Digital documentation for integrated hazard assessment and sustainable management at dynamic natural heritage sites : the Giant's Causeway and Causeway Coast World Heritage Site

Habitats and species, landscapes and landforms adjust to contemporary environmental conditions. This intrinsic ability to adapt guarantees the diversity of ecosystem shapes, forms and functions and secures the variety of ecosystem services upon which all plants and animals depend. The capacity of natural heritage sites to change, often unpredictably, is one of their most fascinating features, but it also predisposes them to human influence from schemes which interfere with their natural dynamism (SNH, 2014). It also makes the sustainable management of natural heritage sites extremely challenging, particularly in the face of potential climate fluctuations, which in themselves may change the nature of this dynamic (Smith et al, 2011). As specific geographical spaces there is limited scope within natural heritage sites to provide space for nature to adapt to new environmental conditions. In a world without human influence or interference, such artificial boundaries would not exist and nature could have the space to express without hindrance, its intrinsic ability to adapt and survive. There are of course exceptions in the case of major disasters and extinction events, but in general, given the space to operate, features of natural heritage interest are quite robust.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

Doctor of Philosophy

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

Doctoral Thesis

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Queen's University Belfast

Year dc:date.issued

2015

Author dc:creator

• Bratton, Andrew

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Lilley, Keith
• McKinley, Jennifer

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier URI

https://pure.qub.ac.uk/files/168120369/MapBook.mpk
https://pure.qub.ac.uk/files/168120370/VIDEO_TS.IFO
https://pure.qub.ac.uk/files/168120371/VTS_01_0.IFO
https://pure.qub.ac.uk/files/168120372/VTS_01_0.VOB
https://pure.qub.ac.uk/files/168120373/VTS_01_1.VOB
https://pure.qub.ac.uk/files/168120374/VIDEO_TS.IFO
https://pure.qub.ac.uk/files/168120375/VTS_01_0.IFO
https://pure.qub.ac.uk/files/168120376/VTS_01_1.VOB

Identifier

oai:pure.qub.ac.uk/portal:studenttheses/7e95881e-25b2-4201-bdd6-df0e877e6b50
https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/studentTheses/7e95881e-25b2-4201-bdd6-df0e877e6b50

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:pure.qub.ac.uk/portal:studenttheses/7e95881e-25b2-4201-bdd6-df0e877e6b50