This diploma thesis deals with legal regulation of creation and protection of Natura 2000 network. Natura 2000 is a system of protected areas created in Member States of the European Union which is aimed at preservation and potential renewal of natural habitats and rare and threatened species of wild fauna and flora. The objective of the creation of Natura 2000 network is to ensure the diversity of species and ecosystems, primarily the rare and threatened ones. The network is composed of the Special Protection Areas (SPAs) designated on the basis of the Birds Directive and of the Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) designated according to the Habitats Directive. The introductory chapter deals with historical development of the nature conservation on the Czech territory up to the present and as follows it gives an explanation of the term the Natura 2000 network. The chapter 2 is devoted to the most significant international conventions related to Natura 2000. The Bern Convention has even inspired some articles of the regulation included in the Directives. The chapter 3 is focused on the European legal regulation of nature and biodiversity protection. The nature conservation area comes under the EU environmental policy and it is related to other policies as well. The legal basis is contained in the...

The phylogeny of the turtle genus Pseudemys is poorly understood. In Virginia, many turtles have been found with indicator traits of both eastern river cooters (Pseudemys concinna concinna) and northern red bellied cooters (Pseudemys rubriventris). This study explores morphological evidence for hybridization between the two species across three riverine sites in east central Virginia. Museum voucher groups for each species were analyzed for relative shell height and plastron length. The shape of the plastral scutes and upper jaw were analyzed using landmark-based morphometric software. These metrics were compared with measurements taken from 188 field-caught Pseudemys specimens. Across phenotypic metrics, field specimens resembled northern red bellied cooters. Geometric morphometric analysis showed extreme variation. Thirteen field specimens exhibited indicator traits of both species. Because species boundaries do not appear to be well-resolved using accepted phenotypes and morphometrics, we suggest that additional research utilizing molecular methods and genetic analysis be conducted.

Pour répondre aux enjeux énergétiques et écologiques actuels, les pouvoirs publics prévoient une forte augmentation des prélèvements de bois à l'horizon 2020. Cependant, très peu d'études en milieu tempéré établissent clairement un lien entre les changements sylvicoles associés et la préservation de la biodiversité. L’enjeu de cette thèse est d’améliorer les connaissances sur lesquelles fonder des outils de conservation pertinents et favorables à la biodiversité, en adoptant les coléoptères saproxyliques comme modèle biologique. Le volume de bois mort a souvent été retenu comme un indicateur de gestion durable des forêts. Au travers d'une méta-analyse, nous avons cherché à appréhender son importance et ses limites en tant qu’indicateur de biodiversité. Nous montrons que toute augmentation du volume de bois mort est favorable à la biodiversité. Nous avons ensuite testé l'effet de la qualité de différents types de rémanents (essence, diamètre et stade de décomposition) sur la biodiversité afin d'identifier les principaux facteurs déterminant la composition des assemblages. Nos résultats montrent que les variables à l’échelle de la pièce de bois mort jouent un rôle important pour la biodiversité. Enfin, nous avons étudié la valeur écologique de zones abandonnées par la sylviculture(taillis-sous-futaie abandonnés depuis plus de 60 ans), et l'impact du raccourcissement ou de l'allongement de la durée de rotation en futaie régulière de chêne. Nous avons ainsi montré que les zones vieillies hébergent une plus grande biodiversité et que la diminution des rotations sylvicoles pourrait avoir un impact négatif. Par conséquent, la préservation des zones vieillissantes permettrait de favoriser la conservation de la biodiversité saproxylique.Cette étude est la première du genre en milieu tempéré. Malgré les résultats obtenus, de multiples questions se posent encore et de nombreux facteurs sont encore à étudier. / Facing current energetic and ecological issues, public authorities forecast a strong increase in wood harvesting by 2020. Nevertheless, in the temperate biome, very few studies clearly link sylviculture changes associated with such an increase and conservation of biodiversity. The main issue of this Phd thesis was to improve the knowledge on which managers could build relevant conservation tools to preserve biodiversity. For this purpose, we used saproxylic beetles as biological model. Deadwood volume has often been used as an indicator for sustainable forest management. Using meta-analysis, we tested the relevance of deadwood volume as biodiversity indicator. We showed that an increase in deadwood volume favours biodiversity, but this relationship remains weak for temperate forests. We then tested the effect of different logging residues qualities (tree species, diameter and decay class) on biodiversity in order to identify the main drivers of assemblages’ composition. Our results showed that piece of wood characteristics play an important role on biodiversity. Finally, we studied the ecological value of areas where management had been abandoned (coppices-with-standard where coppice had not been harvested for more than 60 years) and the influence of shortened or increased rotation lengths in oak high forest (160-300 years). We thus showed that overmature areas have higher levels of biodiversity and that shortened rotations lengths may have a negative impact on biodiversity. As a consequence, maintaining such overmature zones may help preserve saproxylic biodiversity. This study is the first to be conducted in the temperate biome. Despite the results obtained, many questions lay ahead and many factors remain to be studied.

Biodiversity loss is one of the major threats to humanity. This has led to an increasing amount of research on biodiversity on genetic and species levels. Studies of diversity at the ecosystem level has however been neglected. An important aspect of ecosystems is food webs that describe the predation-prey interactions between species. Properties explaining the topological structure of food webs can be used to compare and highlight differences between ecosystems. In the present study, topological network properties are used to compare the diversity of network structures between groups of empirical food webs. Differences between 45 aquatic and 45 terrestrial food webs are compared as well as the effects of species richness on lake network structure diversity. Network structure diversity is measured as the average Euclidean distance from food webs to their group centroid in a multidimensional space of network properties. While the average network structure differs between aquatic and terrestrial food webs, no significant difference in variation is found. For 128 Swedish and 48 North American lake food webs, increasing species richness is shown to decrease network structure diversity. A higher diversity of network structures could potentially indicate a more ways to cope with disturbances or provisions of a higher variety of ecosystem services. Preliminary tests of ecosystem diversity effects on stability were conducted but proved inconclusive.

Global biodiversity protection requires the development of protected areas that include representative samples of different ecosystems and their associated biodiversity (Dudley 1992, Scott et al. 2001a). I compared long-term decline and protection of forests in three major biomes; boreal, temperate and tropical. I found that forests in the temperate biome are less abundant and less protected than forests in the boreal and tropical biomes. I conducted regional analyses for five continents on the degree of protection of temperate forests across naturally occurring geographic and elevational ranges. My results indicate that protected temperate forests do not represent the full geographic and elevational range of naturally occurring temperate forests. Bias in location, elevation and slope of protected areas are present at both the regional and global scale. Better protection of temperate forests is needed if the diversity and resources associated with these forests types across their geographic range is to be preserved.

Metropolitan New Orleans Neighborhoods were surveyed in order to determine how bird populations responded to distance from the batture, percent canopy cover, stem counts, and understory vegetation. Surveys were conducted in the spring and summer of 2010. It was found that batture birds, urban birds, and pooled birds all had greater species richness and abundance in the spring in areas with more canopy cover, higher stem counts, more understory vegetation, and distances closer to the batture. In the summer, batture birds had greater richness and abundance in areas with more canopy cover, higher stem counts, and more understory cover. This group of birds also had greater richness nearer the batture in the summer, but there were no significant abundance tests. Urban birds showed no preferences for any of the vegetative variables, but showed some tendency to have greater richness further away from the batture. Pooled birds did not significantly respond to any of the variables during the summer. Fifteen individual species of birds were also analyzed to see how they responded to the same variables.

Processes structuring bee communities in agricultural landscapes are well-documented compared to those in other anthropogenic landscapes, like production forests. Forests across the temperate zone have historically been under-sampled, in part due to the perception that they provide little habitat to support diverse bee communities. While research suggests that early successional habitats support high levels of bee species richness and abundance, little empirical evidence exists to support the notion that forests, in turn, do not. To understand the relationship between forest successional age and major elements of the bee community, I sampled bees in a southern production pine forest in Hancock County, MS across 2012 and 2013. I found that while bee abundance declines with successional age, species richness does not. Combining this work with other recent research, I propose a generalized framework for understanding the role of disturbance and forest structure in structuring bee communities of southern forests.

La communauté scientifique s’accorde sur la responsabilité de l’homme dans les menaces actuelles pesant sur la biodiversité. La forte érosion de la biodiversité mondiale pointe les limites biophysiques de renouvellement du capital naturel (espèces, paysages, services écosystémiques…). Postulant que la durabilité d’un système économique passe par le maintien du stock de capital naturel, Costanza et Daly ont introduit les concepts de « durabilité faible » et de « durabilité forte » pour caractériser les biens selon leur niveau de substituabilité (dans le cadre de la durabilité forte, le capital naturel devient non substituable). A leur suite, afin d’adapter le concept de durabilité forte aux problématiques de développement et d’aménagement, Toman suggère en 1994 de distinguer les capitaux naturels critiques présentant des enjeux de préservation forts des capitaux naturels de moindre importance. Il propose d’appliquer une logique de durabilité forte aux premiers pour ne pas les laisser décroître en dessous de seuils donnés dits normes minimales de sauvegarde et, d’utiliser les seconds comme supports du développement, appliquant alors une logique de durabilité faible.Partant les cadres conceptuels de Costanza, Daly et Toman, ma thèse évalue la faisabilité et les arbitrages inhérents à la mise en œuvre de la durabilité forte dans une action publique de préservation de la biodiversité, en l’occurrence, la compensation écologique qui conditionne les opérations d’aménagement à compenser les pertes écologiques qu’ils engendrent. Mon objectif fut de me centrer sur une action publique ayant des assises spatiales afin de mettre en évidence les déterminants individuels permettant sa mise en œuvre et d’évaluer les seuils, notamment spatiaux, nécessitant des arbitrages entre enjeux de développement économique et conservation de la biodiversité.Dans un premier chapitre, je propose et applique empiriquement sur trois régions françaises, une méthode pluridisciplinaire (reprenant des éléments d’écologie) de catégorisation des milieux naturels en fonction de leur niveau de durabilité. La spatialisation empirique de mes catégories fait ressortir la place prédominante de l’agriculture et une forte variabilité des niveaux de durabilité selon la nature biophysique et anthropique des espaces. Dans le second chapitre, j’évalue, à partir des cadres de l’économie comportementale, l’acceptabilité de la compensation écologique par les agriculteurs. Je mets en évidence de fortes disparités dépendantes des types de production et de l’histoire personnelle des agriculteurs. Dans mon dernier chapitre, j’évalue empiriquement les contraintes spatiales inhérentes à l’atteinte d’une durabilité forte à partir d’un modèle théorique d’allocation de l’effort de compensation à l’échelle régionale. Un premier résultat de ma thèse est donc une définition opératoire de la nature ordinaire, adaptée à la mise en œuvre d’une action publique sur l’environnement (en l’occurrence le dispositif de compensation écologique). Je montre que, si l’on cantonne les aménagements à la nature ordinaire, l’objectif de durabilité forte devient atteignable, à condition que l’agriculture soit le pivot du dispositif. Mon second résultat met en lumière les comportements des agriculteurs eu égard aux politiques visant la préservation d’une biodiversité. Il montre, à rebours des résultats standard en économie comportementale, que les agriculteurs réagissent plus favorablement à une biodiversité moins spécifique et que les niveaux d’acceptabilité de la mesure sont hétérogènes selon leur type de production (bio vs conventionnel) et leur histoire personnelle (héritier agricole versus néo-agriculteur). / Non fourni

La Convention sur la diversité biologique (CDB, 1992) a établi pour la première fois en droit international un système d’accès aux ressources génétiques (RG) et du partage des avantages qui découlent de leur utilisation (système d’APA). Ce système se base sur la reconnaissance de la souveraineté des États sur leurs ressources naturelles, censée leur permettre d’en contrôler l’utilisation et bénéficier des avantages qui en découlent. La Convention se présentait alors comme un acquis pour les pays du Sud, principaux fournisseurs des RG et par conséquent principaux bénéficiaires de ce système. Deux ans après la conclusion de la CDB, l’Accord sur les aspects de la propriété intellectuelle qui touchent au commerce (l’Accord) a été conclu sous l’égide de l'OMC. Sous l’influence des pays du Nord, cet Accord étend le champ de la brevetabilité à toutes technologies, y compris celles qui étaient auparavant exclues de ce champ par de nombreux pays, notamment du Sud. Les biotechnologies sont les principales technologies visées par cette obligation. À cet égard les pays du Sud ont exprimé leur réticence en considérant que l’ADPIC n’est pas adapté aux exigences du système d’APA de la CDB puisqu’il permet la brevetabilité des RG qui sont à la base des biotechnologies sans prendre en considération ces exigences. Ces pays ont en outre estimé que l’Accord risque de compromettre la mise œuvre de ce système. Dès lors les deux textes se sont retrouvés au centre d’un réel débat, entre les pays du Sud et les pays du Nord que ce soit pour condamner leur incompatibilité ou pour défendre leur synergie. Un débat qui révèle un réel clivage Nord/Sud autour de nombreuses questions. / The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), concluded in 1992, has established for the first time in international law a genetic resources (GR) regime on access and benefits sharing arising from their use (ABS system). This system is based on the recognition of the sovereignty of States over their natural resources, supposed allow them the control of their use and reaping the associated benefits. Therefore, the Convention was presented as a gain for South’s countries, the main suppliers of GR and therefore the main beneficiaries of this system. Two years after the conclusion of the CBD, the Agreement on Trade Related aspect of Intellectual Property (TRIPS) was concluded under the aegis of the World Trade Organization (WTO.) Under the influence of North’s countries concerned to shape the international patent system on their own model, this Agreement extend the patentability scope to all technologies, including those which were excluded from this scope by many countries, especially in South. Biotechnologies are the most concerned by this obligation. In this regard, South’s countries have expressed reluctance, considering that TRIPS is not adapted to the requirements of the ABS system of CBD since it allows the patentability of GR which are the base of biotechnologies without regard to these requirements. These countries, moreover, considered that the Agreement could compromise the implementation of this system. Therefore, the two texts found themselves at the center of a real debate between the South and the North whether to denounce their incompatibility or support their synergy. A debate that exposes a real North/South division on numerous question.

El presente trabajo de investigación se enfoca en determinar factores determinantes de la oferta exportable de productos derivados de la biodiversidad nativa, específicamente exportación de Quinua peruana con subpartida nacional100850900 a los Estados Unidos de Norteamérica para el periodo 2016-2018. La necesidad de conservar nuestros recursos y fomentar la sostenibilidad ha orientado a distintas industrias a generar alternativas viables para el futuro de las comunidades. Es por ello que el biocomercio ha resaltado como una estrategia de desarrollo para el mercado actual, estrategia que ha elevado estándares y promovido la innovación para generar bienestar a las comunidades. La presente investigación busca revelar una propuesta de comercio sostenible frente a las nuevas necesidades del mundo, directamente relacionada a la oferta de productos potenciales para la exportación a mercados de interés como el mercado estadunidense ante los productos oriundos de la biodiversidad nativa. Se dividirá la investigación en hechos con precedentes que contribuyan a explicar la tendencia y proyección de estos productos, especialmente de la quinua como producto emblema de la biodiversidad peruana. Asimismo, se describirá y desglosará el problema principal que dio pie a la investigación junto con los factores correlativos del entorno. Para su desarrollo, el trabajo de investigación se ha estructurado de la siguiente forma: Primer Capítulo, el marco teórico, en este capítulo se consideran los antecedentes de la investigación utilizados como fundamentos para el trabajo que se desarrolla y bases relevantes de EE. UU y Perú. El segundo capítulo, se desarrolla la situación de la problemática estudiada en donde abarcara también los problemas, hipótesis y objetivos del trabajo. El tercer Capítulo, se describe el enfoque de la investigación, el tipo, diseño de la investigación, su alcance, así como las técnicas e instrumentos utilizadas. El cuarto capítulo, desarrollo y aplicación, se lleva a cabo las herramientas antes mencionadas en la cual describe el modelo econométrico a utilizar, las variables que considerará desde el punto de vista teórico, así como las consideraciones para su operacionalización. El quinto capítulo, se presentan de manera exhaustiva los resultados de la investigación luego de la evaluación del modelo y los aspectos puntuales identificados respecto a las características del mismo, su poder descriptivo y explicativo. Por último en el sexto capítulo, se presenta las conclusiones y recomendaciones que se han obtenido durante el proceso de la investigación. / This research work focuses on determining determinants of the exportable supply of products derived from native biodiversity, specifically the case of Peruvian Quinoa export with national subheading 100850900 to the United States of America for the period 2016-2018. The need to conserve our resources and promote sustainability has led different industries to generate viable alternatives for the future of the communities. That is why the biocommerce has highlighted as a development strategy for the current market, a strategy that has raised standards and promoted innovation to generate well-being for communities. The present investigation seeks to reveal a proposal of sustainable trade in response to the new needs of the world, directly related to the offer of potential products for export to markets of interest such as the US market to products native to native biodiversity. The research will be divided into facts with precedents that contribute to explain the trend and projection of these products, especially of quinoa as an emblem product of Peruvian biodiversity. Likewise, the main problem that led to the investigation along with the correlative factors of the environment will be described and broken down. For its development, the research work has been structured as follows: First Chapter, the theoretical framework, in this chapter are considered the background of the research used as foundations for the work being developed and relevant bases of EE. UU and Peru. The second chapter, develops the situation of the studied problem where it also covers the problems, hypothesis and objectives of the work. The third chapter describes the research approach, type, research design, its scope, as well as the techniques and instruments used. The fourth chapter, development and application, carries out the aforementioned tools in which it describes the econometric model to be used, the variables that it will consider from the theoretical point of view, as well as the considerations for its operationalization. The fifth chapter, exhaustively presented the results of the investigation after the evaluation of the model and the specific aspects identified with respect to the characteristics of the same, its descriptive and explanatory power. Finally in the sixth chapter, the conclusions and recommendations that have been obtained during the research process are presented. / Tesis