The local extinction of habitat patches and dispersal between the patches are important processes structuring animal populations in heterogeneous environments. Understanding these two processes is crucial for the conservation of wildlife populations in landscapes impacted by human land-use. Approximately 50% of the subtropical rainforest in South East Queensland, Australia has been lost to deforestation over the last 100 years. While large areas of rainforest are reserved, little is known about the distribution and population status of rainforest birds within smaller remnants in the region. The overall research problem for this thesis was to understand how deforestation and fragmentation of subtropical rainforest affects the occurrence of rainforest birds and the effective dispersal of a rainforest-restricted species, the logrunner (Orthonyx temminckii). Understanding why some bird species are lost from habitat patches while others remain will lead to improved conservation of extinction prone species in fragmented landscapes. Although the mechanisms underlying local extinctions are well established in temperate systems, the relative importance of local and regional processes on species occurrence in subtropical and tropical rainforests is poorly understood. Chapter 2 investigated the relative effects of life history and scale of habitat modification on avian site occupancy using observational data collected at 46 rainforest sites in South East Queensland. A probabilistic model for the joint site occupancy of 29 bird species was used to evaluate hypotheses for the effects of avian life history traits on the occurrence of multiple species. The single-species occurrence models incorporated habitat effects on detection, which may be especially important in rainforests because dense vegetation and idiosyncratic occurrence of species can interfere with sampling. Occupancy rates for each species were modelled to determine the relative influence of process operating at the stand, landscape and patch scales. The life history analysis indicated taxonomic Family, body mass, migratory strategy and feeding strata had large effects on avian site occupancy, whereas abundance traits such as mean density and extent of occurrence showed little predictive ability. After accounting for correlated extinction risk attributed to life history, the degradation of stand structure at the local scale was more important for species richness than habitat modification at landscape or patch scales. While individual species showed various responses to the different scales of habitat modification, the distribution of many species was limited by vegetation structure at the landscape scale. Maintaining stand basal area and restoring degraded rainforests at the local scale will increase the probability of occupancy for members of the rainforest bird community. However, revegetation and retention of forest cover at the landscape scale may be necessary for the successful colonisation of many species. Chapter 3 introduced a predictive hypothesis-driven approach for quantifying the relative contribution of historic and contemporary processes to genetic connectivity. Current analytic frameworks in population genetics have difficulty evaluating meaningful hypotheses about spatial processes in dynamic landscapes. Confronting genetic data with models of historic and contemporary landscapes allowed the identification of dispersal processes operating in naturally heterogeneous and human-altered systems. Two measures of indirect gene flow were estimated from microsatellite polymorphism among 11 logrunner populations. Of particular interest was how much information in the genetic data was attributable to processes occurring in a reconstructed historic landscape and a contemporary human-modified landscape. A linear mixed model was used to estimate appropriate sampling variance from non-independent data and information-theoretic model selection provided strength of evidence for alternate hypotheses. The historic and contemporary landscapes explained an equal proportion of variation in genetic differentiation and there was considerable evidence for a temporal shift in dispersal pattern. Migration rates estimated from genealogical information were primarily influenced by contemporary landscape change. Landscape heterogeneity appeared to facilitate gene flow prior to European settlement, but contemporary deforestation is rapidly becoming the most important barrier to logrunner dispersal. Understanding asymmetric dispersal is becoming an important consideration for the conservation metapopulations. Populations acting as net exporters of dispersing animals may be able to rescue local populations from extinction and allow metapopulations to persist in degraded landscapes impacted by habitat loss. In Chapter 4, I estimated bidirectional migration rates from genetic data to infer dispersal among 11 logrunner populations. The first question posed was, does logrunner dispersal correspond to the source-sink or balanced model of dispersal? The second question involved determining the strength of evidence for two hypotheses about how landscape structure has affected asymmetric dispersal. Hypothesis one proposed that asymmetric dispersal was primarily influenced by naturally occurring habitat heterogeneity. Hypothesis two asserted that asymmetric dispersal was predominantly influenced by anthropogenic landscape change. The data were confronted with the alternate hypotheses using linear mixed models and landscape covariates extracted from digital maps. The results showed the direction of asymmetric dispersal was consistent with source-sink population structure. I also discovered that the asymmetry in dispersal was influenced more by anthropogenic landscape change than by naturally occurring habitat heterogeneity. Intact landscapes were net exporters of dispersing logrunners while landscapes heavily impacted by rainforest clearing were net importers of individuals. Elevated immigration rates into landscapes impacted by rainforest clearing appeared to arrest population declines in accordance with the rescue effect. The primary conclusion emerging from the study of patch occupancy and dispersal was that logrunner populations in South East Queensland conformed to a mainland-island metapopulation. Asymmetric dispersal from the largest expanse of upland rainforest appeared to prevent fragmented rainforests in close proximity from going locally extinct. While the distribution of logrunners was limited by the spatial configuration of rainforest patches, other rainforest birds exhibited variable responses to scale of habitat modification. The most consistent pattern was several species dropping-out of the community in degraded stands affected by selective timber harvest. Deforestation at the landscape scale also played a role in the extremely low patch occupancy rates of Albert’s lyrebirds (Menura alberti) and green catbirds (Ailuroedus crassirostris).

This thesis fills a research gap in our knowledge of kokako song by looking at how song evolves in multi-dialect areas. Kokako only exist in small remnant populations separated by large tracts of unsuitable land. Kokako are very poor flyers, only able to fly for approximately 100 metres at a time. In order to prevent inbreeding and a loss of genetic diversity in the remaining kokako populations, managers are carrying out translocations to establish new populations, maintain gene flow and prevent inbreeding. However, these translocations have the potential to be unsuccessful because kokako exhibit macrogeographic variation in their dialects, and tend not to breed with individuals who do not share the same dialect as them. If the purpose of the translocation is to enhance genetic diversity by having kokako from different areas breed then song is an important factor that must be dealt with. Song is extremely important to kokako for a number of reasons. Chiefly, it is hypothesised that song is their primary means of territory defence. A kokako gains all its resources from its territory, so it is imperative that they successfully defend it. Their duet song functions in territory defence, but also acts to form and maintain pair bonds. In order to try and address the problem that song causes in translocations I studied if and how song evolves in a multiple dialect area. I conducted research at Pukaha Mount Bruce, where there is a population of kokako originating from two different source populations, and thus two different dialects, Northern Mapara and Mangatutu. I looked at the Northern Mapara dialect, and recorded kokako belonging to three groups; kokako currently living in the source population, kokako that were translocated to Pukaha and kokako that were born at Pukaha. In order to determine how the song may be changing I looked at element repertoires, the levels of sharing between groups, the number of unique elements in repertoires and the syntactical and temporal characteristics of phrases. This study shows that translocation into multiple dialect areas can affect kokako song. Translocation did not affect the size of the kokako repertoire, but it seemed to affect the amount of sharing within and between different groups of kokako. Currently the level of sharing within the groups at Pukaha is lower than the level of sharing within the source Mapara population, indicating that the song may be diverging. There also seem to be more unique elements found at Pukaha, which in part explains the lack of sharing. There appears to be microgeographic variation at Pukaha, with birds clustered around the second (Mangatutu) dialect sharing less with the source population than do those kokako whose territories are lower down in the reserve. The phrases which are used are also evolving, with only one phrase truly shared among all groups. There are other phrases which show additions or deletions of elements, and so are evolving. The main change found in the phrases is the timing between elements, with six out of seven phrases examined showing changes. These results have repercussions for future kokako translocations, and the future of the Pukaha kokako. A low amount of phrase and element type sharing combined with changes of intra-phrase timing could lead to the Pukaha kokako’s inability to successfully defend their territories. This research shows how kokako song can give conservation managers information on the status of their populations in regards to interbreeding and raises questions which can be answered by further research, both at Pukaha and in other mixeddialect kokako populations.

This thesis fills a research gap in our knowledge of kokako song by looking at how song evolves in multi-dialect areas. Kokako only exist in small remnant populations separated by large tracts of unsuitable land. Kokako are very poor flyers, only able to fly for approximately 100 metres at a time. In order to prevent inbreeding and a loss of genetic diversity in the remaining kokako populations, managers are carrying out translocations to establish new populations, maintain gene flow and prevent inbreeding. However, these translocations have the potential to be unsuccessful because kokako exhibit macrogeographic variation in their dialects, and tend not to breed with individuals who do not share the same dialect as them. If the purpose of the translocation is to enhance genetic diversity by having kokako from different areas breed then song is an important factor that must be dealt with. Song is extremely important to kokako for a number of reasons. Chiefly, it is hypothesised that song is their primary means of territory defence. A kokako gains all its resources from its territory, so it is imperative that they successfully defend it. Their duet song functions in territory defence, but also acts to form and maintain pair bonds. In order to try and address the problem that song causes in translocations I studied if and how song evolves in a multiple dialect area. I conducted research at Pukaha Mount Bruce, where there is a population of kokako originating from two different source populations, and thus two different dialects, Northern Mapara and Mangatutu. I looked at the Northern Mapara dialect, and recorded kokako belonging to three groups; kokako currently living in the source population, kokako that were translocated to Pukaha and kokako that were born at Pukaha. In order to determine how the song may be changing I looked at element repertoires, the levels of sharing between groups, the number of unique elements in repertoires and the syntactical and temporal characteristics of phrases. This study shows that translocation into multiple dialect areas can affect kokako song. Translocation did not affect the size of the kokako repertoire, but it seemed to affect the amount of sharing within and between different groups of kokako. Currently the level of sharing within the groups at Pukaha is lower than the level of sharing within the source Mapara population, indicating that the song may be diverging. There also seem to be more unique elements found at Pukaha, which in part explains the lack of sharing. There appears to be microgeographic variation at Pukaha, with birds clustered around the second (Mangatutu) dialect sharing less with the source population than do those kokako whose territories are lower down in the reserve. The phrases which are used are also evolving, with only one phrase truly shared among all groups. There are other phrases which show additions or deletions of elements, and so are evolving. The main change found in the phrases is the timing between elements, with six out of seven phrases examined showing changes. These results have repercussions for future kokako translocations, and the future of the Pukaha kokako. A low amount of phrase and element type sharing combined with changes of intra-phrase timing could lead to the Pukaha kokako’s inability to successfully defend their territories. This research shows how kokako song can give conservation managers information on the status of their populations in regards to interbreeding and raises questions which can be answered by further research, both at Pukaha and in other mixeddialect kokako populations.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Oregon State University, 2008. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the World Wide Web.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Mississippi State University. Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:26:52Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2009-12-16Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:30:46Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 santos_me_me_assis.pdf: 757864 bytes, checksum: 6228de78c6143bf23c2d70acb679a080 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / A produção intelectual do feminismo questionou as representações e os papéis sociais de gênero e também contribuiu para a evolução de uma perspectiva crítica acerca das múltiplas opressões que assolam as mulheres. Entre as minorias femininas que despontaram nesse cenário de articulação, as mulheres negras, com sua escrita engajada e muitas vezes marcada pela autorrepresentação, buscam se inserir no espaço acadêmico e conquistar o reconhecimento de sua obra literária. Nesse sentido, este trabalho pretende fazer uma reflexão crítica sobre a narrativa de memórias das escritoras negras Carolina Maria de Jesus e Maya Angelou, em suas respectivas obras: Diário de Bitita e I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Para tanto, levantamos questões relevantes do enredo e enfocamos o trajeto singular das protagonistas negras rumo à conscientização de uma realidade construída em torno das desigualdades de poder. Deste modo, num primeiro momento, refletimos sobre a condição dos afrodescendentes e sublinhamos a situação da mulher negra durante e depois do período escravocrata. Na sequência tratamos da questão da literatura confessional direcionando seu enfoque para as formas diário e memória, a fim de evidenciar suas congruências e diferenças no universo confessional. Por fim, empreendemos um trabalho de análise das obras, em que salientamos pontos importantes e discutimos as trajetórias de cada personagem rumo à autoaceitação. / The intellectual production of feminism questioned the representations and social roles of gender and contributed to an evolution of a critical perspective towards the oppression suffered by women. Among the minorities that emerged in this scenery of articulation, the black women with an engaged writing, and also marked many times by self- representation try to put themselves in the academic space and have the recognition of their work as well. In this sense, this work intends to make a critical reflection about the memoirs of the black writers Carolina Maria de Jesus and Maya Angelou, in their respective books: Diário de Bitita and I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. For that we raised questions concerning the plot and emphasize the black protagonists´ peculiar course towards awareness of a reality built around unequal powers. So, we first consider the black people condition and underline the black women situation before and during slavery time. Secondly, we talk about the confessional literature focalizing the diary and memoir forms in order to make evident their similarities and differences in the confessional universe. At last we attempt to a work of analysis of the books where we point out important items and discuss the characters´ course towards self-acceptance.

Orientador: Reginaldo José Donatelli / Resumo: Pontos de contagem é um método atrativo para utilização em programas de monitoramento de aves por ser simples e permitir que vários locais sejam amostrados. Contudo, nos estudos realizados em regiões tropicais utilizando-se deste método, os autores utilizam a variável "tempo" de forma diferente para registrar a abundância das aves nos fragmentos florestais. Portanto, os dados obtidos por estes diferentes estudos não podem ser comparados entre si, pois o tempo gasto nos pontos e o tempo total das contagens diferem significativamente, assim como as distâncias percorridas. Desta forma, o objetivo do presente trabalho foi o de comparar quatro durações de tempos distintas (5, 10, 15 e 20 minutos) para identificar qual destas registra maior riqueza e abundância de aves em fragmentos de florestas tropicais. As amostragens foram realizadas durante 12 meses em um fragmento de floresta estacional semidecidual de 2.180 ha no interior de São Paulo. Um total de 120 minutos de amostragem foi realizado a cada mês para cada tempo distinto, o que exigiu um número diferente de pontos amostrais e uma diferente distância total percorrida na floresta. Com relação à riqueza e abundância, os testes estatísticos evidenciaram que o tempo de cinco minutos apresentou resultados que diferem significativamente dos outros tempos (10’, 15’ e 20’). Além disso, houve uma correlação positiva entre as diferentes distâncias percorridas e a abundância registrada, ou seja, quanto maior a distância percorrida, mai... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Point counts are attractive for use in avian monitoring programs because they are straightforward and allow numerous geographic sites to be sampled. However, in studies conducted with the point count method in tropical regions, authors use the variable "time" differently to record the abundance of birds in forest remnants. Therefore, the data obtained by different studies cannot be compared since the time spent at the points and the total counting time differ significantly, as do the distances traveled. The objective of the present study was to compare four distinct point count times (5, 10, 15 and 20 minutes) to identify which registers relatively greater bird richness and abundance in tropical forest fragments. Samplings were carried out for 12 months in a 2,180 ha fragment of semideciduous forest in the interior of the state of São Paulo. A total of 120 minutes of sampling was carried out each month for each counting time, which required a different number of counting points and a different total distance traveled in the forest. With respect to richness and abundance, the statistical tests showed that five minutes of counting yielded results that were significantly different from those of the other point count times. Additionally, there was a positive correlation between the different distances traveled and the recorded abundance, i.e., the greater the distance traveled, the greater the richness and abundance. One aspect of community ecology that must be considered is that... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Orientador: Adriane Pinto Wasko / Resumo: O Brasil apresenta umas das maiores diversidades de avifauna do mundo, sendo estimada a ocorrência de 1.919 espécies distribuídas em todo seu território. Entretanto, a destruição de habitats, poluição e captura excessiva, muitas vezes associadas ao comércio ilegal, têm levado a um declínio no número de indivíduos desse grupo animal. Uma das formas de combater esse tipo de crime ambiental e de reverter ou minimizar seus efeitos concerne à implementação de um banco de dados forenses com registros de ocorrências e informações biológicas sobre os animais apreendidos e desenvolvimento de ações de conscientização da população sobre esta problemática. Desta forma, o presente trabalho teve como objetivo desenvolver estratégias multidisciplinares para a proteção jurídica à conservação biológica de aves oriundas do tráfico de animais. Amostras de DNA de aves comercializadas ilegalmente e encaminhadas ao Centro de Medicina e Pesquisa em Animais Silvestres (CEMPAS), mantido pela Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia da Universidade Estadual Paulista, foram utilizadas para geração de perfis genéticos sexo-específicos, por meio da amplificação de segmentos dos genes CHD-Z e CHD-W (Chromo Helicase DNA Binding). Adicionalmente, perfis de duas subespéciesde papagaio-verdadeiro (Amazona aestiva aestiva e Amazona aestiva xanthopteryx foram gerados por meio da amplificação e sequenciamento nucleotídico de segmentos dos genes mitocondriais citocromo C oxidase subunidade I (COI) e citocrom... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Brazil has one of the largest avifauna diversity in the world, with estimated 1,919 species distributed throughout its territory. However, habitat destruction, pollution and over-harvesting, often associated with illegal trade, have led to a decline in the number of individuals of this animal group. One possible approach to combat this type of environmental crime and to reverse or minimize its effects concerns the implementation of a forensic database with records of occurrences and biological information about the captured animals and the development of actions to raise population awareness about this problem. Therefore, the present work aimed to develop multidisciplinary strategies for the legal protection to the biological conservation of birds originated from the animal traffic. DNA samples of illegally traded birds, that were sent to the Center for Medicine and Research in Wild Animals (CEMPAS) maintained by the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science of the São Paulo State University, were used to generate sex-specific genetic profiles, through the amplification of segments of the CHD-Z and CHD-W (Chromo Helicase DNA Binding) genes. In addition, profiles of two subspecies of the Blue-fronted Amazon (Amazona aestiva aestiva and Amazona aestiva xanthopteryx) were generated, through amplification and nucleotide sequencing of segments of the mitochondrial genes cytochrome C oxidase subunit I (COI) and cytochrome b (CYB) and a segment of the 5S ribosomal DNA gene (... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

This paper reviews the osteological material from birds which are found in the boat graves from Valsgärde in Sweden. Based on my own work with boat grave number 13, I have studied the avian bone material to find out what kind of bird species there are in the grave. Birds have a significant meaning in many religions from all around the world and are symbolic for different kinds of beliefs. Although many written sources from the past indicate the cultural importance of birds, there is still little zooarchaeological research done in the subject of bird findings in graves. The boat graves from Valsgärde is from the Vendel period about 550–800 AD. My interest with the species analysis is that it furthermore will lead to discussions about interpretation of the graves. I want to examine questions like what birds of certain species can tell about the individual that the grave belongs to. For example, findings of predatory birds often refer to wealth, due to fact that it’s difficult to raise them in captivity. This is an interesting fact that should be consider when a grave is examined, because it reveals many more questions. Also, I want to examine how birds at that time were used in everyday life, and if there were any other practices concerning birds like for example hunting.

xi, 124 p. : col. ill. and map. / The Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary (AMWS), located on the Humboldt Bay of northwestern California in the town of Arcata, is an excellent example of reciprocity between humans and the natural environment. The AMWS is a constructed wetland ecosystem that works in conjunction with the town's wastewater treatment plant, providing a healthy habitat for birds and other wildlife and a context for the folkloric activity of birding. Interviews with seven local birders at the AMWS and an analysis of the material, economic, biological, social, and spiritual implications of the activity in context serve to support the assertion that reciprocity is an important factor in the sustainability of folkloric interactions between humans and the natural environment. / Committee in charge: Sharon Sherman, Chairperson; Kathryn Lynch, Member; Jill Harrison, Member