Noteworthy species endemic to the Galapagos Islands off Ecuador are two flightless birds, the Galapagos Penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus) and Flightless Cormorant (Phalacrocrax harrisi). Both adapted increased swimming ability at the cost of flight. This however has limited their ability to find richer feeding grounds in times of low resource availability, or to escape potential predators. Their population numbers, though small, were stable. Stress on this stability has increased since human arrival. Various invasive species from pets, farm animals and rats to even mosquito vectors of avian disease accompanied humans. . El Nino Southern Oscillation or ENSO cycles of warm waters in the Pacific Ocean south of the Equator cause drastic drops in food sources for all Galapagos seabirds. Serious ENSO events in 1983 and 1998 caused some species’ populations to drop by as much as 77%. Periodic less severe cycles may help explain how population recovery has not rebounded to earlier numbers. Reduced chick survival and adult fecundity seem to occur in concert with mild events. With available data and use of a modeling approach, this study focuses and explores their situations. Restoring population stability may include use of models, species monitoring, conservation and limiting invasive species. Usher matrices based on different climate conditions were produced using data combined from current and past census counts and weather. Models are used to compare available census data and test reliable predictors. Climate data from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the University of Florida provides for testing predictions of current and probable future climate change. Life histories of both species are regarded. Results suggest the current Cormorant population is still stable. The Penguin, however, faces a 20% probability of extinction in 100 years if current conditions remain. Extinction probability rises to 60% if climate change continues to worsen. Interventions such as captive breeding could be suitable for population recovery.

The United States Military is currently organized along the lines of regional combatant commands (COCOMs). Each COCOM is responsible for all U.S. military activity in their designated area of responsibility (AOR). They also deal with diplomatic issues of a wide variety with the countries within their respective AORs. Among these COCOMs, Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), whose AOR encompasses all of Central and South America (less Mexico) and the Caribbean, is one of the smallest in terms of size and budget, but has the longest history of activity among the COCOMs as it is the successor to the first joint command, the United States Caribbean Defense Command (CDC 1941-1947). Existing from 1941 to 1947, the CDC was tasked with protecting the Panama Canal, the Canal Zone, and all its access points as well as defending the region from Axis aggression and setting up a series of U.S. bases throughout the Caribbean from which to project U.S. military power after World War II. Throughout its short history, however, the CDC was plagued with the same types of resource scarcity that its successor commands would later experience. Early successes, as well as the progress of the war saw to it that the original mission of the Command was quickly rendered moot. Ironically, it was partially the success of the U.S. war effort that kept the CDC from ever reaching its full potential. Nevertheless, the CDC evolved into something different than had originally been envisioned. In the end, it became the model that other COCOMs would follow after November 1947 when the system of regional combatant commands was formally established. Although some research has been conducted into the history of these commands, this dissertation is the first academic attempt to chronicle the history of the United States Caribbean Defense Command. Research into this topic involved combing through the Archives of the United States Southern Command in its offices in Miami, Florida (SOUTHCOM Archives), as well as the CDC archives in Record Group 548 in the U.S. National Archives II in Suitland, Maryland. Secondary sources as well as references regarding treaties and international agreements were also consulted as necessary.

The theme of this diploma thesis is the architectural study of the complex of the Farm of 3D Printers in Jaroslavice. The technology of 3D printing at its speed of development has far outweighed the response to its needs. It lacks a new systematically planned building typology corresponding to the requirements of farms. Farms adapt to the spaces. The main aim of the work is to introduce the possibility of turning the situation and adapting the premises to the farms. The thesis follows the urban design of the restructuring of the Jaroslavice landscape elaborated in the previous semester. The project respects established principles at microregion level in the form of emphasis on self-sufficiency, population integrity or the use of current technologies. The land is located on the southern part of Jaroslavice. There are 3 agricultural buildings located on the property, which until 2010, when a photovoltaic power plant was built, operated in conjunction with a neighboring agricultural court. After the power plant was built, the bonds were irreversibly broken. Buildings are in a very poor condition and mutual cooperation no longer works. The existing solution replaces and shows the possibility of using solar energy in a different way. Thus, the construction cartridge works with a hybrid typology where the 3D production area is combined with the maximum solar gains of the photovoltaic panels. Generative methods have been used to design dominantly either for finding a form in terms of achieving maximum solar gains or after verifying the efficiency of the structure. The proposal has several scenarios of possible development. There are four different stages of growth and the linkage of production areas. Printers are able to replicate themselves at such a rate that they can expect rapid growth. The proposal uses controlled growth methods to simulate complex development under the conditions of maximum solar radiation. Visual distraction and overheating are also solved by atypical sunsets on the exterior façade. Thin-film photovoltaic panels are used on the sun, so it is able to produce electricity besides the shield. The energy-efficient shape along with the great advantage of the layout solution, instead of the corridor disposition, is a basic cell on the central plan view. This makes it possible to control and operate more of the machines more efficiently. The production site forwards counts full robot automation.