Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references. / Also available by subscription via World Wide Web / ix, 202 leaves, bound ill., map 29 cm

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Wollongong, 2009. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references: leaf 146-171.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T19:30:01Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 5864.pdf: 3534463 bytes, checksum: cd15fcfba13c323323c9b239d2f29ed8 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-03-06 / Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos / The study of diversity and productivity can contribute to understanding the functioning of Amazonian ecosystems as a whole and especially to the conservation of its aquatic biota, considered one of the richest in species on the planet. The present study aimed to analyze the course of three years the limnological characteristics of three floodplain lakes of the Madeira River in the area of influence of the Santo Antônio hydroelectric plant on the Madeira, in the region near to Porto Velho, Rondônia, with emphasis on the zooplankton community. Samples were quarterly covering the four major hydrological periods: low water, flood, high water and ebb over three years (2010-2013). Physical, chemical and biological variables of the lakes were collected and correlated with species composition, biomass and production of zooplankton. The zooplankton community was characterized by high species richness (195 taxa) and high degree of endemism for the group of Copepoda Calanoida. The results showed that the three lakes have eutrophic or mesotrophic characteristics. The highest values of density and biomass of zooplankton in the lake occurred Cujubim. The rotifers were numerically dominant, but the Copepoda dominated in biomass and secondary production in lakes Cuniã and San Miguel. There was little variability in secondary production of zooplankton, being slightly higher in the lake Cujubim with increased production of copepods and rotifers in this lake. The rainfall variation demarcated the occurrence of well-defined hydrological periods, directly affecting the hydrodynamics of this region, controlling population fluctuations of zooplankton, probably brought by the increased availability of resources on the Madeira River in the flood season, playing an important role in the organization of food webs, and how to link the transfer of matter and energy in food chains. / O estudo da diversidade e produtividade pode contribuir para o entendimento do funcionamento dos ecossistemas amazônicos como um todo e principalmente para a conservação da sua biota aquática, considerada uma das mais ricas em espécies no planeta. O presente estudo teve como objetivo analisar ao longo de três anos as características limnológicas de três lagos de várzea do rio Madeira na área de influência da Usina Hidroelétrica Santo Antônio do Madeira, na região próxima a Porto Velho, Rondônia, com ênfase na comunidade zooplanctônica. As amostragens foram trimestrais abrangendo os quatro períodos hidrológicos principais: Águas baixas, enchente, águas altas e vazante, ao longo de três anos (2010-2013). Foram coletadas variáveis físicas, químicas e biológicas dos lagos, correlacionando com a composição de espécies, além de determinadas a biomassa e a produção da comunidade zooplanctônica. A comunidade zooplanctônica foi caracterizada por elevada riqueza de espécies (195 táxons) e alto grau de endemismo para o grupo dos Copepoda Calanoida. Os resultados obtidos evidenciaram que os três lagos apresentam características mesotróficas ou eutróficas. Os maiores valores de densidade e biomassa da comunidade zooplanctônica ocorreram no lago Cujubim. Os Rotifera foram numericamente dominantes, mas os Copepoda dominaram em biomassa e produção secundária, nos lagos Cuniã e São Miguel. Houve pequena variabilidade na produção secundária da comunidade zooplanctônica, sendo ligeiramente superior no lago Cujubim, com maior a produção de Copepoda e Rotifera neste lago. A variação pluviométrica demarcou a ocorrência de períodos hidrológicos bem definidos, afetando diretamente a hidrodinâmica desta região, controlando flutuações populacionais da comunidade zooplanctônica, provavelmente pela maior disponibilidade de recursos trazidos do rio Madeira nos períodos de cheia, desempenhando papel importante na organização das teias tróficas, e como elo de transferência de matéria e energia nas cadeias alimentares.

Health condition of a river is a necessity for the sustainability of aquatic ecosystems. River health status of the Nzhelele River was assessed through the use of water quality, macroinvertebrate taxa composition and aquatic habitat conditions. The study was conducted along the Nzhelele River in Limpopo Province of South Africa where the river transcends six tribal villages. The objectives were to assess water quality conditions in order to determine the magnitude of pollution impact, to correlate species diversity and water quality parameters, to measure the size of degraded areas with respect to species richness and to develop a model for managing river health condition of the Nzhelele River. Data were collected monthly between February and December 2016 (early autumn to mid-summer). Macroinvertebrates were sampled where water samples were collected to ensure that the relationship between water quality and macroinvertebrates was adequately correlated. Water quality parameters that were analysed were pH, stream temperature, river velocity, conductivity, Dissolved Oxygen, Total Dissolved Solids, nitrates, nitrites and chlorine. Assessment of habitat conditions was done through the assessment of habitat and riparian zone integrity. One-way ANOVA was used to determine if there were significant differences between the six sampling areas in terms of water quality and aquatic species composition. Principal Correspondence Analysis (PCA) was used to correlate water quality and macroinvertebrate data. The results indicated that water quality parameters significantly differed among the six sampling sites and that also explained the variations in diversity of macroinvertebrates that were sampled from the six sampling sites. Pollution tolerant organisms constituted a total of 46.7% and the remaining 53.3% represented pollution sensitive organisms. PCA results showed positive and negative correlations between macroinvertebrates and water quality parameters to indicate variations in the levels of pollution along the Nzhelele River. Habitat integrity results indicated that the Musekwa sampling site was the most degraded and had lower species diversity. The Ratio of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera (EPT) and Chironomidae Abundances should be reviewed to read as Ratio of EPT and Chironomidae-Thiaridae Abundances in order to strengthen the study of the relationship between pollution tolerant and pollution sensitive organisms. / Environmental Sciences / Environmental Science

<p align="justify"><i>Typologie des cours d’eau en Wallonie et caractérisation par la faune invertébrée</i><br>Vingt-cinq types de cours d’eau ont été définis en Wallonie d’après les termes de la Directive Cadre pour l’Eau en tenant compte des facteurs obligatoires et optionnels rassemblés sous trois critères : la taille (du « ruisseau » à la « très grande rivière »), la pente (faible, moyenne et forte), et cinq régions naturelles (la région limoneuse, le Condroz, la Famenne, l’Ardenne et la Lorraine belge, résumant les facteurs obligatoires altitude, latitude, longitude et géologie). Une approche par analyses multivariées appliquées à un grand nombre d’échantillons (listes taxonomiques) a permis de définir de façon plus précise certains types de rivières et de distinguer sept groupes typologiques montrant des assemblages faunistiques similaires.</p> <p align="justify"><i>Conditions de référence types et définition de l’état écologique des rivières en Wallonie à l’aide de métriques biocénotiques basées sur les invertébrés</i><br> Les listes faunistiques et les valeurs métriques de l’IBGN (Indice biologique global normalisé) issues du réseau d’évaluation de la qualité biologique en Wallonie ont été utilisées pour discriminer les types de rivières et pour définir les sites de référence, les conditions de référence et les limites des classes des états écologiques. Au sud du sillon Sambre et Meuse, impliquant quatre groupes typologiques de rivières, les valeurs de référence et la définition des états écologiques ont été basées et calculées sur un réseau de référence de sites de très bon état. Les « valeurs de conditions de référence » ont été définies par les médianes des métriques des sites de « très bon état ». Lorsque aucun site de très bon état n’était disponible, c’est-à-dire pour les groupes typologiques au nord du sillon Sambre et Meuse et pour la Meuse et la Sambre, les conditions de référence (ou le « potentiel écologique maximal ») et les limites de classes ont été basées sur des coefficients appliqués aux sites de « bon état » et sur jugement d’expert.</p> <p align="justify"><i>Exercice pilote d’inter-étalonnage</i><br> Cinquante échantillons ont été sélectionnés parmi les rivières du type d’inter-étalonnage européen R-C3 (petite taille, altitude moyenne, substrat siliceux) en Wallonie (correspondant aux « ruisseaux ardennais ») dans toute la gamme de qualités écologiques, du « très bon » au « mauvais » état. Chaque métrique de l’indice « Intercalibration Common Metrics » (ICM) a été comparée (par régression linéaire et polynomiale) aux valeurs de l’IBGN. La plus forte corrélation a été établie avec l’indice synthétique de l’ICM dont le R² très élevé (0,95) permet un inter-étalonnage précis et fiable. A un EQR (Equivalent Quality Ratio) de l’IBGN = 1 correspond un indice ICM très proche (= 1,004). En conséquence, la métrique « cote de l’IBGN » est proposée comme métrique pour l’évaluation de l’état écologique de la faune invertébrée en Wallonie.</p> <p align="justify"><i>Espèces exotiques et invasives</i><br>L’ouverture récente du canal à grand gabarit Main – Danube en 1992 et la navigation qui en résulte a permis à plusieurs espèces de macroinvertébrés ponto-caspiennes d’envahir successivement les bassins du Rhin et de la Meuse. De 1998 à 2000, le réseau de mesure a enregistré quatre nouvelles espèces exotiques dans la Meuse en Belgique : une polychète (<i>Hypania invalida</i>) et trois crustacés (<i>Hemimysis anomala, Dikerogammarus villosus, D. haemobaphes</i>). Peu avant, en 1995, le bivalve asiatique <i>Corbicula fluminea</i> et l’amphipode nord-américain <i>Crangonyx pseudogracilis</i> ont également été enregistrés pour la première fois. La dynamique des invasions a été étudiée et discutée.</p> <p align="justify">L’<i>état biologique actuel</i> (2000-2002) des masses d’eaux de surface en Wallonie et l’évolution des états biologiques sur une décennie (1990-2002) figurent dans l’étude et sont discutés. Une amélioration globale de la qualité de 6 % est enregistrée pour cette période. L’amélioration de la qualité se manifeste principalement pour les états « mauvais » et « médiocre » s’élevant à l’état « moyen ».</p> <b>Abstract</b> <p align="justify"><i>River typology in Wallonia and invertebrate fauna characterization</i><br>Twenty-five river-types in Wallonia were defined according to the Water Framework Directive taking into account obligatory and optional factors gathered in three criteria: the size (from “brook” to “very large river”), the slope (gentle, medium and strong) and five natural regions (Loess, Condroz, Famenne, Arden and Jurassic summarising the obligatory altitude, latitude, longitude and geology factors). A multivariate approach applied to a large amount of samples (i.e. taxa lists) led to give a more accurate definition of some river-types and to discriminate seven river-type groups exhibiting similar faunal assemblages.</p> <p align="justify"><i>Type-specific reference conditions and ecological status definition of rivers in Wallonia using invertebrate biocenotic metrics</i><br> Faunal lists and IBGN (i.e. "Standardized Global Biological Index IBGN") metric values, evolving from the biological quality assessment network in Wallonia, were used to discriminate the river types and to define the reference sites, the reference conditions and the status class limits. South of the axis made by the Sambre & Meuse Rivers, involving four river-type groups, reference values and ecological status definition were based and calculated on a reference network of sites of high status. The "reference condition values” were defined as the median values of the metrics in all “high status” sites. Where no site of high status was available, i.e. in the others river-type groups north of the same axis and in the Rivers Sambre and Meuse themselves, reference conditions (or maximum ecological potential) and class limits were based on coefficients applied to “good status” sites and on expert judgement.</p> <p align="justify"><i>Intercalibration pilot exercise</i><br> Fifty samples were selected from R-C3 rivers (i.e. small, mid-altitude, siliceous) in Wallonia (corresponding to the “Arden’s brooks”) showing the widest range of ecological quality from high to bad status. Each Intercalibration Common Metric (ICM) was compared (linear and polynomial regression) to IBGN scores. The highest correlation was found with the synthetic ICM index, whose high R² (0.95) allows accurate and reliable intercalibration. To IBGN EQR (i.e. Equivalent Quality Ratio) = 1 corresponds a very close ICM index value (= 1.004). Consequently, the metric IBGN score is being proposed to act as the metric for the assessment of the invertebrate fauna ecological status in Wallonia, Belgium.</p> <p align="justify"><i>Exotic and invasive species</i><br> The recent opening of the canal Danube – Main in 1992 and the subsequent navigation allowed several Ponto-Caspian macroinvertebrate species to invade successively the Rhine and the River Meuse basins. From 1998 to 2000, the monitoring network recorded four new alien species in the River Meuse in Belgium: one Polychaeta (<i>Hypania invalida</i>) and three Crustacea (<i>Hemimysis anomala, Dikerogammarus villosus, D. haemobaphes</i>). Earlier, in 1995, the Asian Bivalvia <i>Corbicula fluminea</i> and the North American Amphipod <i>Crangonyx pseudogracilis</i> were also recorded for the first time. The invasions’ dynamics were studied and discussed.</p> <p align="justify"><i>Present biological status</i> (2000-2002) of surface water-bodies in Wallonia and biological status evolution over a one-decade period (1990-2002) is included and discussed in the study. A global quality improvement of 6 % is recorded for the period. Quality improvement concerns mainly the “bad” and “poor” status raising up to “moderate” status.</p>

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No. of bitstreams: 1 TeseRFP.pdf: 32637155 bytes, checksum: d3cc624aead32f85bad14acdb9612054 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-06-06 / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) / Ecological studies were carried out in twenty-five natural temporary aquatic environments, located in the cities of Urucuia, Lagoa Grande and Pirapora, in the north and northwest of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. In each environment, collections were carried out in April 2015, May 2016 and January 2017, during which limnological variables were measured and samples from the phytoplankton (qualitative) and zooplankton (qualitative and quantitative) communities, as well as from sediment, were collected. Experiments were also carried out in the laboratory to evaluate the effects of different temperatures and luminosity on the hatching of diapause eggs of zooplankton species present in these environments. In general, the values obtained for the physical and chemical variables of the studied environments were in a favorable range to the development of the phytoplankton community. However the low concentration of chlorophyll a and the low richness of phytoplankton species may be reflections of the low water transparency, and the turbidity may limit the growth of the phytoplankton. Qualitative and quantitative analyzes of the zooplankton community indicated low species richness in these ponds. Although Rotifera presented a greater richness of taxa, Copepoda Cyclopoida was the most abundant and numerically representative group. The presence or absence of the Anostraca Dendrocephalus brasiliensis does not seem to interfere in the composition and density of the zoplanktonic community. Species richness and local diversity should be related to disturbances and environmental dynamics. The results obtained in the experiment of hatching of zooplankton diapause eggs showed that the different ponds have similar hatching values, and low temperatures (20°C) and absence of light have a negative influence on hatching these eggs. In addition, it was observed that higher temperatures (35°C) accelerated the hatching of the diapause eggs during the first days of incubation. Thus we can infer that, in general, zooplankton community present in all the studied temporary aquatic environments behave in a similar way. / Foram realizados estudos ecológicos em vinte e cinco ambientes aquáticos temporários naturais, localizados nos municípios de Urucuia, Lagoa Grande e Pirapora, a norte e noroeste do estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil. Em cada ambiente, foram realizadas coletas em abril de 2015, maio de 2016 e janeiro de 2017, durante as quais foram medidas variáveis limnológicas e tomadas amostras das comunidades fitoplanctônica (qualitativas) e zooplanctônicas (qualitativas e quantitativas), além de amostras do sedimento. Também foram realizados experimentos em laboratório para avaliar os efeitos de diferentes temperaturas e da luminosidade sobre a eclosão de ovos de diapausa de espécies zooplanctônicas presentes nesses ambientes. De modo geral, os valores obtidos para as variáveis físicas e químicas dos ambientes estudados encontraram-se numa faixa favorável ao desenvolvimento da comunidade fitoplanctônica. No entanto, a baixa concentração de clorofila a e a baixa riqueza de espécies fitoplanctônicas podem ser reflexos da baixa transparência da água, sendo que a turbidez pode limitar o crescimento do fitoplâncton. Análises qualitativa e quantitativa da comunidade zooplanctônica indicaram baixa riqueza de espécies nessas lagoas. Embora o grupo Rotifera tenha apresentado maior riqueza de táxons, o grupo Copepoda Cyclopoida foi o mais abundante e representativo numericamente. A presença ou ausência do Anostraca Dendrocephalus brasiliensis parece não interferir na composição e na densidade da comunidade zooplanctônica, sendo que a riqueza de espécie e a diversidade local devem estar relacionadas a perturbações e dinâmica do ambiente. Os resultados obtidos no experimento de eclosão de ovos de diapausa do zooplâncton evidenciaram que as diferentes lagoas têm valores semelhantes de eclosão, sendo que baixas temperaturas (20°C) e ausência de luz têm influência negativa sobre a eclosão desses ovos. Além disso, foi observado que temperaturas mais elevadas (35°C) aceleraram a eclosão dos ovos de diapausa durante os primeiros dias de incubação. Assim, podemos inferir que, no geral, a comunidade zooplanctônica presente em todos os ambientes aquáticos temporários estudados se comporta de maneira semelhante. / CNPq: 141023/2013-9

Hard substrates in the marine environment are an important ecosystem of great scientific and economic value. Hard substrates provide suitable habitat for a diverse assemblage of benthic organisms. This thesis investigated the ecology of benthic hard substrate communities along a section of wave-exposed coastline, including the Sardinia Bay Marine Protected Area (MPA), in the warm-temperate Agulhas bioregion of South Africa. The effect of physical variables on benthic communities, including both the intertidal and shallow subtidal, was quantitatively assessed across (Chapter 3) and along (Chapter 4) the shore to provide a model of zonation for this bioregion and a baseline of community patters and biodiversity, as this information was lacking especially for the Sardinia Bay MPA. The zones described in Chapter 3 were in agreement with previous trends described for this bioregion with the addition of different biotopes in the upper Balanoid and deeper subtidal zones as well as the addition of an intermediate/transition zone in the subtidal between the algal dominated shallow subtidal and deeper subtidal, which has an increased abundance of sessile invertebrates. Disturbance is an important process in structuring benthic communities, and its role in structuring shallow benthic communities was investigated using a disturbance simulation experiment across a wave-exposure gradient (Chapter 5). Communities were found to change along the exposure gradient and monitoring the undisturbed communities showed that large waves caused disturbances across all the exposures. The recovery process was similar across all exposures mainly through lateral vegetative growth and regrowth from basal parts with communities in disturbed quadrats recovering to resemble the surrounding undisturbed community. Recruitment did not have a significant effect in the recovery process and community composition was therefore a result of the effects of the physical environment along the exposure gradient. Lastly this thesis investigated the indirect effects of protection in the small Sardinia Bay MPA (Chapter 6). Despite the small size of the MPA this study found differences in diversity and abundance between communities inside and outside the MPA. These differences in benthic biota infer indirect effects of protection that are probably due to the increase in abundance of exploited fish inside the MPA. Lower abundances of red algae, macroinvertebrates and diversity inside the MPA in the shallow depth category was attributed to the higher abundance of the generalist fish species that concentrate in the shallows. Significantly lower abundances of Chordata in the shallow and medium depth categories inside the MPA was attributed to predation by the benthic carnivorous species as ascidians are included in the diet of these species. This chapter also compared the effectiveness of destructive (scraped quadrats) and non-destructive (visually assessed quadrats) sampling methods. Scraped quadrats were found to be more effective in detecting changes across the MPA compared to visually assessed quadrats. Destructive methods sample the entire assemblage, to a higher taxonomic level, and measure abundance using biomass. It was concluded that biomass is a better metric when comparing communities across protection or other treatments as it provides better biological information of the community.

Fish assemblages from 54 oxbow lakes in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley were sampled to identify relationships among environmental variables and fish biodiversity in floodplain lake ecosystems. Environmental variables deterministic over fish biodiversity showed a hierarchical organization and were classified as primary or secondary depending on if one variable was considered to govern another. Primary variables included depth, surface area, surrounding land use, and degree of lake-river interconnectedness. Secondary variables included suites of water quality and primary productivity variables. Maximum depth and percentage of agricultural land surrounding lakes showed strongest relationships with other ecosystem components, significantly influencing water quality, primary productivity, and fish biodiversity. I found contrasting results regarding effect of lake-river interconnectedness on fish biodiversity, but maintain that connectivity is nonetheless an important floodplain lake ecosystem component and suggest that floodplain lake management efforts focus on depth, percentage of agricultural land, and restoration of connectivity.

The theory of sustainable development has received worldwide acceptance, and is characterised by the protection of environmental quality, social justice and economic development to ensure a quality of life for future generations. The concepts of sustainable development have transcended to all aspects of society, including the built environment through the Habitat Agenda and building sustainability rating tools. The thesis investigates the implications of sustainable development on how it relates to the building construction industry in South Africa. The study sought to evaluate the extent of consideration and motivation for the incorporation of sustainability criteria in building design, using the case of the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity wet collection facility in Grahamstown. The goal of the thesis was achieved by evaluating sustainability considerations and barriers to adoption of sustainability criteria in the design of the SAlAB building, the rating of the building against the LEED ™ criteria, and evaluation of the applicability of the LEED ™ in the South African context. The importance of the research emanates from the fact that, despite the proliferation of sustainable development and sustainability rating tools in the world, there is no widely used building sustainability rating tool in South Africa, even though the country is industrialising with a very active built environment. The study therefore contributes to the body of knowledge necessary for the implementation of a building rating tool in the country, through an understanding of barriers to implementation. The research method used in the study was a case study with the intention of obtaining the design professional's considerations and challenges in the context of designing the SAIAB building. The case study used multiple data collection methods, with primary information obtained from interviews of professionals involved in the design of the building, whilst additional information was from analysis of technical drawings and review of literature on the subject. The findings of the research showed that there is an understanding of sustainability and consideration in the building industry even though there is no targeted intent to meet sustainability goals. The barriers to building sustainability were identified as lack of regulation, incentives, access to land, awareness, availability of professional codes and standards, economic costs and capacity. These barriers translated into a relatively low score, a silver rating for the SAlAB building when using the LEEDTM rating system. The implications of the findings suggests a need for the development of a comprehensive building sustainability rating tool suited for the South African context, with performance standards and a technical manual to support it. This should however be done in an environment where sustainability goals are supported by regulation and incentives have been developed.