"[L]a pollution de l'air [fait] peser une menace importante sur le plan sanitaire partout dans le monde." L'OMS estime ainsi que, pour l'année 2012 (OMS, 2014), plus de 3,7 millions de décès prématurés dans le monde seraient imputables à la seule pollution de l'air, dont près de 70% surviendraient en ville. Pourtant la connaissance du dépôt sec, particulièrement en milieu urbain, reste très parcellaire. L'object de ce travail de thèse vise à améliorer la compréhension des mécanismes de dépôts atmosphériques en milieu urbain. Historiquement, les dépôts atmosphériques ont été étudiés et modélisés sur des couverts végétaux, plan d'eau ou surface nue, et ce afin d'évaluer, notamment, l'impact sur les écosystèmes des dépôts acides, ou encore de l'eutrophisation. Or, le milieu urbain est caractérisé par une géométrie complexe, et des surfaces variées. Par conséquent, ces modèles de dépôts atmosphériques peuvent ne pas convenir pour simuler les flux de dépôts dans les zones urbaines.Le modèle développé dans cette thèse est un modèle à longueur de mélange. Ces travaux se sont attelés à prendre en compte les principaux processus qui prennent place au sein de la canopée urbaine en modifiant la longueur de mélange et en la rendant dépendante des caractéristiques morphologiques de la ville. Aussi, le profil des vitesses de vent moyen est directement impactée par ce changement de longueur de mélange. Par conséquent, ce nouveau modèle offre la possibilitéde calculer les dépôts secs en milieu urbain en fonction de quelques paramètres représentant les principales caractéristiques de la canopée urbaine (hauteur moyenne des bâtiments, largeur moyenne des rues, densité du bâti) / Pas de résumés

I evaluated effects of 5 pine plantation establishment regimes 6 – 8 years postestablishment on loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) growth, vegetation characteristics, nutritional carrying capacity for white-tailed deer, and breeding birds in the Lower Coastal Plain of Mississippi. Treatments combined mechanical site preparation (MSP), chemical site preparation (CSP), and herbaceous weed control (HWC) designed to represent a range of operational intensities. Chemical SP provided greater long-term control of woody competition than MSP, but did not provide significant pine growth advantage. Vegetation richness, diversity, and structure were best maintained with MSP and year 1 banded HWC. Canopy cover appears to be shading out herbaceous understory and altering composition of woody understory toward more shade-tolerant species. Total forage biomass and 3 levels of carrying capacity declined on average 54% each year. Avian metrics decreased as treatment intensity increased. Regionally important species were influenced positively by greater vegetation coverage attained by banded HWC.

Rising atmospheric CO2 and the need to understand potential impacts on terrestrial ecosystems has become increasingly recognized. Models can play a beneficial part in this research to enhance understanding of ecosystem responses to changing conditions like elevated CO2. In this study, data from a long term elevated CO2 experiment in a native forested ecosystem in east central Florida were employed to assess the utility of a multi-layer canopy photosynthesis model as a tool to better understand the responses to elevated CO2 in this ecosystem. Model results compared satisfactorily with the canopy gas exchange measurements in this ecosystem for the period modeled. Sensitivity analyses were used to evaluate the robustness of the model and understand the effects that changing model parameters had on model results, i.e. carbon assimilation in the system. The parameters evaluated included canopy height, leaf area density profile, number of canopy layers, maximum rate of carboxylation (Vcmax), and canopy species composition. Results of the sensitivity analyses point to structure and species as being important to carbon assimilation in this ecosystem. Although only an initial examination, this model could be a valuable tool to further understanding of the response of this important ecosystem to increasing CO2 and indicates that further work is certainly warranted.

Syrah is an important wine grape in California but is potentially difficult to manage in the vineyard due to its excessive vigor. Vigorous grapevines require more labor for canopy management and tend to create excess shade, decreasing fruit quality. Winter pruning level, shoot thinning and leaf removal influence the overall density of the canopy and the subsequent degree of shade in the fruit zone. An experiment was conducted to assess the effects of two pruning levels with three degrees of labor-intensive canopy management techniques on berry maturation rate and harvest berry parameters for two growing seasons. In 2008, repeated measures analysis showed no significant effects of severe pruning, shoot thinning or both sides leaf removal on maturation rate of performance indicators. At harvest 2008, severe pruning caused a decrease in yield/meter trellis and Ravaz index. In 2009, repeated measures analysis showed significant effects of severe pruning increasing brix, pH and sugar to acid ratio while shoot thinning and both sides leaf removal had no significant effects on maturation rate of performance indicators. At harvest 2009, severe pruning increased brix, pH, tannin, anthocyanins, phenolics, color density, potassium, amino acid % of yeast assimilable nitrogen (YAN), and the following ratios: sugar/acid, amino acid/ammonium, tannin/anthocyanins and malic/tartaric acid. Additionally, severe pruning decreased tartaric acid, yield/meter trellis, ammonium % of YAN and Ravaz index. The findings presented in this thesis suggest that severe pruning could be used as a tool in viticultural areas with short growing seasons because of the increased ripening speed observed. However, because severe pruning generally increases berry size which is negative for vinification, it should be studied further with irrigation and management practices that decrease berry size.

<p> The results of an investigation of the micro-climate of a sweet corn canopy is reported at two stages in its development. The purpose of the experiment was to study the height dependence and diurnal variations of the net radiation, sensible and latent heat fluxes, and the turbulent transfer mechanism. Only daytime data were used.</p> <p> The depletion of net radiation in the canopy was studied within the framework of the exponential model. A new model for estimating net radiation in the canopy is developed. The pattern of the sources and sinks and the apparent turbulent transfer coefficient for sensible and latent heat in the canopy space are reported.</p> / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Land development restricts tree growth by damaging soil structure and removing organic matter. Mechanical loosening and organic amendment may improve soil physical properties and tree establishment and growth. Effects of typical post-construction practice and improved methods of soil restoration on tree growth and soil properties were evaluated over two years. Treatments included undisturbed soil (UN); minimum effort (ME) (10 cm topsoil); enhanced topsoil (ET) (ME + rototilling); and profile rebuilding (PR) (compost, subsoiling, topsoil and rototilling). Pretreatment included removing topsoil and compacting subsoil to 1.95 g/cm3 bulk density. Acer rubrum L. (red maple), Quercus bicolor Willd. (swamp white oak), Ulmus 'Morton' (Ulmus japonica (Rehd.) Sarg. x Ulmus wilsoniana Schneid.) (Accolade® elm), Prunus 'First Lady' (Prunus xincam x Prunus campanulata) L. and Quercus macrocarpa Michx. (bur oak) were planted in each plot. The PR treatment reduced soil bulk density at 15-20 cm depth and increased soil C/N ratio, pH, and CEC. Mean canopy projection and cross-sectional trunk area in PR plots ranged from 32% to 226% and 16% to 71% greater, respectively, than those in ME plots. PR treatment increased Q. bicolor photosynthesis rates. Greater root presence was observed in deeper soil layers of ET and PR treatments for A. rubrum and of UN and PR for Q. bicolor; root distribution was not measured for other species. Rehabilitation improved soil physical properties and tree growth after two years. Species variation in growth rate and environmental tolerance appeared to influence early growth treatment effects. Long-term data is needed to fully understand effects of soil rehabilitation. / Master of Science

Weather affects agriculture more than any other variable. For centuries, growers had to depend upon small bits and pieces of local climatological data collected and passed down in almanacs. Over the last 100 years, however, scientists have developed complex Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) models that are able to forecast weather with increasing accuracy. The objective of this work was to use a probabilistic NWP model (the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) Ensemble Prediction System (EPS)) as a component to couple with agricultural decision-making tools and models. First, customized ECMWF EPS forecasts were used as an irrigation scheduling aid for a field trial. Next, the CROPGRO Cotton Model was used to simulate the field experiment as well as an additional irrigation scheduling strategy. Finally, a cotton canopy temperature model was developed and coupled with customized ECMWF EPS forecasts to generate hourly canopy temperature forecasts. These forecasts were used to create a heat stress warning system. Results from the field trial indicate that using precipitation forecasts to schedule irrigation could provide a convenient alternative relative to a standard method. Results from the simulated field trial suggest using precipitation forecasts issued on the day of irrigation could be more efficient than using forecasts issued one to two days prior. Last, results from the heat stress project indicate forecasts were skillful to 10 days, allowing enough time for growers to protect crops if needed. In light of the above, implications for the agricultural community could be significant. Coupled atmospheric-agricultural models have the ability to put weather forecasts in terms producers can understand and can quickly use to make strategic on-farm decisions, therefore, possessing the potential to make a large positive global impact.

This study was conducted in the Afram Headwaters, Tain Tributaries Block II and Worobong South Forest Reserves. Satellite record of fire incidence for the country over 11 years (1997 to 2007) was modelled via binary logistic regression analysis, and correlations between fire incidence and the correlates of fire used to explain the observed trends. Fire incidence was found to be correlated with multiple variables which probably covary. Rainfall, vegetation type and geology showed the strongest correlations with fire incidence. Recurrent fire has impacted negatively on forest structure, ground cover biomass and species composition in two forest reserves, but more marked in the wetter Worobong South Forest Reserve than the drier Tain II Forest Reserve. Basal area has reduced from 40 m²ha^-1 in least-degraded to &lt;1 m²ha^-1 in heavily-degraded stand in Worobong South Forest Reserve, along with tree density, whereas canopy openness has increased from 6% in least-degraded to 83% in heavily-degraded forest. In Tain II Forest Reserve, however, the heavily-degraded forest has lost close to 50% of its maximum value in terms of basal area, tree density and canopy cover, all in approximately 20 years. Early-burning, with maximum seedling height growth rates of 130 cm yr^-1 and 40 cm yr^-1 for Worobong South and Tain II Forest Reserves respectively, might help control the fires, and restore forest canopy in about 10 to 20 years if regularly maintained, but must be accompanied by green firebreaks. Complete protection from fire (during convalescence), on the other hand, would take between five and 15 years to restore forest canopy, but at huge resource cost. Implications for sustainable forest management are discussed.

Forests play an integral role in regulating the exchange of carbon between the atmosphere and the terrestrial biosphere. These ecosystems only cover for about 30% of the land surface, forests account for almost half of the annual carbon uptake. The amount of carbon sequestered by forest ecosystems is largely dependent upon favorable climate conditions that promote increases in growth. Under the lowest emissions scenario, the United States is projected to undergo an almost 2˚C increase in temperature by the end of the century and it is important that we assess the contemporary climate-growth relationships of multiple forest types to better evaluate the stability and persistence of this vital carbon sink. Tree rings have been used to assess forest response to macroclimate conditions, but often the trees sampled for these analyses are only the most dominant individuals in the forest. This excludes individuals found in the understory of complex forest systems, such as those in the temperate forests of the eastern United States, and climate-growth relationships calculated from only dominant individuals may not be representative of the entire stand. Recent studies have shown that structural complexity of the forest canopy can significantly alter the microclimate conditions at which understory trees grow. Altered growth responses of the understory trees could increase the resilience of complex forest systems to the changes in temperature that are expected by the end of the century. Here, I apply dendrochronology methods to quantify climate-growth relationships of canopy strata in temperate forests of the eastern United States. Many different forest types are found in this region and have been the focus of numerous species-specific studies on climate growth relationships. However, the integrated response of co-occurring species within canopy units is not often investigated, despite measures of productivity being an integration of ecosystem processes. I present research that investigates the differential climate sensitivities of canopy strata, and I present a means to more accurately represent biomass estimates calculated from tree-ring data. The first study quantifies the climate sensitivities of different canopy strata from five temperate forests in the eastern US. We used a generalized additive model (GAM) to assess the influence that growing season mean temperature, growing season precipitation, and tree size have on dominant (uppermost), intermediate, and understory (lowermost) canopy strata. We found that differential climate sensitivities do exist between canopy strata, causing each canopy class to respond to extreme climate conditions in a different manner. For example, during the hottest and wettest years dominant and intermediate trees show slight increases in growth, whereas understory trees show significant decreases in growth. These results suggest that the climate and competitive environments created within stratified canopy layers may provide an added degree of ecosystem stability in the face of changing climate conditions. The second study assesses the spatial coherence of climate-growth relationships between canopy layers from the eastern temperate forest region. We collected increment cores from sites in Missouri, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Massachusetts, and Maine and we found that site groupings were relatively consistent between canopy layers. Dominant and intermediate trees showed a strong correlation with temperature that also coincides with the forest types and species distributions that are observed across the region. However, understory trees show stronger relationships with precipitation. Sites from the northeast US and Michigan displayed muted climate relationships, likely due to having both coniferous and hardwood species present. The midwest sites, composed of mostly hardwood species, showed relatively strong, negative temperature relationships in the dominant and intermediate canopy layers, but understory trees displayed strong positive relationships with temperature. These results suggest that although macroclimate conditions influence species distributions and affect the dominant trees, understory trees are likely responding to microclimate conditions. This also suggests that regions with increased functional diversity and complex canopy structure may be better buffered against changing climate conditions. Finally, we identify four main sources of uncertainty in estimating aboveground biomass from tree-ring data. Tree rings are being used more frequently to estimate the annual uptake of biomass by forested ecosystems. However, these calculations require several steps and assumptions that affect the overall accuracy of the biomass estimates. The error range around tree-ring estimates of aboveground biomass is seldom reported. We illustrate how increment upscaling, allometric, stand density, and mortality uncertainties can affect biomass estimates from a well-studied site in the Valles Caldera in northern New Mexico. We found that dominant sources of uncertainty change depending upon whether cumulative or incremental biomass is calculated. At the cumulative level, choice of allometric equation and tree mortality estimates dominate the uncertainty, whereas inter-annual variability in the tree-ring record dominates incremental biomass estimates. Despite the calculations that are required to translate linear ring-width measurements into biomass quantities, the underlying climate-growth relationships recorded within the tree rings are not significantly altered. Tree-rings provide a means for non-destructively quantifying the aboveground biomass in a forest and reporting the accompanying uncertainties will facilitate more accurate comparisons between disparate forest types.

Underground mining equipment is required by the Mine Safety and Health Administration to have certified overhead protective structure, referred to here as a canopy. By reviewing previous works in the area of protective canopies and utilizing their findings to