Background Dementia is a national priority for Scotland, and as such, fast and accurate diagnosis plus responsive and well-evidenced interventions post-diagnosis are key. Accurately estimating an individual’s level of premorbid functioning can be a crucial part of establishing that cognitive decline has taken place, enabling clinicians to be more confident and accurate in their diagnosis. Measures that assess premorbid ability should be able to 1) capture current ability in healthy controls and 2) resist the effects of cognitive decline when used in individuals with dementia. At the post-diagnostic stage, there is a growing evidence base for non-pharmacological, tailored interventions for individuals with dementia. However, the evidence base is limited, particularly so for Cognitive Rehabilitation. Objectives An empirical study was conducted in order to assess whether a newly developed measure that aims to capture lifelong cognitive reserve (the brain’s ability to withstand pathological change), the Cognitive Reserve Index Questionnaire (CRIq), can capture premorbid ability. Three research questions were addressed; 1) does the CRIq capture current ability in healthy controls? 2) is it resistant to cognitive decline when used with a patient group with dementia? and 3) how does the CRIq compare to a traditional measure of premorbid ability, the NART (National Adult Reading Test)? Another focus of development and innovation in dementia research is that of post-diagnostic interventions. A systematic review was therefore conducted in order to evaluate the effectiveness of Cognitive Rehabilitation for mild-moderate dementia (Alzheimer disease or mixed dementia) in relation to cognitive and functional outcomes. Due to the limited number of RCTs in this field precluding a clear understanding of the evidence base, the additional contribution of non-RCTs was also evaluated. Method For the empirical study N=20 healthy older controls and N=13 patients with dementia were recruited. In order to appropriately address the three research questions both groups were assessed using the NART, the CRIq and the MOCA (Montreal Cognitive Assessment). In addition, the control group were assessed on a measure of current ability, the WAIS-IV Perceptual Reasoning Index. For the systematic review of Cognitive Rehabilitation the CDCIG Specialised Register, ALOIS, was searched in order to identify relevant studies. In addition, previous reviews were searched to identify studies excluded on the basis that they were not an RCT. Results Results for the empirical study show both CRIq and NART were strongly correlated to current ability (performance on WAIS-IV PRI) in controls, although both significantly overestimated ability. CRIq performance was not affected by the presence of dementia whereas NART predicted premorbid ability was. CRIq and NART showed a different pattern of results between controls and patients, indicating that CRIq may more resistant to the effects of cognitive decline. Ten studies were identified for the systematic review; five RCT and five non-RCT. Study quality was assessed using a well-validated quality assessment tool, and indicated large variability. Eight of the ten studies reported a positive effect of Cognitive Rehabilitation. However, several studies were of poor quality and included aspects of other approaches in their intervention (e.g. Cognitive Training, Cognitive-Behaviour Therapy). Conclusions The empirical study found that CRIq over-estimated current ability in controls, but was resistant to cognitive decline in patients. The over-estimation of current ability may be accounted for by the CRIq being normed on an Italian population, thus not reflecting UK cultural norms (e.g. for length of schooling). When the NART and the CRIq were directly compared, the two measures were found to be related, but yet produced significantly different estimates of premorbid ability. This suggests that they may capture different facets of premorbid functioning, with the NART being primarily a verbal performance-based measure, and the CRIq capturing aspects of global cognitive functioning. Clinical implications include the potential utility of the CRIq for patients with language impairment. However the study conclusions are limited by a low N, and therefore have restricted generalisability. In the systematic review, the literature was exhaustively searched and evidence was found for the effectiveness of Cognitive Rehabilitation for mild-moderate Alzheimer disease and mixed dementia. Methodological limitations of the included studies are discussed, and clinical implications are identified. Both the empirical study and the systematic review highlight the need for greater research and development of methods by which dementia care is supported; through more effective methods of diagnosis, to a better evidence base for post-diagnostic interventions.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:30:50Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2010-04-08Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:40:58Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 manso_jcg_dr_ilha.pdf: 1797560 bytes, checksum: 27c1272d6d4916bb798bc0d05ed927c8 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Fundação de Ensino Pesquisa e Extensão de Ilha Solteira (FEPISA) / Esta tese visa ao estudo da valorização de serviços ancilares de reserva, particularmente, a reserva utilizada na regulação de freqüência e que é fornecida pelos geradores hidrelétricos. O objetivo principal do trabalho é desenvolver propostas que indiquem os custos reais desses serviços. Na valorização desses custos, busca-se motivar as empresas geradoras para que assumam a responsabilidade pela prestação de tais serviços, assim como garantir uma remuneração apropriada. Essa valorização é realizada em função da disponibilidade e do uso da reserva, sob uma operação segura e econômica do sistema. Para alcançar o objetivo proposto, inicialmente se realiza uma revisão das características técnicas e dos métodos de valorização dos serviços de reserva em diferentes sistemas. Posteriormente, ilustram-se as características do setor elétrico brasileiro, com a finalidade de contextualizar a valorização no marco de regulação , comercialização e operação correspondentes. Seguidamente, apresentam-se duas propostas de valorização. A primeira considera o ponto de vista de um agente gerador, cujo objetivo é estabelecer o valor do serviço a partir dos custos incorridos no fornecimento. Esses custos incluem, principalmente, os custos pela disponibilidade e pelo uso do serviço. Dentro desses componentes de custo, destaca-se o custo por perdas de eficiência, o qual é calculado utilizando um algoritmo de despacho ótimo de unidades. Essa abordagem é aplicada no cálculo do custo da reserva na usina hidrelétrica de Ilha Solteira. Nesse cálculo são utilizados dados da Companhia Energética de São Paulo - CESP. A segunda proposta considera o ponto de vista do operador de rede, em um ambiente de mercado, no qual os agentes participantes podem ofertar pela disponibilidade da reserva. Para a atribuição dessa reserva utiliza-se um despacho ótimo hidrelétrico, que inclui rest / This work presents a reserve ancillary services pricing research. Particularly, the reserve that is used for frequency regulation and that is provided by hydroelectric generators. The development of pricing methodologies, that show real reserve delivery costs, is the main target of this project. Ancillary services pricing procures incentives to motivate agents to take responsibilities in the service supply and ensuring an appropriated remuneration. This pricing is based on the use and availability costs of reserve; under an economic and reliable system operation. In order to do that, firstly an overview of technical characteristics and pricing methods of the ancillary services in different systems is presented. Then, in order to fit this pricing methodology to the corresponding regulation, commercialization and operation rules, an introduction of the Brazilian electrical sector is realized. Next, two reserve ancillary services pricing methods are presented. The first one considers a hydraulic generator point of view. In this case, the aim is to set up the real value of the services by mean of a generator costs analysis. These costs include, basically, availability and use costs. Inside these cost components, efficiency costs are highlighted, and a single generator unit commitment dispatch is used to calculate them. This proposal is applied to calculate the ancillary service reserve costs in the Ilha Solteira hydroelectric generator, using data from the Companhia Energ´etica of S˜ao Paulo (CESP). The second pricing method considers the operator system point of view, under a market environment. In these circumstances, agents are free to set up a price offer for the availability of the reserve. To attribute the reserve, an optimal hydroelectric dispatch is used, considering electrical and hydraulic constraints. This methodology is tested in two systems. The first one represents a didactic three bus

Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-26T13:33:44Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 3762798 bytes, checksum: 2d9bece20ae4cd2be08532fccebbe2ae (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-11-26 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This research discusses the challenges of managing shared in the Extractive Reserve Chico Mendes (Chico Mendes extractive reserve), located in the state of Acre. Officially, the Chico Mendes extractive reserve management is the responsibility of a Management Council, with the participation from the managing agency (ICMBio) by representatives of residents, public agencies and civil society organizations working in the area. Given this configuration of the structure and intent of sharing the management intended to discuss the meaning and effectiveness of this proposal among residents in their relationship with organizations and institutions working in the area. To clarify the effectiveness of this sharing we sought to understand how this RESEX in daily dynamics of socio-institutional interactions and how were the forms of survival of the inhabitants of the Reserve. From the point of view of residents, it was possible to identify the types of organizations active in the area and the role played by them in their day-to-day. The research took place in three stages and was conducted between 2009 and 2010. In the first stage, considered as exploratory phase, characterized as the initial approach, both to managers and agencies with the residents. At this moment presents a documentary analysis of the existing collection in IBAMA on the establishment of extractive reserves and established the first contacts with neighborhood associations. The second step in performing the work of data collection in the field, when, eight rubber RESEX techniques were applied participatory methodologies (mapping and Venn diagram) and made 14 interviews with residents, considered by residents as key people in these areas. The third step was a survey done among the 32 organizations mentioned by the residents of the 87 plantations surveyed. With representatives from these organizations were partially structured interviews. The main results of the survey revealed that, in general, there are difficulties in community organization and income security for families where this is coming from environmentally sustainable activities. The improvement in these conditions would be the precondition for a share of management. Moreover, the managers responsible for the area, one should note the following bounds: size of the area and the intense involvement of other external agents, usually performing actions under the slogan of "promoting sustainable development in the region" without resulting in real gains for residents. This work established the importance and contribution of many of the organizations cited by local residents. However, also found that, despite efforts in the realization of integrated action between the managing agency (ICMBio) and other external agents, in practice, for troubleshooting desired or necessary, there is still great difficulty for effective engagement and autonomous mobilize population. Moreover, despite the strong commitment of the managing agency to strengthen the management of shared and stated intention of his promotion in the Reserve, effectively realized that the methods used by technicians, the managing agency or other organizations, are marked by formality and in some cases, the centralization and authoritarianism. These behaviors imposed methodological hinder the effective participation of residents, which, in most cases, not participate in decisions, or when they do, it happens in a passive or merely advisory. Within moments, the accounts of residents identified a higher level of participation characterized by automobilization. The daily dynamics explained difficulties in communication between the managing agency and the local population. This fact is understandable in that the residents feel uncomfortable with an agency that collects the regulatory functions of police and motivator of social participation in the democratic exercise for obtaining rights. In this difficult articulation in everyday life, the sharing of decisions is compromised. The demobilization and the disinterest of residents reign, where would be the engines of the joints of social change processes. Much less shared, it seems that for now, management is only shared, starting and disconnected. / A presente pesquisa discute os desafios da gestão compartilhada na Reserva Extrativista Chico Mendes (RESEX Chico Mendes), localizada no Estado do Acre. Oficialmente, a gestão da RESEX Chico Mendes está sob a responsabilidade de um Conselho Gestor, do qual participam desde o órgão gestor (ICMBio) até representantes dos moradores, de órgãos públicos e de organizações da sociedade civil que atuam na área. Considerando essa configuração dessa estrutura e a intenção do compartilhamento da gestão pretendeu-se problematizar o sentido e a efetividade dessa proposta entre moradores em sua relação com as organizações e instituições públicas atuantes na área. Para esclarecer a efetividade desse compartilhamento buscou-se compreender como funciona esta RESEX, em sua dinâmica cotidiana de interações sócio-institucionais e como eram as formas de sobrevivência dos moradores da Reserva. Sob o ponto de vista dos moradores, foi possível identificar os tipos de organizações atuantes na área e o papel desempenhado por estas em seu dia-a-dia. A pesquisa deu-se em três etapas e foi realizada entre 2009 e 2010. Na primeira etapa, entendida como fase exploratória, caracterizou-se como aproximação inicial, tanto para com os órgãos gestores quanto com os moradores. Nesse momento foi realizada análise documental do acervo existente no IBAMA referente à criação das Reservas Extrativistas e estabeleceu-se os primeiros contatos com associações de moradores. A segunda etapa consistiu na realização do trabalho de levantamento de dados em campo, quando, em oito seringais da RESEX, foram aplicadas técnicas de metodologias participativas (Mapeamento e Diagrama de Venn) e feitas 14 entrevistas com moradores, consideradas pelos moradores como pessoas chave nessas áreas. A terceira etapa consistiu num levantamento feito junto a 32 organizações das 87 mencionadas pelos moradores dos seringais pesquisados. Com representantes dessas organizações foram realizadas entrevistas parcialmente estruturadas. Os principais resultados da pesquisa revelaram que, de modo geral, existem dificuldades na organização comunitária e na garantia de renda para as famílias, quando essa é oriunda de atividades ambientalmente sustentáveis. A melhora nessas condições seria a precondição para um compartilhamento da gestão. Além do mais, para os gestores responsáveis pela área, merecem destaque os seguintes aspectos limitantes: dimensão da área e a intensa atuação de outros agentes externos, geralmente executando ações sob o slogan da promoção do desenvolvimento sustentável da região , sem resultar em ganhos reais para os moradores. A pesquisa permitiu verificar ainda a importância e a contribuição de muitas das organizações locais citadas pelos moradores. Entretanto, também foi verificado que, apesar dos esforços na realização de ações integradas entre o órgão gestor (ICMBio) e demais agentes externos, na prática, para resolução de problemas desejados ou necessários, ainda existe grande dificuldade para uma articulação efetiva, autônoma e mobilizatória da população. Além do mais, apesar do grande empenho do órgão gestor em fortalecer a gestão compartilhada e da intenção declarada de sua promoção na Reserva, efetivamente percebeu-se que os métodos utilizados pelos técnicos, do órgão gestor ou de outras organizações, são marcados pela formalidade e, em alguns casos, pela centralização e autoritarismo. Essas condutas metodológicas instituídas dificultam uma efetiva participação dos moradores, os quais, na maioria das vezes, não participam das decisões, ou quando o fazem, ela acontece na forma passiva ou apenas consultiva. Em poucos momentos, os relatos dos moradores permitiram identificar um nível mais alto de participação caracterizado pela automobilização. A dinâmica cotidiana explicitou dificuldades na comunicação estabelecida entre o órgão gestor e a população local. Esse fato é compreensível na medida em que os moradores se sentem pouco à vontade com um órgão gestor que acumula as funções de regulação, de polícia e de agente motivador da participação social no exercício democrático para obtenção de direitos. Nessa difícil articulação, no cotidiano, o compartilhamento das decisões fica comprometido. A desmobilização e o desinteresse dos moradores reinam, onde deveriam ser os motores das articulações sociais de processos de mudança. Muito menos que compartilhada, tudo indica que, por enquanto, a gestão é apenas partilhada, partida e desconectada.

Northern bobwhite (hereafter, bobwhite; Colinus virginianus) have experienced long-term declines in population abundance throughout most of their breeding range. In 2004, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) authorized mid-contract management (MCM) to restore early successional plant communities in aging Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) fields. I evaluated the effects of 3 MCM regimes, including fall strip disking, fall herbicide spraying (hereafter, spray), and fall herbicide spraying in combination with spring legume interseeding (hereafter, spray-seed) on nearly 650 ha of tall fescue (Schedonorus phoenix [Scop]. Holub; nomenclature follows USDA plants database; see USDA 2010b) CRP in south-central Illinois, USA, during 2005-2008. The objectives of this study were to: 1) evaluate the compositional and structural responses of the vegetation community to MCM, 2) determine the structural vegetation and landscape composition variables that influenced adult bobwhite relative densities and brood presence in CRP, and 3) assess foraging rates and arthropod prey selection of bobwhite chicks relative to MCM. Spray and spray-seed treatments were more effective than disking at reducing tall fescue cover, increasing plant species diversity, and enhancing the structural characteristics of the plant community that are essential for nesting and brood-rearing bobwhite. Spray-seed and disked treatments increased the percentage of bare ground by burying the dead and dying vegetative biomass beneath the soil surface. However, spraying alone left large amounts of litter accumulation on the soil surface that resulted in a delay in the timing of some annual forbs to recolonize. Plant species composition in sprayed and spray-seeded fields changed from a dense, monoculture of tall fescue to a diverse assemblage of perennial grasses, annual forbs, and legumes that provided habitat for nesting and brood-rearing bobwhite. Adult bobwhite and broods responded positively to spray and spray-seed treatments in this study. Adult relative densities (i.e., number of adult bobwhite observed / ha) were higher in sprayed and spray-seeded fields than in disked and controls. The probability of higher relative densities was greater in fields with higher plant species diversity, and percentages of bare ground and legumes. Conversely, relative densities were negatively associated with higher percentages of grass cover. At the landscape scale, relative densities were positively correlated higher percentages of cropland and pastureland within a 250 m buffer of CRP fields. Sprayed and spray-seeded fields were 39.6% more likely to have broods present than control fields. Whereas disked fields were only 10.0% more likely to have broods than controls. Brood presence was positively correlated with higher percentages of bare ground and negatively correlated with higher percentages of grass cover. Human-imprinted bobwhite chicks consumed a higher abundance and biomass of arthropods in sprayed and spray-seeded fields than in disked and controls, although the abundance of arthropods available was generally highest in control and disked fields. This suggests, therefore, that bobwhite chicks foraging rates are not limited by arthropod availability, but rather, by the structure of the vegetative community and the ability of the chicks to access the food resources. Chicks consumed a higher proportion of hymenopterans, isopods, and lepidopterans than expected from nonrandom feeding indicating that they were actively selecting for particular prey. This research has added to the understanding of restoring bobwhite habitat to tall fescue CRP, and could assist USDA-Natural Resource Conservation Service personnel and other land managers in restoring and maintaining marginally diverse grassland ecosystems in CRP fields for nesting and brood-rearing bobwhite.

Caption: “Giants Castel reserve, Drakensberg. Vegetation growing on top of a large boulder. 1956. C. J. Skead. Christine Skead in picture.”

Entre as alternativas para amenizar impactos negativos ao meio ambiente, decorrentes das atividades humanas, está a criação de áreas protegidas de preservação ambiental, como a Reserva Legal. O problema de pesquisa analisa a sustentabilidade ambiental, econômica e social da exigência de averbação de Reserva Legal e sua influência nas propriedades rurais, tendo como objetivo geral analisar as mudanças em curso e se a percepção dos proprietários frente a essa exigência é positiva, negativa ou não interfere nas suas decisões baseadas na sustentabilidade. Os objetivos específicos são analisar em cada propriedade, a sustentabilidade ambiental, avaliando a situação das áreas de Reserva Legal e as Áreas de Preservação Permanente, as mudanças no desempenho econômico dos principais sistemas produtivos e a sustentabilidade social, considerando os indicadores sociais das propriedades. Também foi pesquisada a aplicabilidade e aceitação por parte dos proprietários do Pagamento por Serviços Ambientais, além de identificar se o agricultor é favorável ou desfavorável à averbação de Reserva Legal e se a mesma foi realizada por livre e espontânea vontade ou para cumprir a lei. A metodologia do estudo foi qualitativa, consistindo em pesquisa bibliográfica e documental, além de pesquisa de campo. As principais técnicas de coleta de dados foram observação e entrevista, visando traçar um perfil dos informantes, interpretando o significado das suas representações e percepções. A amostra é constituída de quinze propriedades rurais com área de Reserva Legal já averbada e implantada, em treze municípios do estado do Rio Grande do Sul. A grande maioria dos entrevistados foi favorável com percepção positiva em relação à Reserva Legal. Os principais critérios determinantes à tomada de decisão, baseada na sustentabilidade, em relação à Reserva Legal, foram a necessidade e o desejo de preservar a natureza, possibilidade de remuneração e a postura afirmativa em relação à obrigatoriedade da lei. Dos quinze entrevistados, treze afirmaram que a participação dos agricultores na formulação das leis ambientais foi pouco democrática. Para a maioria dos respondentes, a implantação da Reserva Legal não trouxe nenhuma modificação significativa na renda da família, não interferindo na economia da propriedade e no sistema produtivo, embora muitos manifestem preocupação com a viabilidade econômica das propriedades menores. De modo geral, a exigência de Reserva Legal mostrou-se sustentável na dimensão econômica. Quanto à dimensão ambiental, pode-se inferir que a Reserva Legal nessas propriedades é sustentável, pois a mata nativa já existente tornou-se mais protegida com a averbação, ou então o proprietário efetuou o plantio de árvores nativas onde não era mata. Em termos de sustentabilidade social, não houveram modificações relevantes nas relações familiares, comunitárias e sociais com a implantação da Reserva Legal, a qual não parece ter gerado problemas sociais na região em estudo e nem aos seus atores. Os entrevistados, de maneira geral, não são contrários à Reserva Legal, mas gostariam ter mais informações, e também mais participação. Enfatizam que cada situação deve ser analisada caso a caso, considerando que desta forma mais agricultores estariam dispostos a implantar a Reserva Legal, mediante o Pagamento por Serviços Ambientais. / Among the alternatives to minimize negative environmental impacts caused by human activities, there is the creation of protected areas of environmental preservation, as kind of the Lawful Forest Reserve. The research‟s problem analyses the environmental, economic and social sustainability of the requirement of Lawful Forest Reserve endorsement on notary‟s office and its influence on the farms, with the general objective to analyze the current changes and if the farmers‟ perception of this requirement is positive, negative or doesn‟t have influence on their decisions based on sustainability. The specific objectives are to analyze in each farm, the environmental sustainability, evaluating the situation of Lawful Forest Reserve Areas and the Permanent Preservation Areas, the changes in the economic performance of the main productive systems and the social sustainability, concerning the farms‟ social indicators. Also was researched the applicability and acceptance of the farmers to the Payment for Environmental Services, beyond of identify if the farmer is favorable or disfavorable to the Lawful Forest Reserve endorsement on notary‟s office and if the same was performed by farmer‟s own free will or to comply with the law. The study‟s methodology was qualitative, consisting of documental and bibliographic research, beyond field research. The mainly data gathering techniques were the observation and interview, aiming to sketch a profile of the informers, interpreting the meaning of their representations and perception. The sample is formed by fifteen farms with Lawful Forest Reserve Areas already endorsed on notary‟s office and implemented, located in thirteen towns of Rio Grande do Sul state. The absolute majority of the interviewed people were favorable with positive perception regarding the Lawful Forest Reserve. The mainly criteria determinant to the decision making process, based on the sustainability, regarding Lawful Forest Reserve, were the need and the desire of nature preservation, compensation possibility, and the affirmative stance regarding the law‟s obligation. Thirteen of the fifteen interviewed people affirmed that the farmers‟ participation on the environmental laws formulation was few democratic. To the majority of the sample, the Lawful Forest Reserve implement did not bring any significant change on the family‟s income, did not interfering on the farm‟s economy and in the productive system, although many interviewed people express worry with the economic feasibility of the smaller farms. Generally, the requirement of Lawful Forest Reserve has showed to be sustainable in the economic dimension. About the environmental dimension, it can be inferred that Lawful Forest Reserve in these farms is sustainable, because the already existing native forest became more protected with the endorsement on notary‟s office, or then, the owner did the planting of native forest trees where wasn‟t forest. About social sustainability, there weren‟t relevant changes in the family, community and social relations with the Lawful Forest Reserve implement, which does not seem to have caused social problems in the studied region, neither to its actors. The interviewed people, generally, are not against of Lawful Forest Reserve, but would like to have more information about it, and also more participation. They emphasize that each situation must be analysed case by case, considering that of this way, more farmers would be willing to implement the Lawful Forest Reserve, through the Payment for Environmental Services.

[pt] Este trabalho apresenta diversas metodologias para o cálculo de pagamento pela reserva de capacidade do sistema. A remuneração da reserva oferecida pelo sistema vem sendo cada vez mais discutida, principalmente, devido ao aumento de competição no setor elétrico e sua possível influência negativa na confiabilidade de suprimento. O estudo da confiabilidade do sistema tem uma ligação direta com este problema, pois os seus índices podem medir a importância da reserva de potência para o desempenho do sistema. Da mesma forma, a precificação de reserva procura refletir os requisitos de confiabilidade do sistema. Com isto é esperado que os agentes procurem agregar reserva ao sistema quando devidamente compensados por isto. As diversas maneiras de obterem-se os índices de confiabilidade são apresentadas, bem como as vantagens e desvantagens de cada uma. Os métodos discutidos são importantes para o sistema brasileiro, pois levam em consideração a confiabilidade composta geração- transmissão. Em um país com grande extensão territorial e com uma malha de transmissão na avaliação do risco do sistema. Foram utilizados como casos exemplos para este trabalho um sistema teste de 3 barras criado especialmente para este estudo, o IEEE-MRTS (IEEE-Modified Realiability System), e um equivalente do Sistema Sul-Sudeste Brasileiro. Finalmente, são discutidas as diversas maneiras que os agentes podem pagar e receber pela reserva operativa. O objetivo é tentar reduzir ao máximo a grande variância existente neste pagamento, pois se este valor for calculado em tempo real, é fácil perceber que os geradores receberão muito pouco em épocas de pequena demanda de energia, e por outro lado, receberão altas quantias nos instantes de pico de carga ou períodos secos. / [en] This work presents various methodologies for the calculation of payment through system capacity reserve. The remuneration of energy reserve offered by the system is been more and more discussed, mainly owing to increase of competition in electrical sector and its possible negative influence in supply reliability. The study of system reliability has a direct connection to this problem, because their indices can measure the importance of energy reserve for the performance of the system. Furthermore, the reserve tariff tries to reflect system reliability requirements. So, the system wait for investments of agents, when their receive correct remuneration for this. The various ways of getting the reliability indices are shown, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of each one. The methods discussed are important for the Brazilian System because they take into consideration the generation-transmission reliability, while the methods used in the majority of other countries only taking consideration the generation. In large countries and with a transmission network completely interconnected as in Brazil, it is indispensable the study of the impact of transmission network in the evaluation of system risk. The cases studies for this work have used the IEEE-MRTS (IEEE-Modified Reliability System), a test system of three buses specially designed for this study and a equivalent of South-Southeast Brazilian Case (SSB). Finally, different way that agents can pay or receive in a accord with capacity of operative reserve are discussed. The objective is to try to reduce the maximum the great variation existing in this payments, because if this value was calculated in real time is easy to see that the generation will receive much less in time of low energy demand, and on the other hand, will receive high amounts in times of the load peak or dry periods.

North American populations of grassland birds have been declining consistently for the past several decades. Grassland birds respond to multiple scales which encompass a spectrum of habitat variables, and the habitat scale of importance may depend on the response of interest. For practitioners, having knowledge of the effect of scale is useful because conservation efforts can be focused at the most appropriate scale. However, previous multi-scale studies of grassland birds and other taxa have rarely incorporated on-the-ground habitat management while simultaneously investigating site-specific species turnover dynamics (Chapter 1) and daily nest survival (Chapter 2). Also, habitat management-related studies often suffer when not accounting for inherent variation between fields, field landscapes, and study year; thus, to disentangle specific effects of management, it is important to account for this variation by using these factors as random effects within mixed-effects models (Chapter 3). Understanding multi-scale habitat relationships affecting site turnover, also known as dynamic occupancy, and daily nest survival rate (nest survival or DSR), as well as how multiple avian responses vary with grassland management would further benefit conservation decision making for focal species. I investigated dynamic occupancy and nest survival of both obligate and facultative grassland species relative to multi-scale habitat factors on private lands (Conservation Reserve Program) in northwest Illinois during 2011-2014. I also conducted a separate analysis focusing on how multiple avian responses, ranging from species presence/absence (P/A) to species-specific nest survival, are influenced by non-fire grassland management treatments. For dynamic occupancy, a combination of ≥2 scales always outperformed single-scale models for all species. Three of 7 species responded to either cumulative habitat management (proportion of field managed over the study period) or yearly management (33% of field managed before a particular breeding season) regardless of dominant grass type. Of the 48 covariates appearing in top models across species for both dynamic and single-season occupancy, microhabitat covariates (42%) were represented most often, followed by patch-scale (33%) and landscape-scale (25%) factors. Covariates with the most consistent effects and the greatest frequencies appearing in competitive (∆AIC ≤ 4) dynamic and single-season occupancy models included landscape forest cover (n = 10), surrounding patch grassland cover (n = 7), and field size (n = 6). In general, increasing levels of forest cover adjoining fields had consistently negative effects on occupancy, colonization, and persistence across species, while grassland surrounding fields and field size had positive effects on these responses. Microhabitat covariates better explained colonization and extinction across the focal species. Of the 22 habitat covariates in top colonization and extinction models, microhabitat variables were represented 50% of the time, compared to 32% and 18% representation for patch-scale and landscape-scale covariates, respectively. I recommend that wildlife biologists utilize habitat management techniques to ensure grassland birds have different successional stages within their range of preferences. My results suggest that grassland disturbance, while influencing turnover dynamics of different species, may be less influential within smaller fields and landscapes dominated by forest cover. I analyzed the daily nest survival rate for 2 species (red-winged blackbirds and dickcissels) and 2 groups of nesting communities (ground and above-ground nesters). Temporal variables such as Julian date and stage of nest were significant predictors of nest survival for red-wings (50.58 ∆AICc = best temporal model) and dickcissels (2.28 ∆AICc = best temporal model) in addition to habitat covariates. In 3 of 4 analyses ≥2 habitat scales were better predictors of nest survival over one scale. For ground nesters the patch scale was be best predictor of nest survival. However, the best model for ground nesters did not have overwhelming support compared to the random model (1.43 ∆AICc). The ground-nesting community appeared to suffer decreased nest survival with increasing proportion of surrounding grassland. The blackbird top model included nest- and landscape-scale covariates, and top models for dickcissels and the above-ground nesting community included the nest- and patch-scale covariates. Blackbirds had a significant increase in nest survival when nests were placed in areas with higher vegetation density and height (greater visual obstruction). Comparatively, the predictive ability of habitat covariates was not as strong for the other 3 analyses; however, notable patterns include dickcissel nest survival decreasing with increasing nest distance to edge and above-ground nests had increased nest survival with increasing patch perimeter-area-ratio. My results suggest different species are responding to different scales, but finer-scale habitat covariates generally help predict nest survival over course-scale habitat features, such as landscape covariates. Songbird nest survival maybe more influenced by fine-scale habitat characteristics such as nesting cover and field vegetation complexity and density, which can deter nest predators and reduce their search efficiency. In a way, this is positive news for practitioners working in grasslands patches located in less than ideal patch or landscape configurations, suggesting more effort could be focused on improving conditions for colonization and persistence of focal species (Chapter 1). By focusing management on dynamic occupancy responses, increasing potential nesting habitat and territory quality for focal species will likely follow. When investigating multiple avian responses to management, within a consistent mixed-effect modeling framework, it appeared that avian survey related responses were best supported, having consistently larger ∆AICc values for top models, when compared to nesting-related data. One explanation of this relative difference could be attributed sample size difference between analyses. Focusing on the effects of management, this analysis accounted for inherent variation across fields, year, and potentially field landscape, as random effects within all models. As suggested from Chapter 2, and despite a large sample of nests, explanation of DSR across all species and focal species showed little improvement with management covariates. Brome fields cumulatively managed with spray or spray/seed treatments (Chapter 1) appeared to respond most and likely explained general positive effects for red-winged blackbird and dickcissel abundance; however, this was at a cost to species abundance for bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus), Henslow’s sparrow (Ammodramus henslowii), eastern meadowlark (Sturnella magna), field sparrow (Spizella pusilla), and northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus), due to the release of tall forbs within the seed bank after spraying brome dominated fields. Dramatic vegetation responses in sprayed brome fields likely led to an overall decrease in obligate-grassland bird richness and conservation value on brome field types that were cumulatively management over the course of the study. These results suggest the importance of non-native brome CRP fields for certain grassland-obligate bird species, while also revealing the apparent decoupling of nest survival and other avian responses measured commonly. I suggest managers and researchers pay closer attention to variables affecting nesting abundance/density in grassland systems when possible and recognize the potential importance of non-native grasses for grassland-obligate birds in some regions.

South Africa’s growing elephant populations are concentrated in relatively small enclosed protected areas resulting in the over utilisation of the available food sources. Elephants and other herbivores as well as other natural disturbances such as fires and droughts play an important role in maintaining savannah environments. When these disturbances become too concentrated in a particular area the vegetation composition may be negatively affected. Excessive damage to the vegetation would result from exceeding the capacity of a protected area to provide food resources. The effect of the 120 elephants on the vegetation of Welgevonden Private Game Reserve, is not known. The rugged terrain of this reserve makes it a difficult, time consuming and labour intensive exercise to conduct ground studies. Satellite images can be used as a monitoring tool for vegetation change and improve the quantity and quality of environmental data to be collected significantly, allowing more informed management decision-making. This study evaluated the use of satellite imagery for monitoring elephant induced vegetation change on Welgevonden Private Game Reserve. The LANDSAT Thematic Mapper multispectral images, acquired at two yearly intervals from 1993 until 2007 were used. However, no suitable images were available for the years 1997, 2001 and 2003. A series of vegetation change maps was produced and the distribution of water sources and fire occurrences mapped. The areas of change were then correlated with the spatial distribution of water points and fire occurances, with uncorrelated areas of change. This was analysed using large animal population trends, weather data and management practices. On the visual comparison of the vegetation maps, it was seen that over this time period there was some decrease and thinning of woodland, but the most notable change was the increase of open woodland and decrease in grasslands. Using only the digital change detection for the period 1993 to 2007, a general increase in vegetation cover is seen. But this generalisation is misleading, since comparing the digital change detection to the vegetation maps indicates that while vegetation cover may have increased, significant changes occurred in the vegetation types. Most of the areas of significant change that were identified showed a strong positive correlation with burnt areas. The distribution of the water sources could not be directly linked to the vegetation change although rainfall fluctuations seemed to have accelerated vegetation changes. Years with high game counts, such as 1999, also coincide with very low rainfall making it difficult to differentiate between the effects of heavy utilisation of vegetation and low rainfall. Furthermore, many of the initial vegetation changes could be the result of land use changes due to the introduction of browsers, selective grazers and elephants that allow for more natural utilisation of the vegetation. Remote sensing makes it possible to successfully track changes in vegetation and identify areas of potential elephant induced vegetation change. Vegetation changes caused by disturbances, such as fire and anthropogenic activities, can be accounted for but it is not possible to conclude with a high level of certainty that the further changes seen are solely a result of elephant damage. Further work is required to reliably isolate elephant induced vegetation changes, as well as to establish the effects these changes have on the ecosystem as a whole. / Environmental Sciences / (M. Sc. (Environmetal Sciences))

DEPREZ, Maarten Luc Rosa. Ao abrigo da tradição? : identidade e sustentabilidade em comunidades litorâneas do Ceará com regimes de proteção do território. 2015. 124 f. : Dissertação (mestrado) - Ministério da Educação e do Desporto, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Pró-Reitoria de Pesquisa e Pós-Graduação, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Desenvolvimento e Meio Ambiente - PRODEMA, Fortaleza-CE, 2015. / Submitted by guaracy araujo (guaraa3355@gmail.com) on 2016-05-13T19:38:24Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2015_dis_mlrdeprez.pdf: 2218313 bytes, checksum: f61a0917754b258b9a9210d2aa7c7a36 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by guaracy araujo (guaraa3355@gmail.com) on 2016-05-13T19:41:06Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 2015_dis_mlrdeprez.pdf: 2218313 bytes, checksum: f61a0917754b258b9a9210d2aa7c7a36 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-05-13T19:41:06Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2015_dis_mlrdeprez.pdf: 2218313 bytes, checksum: f61a0917754b258b9a9210d2aa7c7a36 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015 / Coastal communities in the Northeast region of Brazil suffer pressure from various angles, threatened as they are in they customary rights by powerful representatives of other uses of the territory, at the same time as their inhabitants struggle to redefine their positions in a rapidly changing society, ever more present, more imposed and more called upon. The construction of large resorts and other privatized leisure facilities in front of the sea, the occupation of space by weekend houses, the establishment of wind generator parks in the dunes and on the beaches and the invasion of mangroves by shrimp farming companies are some of the most visible current threats to the survival of these communities. In interaction with these economically profitable activities that are being established on the northeast coast of Brazil, the abandonment of traditional activities in favor of jobs away from the dominion of the communities, the forgetting of the own history and identity in favor of a little critical loyalty to the unifying discourse of dominant society, and the internal conflict originating from these evolutions have come to weaken even more these communities' power of selfgovernance and auto-definition of their future. In the present work, we will build upon open interview and participant observation data to research the construction process of identities and environmental consciousness in the Quilombola community of Cumbe and the Extractive Reserve of Batoque, in the context of these collective territorial protection regimes. The community of Batoque, that has turned into an Extractive Reserve as part of its struggle against large landowners, continues to be divided in relation to the presence of vacationers and concomitant land-selling – an activity that has become illegal. The community of Cumbe, located in the municipality of Aracati, is in the process of emancipation from a long history of occupation – with shrimp farming and wind energy generation as its current representatives – by way of the recognition as Quilombo. While the recognition of the community's rights over the traditionally used territory would mean a historical rupture that, for the first time, would put the community in control, the process is hampered by internal conflicts, with opposition of shrimp farm employees. All in all, identity shows to be an important tool for the communities to defend their unity and their territories, although it is far from a panacea. Internally, it helps to motivate the community to define common interests and to organize the efforts. Towards the outside, it promotes the recognition of legal rights and the acceptance by greater society of the communities' goals. / As comunidades litorâneas no Nordeste do Brasil sofrem pressões de vários ângulos, ameaçadas em seus direitos costumários à terra por representantes poderosos de outros usos do território, ao mesmo tempo que seus habitantes lutam para redefinir suas posições em uma sociedade em rápida mudança, cada vez mais presente, mais imposta e mais requisitada. A construção de grandes resorts e outros espaços privatizados de lazer frente ao mar, a ocupação do espaço por casas de veraneio, a implantação de parques eólicos nas dunas e praias e a invasão dos manguezais por empresas de carcinicultura são algumas das mais visíveis ameaças atuais à sobrevivência dessas comunidades. Em interação com essas atividades economicamente lucrativas que vêm se instalando no litoral Nordestino, o abandono das atividades tradicionais em favor de empregos externos a(o domínio d)a comunidade, o esquecimento da própria história e particularidade em favor da lealdade pouco crítica a um discurso unificador da sociedade dominante, e os conflitos internos decorrentes destas evoluções vêm enfraquecendo mais ainda as comunidades no poder de autogovernança e de autodefinição do seu futuro. Nesse trabalho pesquisamos, através de entrevistas abertas e observações participativas, o processo de construção de identidades e da consciência ambiental na comunidade Quilombola do Cumbe e na Reserva Extrativista do Batoque, no contexto dos regimes de proteção coletivo do território. A comunidade do Batoque, no município de Aquiraz, que tornou-se uma Reserva Extrativista na luta contra grandes proprietários de terra, continua dividida em relação à presença de veranistas e à venda de terras, uma atividade que tornou-se ilegal. A comunidade do Cumbe, localizada no município de Aracati, está no processo de emancipação de uma longa história de ocupação – com a carcinicultura e a geração eólica como atuais representantes – através do reconhecimento como quilombo. Enquanto a afirmação dos direitos da comunidade sobre o território tradicionalmente usado significaria uma ruptura histórica que, pela primeira vez, colocaria a comunidade no controle, o processo é dificultado por conflitos internos, com a oposição de empregados da carcinicultura. Contudo, a identidade se mostra uma arma importante utilizada por membros destas comunidades na defesa da sua unidade e dos seus territórios, embora não seja uma panaceia. Internamente ajuda a motivar a comunidade, a definir interesses em comum e a organizar os esforços. Para fora, promove o reconhecimento de direitos legais e a aceitação da sociedade maior dos objetivos da comunidade.