Prescribed fire is commonly used to manage white-tailed deer habitat. However, nutrition is still limited during the summer for deer in the Southeast and prescribed fire is commonly restricted to the dormant season. Knowledge of fire phenology effects on summer nutrient availability is relatively unknown. Stump sprouts may also affect available nutrition, which could be important when managing for summer nutrition. To address this summer nutritional stress period, I examined impacts prescribed fire phenology and mechanical stump sprouting had on summer nutritional carrying capacity for deer. Results indicated implementing prescribed fire in both dormant and growing-seasons led to increased summer nutrient availability on the landscape level by increasing forage quality and quantity. Mechanically creating stump sprouts from woody plants led to increased available nutrition on a localized level. Combining these management actions to target summer nutritional stress periods can better help deer meet nutritional demands and reach their full potential.

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A new version of EN 1992-1-1, Eurocode 2 for Design of Concrete Structures, is under development and one of the most discussed topics is shear capacity for prestressed concrete beams without shear reinforcement, partly because shear failure occurs suddenly and can have catastrophic consequences. For the new version of Eurocode, there are a total of three proposed equations to replace the two equations that currently exist in EN 1992-1-1 for shear capacity of prestressed concrete beams without shear reinforcement. One of the proposed equations is intended to replace the equation intended for beam regions where bending cracks do not occur. The other two equations are proposed for beam regions where bending cracks occur. One of the proposed equations for beam regions with bending cracks, is based on critical shear crack theory and takes the normal force in consideration, while the other equation for beam regions with bending cracks is like the one found today in Eurocode, an empirical equation, where the contribution of normal force is empirical. In this thesis, all equations have been set against each other and compared with the help of nonlinear finite element analyzes and experiments which Dr. De Wilder has done in his doctoral thesis. The impact of the prestressing force on the shear force capacity of beams has also been investigated. The results show that the equations for beam regions that do not have bending cracks give identical shear force capacities. While the equation which is based on critical shear crack theory takes the shear span into consideration and captures the effect of the shear span correctly, which the other proposed equation and the one found in Eurocode today do not and are on the unsafe side for increasing shear spans. Furthermore, it turned out that the equation which is based on critical shear crack theory was rather conservative, while the equation that exists today in Eurocode gives approximately the same shear capacity as the other proposed equation. Furthermore, it was found that if the amount of longitudinal reinforcement is reduced, at the same time as the prestressing force is unchanged, an insignificant reduction in the shear capacity on prestressed concrete beams is obtained. / En ny version av EN 1992-1-1, Eurokod 2 Dimensionering av betongkonstruktioner, är under utveckling och ett av de mest diskuterade ämnena är tvärkraftskapacitet för förspända betongbalkar utan skjuvarmering, bland annat eftersom huvudspänningsskjuvbrott uppstår plötsligt och kan få katastrofala konsekvenser. Till den nya versionen av Eurokoden finns det totalt tre föreslagna ekvationer för att ersätta de två ekvationer som för närvarande finns i EN 1992-1-1 för tvärkraftskapacitet för förspända betongbalkar utan skjuvarmering. En av de föreslagna ekvationerna är tänkt att ersätta ekvationen avsedd för balkregioner där böjsprickor ej uppstår. De andra två ekvationerna är föreslagna för balkregioner där böjsprickor uppstår. En av de föreslagna ekvationerna för balkregioner med böjsprickor är baserad på kritisk skjuvsprickteorin och tar hänsyn till normalkraftens bidrag till tvärkraftskapaciteten, medan den andra föreslagna ekvationen för balkregioner med böjsprickor är likt den som idag finns i Eurokoden, en empirisk ekvation, där normala kraftens bidrag är baserad på ett empiriskt tillägg. I detta examensarbete har alla ekvationer ställts mot varandra och jämförts med hjälp utav icke-linjär finit-elementanalyser samt experiment som Dr. De Wilder gjort i sin doktorsavhandling. Vidare har också förspänningskraftens påverkan på balkars tvärkraftskapacitet undersökts. Resultaten visar att ekvationerna för balkregioner som ej har böjsprickor ger identiska tvärkraftskapaciteter. Medan ekvationen som är baserad på kritisk skjuvsprickteorin tar hänsyn till skjuvspännvidd och fångar effekten av skjuvspännvidden korrekt, vilket den andra föreslagna ekvationen och den som finns i Eurokoden idag inte gör och är på den osäkra sidan för ökad skjuvspännvidd. Dessutom visade det sig att ekvationen som är baserad på kritisk skjuvsprickteori är tämligen konservativ, medan ekvationen som finns idag i Eurokoden ger ungefär samma tvärkraftskapacitet som den andra föreslagna ekvationen. Vidare visade det sig att ifall man minskar mängden längsgående armering, samtidigt som förspänningskraften är oförändrad, så fås en obetydlig minskning utav tvärkraftskapaciteten på förspända betongbalkar.

Stand carrying capacity is the maximum size of population for a species under given environmental conditions. Site resources limit the maximum volume or biomass that can be sustained in forest stands. This study was aimed at estimating and determining the carrying capacity in loblolly pine. Maximum stand basal area (BA) that can be sustained over a long period of time can be regarded as a measure of carrying capacity. To quantify and project stand BA carrying capacity, one approach is to use the estimate from a fitted cumulative BA-age equation; another approach is to obtain BA estimates implied by maximum size-density relationships (MSDRs), denoted implied maximum stand BA. The efficacy of three diameter-based MSDR measures: Reineke's self-thinning rule, competition-density rule and Nilson's sparsity index, were evaluated. Estimates from three MSDR measures were compared with estimates from the Chapman-Richards (C-R) equation fitted to the maximum stand BA observed on plots from spacing trials. The spacing trials, established in the two physiographic regions (Piedmont and Coastal Plain), and at two different scales (operational and miniature) were examined and compared, which provides a sound empirical basis for evaluating potential carrying capacity. Results showed that the stands with high initial planting density approached the stand BA carrying capacity sooner than the stands with lower initial planting density. The maximum stand BA associated with planting density developed similarly at the two scales. The potential carrying capacity in the two physiographic regions was significantly different. The value of implied maximum stand BA converted from three diameter-based MSDR measures was similar to the maximum stand BA curve obtained from the C-R equation. Nilson's sparsity index was the most stable and reliable estimate of stand BA carrying capacity. The flexibility of Nilson's sparsity index can illustrate the effect of physiographic regions on stand BA carrying capacity. Because some uncontrollable factors on long-term operational experiments can make estimates of stand BA carrying capacity unreliable for loblolly pine, it is suggested that the stand BA carrying capacity could be estimated from high initial planting density stands in a relatively short period of time so that the risk of damages and the costs of experiments could be reduced. For estimating carrying capacity, another attractive option is to choose a miniature scale trial (microcosm) because it shortens the experiment time and reduces costs greatly. / Master of Science

Tigers (Panthera tigris tigris) can be viewed as a proxy for intact and healthy ecosystems. Their wild populations have plummeted to fewer than 3,200 individuals in the last four decades and threats to these apex predators are mounting rather than diminishing. Global conservation bodies (Global Tiger Initiative, World Wildlife Fund, Wildlife Conservation Society, Panthera etc.) have recently called for solidarity and scaling up of conservation efforts to save tigers from extinction. In South Asia, tiger habitat ranges from tropical evergreen forests, dry arid regions and sub-tropical alluvial floodplains, to temperate mixed deciduous forest. The churia habitat is relatively unstudied and is considered a young and geologically fragile mountain range in Nepal. The contribution of the churia habitat to tiger conservation has not been considered, since modern conservation started in 1970's. This study focuses on the ecology of the tiger with respect to population density, habitat use, and prey occupancy and density, in the churia habitat of Chitwan National Park. This study also includes the first assessment of genetic diversity, genetic structure, and gene flow of tigers across the Terai Arc Landscape- Nepal. The Terai Arc Landscape harbors the only remaining tiger population found across the foothills of the Himalayas in Nepal and northwest India. I used a combination of camera-trapping techniques, which have been a popular and robust method for monitoring tiger populations across the landscape, combined with a noninvasive genetic approach to gain information on tigers, thus adding new information relevant to global tiger conservation. I investigated tiger, leopard (Panthera pardus fusca), and prey densities, and predicted the tiger density across the Churia habitat in Chitwan National Park. I used a camera-trap grid with 161 locations accumulating 2,097 trap-nights in a 60 day survey period during the winter season of 2010-2011. Additionally, I used distance sampling techniques for estimating prey density in the churia habitat by walking 136 km over 81 different line transects. The team photographed 31 individual tigers and 28 individual leopards along with 25 mammalian species from a sampling area of 536 km² comprising Churia and surrounding areas. Density estimates of tigers and leopards were 2.2 (SE 0.42) tigers and 4.0 (SE 1.00) leopards per 100 km². Prey density was estimated at 62.7 prey animals per 100 km² with contributions from forest ungulates to be 47% (sambar Rusa unicolor, chital Axis axis, barking deer Muntiacus muntjak, and wild pigs Sus scrofa). Churia habitat within Chitwan National Park is capable of supporting 5.86 tigers per 100 km² based on applying models developed to predict tiger density from prey density. My density estimates from camera-traps are lower than that predicted based on prey availability, which indicates that the tiger population may be below the carrying capacity. Nonetheless, the churia habitat supports 9 to 36 tigers, increasing estimates of current population size in Chitwan National Park. Based on my finding, the Churia habitat should no longer remain ignored because it has great potential to harbor tigers. Conservation efforts should focus on reducing human disturbance to boost prey populations to potentially support higher predator numbers in Churia. I used sign surveys within a rigorous occupancy framework to estimate probability of occupancy for 5 focal prey species of the tiger (gaur Bos gaurus, sambar, chital, wild pig, and barking deer); as well as probability of tiger habitat use within 537 km² of churia habitat in Chitwan National Park. Multi-season, auto-correlation models allowed me to make seasonal (winter versus summer) inferences regarding changes in occupancy or habitat use based on covariates influencing occupancy and detection. Sambar had the greatest spatial distribution across both seasons, occupying 431-437 km² of the churia habitat, while chital had the lowest distribution, occupying only 100-158 km². The gaur population showed the most seasonal variation from 318- 413 km² of area occupied, with changes in occupancy suggesting their migration out of the lowland areas in the summer and into the churia in the winter. Wild pigs showed the opposite, moving into the churia in the summer (444 km² area occupied) and having lower occupancy in the winter (383 km²). Barking deer were widespread in both seasons (329 - 349 km²). Tiger probability of habitat use Ψ SE(Ψ) was only slightly higher in winter 0.63 (SE 0.11) than in summer 0.54 (SE 0.21), but confidence intervals overlapped and area used was very similar across seasons, from 337 - 291 km². Fine-scale variation in tiger habitat use showed that tigers intensively use certain areas more often than others across the seasons. The proportion of available habitat positively influenced occupancy for the majority of prey species and tigers. Human disturbance had a strong negative influence on the distribution of the majority of prey species but was positively related to tiger habitat use. Tigers appear to live in areas with high disturbance, thus increasing the risk of human-tiger conflict in the churia habitat. Thus, efforts to reduce human disturbance would be beneficial to reducing human wildlife conflict, enriching prey populations, and would potentially support more tigers in churia habitat of Nepal. Overall, I found high prey occupancy and tiger habitat use, suggesting that the churia is highly valuable habitat for tigers and should no longer be neglected or forgotten in tiger conservation planning. Thirdly, I assessed genetic variation, genetic structure, and gene flow of the tigers in the Terai Arc Landscape, Nepal. I opportunistically collected 770 scat samples from 4 protected areas and 5 hypothesized corridors across the Terai Arc Landscape. Historical landuse change in the Terai Arc was extracted from Anthrome data sets to relate landuse change to potential barriers and subsequent hypothesized bottleneck events in the landscape. I used standard genetic metrics (allelic diversity and heterozygosity) to estimate genetic variation in the tiger population. Using program Structure (non-spatial) and TESS (spatial), I defined the putative genetic clusters present in the landscape. Migrant analysis was carried out in Geneclass and Bayesass for estimating contemporary gene flow. I tested for a recent population bottleneck with the heterozygosity test using program Bottleneck. Of the 700 samples, 396 were positive for tiger (57% success). Using an 8 multilocus microsatellite assay, I identified 78 individual tigers. I found large scale landuse changes across the Terai Arc Landscape due to conversion of forest into agriculture in last two centuries and I identified areas of suspected barriers. I found low levels of genetic variation (expected heterozygosity = 0.61) and moderate genetic differentiation (F_ST = 0.14) across the landscape, indicative of sub-population structure and potential isolation of sub-populations. I detected three genetic clusters across the landscape consistent with three demographic tiger sub-populations occurring in Chitwan-Parsa, Bardia, and Suklaphanta protected areas. I detected 10 migrants across all study sites confirming there is still some dispersal mediated gene flow across the landscape. I found evidence of a bottleneck signature, especially around the lowland forests in the Terai, likely caused by large scale landuse change in last two centuries, which could explain the low levels of genetic variation detected at the sub-population level. These findings are highly relevant to tiger conservation indicating that efforts to protect source sites and to improve connectivity are needed to augment gene flow and genetic diversity across the landscape. Finally, I compared the abundance and density of tigers obtained using two non-invasive sampling techniques: camera-trapping and fecal DNA sampling. For cameras: I pooled the 2009 camera-trap data from the core tiger population across the lowland areas of Chitwan National Park. I sampled 359 km² of the core area with 187 camera-trap locations spending 2,821 trap-nights of effort. I obtained 264 identifiable photographs and identified a total of 41 individual tigers. For genetics, I sampled 325 km² of the core area along three spatial routes, walking a total of 1,173 km, collecting a total of 420 tiger fecal samples in 2011. I identified 36 tigers using the assay of 8 multilocus genotypes and captured them 42 times. I analyzed both data types separately for estimating density and jointly in an integrated model using both traditional, and spatial, capture-recapture frameworks. Using Program MARK and the model averaged results, my abundance estimates were 46 (SE 1.86) and 44 (SE 9.83) individuals from camera and genetic data, respectively. Density estimates (tigers per 100 km²) via traditional buffer strip methods using half of the Mean Maximum Distance Moved (½ MMDM) as the buffer surrounding survey grids, were 4.01 (SE 0.64) for camera data and 3.49 (SE 1.04) for genetic data. Spatially explicit capture recapture models resulted in lower density estimates both in the likelihood based program DENSITY at 2.55 (SE 0.59) for camera-trap data and 2.57 (SE 0.88) for genetic data, while the Bayesian based program SPACECAP estimates were 2.44 (SE 0.30) for camera-trap data and 2.23 (SE 0.46) for genetic data. Using a spatially explicit, integrated model that combines data from both cameras and genetics, density estimates were 1.47 (SD 0.20) tigers per 100 km² for camera-trap data and 1.89 (SD 0.36) tigers per 100 km² for genetic data. I found that the addition of camera-trap data improved precision in genetic capture-recapture estimates, but not visa-versa, likely due to low numbers of recaptures in the genetic data. While a non-invasive genetic approach can be used as a stand-alone capture-recapture method, it may be necessary to increase sample size to obtain more recaptures. Camera-trap data may provide a more precise estimates, but genetic data returns more information on other aspect of genetic health and connectivity. Combining data sets in an integrated modeling framework, aiding in pinpointing strengths and weaknesses in data sets, thus ultimately improving modeling inference. / Ph. D.

京都大学 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(農学) / 甲第25328号 / 農博第2594号 / 京都大学大学院農学研究科森林科学専攻 / (主査)准教授 檀浦 正子, 教授 北島 薫, 教授 Daniel Epron / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering) / Kyoto University / DFAM

Assessing existing bridges is an important task in the sustainable management ofinfrastructure. In practice, structural bridge assessments are usually conducted usingtraditional and standardised methods, despite knowledge that these methods oftenprovide conservative estimates. In addition, more advanced methods are available, suchas nonlinear finite element (FE) analysis, that are used for research purposes and cansimulate the structural behaviour of bridges more accurately. Therefore, it would beuseful to develop practical and reliable procedures for refined assessments using theseadvanced techniques.Focusing on the ultimate load-carrying capacity of existing concrete bridges, this thesispresents a procedure for structural assessments. The fundamental idea is to improve theassessment successively, as necessary to predict bridges’ structural behaviour adequately.The procedure involves a multi-level assessment strategy with four levels of structuralanalysis, and an integrated framework for safety verification. At the initial level (Level 1)of the multi-level strategy, traditional standardised methods are used, no failures arecovered implicitly in the structural analysis and action effects are verified using localresistances calculated using analytical models. In the subsequent enhanced levels (Levels2 – 4), nonlinear FE analysis is used for stepwise integration of the verification of flexural,shear-related and anchorage failures into the structural analysis. The framework for safetyverifications includes partial safety factor (PSF), global resistance safety factor (GRSF) andfull probabilistic methods. Within each of these groups, verifications of desired safetymargins can be conducted with varying degrees of complexity.To demonstrate and evaluate the proposed structural assessment procedure, comparativestudies have been carried out, based on full-scale tests of a prestressed concrete bridge.This was the Kiruna Bridge, located in the northernmost city in Sweden, which was duefor demolition as part of a city transformation project, necessitated by large grounddeformations caused by the large nearby mine. Thus, it was available for destructiveexperimental investigation within the doctoral project presented in this thesis. The bridgehad five continuous spans, was 121.5 m long and consisted of three parallel girders with a connecting slab at the top. Both the girders and slab were tested to failure to investigatetheir structural behaviour and load-carrying capacity. Non-destructive and destructivetests were also applied to determine the residual prestress forces in the bridge girders andinvestigate the in situ applicability of methods developed for this purpose. The so-calledsaw-cut method and decompression-load method were used after refinement to enabletheir application to structures of such complexity. The variation of the experimentallydetermined residual prestress forces was remarkably high, depending on the sectioninvestigated. There were also high degrees of uncertainty in estimated values, and thusare only regarded as indications of the residual prestress force.Level 1 analysis of the multi-level assessment strategy consistently underestimatedcapacity, relative to the test results, and did not provide accurate predictions of the shearrelatedfailure observed in the test. With linear FE analysis and local resistance modelsdefined by the European standard, Eurocode 2, the load-carrying capacity wasunderestimated by 32 % for the bridge girder and 55 % for the bridge deck slab. At theenhanced level of structural analysis (Level 3), nonlinear FE analyses predicted thecapacities with less than 2 % deviation from the test results and correctly predicted thefailure mode. However, for existing bridges there are many uncertainties, for instance,the FE simulations were sensitive to the level of residual prestressing, boundaryconditions and assumed material parameters. To accurately take these aspects intoaccount, bridge-specific information is crucial.The complete structural assessment procedure, combining the multi-level strategy andsafety verification framework, was evaluated in a case study. Experiences from theprevious comparative studies were used in an assessment of the Kiruna Bridge followingthe Swedish assessment code. The initial assessment at Level 1 of the multi-level strategyand safety verification, using the PSF method, indicated that the shear capacity of one ofthe girders was critical. The most adverse load case (a combination of permanent loads,prestressing and variable traffic loads) was further investigated through enhancedstructural analyses implicitly accounting for flexural and shear-related failures (Level 3).Nonlinear FE analysis and safety evaluation using the PSF method, several variants of theGRSF method and the full probabilistic analysis for resistance indicated that the permittedaxle load for the critical classification vehicle could be 5.6 – 6.5 times higher than thelimit obtained from the initial assessment at Level 1. However, the study also indicatedthat the model uncertainty was not fully considered in these values. The modeluncertainty was shown to have strong effects on the safety verification and (thus)permissible axle loads. The case study also highlighted the need for a strategy forsuccessively improving structural analysis to improve understanding of bridges’ structuralbehaviour. The refined analysis indicated a complex failure mode, with yielding of thestirrups in the bridge girders and transverse flexural reinforcement in the bridge deck slab,but with a final shear failure of the slab. It would be impossible to capture suchcomplexity in a traditional standardised assessment, which (as mentioned) indicated thatthe shear capacity of the girder limited permissible axle loads. However, nonlinear FEanalyses are computationally demanding, and numerous modelling choices are required.Besides a strategy for rationally improving the analysis and helping analysts to focus oncritical aspects, detailed guidelines for nonlinear FE analysis should be applied to reduce the analyst-dependent variability of results and (thus) the model uncertainty. Clearly, toensure the validity of bridge assessment methods under in situ conditions, theirevaluations should include in situ tests. This thesis presents outcomes of such tests, therebyhighlighting important aspects for future improvements in the assessment of existingbridges.

In this thesis I investigate several aspects of local quantum criticality, a concept of key importance in a number of physical contexts ranging from critical heavy fermion compounds to quantum dot systems. Quantum critical points are associated with second order phase transitions at zero temperature. In contrast to their finite-temperature counterparts, the zero-point motion cannot be neglected near a quantum critical point. As a result, the incorporation of quantum dynamics leads to an effective dimension larger than the spatial dimension of the system for the order parameter fluctuations within the Ginzburg-Landau-Wilson treatment of criticality. This so-called quantum-to-classical mapping works well for the critical properties in insulating systems but apparently fails in systems containing gapless fermions. This has been experimentally most clearly been demonstrated within a particular class of intermetallic compounds called heavy fermions. A particular way in which the Ginzburg-Landau-Wilson paradigm fails is for critical Kondo destruction that seems to underlie the unconventional quantum criticality seen in the heavy fermions. I focus on studying the properties of critical Kondo destruction and the emergence of energy-over-temperature-scaling in systems without spatial degrees of freedom, i.e., so-called quantum impurity systems. In particular, I employ large-N techniques to address critical properties of this class of quantum phase transitions in and out of equilibrium. As quantum critical systems are characterized by a scale-invariant spectrum with many low-lying excitations, it may appear that any perturbation can lead to a response beyond the linear response regime. Understanding what governs the non-linear response regime near quantum criticality is an interesting area. Here, I first present a path integral version of the Schrieffer-Wolff transformation which relates the functional integral form of the partition function of the Anderson model to that of its effective low-energy model. The equivalence between the low-energy sector of the Anderson model in the Kondo regime and the spin-isotropic Kondo model is usually established via a canonical transformation performed on the Hamiltonian, followed by a projection. The resulting functional integral assumes the form of a spin path integral and includes a geometric phase factor, i.e. a Berry phase. The approach stresses the underlying symmetries of the model and allows for a straightforward generalization of the transformation to more involved models. As an example of the efficiency of the approach I apply it to a single electron transistor attached to ferromagnetic leads and derive the effective low-energy model of such a magnetic transistor. As Kondo screening is a local phenomenon, it and its criticality can be studied using the appropriate impurity model. A general impurity model to study critical Kondo destruction is the pseudogap Bose-Fermi Kondo model. Here, I concentrate on the multi-channel version of the model using the dynamical large-N study. This model allows to study the non-trivial interplay between two different mechanisms of critical Kondo destruction. The interplay of two processes that can each by itself lead to critical Kondo destruction. The zero-temperature residual entropy at various fixed points for the model is also discussed. The two channel Anderson model exhibits several continuous quantum phase transitions between weak- and strong-coupling phases. The non-crossing approximation (NCA) is believed to give reliable results for the standard two-channel Anderson model of a magnetic impurity in a metal. I revisit the reliability of the NCA for the standard two channel Anderson model (constant conduction electron density of states) and investigate its reliability for the two-channel pseudogap Anderson model. This is done by comparing finite-temperature, finite-frequency solutions of the NCA equations and asymptotically exact zero-temperature NCA solutions with numerical renormalization-group calculations. The phase diagram of this model is well established. The focus here will be on the dynamical scaling properties obtained within the NCA. Finally, I study the thermal and non-thermal steady state scaling functions and the steady-state dynamics of the pseudogap Kondo model. This model allows us to study the concept of effective temperatures near fully interacting as well as weak-coupling fixed points and compare the out-of-equilibrium scaling properties of critical Kondo destruction to those of the traditional spin-density wave (SDW) scenario. The differences I identify can be experimentally probed. This may be helpful in identifying the nature of the quantum critical points observed in certain heavy fermion compounds.