http://hdl.handle.net/1974/797 2013-05-22T20:35:25Z 2013-05-22T20:35:25Z Christmas, Candice http://hdl.handle.net/1974/8024 2013-05-08T05:14:41Z 2013-05-07T04:00:00Z

Title: Disentangling the Effects of Material and Social Deprivation on Early Childhood Development in the KFL&A Public Health Planning Area Authors: Christmas, Candice Abstract: Life course literature states that early childhood development (ECD) can influence most aspects of health throughout the life-cycle. Canada ranked last among 25 wealthy nations in meeting ECD objectives. Fewer than 5% of children born have clinically detectable shortcomings in developmental health, increasing to 26% by school age with emerging socioeconomic associations. Understanding how social determinants of health (SDH) influence ECD at the household and neighbourhood scales would help identify conditions for optimal developmental outcomes. The effects of SDH on ECD in the Kingston, Ontario area were studied. SDH were classified via marginalization (ONMarg) and deprivation (Pampalon) indices. ECD was measured via 2006 Early Development Instrument (EDI) scores for children most at risk upon school entry (Grade One). The basic spatial unit of analysis was 2006 Census of Canada Dissemination Areas, subdivided into quintiles of deprivation (Q1 being the least deprived and Q5 the most). EDI results from each of the quintiles within the two indices were compared and then combined. The socioeconomic health gradient assumes that EDI scores will directly correlate to material and social deprivation. Social deprivation had a slightly greater impact than material deprivation on children’s developmental vulnerability, with Q5 being the most vulnerable in all competencies. Surprisingly, emotional health and social competence were significant areas of vulnerability for children in Q1 and Q2. “Village effects” – when social determinants at the neighbourhood level have protective effects on ECD despite material deprivation at the household level – were present within the Q3 and Q4 groups for the domains of social competency and emotional health. While the highest proportions of early childhood developmental vulnerability are found within the most deprived households, the largest numbers of vulnerable children are spread throughout the middle-class in a variety of neighbourhoods. Canadian policy should focus on mediating avoidable risks within this critical time to avoid future deleterious health effects and costs. Mapping the effects of SDH at the neighbourhood level generates knowledge that informs intersectoral action by policy makers to provide the supports needed to foster healthy children. Description: Thesis (Master, Geography) -- Queen's University, 2013-05-04 10:36:25.165

2013-05-07T04:00:00Z Mager, Andrea http://hdl.handle.net/1974/7999 2013-05-04T05:18:04Z 2013-04-30T04:00:00Z

Title: Rapid Condominium Growth and the Emergence of the Ultra-Luxury Condominium Market in Toronto, Canada Authors: Mager, Andrea Abstract: In this thesis, I undertake a study of rapid condominium growth occurring in the City of Toronto, Canada, and the emergence of an ultra-luxury condominium market during a time of global financial instability. This thesis examines the influence of rapid growth on Toronto as a world city during this time by asking the following research questions: 1. Why has Toronto become a place of safe investment for condominium buyers during a time of global economic uncertainty? 2. Why has the ultra-luxury market emerged in Toronto? What are the driving forces behind it, how does it contribute to Toronto’s standing as a world city, and what does the future hold for this niche market? 3. What is the current state of the condominium market in Toronto and what can we expect to see happen in the near future? To answer these questions, this thesis draws insights from urban, political, economic and social geographic literature, statistical and policy data, as well as twenty-five (25) semi- structured interviews with a variety of key industry stakeholders in the City of Toronto. The results of this study point to a changing demographic landscape in a city where fundamental elements have not only secured Toronto’s reputation as a place of safe investment, but also created an environment of pent up demand leading to the emergence of the ultra-luxury condominium market. The City of Toronto has garnered international attention for its rapid rate of high-rise growth, and continues to craft its reputation as a world city through the addition of four, 5-star hotel condominiums. Additionally, this thesis recognizes the pressing social, environmental and political issues that accompany this recent, rapid growth, and provides general recommendations for addressing these complex topics through the suggestion of future research on the topic. Description: Thesis (Master, Geography) -- Queen's University, 2013-04-29 12:28:08.426

2013-04-30T04:00:00Z Graham, Amanda http://hdl.handle.net/1974/7785 2013-02-01T06:03:35Z 2013-01-31T05:00:00Z

Title: NITROGEN FIXATION AND THE FATE AND TURNOVER OF CARBON FIXED THROUGH HYDROGEN-COUPLED CARBON DIOXIDE FIXATION IN SOYBEANS Authors: Graham, Amanda Abstract: Global production of soybeans continues to increase, reflecting the value of soybeans in food products, soil amendments, and petroleum replacements. While the N2O aspect of the legume greenhouse gas (GHG) budget has been given substantial, and mostly negative, attention, the CO2 side needs to be explored. During nitrogen fixation, hydrogen is produced. As a result of hydrogen-coupled CO2 fixation, legume soils have the ability to increase the amount of atmospheric carbon fixed into the soil. However, the amount and fate of this fixed carbon has yet to be determined. Therefore, two experiments were conducted. The first experiment explored the methods of 13C labeling of four soil treatments over a period of 28 days. Results showed that most of this carbon uptake was through biotic processes, and that the pattern of carbon uptake was similar for all four soil treatments. The ideal labeling time for both ‘root’ and ‘nodule’ soil was determined to be between 7 and 14 days. The second experiment incubated four 13C labeled soil treatments in a continuous soybean field for 11 months. Throughout this time, bags of soil were removed and separated into three soil organic matter (SOM) fractions; the microbial biomass fraction (MBF), the light fraction (LF), and the acid stable fraction (ASF). These fractions were then measured for δ13C, providing a time series showing carbon movement through the soil which enabled an estimation of the MRT of fixed carbon in the soil. Results showed that the MBF was responsible for the initial flux of carbon uptake in all soil treatments, and that the ‘nodule + H2’ MBF continued to fix carbon at the end of the 11 months. While the LF was not ideal at representing the intermediate SOM pool, the ASF did increase in enrichment at the end of the experiment, showing the movement of newly fixed carbon into long-term carbon storage. Therefore, hydrogen-coupled CO2 fixation does contribute to long-term carbon storage in legume soils, however, longer study times with focus on different legume plants and soil types are required to determine the mean residence time (MRT) of fixed carbon in the ASF. Description: Thesis (Master, Geography) -- Queen's University, 2013-01-30 09:28:01.899

2013-01-31T05:00:00Z LIU, WENBAO http://hdl.handle.net/1974/7715 2013-01-04T17:01:18Z 2013-01-04T05:00:00Z

Title: Spatiotemporal Modeling of the Impacts of Forest Harvesting, Climate Change and Topography on Stream Nitrates in a Forested Watershed Authors: LIU, WENBAO Abstract: This dissertation is an empirical modeling investigation of the impact of forest harvesting, climate change and topography on stream nitrate fluxes in the Turkey Lakes Watershed (TLW), Ontario, Canada. Data used for this study include topography (DEM), climate (mean monthly temperature and total monthly precipitation), wet nitrogen deposition (total monthly nitrate-N and ammonium-N), nitrate water samples and streamflow in 13 headwater catchments within the TLW. First, a paired-watershed approach was used to examine the impact of forest harvesting intensity on stream water nitrate fluxes by developing transfer function noise (TFN) models that related monthly stream water nitrate fluxes of three treatment catchments to those of one control catchment. Second, TFN models were also developed to relate monthly stream nitrate fluxes in 13 catchments to the temperature, precipitation and wet nitrogen deposition to examine the spatially varying responses of stream nitrate fluxes to changes in climate and bulk deposition. Third, geographically weighted regression (GWR) was introduced to model the spatial and temporal relationships between topography and stream nitrate fluxes in 13 headwater catchments. The results showed that there existed a new phenomenon of clustered wave-up and wave-down of the stream nitrate increases caused by clearcut and selectioncut at the monthly scale, respectively. This phenomenon was never reported by previous studies because it was not possible to be identified with ordinary least squares (OLS) regression at an annual scale. There also existed significant responses of stream nitrate fluxes to wet nitrogen deposition in all catchments at the monthly scale over a long-term record between 1982 and 2003. These responses were previously thought to be lower and masked by the impact of climate variations. There further existed significant spatial and seasonal variability of the relationships between topography and stream nitrate fluxes across space and over time. This variability was largely ignored in previous studies with possibly misleading interpretation on the empirical relations. Description: Thesis (Ph.D, Geography) -- Queen's University, 2012-12-31 22:37:39.137

2013-01-04T05:00:00Z