku region. Data received from these surveys was supported by the information gained from the Turku Tram Workshop on 18 April 2017 and by field observation. Based on the results of this study, images regarding a BHLS-like system are set between ordinary buses and trams across all parameters. On the other hand, based on the answers from the European cities in this study, Buses with a High Level of Service, if comprehensively implemented, can achieve modern tramway level of quality and as such promote sustainable urban structure and cityscape in comparable ways.
Eutrophication degrades the quality of freshwaters and hinders their utilisation. Much of the nutrients causing eutrophication are introduced to water bodies in runoff from agricultural and residential areas. The degradation of freshwaters causes notable costs for societies. Pond–wetland treatment systems are one of the means used in water protection to purify runoff from these areas. In the Finnish climate their retention performance relies heavily on sedimentation of total suspended solids (TSS) and attached nutrients. The goal of this thesis is to improve knowledge on how geometry and flow conditions of ponds and wetlands affect their ability to retain TSS load. The advantage of this thesis com-pared to previous studies is the utilisation of accurate, measurement-based modelling of pond and wetland topography. This study compares two pond–wetland treatment systems in SW Finland. Dry topography was mapped with terrestrial laser scanning and bathymetry of the treatment systems was mapped with the use of integrated sonar of an ADCP platform and VRS-RTK-GNSS. Combined DEMs were used as input data in 2D and quasi-3D flow modelling that simu-lated flow during seasonal peak discharges. Flow in and out of the treatment systems was measured with water pressure sensors from April to December in 2017. Water quality data was derived from continuous turbidity sensor data that was calibrated and converted to TSS content with water samples analysed in laboratory. The combination of different data was utilised to analyse connections between water quality and discharge, the changes in the treatment systems’ water area and volume and finally the effects of flow patterns on TSS sedimentation and resuspension. Results show that single factors thought to influence the treatment process do not ade-quately indicate the way a treatment system functions. Water residence time seems to be an important factor for water purification but good hydraulic efficiency does not necessarily lead to retention of suspended solids. Flow patterns should be taken into account in planning. In pond–wetland treatment systems flow characteristics and geometry of the downstream wetland in particular seem to be of importance to retention performance. Operation of ponds and wetlands should be monitored throughout the year with high frequency data on discharge together with nutrient and TSS loads.
Societal impact as a phenomenon is closely connected to scientific practices, thus its expressions have been part of science for a long while. However, as a concept and as an object of assessment societal impact of research has become common during the 21st century due to emphasis’ in science policy and changes in research funding. This master’s thesis focuses on statements concerning societal impact of research in funded grant proposal research plans. Societal impact of research is defined, in the context of the thesis, as contributions that research processes and outputs make to society. Impact is understood as effects formed by flows of knowledge that emerge and manifest in interactions and artefacts related to social practices. The approach is based in practice theory which emphasises the diverse, contingent, and connected nature of social phenomena and entails that the analysed research plans are created, maintained, and changed in interconnected practices of research, research funding and science policy. The research data consists of all grant proposal research plans from the years 2006 and 2017 funded by the Academy of Finland’s Research Council for Culture and Society. The research plans are from Academy Projects, Academy Research Fellow projects, and postdoctoral research projects. The research plans are analysed using deductive content analysis and quantification to examine (dis)similarities, variations and patterns in the statements concerning societal impact. Observations are categorized as practices and targets of societal impact. Practices are further categorized into two impact dimensions which each contain two dimension specific impact forms. Targets of societal impact are categorized separately to general and occupation related categories. The results indicate that plans to promote knowledge flows are typical and varied among social scientists that are present in the data. Knowledge flows are slightly more likely to be planed through interaction than artefacts. The most typical interaction related practices were observed in the form of information dissemination, discussions, education, and training. As for practices related to artefacts the most typical ones concerned the form of media artefacts meaning primarily the production of popular, occupational, and open access publications. Practices were most often directed towards public sector and second most often towards private sector. No systematic differences were observed between different project types. The years 2006 and 2017, on the other hand, differed among each category used to examine societal impact. On average the prevalence and length of statements concerning societal impact increase as well as frequency and variety of practices, targets, forms, and dimensions of societal impact. The results represent similarities, varieties and systematic changes in grant proposal writing practices. They are also interpreted to indicate impact statements typical to social scientists as well as changes in research plan contents that seem to correspond with the 20th century impact agenda of science policy.
Metsäkato ja metsien pirstoutuminen uhkaavat Tansanian eteläisten ylänköalueiden miombo-savanneja. Miombo-savannit muodostavat yhden maailman tärkeimmistä erämaa-alueista, tarjoten toimeentulon yli 150 miljoonalle ihmiselle, jotka ovat tavalla tai toisella riippuvaisia alueen ekosysteemipalveluista. Metsäkatoprosessien seuranta satelliittikuvien avulla mahdollistaa tapahtuvien muutosten ja paineiden tunnistamisen, mikä on elintärkeää alueen kestävälle hallinnalle. Tässä opinnäytetyössä metsien häviämisen dynamiikkaa analysoidaan LandTrendr (Landsat-based detection of Trends in Disturbance and Recovery) aikasarja-algoritmin avulla. Algoritmi hyödyntää spektraalisen kulkuradan ajallista segmentointia erottaakseen muutostiedot satelliittikuvien pikselikohtaisista aikasarjoista. Tutkimus kohdistuu miombo-metsäalueisiin Tansanian eteläisillä ylänköalueilla sijaitsevan Mantadi-kylän ympärillä. LandTrendr-algoritmin kykyä havaita muutoksia miombo-savanneilla arvioidaan kolmen spektraalisen indeksin avulla. Lopulta indeksien tulokset yhdistetään, jotta metsäkadon laajuutta ja alueellista jakautumista tutkimusalueella voitaisiin tutkia entistä tarkemmin. Tulokset osoittavat, että LandTrendr havaitsee metsissä tapahtuneet muutokset merkittävän hyvin kaikilla kolmella indeksillä. Perusteellisemmassa muutoksen voimakkuuden tarkastelussa havaitaan selviä eroja eri indeksien välillä, etenkin hienovaraisempien muutosten tunnistamisessa. Yksittäisistä indekseistä NBR (The Normalized Burn Ratio) osoittautui kaikkein vakaimmaksi miombo-savanneilla tapahtuvien muutosten tunnistamisessa. Kolmen spektraalisen indeksin tulosten yhdistäminen lisäsi kartoitustarkkuutta 10 %. Tulokset osoittavat, että 26,5 % tutkimusalueen metsistä on hävinnyt tai heikentynyt voimakkaasti ja 29,5 % on kokenut pieniä tai kohtalaisia häiriöitä vuosien 1987-2018 välillä. Tutkielma osoittaa, että LandTrendr algoritmin avulla metsäkatoa voidaan kartoittaa tehokkaasti Miombo-metsäympäristöissä pitkällä aikavälillä.
Many refugees have entered Finland without their families in recent years. Due to Finnish family reunification policies many of them face many years of separation from family members and go through a juridical process that doesn’t even necessarily lead to the family reunification. However, there are many ways to sustain family relationships even though family members live far away from each other. In the light of transnational family research it can be seen how families build shared everyday life and show care to each other through communication, emotional bonds and caretaking. In a refugee context sustaining family relations faces many challenges. Unlike in other transnational families, refugee families’ members usually live in dangerous or otherwise hard conditions. Also, the mental problems, challenges of set-tling down and worrying for family members of the refugee living in Finland affect the whole family. Sibling relationships within the refugee family are unique in many ways compared to other family relations. Even though the same topics of caretaking, emotional bonds and communication are part of the sibling relationships too, they get special traits depending on siblings’ age, dynamics within the family, sense of responsibility and connectedness. The research material consists of 19 (N=19) interviews with refugees living in Finland apart from their family members. The interviews were analyzed with content analysis. The outcomes of the research are that separation from siblings causes challenges for mental health, economy and building of personal life of the refugee. However, another finding is that siblings are not experienced very significant to beforementioned areas by all refugees. The findings show that refugees living in Finland take very different roles with their siblings. Some take responsibility for the whole family, especially the underage siblings, to some siblings are like friends and again some experience their siblings as distant figures. These findings are related to siblings’ age differences, gender, dynamics within the family, living conditions of different family members, everyday life and just the uniqueness of all sibling relationships. In the light of these findings it can be concluded that in family reunification processes sibling relationships should be treated more individually taking under consideration the many roles and phases siblings have in their relationships.
Julkisen sektorin paine tehokkaampaan suunnitteluun on johtanut strategisen suunnittelun yleistymiseen. Myös toimijoiden määrä on kasvanut ja moninaistunut kaupunkisuunnittelussa. Yksityinen sektori on aktiivisemmin suunnittelussa mukana, koska kaupungit pyrkivät tavoittelemaan talouskasvua edistämällä markkinoiden toimintaa. Strategisessa suunnittelussa on tavanomaisesti kehystetty alueen kehityksen suuntaa, minkä vuoksi myös kansalaisilla tulisi olla mahdollisuus vaikuttaa suunnitteluun. Tässä tutkimuksessa tarkastellaan, millaisia mahdollisuuksia yksityisellä sektorilla ja kansalaisilla on vaikuttaa strategisen maankäytön hankkeeseen. Tutkimus antaa käsityksen siitä, kuinka yksityisen ja julkisen sektorin kumppanuus sekä kansalaisten osallisuus yhdistyvät strategisen maankäytön hankkeessa. Tapaustutkimuksen kohteena on Turun Tiedepuisto -kärkihanke, jossa Kupittaa-Itäharjun alueelle on muodostettu julkisen ja yksityisen sektorin yhteistyönä visio tulevaisuuden kehityksestä. Tutkimuksen aineisto koostuu viidestä haastattelusta, jotka suunnattiin Tiedepuiston tulevaisuuskuvan muodostamisessa mukana olleille toimijoille. Haastatteluja täydennettiin alueeseen liittyvillä selvityksillä ja dokumenteilla. Aineisto analysoitiin teoriaohjaavalla sisällönanalyysilla. Tutkimustulokset osoittivat, että yksityisen sektorin toimijoilla ja kansalaisilla on ollut erilaiset mahdollisuudet osallistua Turun Tiedepuiston hankkeeseen. Hankkeen tavoitteena on ollut kilpailukyvyn lisääminen, minkä vuoksi yksityisen sektorin rooli hankkeessa on ollut suuri. Lisäksi alueen brändi on vahvasti yrityspainotteinen. Yksityinen sektori on ollut neuvotteluissa mukana julkisen sektorin kanssa määrittelemässä suunnittelun sisältöjä ja vastavuoroisesti yksityisen sektorin toimijoilta odotetaan myös sitoutuneisuutta suunnitelman toteutuksessa. Kansalaisten osallistaminen on nähty haasteelliseksi, koska Tiedepuiston alueella asukkaita ei vielä ole. Kansalaisten osallistumismahdollisuudet koostuivat tilaisuuksista, joissa kansalaisille on kerrottu hankkeesta, minkä lisäksi kansalaisia on kuultu työpajojen merkeissä.
Urbanization will increase in the future causing pressure for sustainable urban planning. Various diverse factors of change, for example climate change and population growth, will affect the futures of cities in uncertain ways. For that reason, futures studies should be utilized while exploring the future. The aim of futures studies is not to predict future but to produce uncertain knowledge of possible futures. Futures studies’ objective is to find out what events might occur in the future and which actions should be taken at which time, for the future to occur as intended or desired. Currently the utilization of futures knowledge in urban planning is insufficient. Futures workshop is a participatory method of futures studies. Futures workshop can be used as a method to gather experts and stakeholders together. The aim is, that an interactive futures workshop is an event bundle for knowledge creation. New insight about the future of urbanization can be created by combining know-how and impressions of the participants. The aim of this thesis is to study the creation and utilization of futures knowledge in urban planning. As a case study, URMI- and BEMINE-projects’ futures workshop about Finland’s urbanization is studied by using two methods, observation and interviewing experts of cities and municipalities that participated in the futures workshop. The interviews were analyzed by using data orientated content analysis. Observations conducted in the futures workshop were used to support the interview analysis. The findings of this thesis can be divided into three sections. Firstly, the results showed that there appeared to be more challenges than strengths in the futures workshop method. Most of the challenges appeared in the practical arrangements of the workshops, so improving these noted lacks should be easy. Some of the challenges were similar to those that came up from literature as usual challenges of futures workshops. Secondly, new futures knowledge about the urbanization’s futures was created in three stages with different intensity through different types of knowledge creation. The workshop itself was the most important stage of knowledge creation. Thirdly, knowledge produced in the workshop was hardly utilized in the organizations of cities and municipalities. There was interest to utilize knowledge but since the overall view of the workshop remained unclear, experts had no clear knowledge to share and use. This thesis gives additional value about the knowledge creation process in the futures workshop as a method. It especially indicates factors of futures workshops, which if taken into notice, can result in more easily accessed, shared and utilized knowledge in the organizations of participants.
In recent decades, the participatory planning theory has resulted in making participation a part of land use planning. In Finland, participation was included in the law when the Land Use and Building Act came into force in 2000. The regional plan guides more detailed planning, and regional planning is primarily done for the long term. Participatory planning is thought to improve the environmental quality of decisions, and it also prevents potential interest-related conflicts regarding land use in the future. The purpose of this study was to examine the participants' experiences of their participation in the regional planning for natural values and natural resources in Southwest Finland. Participants of this regional planning process are the residents of the region and other stakeholders who will be affected by the upcoming plan. The study examined the experiences of the participants, and why some of those invited to the Southwest Finland Natural Resources Forums organized by the regional council of Southwest Finland did not take advantage of their opportunity to participate. The focus was also on how participants felt they could influence the planning outcome by participating in the planning process, and how they would develop the interactivity of the planning processes. The study interviewed persons who participated in Natural Resources Forums, and those who were invited to these forums but didn’t participate. The subject of the research was the subjective experiences of the participants, and a phenomenological research method was utilized to study them. According to the results, the Natural Resources Forums were perceived to be successful due to the way they were organized, which encouraged people towards interaction. Interviewees wished more residents of the province would have participated in the forums. The reasons for the non-participation of those invited to the forums were schedule conflicts and the experience that the regional planning is too broad to allow them to promote their interests. Most of the interviewees felt that they had the opportunity to influence the regional planning outcome. Based on the results, it can be stated that interactive participation events are perceived as a successful form of participation, especially due to the opportunities for discussion, and they create hope for the effectiveness of participation. From the point of view of residents and local NGOs, regional planning is perceived as quite distant and the way it touches one's own personal life is unclear. Participation is perceived to require expertise in regional planning and planning topics.
<b>Sedimentin kulkeutuminen kylmän alueen virtavesissä – virtaus-sedimenttidynamiikan monitorointi</b> Tämä väitöskirja käsittelee sedimenttivuota kylmän ilmaston virtavesissä. Sedimenttivuohon vaikuttavat uomaverkoston paikalliset tekijät, kuten jokiuoman morfologia sekä rannikoiden jääpeite. Paikallisten tekijöiden vaikutusta sedimenttivuohon on tutkittu kuitenkin verrattain vähän vuodenaikojen mukaan vaihtelevissa virtavesissä. Tutkimalla virtausdynamiikan ja sedimentin vuorovaikutusta uomaverkoston eri osissa, saadaan tietoa sedimenttivuohon vaikuttavista tekijöistä. Tämän väitöskirjan tavoitteena on selvittää sedimentin kulkeutumisen vuodenaikaisvaihtelua ja siihen vaikuttavia tekijöitä. Tutkimuksen pääpaino on virtausdynamiikan ja sedimentin välisessä vuorovaikutuksessa. Tutkimus toteutetaan yhdistelemällä perinteisiä kenttämittauksia, lähikaukokartoitusta sekä virtausmittauksia ja – mallinnuksia. Tutkimuksessa hyödynnetään monipuolisesti erilaisia mittaus- ja mallinnusmenetelmiä. Oletuksena on, että tutkimusmenetelmien monipuolinen yhdistäminen tuottaa tarkempaa tietoa suhteessa yksittäisiin menetelmiin. Ensimmäisessä osatutkimuksessa vertaillaan erilaisten syvyysmallinnustekniikoiden soveltuvuutta matalan kirkasvetisen joen kartoittamiseen. Toinen osatutkimus keskittyy jokiuoman muutostulkintaan ja muutoksen mittaamiseen lähikaukokartoitustekniikoilla. Jokiuoman muutosta tarkastellaan suhteessa mitattuihin virtausnopeuksiin. Kolmas osatutkimus keskittyy sedimenttipitoisen jokipluumin esiintymiseen erilaisissa rannikko-olosuhteissa. Viimeisessä osatutkimuksessa vertaillaan kahden syyskevätkauden (kylmä ja leuto) välisiä sedimentaatioeroja rannikolla hyödyntäen sedimenttikeräimiä ja virtausmallinnusta. Väitöstutkimus toteutettiin subarktisen ja boreaalisen ilmaston virtavesiympäristöissä: Lapissa sijaitsevalla Pulmankijoella ja Saaristomerellä sijaitsevalla Halikonlahdella. Tulokset osoittavat sedimentin kulkeutumisen olevan jaksottaista. Kulkeutuminen on suurimmillaan voimakkaiden virtausolosuhteiden aikana, joita aiheuttavat esimerkiksi korkeat jokivirtaamat sekä voimakkaat tuuliolosuhteet ja nopeat vedenpinnan korkeusvaihtelut rannikolla. Heikkojen virtausolosuhteiden aikana sedimentin kulkeutuminen on maltillista ja sedimentti pääosin kasaantuu. Kulkeutumiseen vaikuttavat sekä paikalliset että alueelliset tekijät. Alueelliset tekijät, kuten jokivirtaaman vaihtelu, merenpinnan korkeusvaihtelut ja tuuliolosuhteet ohjaavat sedimentin kulkeutumista voimakkaimmin, mutta myös paikalliset tekijät, kuten uoman muodot, rannikon jääpeite sekä meriveden kerrostuneisuus vaikuttavat kulkeutumiseen. Yhdistelemällä useita tutkimusmenetelmiä pystytään selvittää virtauksen ja sedimentin kulkeutumiseen vaikuttavia syy-seuraussuhteita. Esimerkiksi mitattujen ja mallinnettujen virtausolosuhteiden avulla on mahdollista selittää jokiuoman geomorfologisten yksiköiden muutoksia ja rannikon sedimentaatiota. Myös jokiuoman korkeusmallien luomiseen tarvitaan usean lähikaukokartoitustekniikan yhdistämistä. Korkeusmallien välisten erojen avulla voidaan arvioida sedimenttikulkeumaa jokiuomassa. Väitöskirjatutkimuksen perusteella ilmastonmuutoksesta aiheutuva ilmakehän lämpeneminen ja virtaamaolosuhteiden muutos vaikuttavat todennäköisesti sedimentin kulkeutumiseen kylmän alueen virtavesissä. Kevättulvien keston ja voimakkuuksien heikkenemisen sekä syys-talvivirtaamien nousun seurauksena sedimentin kulkeutuminen heikkenee kevättulvien aikana ja lisääntyy muina aikoina. Heikentyvien kevättulvien aikana myös virtausnopeudet todennäköisesti alanevat. Virtausnopeuksien heikkeneminen vaikuttanee myös jokiuoma muotoon sekä sedimenttipitoisen jokipluumin käyttäytymiseen rannikoilla. Tuloksien mukaan rannikkoalueiden sedimentaatio oletettavasti kasvaa ilmastonmuutoksesta aiheutuvan jäätalvien lyhenemisen, vesisateiden yleistymisen ja lumipeitteen vähenemisen seurauksena. Väitöskirjan tuloksia voidaan yleistää kylmien alueiden virtavesiympäristöihin, joille on tunnusomaista vuosittainen kevättulva. Tulokset tarjoavat myös taustatietoa vesielinympäristöjen mallintamista varten, jokien kunnostustoimenpiteisiin, sedimenttikulkeuman arviointiin ja ravinnekuormituksien mallintamiseen.
----- Arabian niemimaan geologiset tutkimukset alkoivat 1930-luvulla. 30 vuotta myöhemmin tutkimukset kattoivat koko 3.5 miljoonan neliökilometrin suuruisen alueen sekä olivat luoneet pohjan Arabian niemimaan stratigrafiselle terminologialle. Sen jälkeen monetkaan asiat muodostumien iän ja nimeämisen suhteen eivät ole muuttuneet, koska uudempien tutkimustulosten julkaisijat ovat pitäneet aiempien töiden tuloksia pitkälti itsestäänselvyytenä. Tässä opinnäytetyössä esitetään ja läpikäydään Kuwaitin ja Bahrainin alueella paljastuneiden kivilajiyksiköiden sedimentologisia ominaispiirteitä, ja työn tavoitteena on laatia näiden yksiköiden perusteella kerrostumismalli, niin kutsuttu fasiesmalli, joka selittää niiden monimutkaisen ilmenemisen nykypäivänä. Tutkimuksessa havaittiin, että Kuwaitin Jal Az-Zorin kivilajiyksiköt kuuluvat kaikki Alempaan Farsin Muodostumaan (tunnetaan myös nimellä Kuwaitin Muodostuma; Fm), kun taas aikaisempien tulkintojen mukaan yksiköt kuuluvat muodostumiin Ghar Fm, Alempi Fars Fm ja Dibdibba Fm. Tutkimuksessa havaittiin lisäksi, että Alemman Farsin Muodostuman kerrostumisympäristöä hallitsee matalan meren kerrostumisympäristö, jota luonnehtii mm. joki- ja vuorovesivaikutteisen suistoalueen sedimentaatio. Tämän tyyppinen kerrostumisympäristö on ristiriidassa aiempien tulkintojen mukaisen joki-delta ympäristön kanssa. Kuwaitissa sijanitsevan, Koillis-lounas -suuntaisen Jal Az-Zorin jyrkänteen alkuperä on kiistelty, ja sen synty on liitetty joko maankamaran eroosioon tai jyrkänteen alapuolella olevan, muuten tuntemattoman siirroksen olemassaoloon. Seismisten aineistojen yksityiskohtaisen 2D-prosessoinnin ja tulkinnan perusteella kohteesta tunnistettiin mm. aiemmin tuntemattomia ylityöntösiirroksia sekä näihin liittyviä poimuja. Niiden perusteella Kuwaitin Muodostuman tektoninen deformaatio Jal Az-Zorin jyrkänteen alapuolisessa kallioperässä heijastaa siirroksen etenemiseen liittyvän poimutuksen varhaisia vaiheita, jotka voidaan edelleen yhdistää Kuwaitin kaaren kohti etelää suuntautuneeseen kohoamiseen. Nyt tuotettu kinemaattinen analyysi viittaa siihen, että Jal Az-Zorin jyrkänne on ilmentymä syvemmällä olevasta siirrosvyöhykkeestä, jota luonnehtii oikeakätinen vaakasuuntainen siirtymä, ja jolla oli merkittävä myötävaikutus Arabian laatan kiertymisessä myötäpäivään varhaisen Pleistoseeniepookin (Calabrian) aikana. Kauttaaltaan tässä tutkimuksessa on havaittu, että Dammam ja Rus Muodostumissa voi esiintyä rakenteellisia irtautumisvyöhykkeitä. Näiden kahden muodostuman koostumuksen tarkempi analyysi osoitti, että irtautumisvyöhykkeet esiintyvät todennäköisemmin Rus Muodostumassa. Aiemmissa töissä Rus Muodostuman arveltiin koostuvan vallitsevasti evaporiiteista, joka suosii teoriaa irtautumisvyöhykkeiden syntymisestä. Samalla muodostumaa pidettiin hydraulisesti johtamattomana sulkupintana (seal), joka peittää suurimman osan Arabian niemimaasta. Yksityiskohtaiset sedimentologiset kenttätyöt Horse-Racing Clubin paljastumalla Bahrainissa, ja myöhemmin julkaistut kairaustiedot viittaavat kuitenkin siihen, että Bahrainin puolella oleva Rus Muodostuma koostuu pääasiassa dolomiiteista. Nämä muutokset alueen fasiestyyppeihin ja niiden alueellisen jakautumiseen auttavat ymmärtämään koko Arabian niemimaan kallioperän litofasieksia aivan uudella tavalla ja avaavat uusia näkökulmia niiden syvälliseen tarkasteluun. Tässä opinnäytetyössä korostettiin Arabian niemimaan sedimentologian ja rakenteellisen kehityksen monimutkaisuutta. Tutkimus osoittaa, että alueen fasieksiin liittyvää terminologiaa ja tektonista historiaa on arvioitava uudelleen nykyisen geologisen tiedon ja uusien aineistojen valossa.