DISSERTATION AN DER FAKULTÄT FÜR GEOWISSENSCHAFTEN DER LUDWIG-MAXIMILIANS-UNIVERSITÄT MÜNCHENVorgelegt von Inga May 14.09.2011 1. Gutachter: Prof. Dr. Ralf Ludwig 2. Gutachtef. Dr. Monique Bernier Tag der Disputation: 09.11.2011ippasaq qaangirsimajuq Yesterday is history qauppat qaujimananngituq Tomorrow is a mystery kisiani ullumi atiqalaqijuq taimaak- Today is a gift – qupanuaq ullungatitut anninarami that’s why it is called present Acknowledgments ACKNOWLEDGMENTSThe work presented in this thesis was conducted as part of a joint research project between the department of Geography at the Ludwig -Maximilians University of Munich (LMU) and the Centre – Eau Terre Environment at the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS-ETE). Finance was mainly provided by the University of Munich, but travel costs for field work and workshops were covered by contributions from both the DFG (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft) and the Canadian ArticNet initiative, in which the project was officially embedded. Together with my doctoral advisors Prof. Dr. Ralf Ludwig (LMU) and Prof. Dr. Monique Bernier (INRS-ETE), I was able to write a proposal and accomplish the goals laid out; and I am more than grateful to them for giving me this wonderful and unique opportunity to work independently, despite the subject not being one of their major research fields.