The development of the medieval city of Angkor (802-1431 CE) in the floodplains of the Tonle Sap Lake has lead researchers to believe that Angkor made use of its extensive river network; however, little attention has been given to Angkor's relationship with its watery environment. Previous studies have presented a fragmentary view of the subject by analyzing different components in a compartmentalized way, placing the focus on nautical technology or neglecting discussion on water transport in academic works on land transport. This work aims to provide a more comprehensive study on Angkor's specific cognitive and functional traits that could be construed as a distinctive form of fluvial and cultural landscape. This is done by examining the environment, nautical technology, and the cultural biography of boats within the theoretical framework of the maritime cultural landscape and using a cross-disciplinary approach that integrates data from archaeology, iconography, history, ethnography, and environmental studies. A new topological map of Angkor's landscape of communication and transport is presented, as well as new insights on the use of boats as liminal agents for economic and political activities.

Cette recherche évalue le degré de régulation hydrologique induite par le barrage-réservoir Paso de las Piedras sur la Sauce Grande et quantifie les effets de cette régulation sur la hydrologie, la morphologie et la température de l'eau de la rivière en aval. Le travail de thèse consiste en une évaluation exhaustive et systématique des impacts du barrage-réservoir sur le système fluvial basée sur la compréhension des processus naturels qui se produisent en amont. En plus de fournir des informations sur les impacts hydrologiques, morphologiques et thermiques de la construction du barrage Paso de las Piedras et de l'exploitation de son réservoir, cette étude génère des séries de données climatiques et hydrologiques qui fournissent une base significative sur laquelle fonder des recherches futures. Par ailleurs, cette étude met en place un cadre méthodologique appliqué à l'analyse hydrogéomorphologique des bassins versants non jaugés qui a un grand potentiel d'application dans d'autres bassins de la région similaires ainsi que dans d'autres régions semi-arides du monde. / Despite the regional importance of the Sauce Grande River as main source for water supply and the large capacity of the Paso de las Piedras Reservoir, both the hydrology of the river basin and the effects of the impoundment on the river environment remain poorly evaluated. This study provides the very first assessment of the degree of flow regulation induced by the Paso de las Piedras Dam on the middle section of the Sauce Grande River, and quantifies its impacts on the hydrology, morphology and patterns of water temperature of the river downstream from the impoundment. In addition to providing new information on the response of regulated rivers to upstream impoundment and on the effects of impoundment on the Sauce Grande River specifically, this study generates spatial, climatic and hydrologic data and implements a methodological framework to hydrological assessment of ungauged basins.

Biotopes associated with railway corridor in valley of the river Tichá Orlice (Eastern Bohemia, Czech Republic) ABSTRACT Expansion, invasion or decline of plant species caused by environmental changes belong to the most important phenomenons associated with vegetation cover development. In spite of their often initiation by human activities the above mentioned processes continue then spontaneously and uncontrollably. This study is concentrated to the effect of these mechanisms on the biotope structure along the Tichá Orlice River (Eastern Bohemia, Czech Republic) - in its lowland landscape segment of the canyon character where the second axis of the valley (river flow is the first one) is created by railway line more than 150 years of local history. The case study has the general aim: to treat the present and/or future impact of described trends to plant biota and the degree of its influencing. My diploma thesis investigates functional impact and mutual interaction of the two main migration pathways of exotic species - the T.Orlice river and the railway corridor. It presents qualitative and quantitative changes in plant components of local (semi)natural biotopes by mean of interrelationships among selected ecological groups of species (neophytes, expansive species, and ephemeroids). At the same time, this...