https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/140909 2026-04-21T02:16:44Z 2026-04-21T02:16:44Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/143909 2026-02-20T11:24:13Z 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Nature’s ledger : accounting for decision criteria in conservation finance (2015-2025) Abstract: Conservation agencies must allocate scarce resources across competing ecological priorities, yet the criteria guiding these decisions are unevenly documented and often only implicitly justified. This systematized review synthesizes peer-reviewed studies published between 2015 and 2025 to identify the decision criteria used in conservation funding and prioritization frameworks. Searches conducted in Scopus and ScienceDirect, supplemented with AI-assisted retrieval, produced 104 records; after PRISMA screening, 32 studies were included in the final analysis. Three criteria families dominated the evidence base: ecological benefit, financial cost, and feasibility. These were operationalized through cost-effectiveness ratios, return-on-investment metrics, feasibility-adjusted benefit scores, and spatial optimization approaches. While a subset of studies incorporated ecosystem services, climate resilience, or species risk, few formalized social or governance dimensions such as equity, indigenous rights, or community-defined outcomes. This omission reveals a persistent transparency gap, as valueladen judgments continue to shape prioritization without being explicitly represented in models. The corpus also exhibited a strong geographic skew toward Australia, New Zealand, and North America. Despite a decade of global commitments emphasizing justice, resilience, and inclusive governance, conservation funding frameworks remain anchored in a narrow technical triad. Future tools must make value choices explicit and broaden criteria sets to better align funding decisions with contemporary conservation goals. Description: M.Sc. (EMS)(Melit.)

2025-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/143907 2026-02-20T11:04:47Z 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Nutrient reclamation in muddy creek : effects of used biochar water filters on soil fertility and plant growth Abstract: This study investigates the efficacy of corn cob-based and waste wood-based biochar as recycled soil amendments following their utilization in nutrient-contaminated water filtration. Biochar, produced through the pyrolysis of high-carbon materials under controlled anaerobic conditions, possesses significant potential in agricultural applications due to its unique structure and high carbon content. Historically, biochar and activated charcoal have been employed for water purification, owing to their superior adsorptive properties, which effectively capture harmful nutrients and pathogenic microorganisms like Escherichia coli. The use of agricultural residues such as corn cobs for biochar feedstock mitigates deforestation and promotes sustainable agricultural practices in regions where tree biomass is scarce. This study comprised an open-air pot trial growing turnips with various types of biochar before and after they were used to filter a stream polluted with nitrogen and phosphorus. Two different sizes of biochar made from wood and one biochar made from corncobs were placed in the stream for one month to produce filterchar. They were then removed and incorporated into the soil for the pots at a rate of 5% by weight. At the end of the pot trial, soil samples from the pots were sent to a lab for testing, and a simple test of soil water holding capacity was conducted. There was no significant difference in plant growth between corn cob filterchar and the control; however, wood feedstock filterchar increased plant growth by 100% versus the unamended control and 180% versus the fresh biochar control. There was also a significant increase in soil water holding capacity with all the biochar treatments. The results of this study show the potential for spent biochar water filters to be recycled as plant fertilizer to create a closed loop system of nutrient reclamation. Wood based filterchar had a clear advantage over unused biochar and no treatment, but corn appeared to be less effective as a soil additive. More research is needed to assess the difference between feedstocks and the optimization of both filtration and soil amendment. Description: M.Sc. (EMS)(Melit.)

2025-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/141857 2025-12-03T07:20:36Z 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Living shorelines and coastal resilience : a systematic review of effectiveness Abstract: This capstone presents a systematic review of peer-reviewed literature that evaluates the effectiveness of living shorelines as a nature-based solution for enhancing coastal resilience. Drawing on 33 studies published between 2008 and 2025, the review synthesizes evidence across four primary domains: erosion control, biodiversity and habitat support, water quality and ecosystem services, and socio-economic benefits. Findings indicate that living shorelines consistently reduce shoreline erosion, particularly in high-energy environments, when hybrid designs incorporating structural elements are employed. Biodiversity outcomes were generally positive, with restored sites supporting nekton communities, submerged aquatic vegetation, and intertidal invertebrates that were comparable to or exceeded natural reference conditions. Living shorelines also contributed to improved water quality through enhanced nutrient cycling, sediment retention, and carbon storage, particularly in marsh-based and oyster-integrated systems. Additionally, evidence suggests living shorelines provide economic co-benefits by protecting property, supporting recreation and tourism, and offering long-term cost savings. However, variability in site conditions, design approaches, and monitoring practices limits generalizability and highlights the need for standardized metrics and long-term evaluations. This review supports the growing body of evidence that living shorelines are a multifunctional tool for climate adaptation and sustainable coastal management while also identifying research and policy gaps that must be addressed to optimize future implementation. Description: M.Sc. (EMS)(Melit.)

2025-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/141856 2025-12-03T07:17:18Z 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Mapping the invasive crayfish distribution across Malta Abstract: The freshwater ecosystems on the Maltese archipelago are extremely vulnerable to alien species invasion due to an already limited freshwater supply and the threatened species that inhabit it. This study discusses the effects and provides an updated population estimation of two invasive crayfish species, P. clarkii and P. virginalis, that have been found on the archipelago since 2016. The primary goal of this research is to provide updated information on the distribution and impacts that invasive crayfish are having on the Maltese freshwater system. These species are significant threats to local species as they tend to alter landscapes, encroach on habitat territory, and prey upon small amphibians such as the Maltese painted frog (Discoglossus pictus) and on aquatic invertebrates, some of which are rare and threatened. The fieldwork involved in this study was conducted at five different locations across Malta and Gozo from February to April of 2025. The crayfish were observed through visual counts, evidence of molting, as well as observation of their effects on the surrounding area. These effects range from decreased biodiversity to lower water quality. Additional research was done through literature review, lab identification, as well as correspondence with a local site manager at Chadwick Lakes. This research found that established crayfish have a high density in the Western Chadwick Lakes area as well as at Ghadira Ta’ Sarraflu on Gozo. Current efforts to manage populations are insufficient and lack the funding and resources necessary to properly do so. This study calls for increased public awareness of invasive species located in the Maltese freshwater environment as well as better management strategies accompanied by proper funding. Description: M.Sc. (EMS)(Melit.)

2025-01-01T00:00:00Z