A Reserva Biológica (REBIO) de São Donato é uma Unidade de Conservação localizada na fronteira oeste do Rio Grande do Sul, no trecho médio da bacia do rio Uruguai, no bioma Pampa. A área da REBIO é constituída por uma área úmida – banhado – característico do Pampa. Entretanto, desde o seu decreto em 1975, o banhado vem sofrendo impactos da rizicultura, essa região é a maior produtora do estado. Assim, o objetivo geral dessa dissertação é analisar a dinâmica e a fragilidade ambiental da Reserva Biológica de São Donato, a partir de geoprocessamento. Para atingir esse objetivo foram utilizados: dados de precipitação diários e imagens orbitais, de 1984 a 2016, que indicassem inundação no banhado e sua sub-região hidrográfica; reconhecimento de campo; análise de uso e cobertura do solo do raio de amortecimento da REBIO; análise da fragilidade ambiental a partir da metodologia do Processo Analítico Hierárquico (AHP). Os resultados de análise da inundação do banhado e sua sub-região hidrográfica indicaram três padrões: um padrão regional, que afeta grande parte do trecho médio e alto da bacia do rio Uruguai; um padrão de inundação sub-regional, que compreende a sub-região hidrográfica dos rios Butuí-Icamaquã; um padrão que afeta a área local que compreende o banhado da REBIO de São Donato. As análises do uso e cobertura do solo e da fragilidade ambiental indicaram que as áreas mais frágeis da REBIO correspondem ao banhado e sua vegetação adaptada a umidade, e áreas de planícies de inundação. A avaliação do AHP para a análise da Fragilidade Ambiental se mostrou coesa, confirmando observações realizadas principalmente com relação ao impacto ambiental gerado pelo cultivo de arroz. Espera-se que as informações possam contribuir para estudos futuros de planejamento e gestão da área, e como base para a elaboração do Plano de Manejo da REBIO de São Donato. / The San Donato Biological Reserve (REBIO) is a Conservation Unit located on the western border of Rio Grande do Sul, in the middle stretch of the Uruguay River basin, in the Pampa biome. The area of the REBIO is constituted by a wetland - marsh - characteristic of the Pampa. However, since its decree in 1975, the marsh has been suffering from the impacts of rice cultivation, this region is the largest in the state. Thus, the general objective of this dissertation is to analyze the dynamics and environmental fragility of the San Donato Biological Reserve, based on geoprocessing. To achieve this objective, daily precipitation data and orbital images from 1984 to 2016 were used to indicate flooding in the marsh and its sub-river basin; Field recognition; Use analysis and soil cover of the REBIO Damping Ray; Analysis of the environmental fragility from the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) methodology. The results of flood analysis of the marsh and its hydrographic sub-region indicated three patterns: a regional pattern, which affects much of the middle and upper reaches of the Uruguay River basin; A subregional flood pattern comprising the sub-river basin of the Butuí-Icamaquã rivers; A pattern that affects the local area comprising the marsh of San Donato Biological Reserve. The analyzes of soil use and cover and environmental fragility indicated that the most fragile areas of REBIO correspond to the wetland and its vegetation adapted to humidity and floodplain areas. The evaluation of the AHP for the analysis of the Environmental Fragility showed to be cohesive, confirming observations made mainly in relation to the environmental impact generated by rice cultivation. It is hoped that the information may contribute to future planning and management studies of the area, and as a basis for the elaboration of the São Donato REBIO Management Plan.

Magister Legum - LLM / Very little protection has been afforded to wetlands1 and estuaries within the South African legislative framework.2 These ecosystems are extremely important and valuable to mankind, the flora and fauna.3 The continued destruction of wetlands and estuaries is the most heinous act of environmental vandalism on a worldwide scale today.4 Wetland and estuarine loss has been accelerated and extended by human activities such as mining,5 urbanisation,6 drainage, river diversion,7 groundwater abstraction as well as climate change.8 Time is running out for so many critically important sites and for the world at large.9 Without wetlands and estuaries the biosphere10 cannot continue to do its essential work.11 Despite, the importance of a range of resources and services12 which wetlands and estuaries provide, these have been taken for granted by humans.13 As a result hereof, the maintenance of wetlands and estuaries has received low priority in many countries.14 This is further precipitated by the lack of interest and ignorance which result in the conversion of wetlands and estuaries into man-made structures.15 Research has shown that the lack of information and the awareness of the importance of these ecosystems has the made the conservation legislation for these ecosystems a toothless dragon.16 People are becoming increasingly aware17 of the loss of wetlands and estuaries, once in abundance and now merely shadows of their former nature.18 To investigate this lack of protection, the starting point would be the global level. / South Africa

The work deals with the basic assessment of the landscape on the example Zbudovská blata focusing on wetlands around the locality Vomáčka. Basic landscape character assessment was carried out of selected areas L1, L2 and L3 in the cadastral area Zliv near České Budějovice. Wetlands are among Vomáčka are the nature reserve. Practical work includes landscape character assessment of the above sites. The field surveys were evaluated faunistic and floristic data at a basic level. The state of air pollution in the territory was considered too.

Estudos sobre as comunidades de aves em áreas úmidas evidenciam a importância destas áreas para a avifauna. Muitos estudos destacam a importância da teoria de biogeografia de ilhas e da heterogeneidade ambiental sobre a estrutura da comunidade de aves. O presente estudo teve por objetivo caracterizar a estrutura da comunidade de aves e verificar a influência de variáveis da paisagem e de aspectos antrópicos em seis áreas úmidas e seu entorno em Caxias do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, de setembro de 2005 a março de 2006. As aves nas áreas úmidas foram quantificadas através de varreduras e as aves em seu entorno através da contagem por pontos de escuta na primavera e verão. Os aspectos antrópicos e dados biológicos foram observados em campo a cada expedição. Para análise da estrutura avifaunística foram avaliadas a riqueza observada, estimativa da riqueza, número cumulativo de espécies, freqüência de ocorrência, composição, hábito alimentar e diversidade. A significância da diversidade foi avaliada através da aplicação do teste t. O conjunto das áreas foi analisado através de análise de agrupamento. As variáveis da paisagem, heterogeneidade ambiental e os aspectos antrópicos foram avaliados através de análise de correspondência. Os resultados indicaram que a estrutura da comunidade de aves dos lagos difere da comunidade de aves do entorno. As áreas maiores não apresentaram maior riqueza e diversidade, demonstrando a influência de outros fatores sobre a comunidade. As análises de correspondência demonstraram que a maioria das espécies foram influenciadas por variáveis tanto da paisagem como da heterogeneidade ambiental e pelos aspectos antrópicos. As comunidades de aves em áreas úmidas foram mais influenciadas pela vegetação no entorno dos lagos e sobre a lâmina d’ água. Algumas das áreas úmidas ocupadas por Passeriformes, demonstrando a importância das áreas também para espécies não consideradas aquáticas. Os hábitats florestal, campestre e de capoeira comprovaram a influência sobre a ocorrência da avifauna. Este estudo reafirma que a teoria de biogeografia de ilhas por si só não explica a riqueza e presença das espécies. A heterogeneidade ambiental deve ser analisada cuidadosamente para não tender a homogeneização. Ocorre também, uma necessidade de revisão no conceito sobre as aves aquáticas, visto que outras espécies também ocuparam as áreas úmidas. Estes resultados servem de subsídios para o manejo e conservação das áreas úmidas em ambientes urbanos. / Studies on the bird communities of wetlands attest the importance of such áreas to avifauna. Several studies point out the importance of island biogeography theory and environmental heterogeneity upon the structure of bird communities. This study aimed to characterize the structure of the bird community and check the influence of landscape variables and antropic aspects within six areas of lakes and their surroundings in Caxias do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, from september 2005 to march 2006 (spring and summer). The number of birds at the lakes was estimated through counting flocks and of those in the surroundings through point counts. Anthropic aspects and biological data were evaluated in the field during each expedition. The analysis of the avifauna structure included observed richness, estimated richness, cumulative number of species, frequency of occurrence, composition, feeding habits and diversity. The diversity significance was evaluated using t test. Cluster analysis was used to examine the areas altogether. Landscape variables , environnmental heterogeneity and anthropic aspects were evaluated by correspondence analysis. The results revealed that the bird community of the lakes has a different structure from that of surroundings. Larger areas did not have greater richness and diversity, which points out the influence of other factors upon the community. The correspondence analysis showed that most species were influenced by both landscape variables, such as environmental heterogeneity and anthropic aspects. Bird communities in the humid areas were most influenced by the vegetation that encircled the lakes and by the aquatic vegetation. Some of wetlands were used by passeriforms, which reveals the importance of such areas also to species not considered as aquatic. The influence of forest, field and bush habitats on the occurrence of birds was confirmed. This study reinforces that the island biogeography theory alone cannot explain the richness and presence of species. The environmental heterogeneity should be kept, avoid the landscape homogenization. Also, there is a need to review the concept of aquatic birds since other kind of species used the humid areas. These results are a souce to management and conservation of wetlands within urban environments.

OLIVEIRA, Tânia Elizabeth Sampaio. Efeito da inclusão de raspa integral de mandioca e formas de arraçoamento sobre o desempenho de leitões na fase inicial. 2005. xiii, 47 f. : Dissertação (Mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Ceará, Centro de Ciências, Departamento de Zootecnia, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zootecnia. Fortaleza-CE, 2005. / Submitted by Eric Santiago (erichhcl@gmail.com) on 2016-08-09T15:36:22Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2005_dis_tesoliveira.pdf: 1307024 bytes, checksum: c10f4579160e01dd61401d00cba3e598 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Nádja Goes (nmoraissoares@gmail.com) on 2016-08-09T15:42:22Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 2005_dis_tesoliveira.pdf: 1307024 bytes, checksum: c10f4579160e01dd61401d00cba3e598 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-09T15:42:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2005_dis_tesoliveira.pdf: 1307024 bytes, checksum: c10f4579160e01dd61401d00cba3e598 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2005 / 32 piglets were used to castrate commercial line weaned at 21 days of age with approximately 6.0 kilograms of weight, to evaluate the effects of different levels (0, 12, 24 and 36%) of full inclusion of scraping of cassava (RIM) and forms of arraçoamento on the performance of breeding pigs in the initial stage - I (21 to 42 days of age), the initial phase - II (42 to 70 days old) and total phase (21 to 70 days of age), and its economic viability. The diets were isoproteic (21.0 and 19.0%) and isocaloric (3,100 and 3,200 kcalEM / kg), respectively. The experimental design was a block at random in a 4 x 2 factorial (four levels of inclusion of RIM) and two forms of arraçoamento (dry and wet diets), with four repetitions per eatment and one animal per share. The criterion for training block was the initial weight of piglets. The gain in average daily weight (GPMD), the average daily consumption of feed (CRMD), and feed conversion (CA) did not differ significantly (P> 0.05) for different levels of between RIM and the forms of arraçoamento. It follows that it is technically feasible to use the full scraping of cassava to the level of 36% in pig feed in the initial phase (21 to 70 days of age), regardless of the form of arraçoamento and that the level of inclusion of 12% RIM, which was the best response showed bioeconômica. / Foram utilizado 32 leitões machos castrados de linhagem comercial desmamados com 21 dias de idade com aproximadamente 6,0 kg de peso vivo, com o objetivo de avaliar os efeitos de diferentes níveis (0; 12; 24 e 36%) de inclusão de raspa integral de mandioca (RIM) e formas de arraçoamento sobre o desempenho zootécnico de suínos na fase inicial - I (21 a 42 dias de idade), fase inicial - II (42 a 70 dias de idade) e fase total (21 a 70 dias de idade), bem como a sua viabilidade econômica. As rações foram isoprotéicas (21,0 e 19,0%) e isocalóricas (3.100 e 3.200 kcalEM/kg), respectivamente. O delineamento experimental foi o de blocos ao acaso num esquema fatorial 4 x 2 ( quatro níveis de inclusão de RIM) e duas formas de arraçoamento ( dietas secas e úmidas), com quatro repetições por ratamento e um animal por parcela. O critério para formação de blocos foi o peso inicial dos leitões. O ganho de peso médio diário (GPMD), o consumo de ração médio diário (CRMD), e a conversão alimentar (CA) não diferem significativamente (P>0,05) para os diferentes níveis de RIM e entre as formas de arraçoamento. Conclui-se que é tecnicamente viável a utilização da raspa integral de mandioca até o nível de 36% nas rações de suínos na fase inicial (21 a 70 dias de idade), independente da forma de arraçoamento e que o nível de inclusão de 12% de RIM foi o que mostrou melhor resposta bioeconômica.

Constructed Wetlands are used in many parts of the world for the treatment of wastewater from diverse sources. They are effective, low cost and sustainable alternative to most conventional wastewater treatment processes. They are engineered to mimic many of the same processes that occur in natural wetlands but within a more controlled environment. The need for proper design of constructed wetlands for secondary and tertiary wastewater treatment is of utmost importance in meeting today's stringent water quality standards. Subsequently, numerous design tools have been proposed for the assessment of constructed wetland performance. Currently, applied modeling approaches include regression models, mass loading versus outflow concentration analysis, Monod type analytical models and first-order removal kinetic models. The principal objective of this research was to estimate the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) removal using both the plug flow and complete-mix first order kinetic models. Results obtained by these models were then validated by comparing with published data from the Arcata constructed wetland. This study also investigated the sensitivity of effluent BOD quality to variation in influent concentration, temperature and hydraulic retention time. Analysis of the results revealed that variations in the field conditions influenced the removal rate of BOD in each zone of the wetland. The design reaction rate coefficient for each zone varied and was corrected for using the Arrhenius expression. The BOD removal performance of the Arcata wetland and any wetland operated under similar conditions was found to be better modeled by the plug flow model at zero background concentration. The study also found the BOD removal to be much influenced by the influent concentration and minimally influenced by temperature and hydraulic retention time.

Floodplain lakes are wetlands which receive flood waters from nearby rivers or other sources. Water samples were taken from floodplain lakes near the Illinois River, the Mississippi River, and the Cache River in Southern Illinois. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), spectrophotometry, and gene probes were used to investigate the effect of nutrient and chemical concentrations on the abundance of nitrifying bacteria; specifically ammonia-oxidizing Nitrosococcus and Nitrosomonadales and nitrite-oxidizing Nitrospira and Nitrobacter. Nitrosococcus was the dominant ammonia-oxidizing bacteria at each river system. Nitrospira and Nitrobacter had similar average abundances. Nitrosococcus abundances showed a significant positive correlation with nitrate (NO3-) (R2= 0.247, P=0.05, 95% confidence R2≥0.199) and a positive trend with nitrite (NO2-) (R2= 0.194, P=0.10, 90% confidence R2≥0.125). Nitrosomonadales abundance positively correlated with temperature (R2= 0.530, P=0.05, 95% confidence R2≥0.510). Nitrospira abundances positively correlated with ammonium (NH4+) (R2= 0.265, P=0.05, 95% confidence R2≥0.199), NO2- (R2= 0.372, P=0.05, 95% confidence R2≥0.199), and NO3- (R2= 0.482, P=0.05, 95% confidence R2≥0.199). None of the target bacterial abundances significantly correlated with pH or dissolved inorganic phosphate.

Land loss is a major threat to coastal wetlands of the northern Gulf of Mexico due to the impacts and interactions of sea level rise, regional subsidence, and anthropogenic changes to land cover and sediment supply. Here, coastlines are rapidly converting to open water due to an inability of coastal systems to keep pace with sea level rise via marsh migration due to barriers in the landscape, including dense shrub encroachment from fire suppression of inland communities. Fire may play an important role in promoting resiliency by in two ways, first by reducing or removing woody encroachment, allowing species to be released to migrate inland, second, by promoting primary productivity of herbaceous vegetation, which in turn, may promote vertical expansion. Where elimination of barriers is not possible (i.e., roads, industry and infrastructure), assisted migration of coastal communities landward (via translocation) may be also be a viable solution to bypass these barriers. This research is focused on the potential contribution of seed banks in landward migration of species, the role that fire plays in compositional change, and how seed banks compare to translocated communities when introduced into new environments. Here, seed bank dynamics were assessed and compared to aboveground vegetation of naturally regenerating and reciprocally transplanted (translocated) sods through time, with and without fire. The objectives of this study were to examine: 1) richness and abundance of species in the seed bank among vegetation zones of the coastal transition gradient; 2) effect of fire on expression of the soil seed bank; 3) emergence patterns and the degree of mixing/dispersion of dominant species within the seed bank among zones; 4) similarity of species composition of seed bank to that of the standing vegetation, pre- and post-fire; 5) similarity of species composition of the seed bank to that of the inter-zonally transplanted sods, with and without fire; and 6) fire behaviors through fuel loads and fire temperatures across zones. Results demonstrate the effect of zone on the composition, species richness and propagule density of the seed bank, and differences in similarity of the composition of the seed bank and standing vegetation. Fire did not appear to affect the composition of the seed bank. Ordinations indicate that seed bank communities are more widely distributed than standing vegetation assemblages. An overlap of communities was observed in each zone of the seed bank except salt marsh. Reciprocally transplanted sods that were burned prior to translocation were more similar to seed bank composition than no-fire transplants. Similarity, related to habitat preference, was most retained when sods were transplanted one zone away, and when transplanted upslope. A series of Procrustes analyses was conducted for combinations of seed bank treatments to standing vegetation of naturally regenerated and reciprocally transplanted plots of varying survey periods. Results showed that seed bank composition was most similar to the standing vegetation of the same survey period, and least similar for no-fire seed bank to transplanted plots surveyed 15 months after transplant. That the no-fire transplant plots were less similar to seed bank than burned transplant plot indicate that similarity between the seed bank and standing vegetation may be retained with fire. Comparisons of the Jaccard’s Similarity Coefficient of transplanted plot to seed bank with and without fire showed that overall, plots that had been burned were more similar to their source plots than those that had not been burned, across all zones. This study provides insight to zonation patterns of the seed bank across the coastal coenocline of the northern Gulf of Mexico, and compositional similarity of the seed bank to both naturally generated and reciprocally transplanted propagules, in order to understand the how these communities respond to sea level rise, how they may be managed with fire, and how plant species respond to conditions across zone, thereby the potential contribution of the seed bank to landward migration and the promotion of resiliency of coastal communities through facilitation of lateral migration in response sea level rise.

xiv, 166 p. : ill. A print copy of this title is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number. / Restoration of imperiled ecosystems has emerged as a national priority, but there is little mechanistic understanding of how to restore ecosystems so as to sustain both species diversity and ecosystem function. The main objectives of my dissertation were (i) to develop an understanding of mechanisms that structure upland and wetland prairie plant communities in Oregon's Willamette Valley, with particular focus on edaphic and competitive controls over native and exotic species, and (ii) to apply this knowledge toward more effective restoration of prairie ecosystems. I used a combination of experiments and analysis of natural gradients to examine the effects of succession, competition, and environmental heterogeneity on plant community structure and ecosystem function within a restoration framework. I conducted a large, replicated field experiment and a retroactive study of previously restored wetland prairies to assess different site preparation techniques. These techniques had variable effectiveness in suppressing the existing vegetation and seed bank, thus providing different initial successional trajectories. However, over time plant community structure converged due to a loss of early-successional species and the increasing dominance of native bunchgrasses; hence, there was a negative relationship between cover of native species and diversity. Only the more extreme treatments, such as topsoil removal, had large impacts on soil functioning. These studies underscore the importance of using a successional framework to guide restoration efforts. Given the potential importance of competition between native and exotic grasses in structuring prairie vegetation, I used a paired study of field and greenhouse experiments to determine how abiotic factors influence the competitive hierarchies between native and exotic grasses commonly found in upland and wetland prairies. Exotic grasses dominated competitive interactions with the native grasses, but this depended upon nutrient and moisture availability. Finally, I used a laboratory experiment to determine the seasonal and edaphic controls over nutrient and carbon cycling within a spatially heterogeneous upland prairie. Manipulating moisture and temperature resulted in significant changes in nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon cycling, particularly in the winter. Under projected future climate change, these changes will likely have large effects on plant community structure. This dissertation includes my previously published and co-authored materials. / Advisers: Scott D. Bridgham, Barbara "Bitty" A. Roy, Bart R. Johnson

A Reserva Biológica (REBIO) de São Donato é uma Unidade de Conservação localizada na fronteira oeste do Rio Grande do Sul, no trecho médio da bacia do rio Uruguai, no bioma Pampa. A área da REBIO é constituída por uma área úmida – banhado – característico do Pampa. Entretanto, desde o seu decreto em 1975, o banhado vem sofrendo impactos da rizicultura, essa região é a maior produtora do estado. Assim, o objetivo geral dessa dissertação é analisar a dinâmica e a fragilidade ambiental da Reserva Biológica de São Donato, a partir de geoprocessamento. Para atingir esse objetivo foram utilizados: dados de precipitação diários e imagens orbitais, de 1984 a 2016, que indicassem inundação no banhado e sua sub-região hidrográfica; reconhecimento de campo; análise de uso e cobertura do solo do raio de amortecimento da REBIO; análise da fragilidade ambiental a partir da metodologia do Processo Analítico Hierárquico (AHP). Os resultados de análise da inundação do banhado e sua sub-região hidrográfica indicaram três padrões: um padrão regional, que afeta grande parte do trecho médio e alto da bacia do rio Uruguai; um padrão de inundação sub-regional, que compreende a sub-região hidrográfica dos rios Butuí-Icamaquã; um padrão que afeta a área local que compreende o banhado da REBIO de São Donato. As análises do uso e cobertura do solo e da fragilidade ambiental indicaram que as áreas mais frágeis da REBIO correspondem ao banhado e sua vegetação adaptada a umidade, e áreas de planícies de inundação. A avaliação do AHP para a análise da Fragilidade Ambiental se mostrou coesa, confirmando observações realizadas principalmente com relação ao impacto ambiental gerado pelo cultivo de arroz. Espera-se que as informações possam contribuir para estudos futuros de planejamento e gestão da área, e como base para a elaboração do Plano de Manejo da REBIO de São Donato. / The San Donato Biological Reserve (REBIO) is a Conservation Unit located on the western border of Rio Grande do Sul, in the middle stretch of the Uruguay River basin, in the Pampa biome. The area of the REBIO is constituted by a wetland - marsh - characteristic of the Pampa. However, since its decree in 1975, the marsh has been suffering from the impacts of rice cultivation, this region is the largest in the state. Thus, the general objective of this dissertation is to analyze the dynamics and environmental fragility of the San Donato Biological Reserve, based on geoprocessing. To achieve this objective, daily precipitation data and orbital images from 1984 to 2016 were used to indicate flooding in the marsh and its sub-river basin; Field recognition; Use analysis and soil cover of the REBIO Damping Ray; Analysis of the environmental fragility from the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) methodology. The results of flood analysis of the marsh and its hydrographic sub-region indicated three patterns: a regional pattern, which affects much of the middle and upper reaches of the Uruguay River basin; A subregional flood pattern comprising the sub-river basin of the Butuí-Icamaquã rivers; A pattern that affects the local area comprising the marsh of San Donato Biological Reserve. The analyzes of soil use and cover and environmental fragility indicated that the most fragile areas of REBIO correspond to the wetland and its vegetation adapted to humidity and floodplain areas. The evaluation of the AHP for the analysis of the Environmental Fragility showed to be cohesive, confirming observations made mainly in relation to the environmental impact generated by rice cultivation. It is hoped that the information may contribute to future planning and management studies of the area, and as a basis for the elaboration of the São Donato REBIO Management Plan.