The epiphytic lichen Usnea longissima is strongly associated with old-growth forests and is declining. Previous studies have documented unimodal relationships between stand density and abundance of U. longissima. The aim of this thesis has been to investigate whether the same relationship is found in Sweden and to determine the optimum level of stand density. The study area (1.4 ha) was divided into a grid with 48 circular plots (10-m radius). Stand density was measured as basal area (m²/ha) using a relascope and abundance of U. longissima was measured as the length of the longest thallus present on the tree nearest the plot center. Usnea longissima was found in 42 plots (mean thallus length of 37 cm). The regression analyses between length of U. longissima and basal area showed that the relationship was not significant (R²=0.082, P=0.066), and tended to be linear rather than unimodal. However, plots with U. longissima had significantly lower basal area (30.4 m²/ha) than plots without the lichen (35.1 m²/ha). The basal area in U. longissima plots was higher than in Norwegian studies, but similar to other Swedish sites. Thus, my results correspond well with earlier studies that have documented higher basal area in U. longissima-locations in Västernorrland than in more oceanic areas in Norway. Thereby a basal area around 27-35 m²/ha seems most favorable for U. longissima in the study area. The lichen cannot develop large populations in dense stands, indicating that management operations to reduce the basal area might be needed in such stands.

Os manguezais estão entre os ecossistemas, biologicamente, mais produtivos e importantes do mundo, fornecendo bens e serviços exclusivos para as sociedades e os sistemas costeiros. Entre suas funções destacam-se a estabilização da linha de costa e a redução do impacto de fenômenos extremos, como em casos de tempestades e furacão. No entanto, esse ecossistema têm apresentado alterações significativas oriundas da influência antrópica no ambiente, que modificam a cobertura vegetal e que, por sua vez, influenciam todo o ecossistema, inclusive nas interações microclimáticas. A pesquisa tem como objetivo avaliar a relação existente entre os controles (estrutura da vegetação, variação da maré e sistemas atmosféricos) e atributos climáticos (temperatura do ar, umidade absoluta do ar, radiação solar global, vento e precipitação) no manguezal localizado na Barra do Ribeira-Iguape/SP. Para isso, instalou-se uma torre microclimática contendo duas estações meteorológicas de forma a obter uma análise da variação dos atributos climáticos acima e abaixo do dossel de manguezal. Além disso, analisaram-se ainda as características estruturais da vegetação do manguezal. Constatou-se um aumento na transmissividade da radiação solar no dossel do manguezal, uma redução no albedo e uma diminuição na interceptação vegetal, que está associada a degradação do bosque, que não possui indivíduos novos que prosperam no ambiente, portanto sem renovação do ecossistema, resultado da presença de macrófitas ao longo da área de estudo. Comprovou-se o importante papel da maré no manguezal, contribuindo com entrada e saída de energia, favorecendo o resfriamento/aquecimento relativo do ambiente. Concluiu-se que, do ponto de vista microclimático, há diferenças significativas entre o que acontece acima e abaixo do dossel no manguezal, com diferenças superiores a 5°C, como no caso da temperatura máxima ou ainda entre a temperatura do solo e do ar com diferenças que ultrapassaram 10°C. É perceptível, nesse nível escalar, o acoplamento entre as escalas climáticas superiores com o nível microclimático. Observou-se como os atributos climáticos se conectam e como as diferenças entre os atributos climáticos ficam evidentes em escalas temporais inferiores. / Biologically, the mangrove ecosystems are among the most productive and important in the world, providing resources and services exclusive to societies and coastal systems. Its functions include the stabilization of the shoreline and reduction the impact of extreme weather events such as in cases of storms and hurricane. However, this ecosystem have been presenting significant changes arising from anthropogenic influence on the environment, modifying the vegetation and that, in turn, influence the entire ecosystem, including the microclimatic interactions. The research aims to assess the relation between controls (vegetation structure, tide variations and atmospheric systems) and climatic attributes (air temperature, absolute humidity, solar radiation, wind and rainfall) in the mangrove on the bar the Ribeira-Iguape/SP. To this end, was installed one microclimatic tower containing two weather stations to obtain an analysis of climatic attribute variations above and below the canopy of mangrove. Moreover, was analyzed the structural features of the mangrove vegetation. It was found an increase in transmissivity of solar radiation in the mangrove canopy, a reduction in albedo and a decrease in vegetable interception. These changes are associated with the degradation of the forest, who do not have new individuals who thrive in the environment, there is no renewal of the ecosystem as a result of the presence of macrophytes in the study area. It was proven the important role of tidal in mangrove areas, contributing with input and output power, favoring the cooling / heating relative on the environment. It was concluded that, from the microclimatic point of view, there are significant differences above and below the mangrove canopy. In the case of the maximum temperature, the differences were greater than 5 ° C and exceed 10 ° C between the air and soil temperature. It is noticeable in this scalar level, the coupling between the upper climatic scales with the microclimate level. Was observed how the climatic attributes are connected and how the differences between the climatic attributes are evident in inferior temporal scales.

Submitted by Jaqueline Silva (jtas29@gmail.com) on 2014-09-22T20:48:48Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Teodoro, Maria Salomé-2011-dissertação.pdf: 3959077 bytes, checksum: 4e058e174558797fb422766071c2771f (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Jaqueline Silva (jtas29@gmail.com) on 2014-09-22T20:51:17Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Teodoro, Maria Salomé-2011-dissertação.pdf: 3959077 bytes, checksum: 4e058e174558797fb422766071c2771f (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-09-22T20:51:17Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Teodoro, Maria Salomé-2011-dissertação.pdf: 3959077 bytes, checksum: 4e058e174558797fb422766071c2771f (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-08-31 / This study aimed to evaluate the dry mass yield and leaf: stem ratio of two Brachiaria forages under three cut levels throughout the year. The experiment was conducted at Unidade Jatoba of the Universidade Federal de Goiás/Câmpus Jataí. The experimental design was completely randomized blocks in 2 x 3 factorial design with four replications and repeated measures in time. Two Brachiaria cultivars were tested: marandu and mulato II and three cut levels: 10, 20 and 30 cm of canopy height. The evaluations were conducted during one year, consisting of assessments by season (spring, summer, autumn and winter) on the same plots. Both forages had the highest rate of forage accumulation (2.884.50 and 2.586.75 kg ha-¹ for cultivars marandu and mulato II respectively) when handled with 20 cm of height residue every 28 days. The seasons influence the forage productivity, and had higher average rate of dry mass accumulation of marandu for summer 3.013.08, end of mulato 2.804.16 and 2.531.75 kg ha-¹ for summer and winter respectively. The management did not affect the productivity of dry mass in the winter season. The evaluations were conducted during the year, consisting of seasons assessments (fall, winter, spring and summer) on the same plots. Mulato grass had higher content of crude protein (14,60%) when pasture is managed (30 cm) in relation to the highest crude protein of marandu grass(13,72%). The use of two forage with the lowest height (10 cm) affect the nutritional value. The seasons influence-the-nutritional-value-of-forage. / Objetivou-se avaliar as características produtivas e bromatológicas de duas forrageiras do gênero Brachiaria submetidos a três alturas de resíduo no decorrer do ano. O experimento foi conduzido na Unidade Jatobá do Câmpus Jataí da Universidade Federal de Goiás. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi em blocos completos ao acaso em esquema fatorial 2 x 3 (cultivares x altura de resíduo) com medidas repetidas no tempo e quatro repetições. Foram testadas duas cultivares de Brachiaria: marandu e mulato II ( CIAT 36087) e três alturas de resíduo: 10, 20 e 30 cm. As avaliações foram realizadas durante as estações do ano de 2009/2010 (primavera, verão, outono e inverno). Os resultados demonstraram que as duas forrageiras apresentaram maior produção de massa seca (2.884,50 e 2.586,75 kg ha-¹) para os cultivares marandu e mulato II respectivamente, quando manejados com resíduo de 20 cm a cada 28 dias. As estações do ano influenciaram na produtividade dos capins forrageiros, sendo maior produção de massa seca para o capim marandu no verão (3.013,08 kg ha-¹) e para o capim mulato (2.804,16 e 2.531,57 kg ha-¹) no verão e primavera respectivamente. O manejo não interferiu na produtividade de massa seca na estação do inverno. O capim mulato II apresentou maior teor de proteína bruta (14,60%) quando o pasto foi manejado mais alto em relação ao capim marandu (13,72%). A utilização de manejo com resíduo mais baixo (10 cm), para as duas forrageiras afetou o teor de proteína bruta (11,75 e 11,50%) para os capins marandu e mulato II respectivamente. As estações do ano influenciaram na composição bromatológica dos cultivares.

Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-10T17:37:28Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Marcelo Angelo Campagnolo.pdf: 1417290 bytes, checksum: 5c4258f560372c956838d25a4574f101 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008-09-20 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The objective of the present work was to study the effect of number of productive branches and lopping system in the development and green fig tree yield of Roxo de Valinhos in organic system. The experiment using four year-old plants, with spacing 3 x 2 m, was carried out between July/2007 and March/2008 in Quatro Pontes-PR (24o35 42 South latitude and 53o59 54 West longitude, altitude of 472 m and Cfa Koppen climate, with annual maximum medium temperature of 28.5oC and minimum of 16.6oC). The design utilized was randomized blocks with four replicates, and the treatments arranged in a 5 x 2 factorial scheme, taking as factors number of lopping (one, two, three or four, besides the control without lopping) and number of productive branches (plants conducted with six or twelve branches). In the lopping system, after the emission of the 16th leaf, the branch was blunted (removed the apical bud), being selected two sprouting by productive branches. New lopping was accomplished later on, always after the emission of the sixth leaf. In each plot, made up of three useful plants, data concerning the cropping cycles of 2007/08 were collected. Fig production under organic system is technically viable. The highest green fig yield (2,208 g planta-1) and dear productivity (3,681 Kg ha-1) was observed in the treatment which had plants conducted with twelve branches, with three lopping. There was a prolongation of the crop in the plants were made more lopping. Besides the increase in the production and prolongation of the crop, the lopping plants presented fruits with larger diameter and uniformity in relation to the witness. That uniformity allows to concentrate the crop and to decrease like this the use of cupric products / O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar a influencia do numero de ramos produtivos e do sistema desponte sobre o desenvolvimento e producao de figos verdes Roxo de Valinhos em cultivo organico. O experimento utilizando plantas de quatro anos de idade, com espacamento 3 x 2 m, foi conduzido de julho de 2007 a marco de 2008 em Quatro Pontes-PR (24o35 42 latitude Sul e 53o59 54 longitude Oeste, altitude de 472 m e clima Cfa Koppen, com temperatura media maxima anual de 28,5oC e minima de 16,6oC). O delineamento utilizado foi em blocos ao acaso, com quatro blocos e os tratamentos arranjados em esquema fatorial 5 x 2, tomando por fatores o numero de despontes (um, dois, tres ou quatro, alem do controle sem desponte) e numero de ramos produtivos (plantas conduzidas com seis ou doze ramos). No sistema desponte, apos a emissao da 16o folha, o ramo foi despontado (gema apical removida), selecionando-se duas brotacoes por ramo produtivo. Novos despontes foram realizados posteriormente, sempre apos a emissao da sexta folha. Em cada parcela, constituida de tres plantas uteis, foram coletados dados no ciclo de producao 2007/08. A maior producao (2.208 g planta-1) e produtividade estimada (3.681 Kg ha-1) observada de figos verdes, foram obtidas quando as plantas foram conduzidas com doze ramos produtivos, efetuando-se tres despontes. Houve um prolongamento da colheita nas plantas onde se efetuaram mais despontes. Alem do aumento na producao e prolongamento da safra, as plantas despontadas apresentaram frutos com maior diametro e uniformidade em relacao a testemunha. Essa uniformidade permite concentrar a colheita e diminuir assim o uso de produtos cupricos

O presente trabalho foi conduzido na EEA/UFRGS entre dezembro de 2009 e abril de 2010, e constituído por dois experimentos. Os tratamentos do experimento 1 (determinação da altura de entrada) consistiram de seis alturas de pasto (30, 40, 50, 60, 70 e 80 cm). No experimento 2 foram determinados níveis de rebaixamento do pasto em função da altura de entrada definida no experimento 1, sendo os tratamentos referentes a 16, 33, 50, 67 e 84% de rebaixamento da altura pré-pastejo O delineamento utilizado, em ambos os experimentos, foi o de blocos completos casualizados, com duas repetições no experimento 1 e três repetições para o experimento 2. Foram utilizadas 4 novilhas com idade e peso médio de 24±2 meses e 306±56,7 kg para o experimento 1. Três desses animais foram utilizados para o experimento 2, na ocasião com 26±2 meses e 339±45,5 kg. A determinação da taxa de ingestão baseou-se na metodologia de dupla pesagem. Para a determinação dos padrões comportamentais os animais foram equipados com aparelho registrador de movimentos mandibulares, denominado IGER-Behaviour recorder. No pasto foram realizadas medições de alturas pré- e pós-pastejo e amostragens para caracterização da massa de forragem pré-pastejo e distribuição vertical dos componentes morfológicos do pasto. Amostras para a caracterização da massa de forragem pós-pastejo foram obtidas para o experimento 2. Os resultados demonstraram que a taxa de ingestão dos animais no experimento 1 responde de forma quadrática em relação às alturas. A massa do bocado é reduzida em estruturas a partir de 50 cm de altura. Da mesma forma a taxa de bocados apresentou comportamento quadrático nas distintas alturas. Concluiu-se desse experimento que a altura que proporciona a melhor estrutura de pasto para pastejo encontra-se próxima a 50 cm. No experimento 2 encontrou-se que a taxa de ingestão, a massa de bocados e a taxa de bocados são constantes até o rebaixamento de 40% da altura pré- pastejo ótima. Desse conjunto de resultados originam-se metas de estruturas de pasto que permitem orientar o ma nejo visando obter elevados níveis de ingestão de forragem, quais sejam, altura ótima de pastejo até 50 cm e o nível de rebaixamento, no caso do método de pastejo com lotação intermitente, não deve ultrapassar 40%. / This study was conducted at the EEA / UFRGS from December 2009 to April 2010 and consisted of two experiments. The treatments of experiment 1 (determination of pre-grazing canopy height) consisted of six canopy heights (30, 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80 cm). At experiment 2, percentages of grazing down according to pre-grazing sward height defined at experiment 1 were determined, being treatments related to the grazing down of 16, 33, 50, 67 and 84% of pre-grazing canopy height. The experimental design used in both experiments was a completely randomized block design, with two replicates in experiment 1, and three replicates in experiment 2. Four heifers ageing 24 ± 2 months and mean weight of 306 ± 56.7 kg were used for experiment 1. Three of these animals were used for experiment 2, at that time with 26 ± 2 months and 339 ± 45.5 kg. The determination of short-term intake rate was based on double weighting technique; for the determination of behavioral patterns, the animals were fitted with a jaw movement automatic recorder, known as IGER Behaviour Recorder. In pasture, measurements of pre- and post-grazing sward height and samplings were proceeded to characterize the pre-grazing forage mass and the vertical distribution of its morphological components. Samples for the characterization of the post-grazing forage mass were also taken in experiment 2. The results showed that the intake rate of animals in experiment 1 have a quadratic respond in relation to the canopy heights. The bite weight fit to a broken line equation, being reduced from 50 cm. The biting rate, in turn, showed a quadratic response along different canopy heights. This experiment defined the canopy height, which provides the best sward structure is around 50 cm. At the experiment 2 the grazing down protocol demonstrated that intake rate, bite weight and biting rate are constant until the depletion of 40% of the optimal pre-grazing canopy height. From these set of results, sward targets are originated and allow for the orientation of management goals aiming to obtain high levels of intake rate. Therefore optimum grazing height around 50 cm, and the rate of grazing down in the case of rotational grazing should not exceed 40%.

An inventory of vascular plants was conducted in Steele Creek Park in Sullivan County, Tennessee from March 2013 to September 2014. The park covers an area of 892 ha and lies within the Ridge and Valley Province. The inventory of vascular plants documented 547 species of 323 genera and 101 families. Two hundred sixteen taxa were newly reported for Sullivan County. Tennessee Special Concern Species included Cardamine rotundifolia, Castanea dentata, Lonicera dioica, Allium tricoccum, Cypripedium acaule, and Panax quinquefolius. A single species, Juglans cinerea L., is considered a Tennessee Threatened Species. Vegetation patterns were studied quantitatively by installing 10 study plots within forest canopy gaps and a comparable set of 10 in areas with intact canopy. Plots within a canopy gap recorded more vascular plant diversity when compared to plots of intact canopy when unshared species were considered. Steele Creek Park provides a botanically rich area for future studies.

The interception and redirection of rainfall by vegetation has implications for many fields such as remote sensing of soil moisture, satellite observation of rainfall, and the modeling of runoff, climate, and soil erosion. Although the modeling of rainfall partitioning by forests has received attention in the past, partitioning caused by crops has been overlooked. The present work proposes a two front experimental and computational methodology to comprehensively study rainfall interception and partitioning by the maize canopy. In the experimental stage, we deployed two compact weather stations, two optical disdrometers, and five tipping bucket rain gauges. Two of the tipping bucket rain gauges were modified to measure throughfall while two were adapted to measure stemflow. The first optical disdrometer allowed for inspection of the unmodified drop-size and velocity distributions, whereas the second disdrometer measured the corresponding distributions under the canopy. This indicates that the outcome of the interaction between the hydrometeors and the canopy depends on the drop diameter. In the computational stage, we created a model that uses drop-size and velocity distributions as well as a three-dimensional digital canopy to simulate the movement of raindrops on the surfaces of leaves. Our model considers interception, redirection, retention, coalescence, breakup, and re-interception of drops to calculate the stemflow, throughfall, and equivalent height of precipitation stored on plants for a given storm. Moreover, the throughfall results are presented as two-dimensional matrices, where each term corresponds to the accumulated volume of drops that dripped at a given location. This allows insight into the spatial distribution of throughfall beneath the foliage. Finally, we examine the way in which the maize canopy modifies the drop-size distribution by recalculating the drop velocity based on the raindrop's size and detachment height and by storing the counts of drops in diameter-velocity classes that are consistent with the classes used by disdrometers in the experimental study.

Every year, millions of acres of forest and rangeland are burned in prescribed burns as well as wildfires. The costs associated with wildfires may be some of the largest we face as a society both in material goods and in life. The importance of managing fire fuels has increased with the development of the wildland-urban interface. With this increased emphasis has come the development of tools to assess, map, and simulate fuel maps at a landscape level. These fuel maps are then input into computer-aided wildfire simulation models that are used by land managers in the planning process. A current challenge for land managers is to find efficient ways to measure the amount and structure of fire fuels on a landscape level. Fuel models are one of the required inputs for software that mathematically computes wildfire rate of spread. Various methods have been used to develop fuel maps. It is the objective of this thesis to develop a method by which fuel models can be predicted and mapped on a landscape level through utilization of remotely sensed data. The proposed process for this method is: 1) develop landcover classification, 2) assess data analysis approaches for use in creation of predictive regression models, 3) correlation of data results to Natural Fuels Photo Series, and 4) translate Natural Fuels Photo Series classifications into fuel models described by Scott and Burgan.

Ground-based spectral imaging devices offer an important supplement to satellite imagery. Hand-held, ground-based sensors allow rapid, inexpensive measurements that are not affected by the earth’s atmosphere. They also provide a basis for high altitude spectral indices. We quantified the spectral reflectance characteristics of hard red spring wheat (Triticum aestivum cv. Westbred 936) in research plots subjected to either nitrogen or water stress in a two year study. Both types of stress reduced ground cover, which was evaluated by digital photography and compared with ten spectral reflectance indices. On plots with a similar soil background, simple indices such as the normalized difference vegetation index, ratio vegetation index, and difference vegetation index were equal to or superior to more complex vegetation indices for predicting ground cover. Yield was estimated by integrating the normalized difference vegetation index over the growing season. The coefficient of determination (r2) between integrated normalized difference vegetation index and final yield was 0.86. Unfortunately, none of these indices were able to differentiate between the intensity of green leaf color and ground cover fraction, and thus could not distinguish nitrogen from water stress. We developed a reflective index that can differentiate nitrogen and water stress over a wide range of ground cover. The index is based on the ratio of the green and red variants of the normalized difference vegetation index. The new index was able to distinguish nitrogen and water stress from satellite data using wavelengths less than 1000 nm. This index should be broadly applicable over a wide range of plant types and environments.

<p>Worldwide amphibians and reptiles are declining with habitat fragmentation and destruction as the primary cause. Riparian areas are important for the herpetofauna, but as land is converted to agriculture or harvested for timber the areas are diminishing. The aim of this study was to examine amphibian and reptile abundance in relation to distance from water and in relation to habitat characteristics, foremost per cent deciduous trees. The survey was conducted during spring at six different locations, with continuous forest along streams or rivers, outside of Karlstad, Sweden. Animals were searched along four lines parallel to the water and each study area was visited five times. Statistical analyses were made for grass snake (<em>Natrix natrix</em>), common lizard (<em>Lacerta vivipara</em>) and frogs with joined data of common frog (<em>Rana temporaria</em>) and moor frog (<em>R. arvalis</em>). As expected both reptiles were positively correlated with per cent deciduous trees, with the strongest significance for the common lizard. For grass snake there was also a difference between survey periods, which might reflect the importance of weather. Frogs revealed no trends to trees, but there was a significant difference for habitat characteristics like amount woody debris and per cent bare ground. None of the species were correlated with distance from water which was surprising, especially for the frogs which is more dependent on water than the reptiles. Grass snakes hunt in the water, but the common lizard has no such associations to the water, yet the latter did reveal a slight trend towards being more numerous closer to the water. The causes behind lacking correlation to distance from water may be many, but water characteristics seem very important. Many amphibians prefer warm and calm ponds over running water that in general are colder and likely to inhabit more predators. It was assumed that the amphibians breed in the streams or rivers, but it is possible that other water bodies may have served as breeding sites, which mean the starting point was incorrect.</p>