Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1956. / Typescript. Abstracted in Dissertation abstracts, v. 16 (1956) no. 11, p. 2197. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 149-171).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Biology, 1980. / Supervised by John M. Teal. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 187-206).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Biology, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2006. / Klausmeier, Christopher, Committee Member ; Montoya, Joseph, Committee Member ; Snell, Terry, Committee Member ; Sarnelle, Orlando, Committee Member ; Hay, Mark, Committee Chair.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Rhodes University, 2004. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on May 2, 2006). Includes bibliographical references (p. 263-293).

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:30:29Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2011-06-21Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:21:10Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 almeida_cg_dr_jabo.pdf: 914863 bytes, checksum: 06ae360f77e1992d58cf954b10d6535d (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) / Com base no hábito alimentar da espécie, no potencial dos quelônios em utilizar matéria vegetal e na importância da fibra e de seus constituintes para alimentação animal, esta pesquisa estudou o crescimento da tartaruga-da-Amazônia (Podocnemis expansa), a disponibilidade de minerais e a digestibilidade dos nutrientes em dietas com diferentes teores de fibra bruta. Os estudos foram realizados na Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), entre maio e novembro de 2008, com duração de sete meses, utilizando 160 exemplares de tartaruga-da-Amazônia provenientes do município de Ribeirão Cascalheira, região do Rio das Mortes/MT, Brasil. O aumento nos teores de fibra na dieta até 16% melhorou o crescimento da tartaruga-da-Amazônia, onde as características de crescimento apresentaram os maiores valores. Entre 16 a 20% de fibra na dieta o crescimento das tartarugas diminuiu. O maior crescimento se deu com teores semelhantes aos encontrados na dieta natural da espécie, reforçando seu potencial para utilização de dieta herbívora. A disponibilidade de minerais e a digestibilidade dos nutrientes foram influenciadas pelos teores de fibra na dieta. A tartaruga-da-Amazônia apresenta elevado potencial de digestão da fibra dietética, comparável ao de ruminantes e outros répteis herbívoros, com sua digestibilidade aumentando com o aumento do teor de fibra na dieta / Taking in consideration the potential the chelonians have for using vegetal matter and based on the eating habit of the specie and on the importance of fiber and its constituents for animal feeding, the present study aimed at evaluating the growth of the Arrau sideneck turtle (Podocnemis expansa) fed with diets of different contents of crude fiber and the availability of minerals and the digestibility of nutrients. This study was carried out Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), between the months of May and November, 2008, and lasted seven months. The turtles used were 160 specimens of the Arrau sideneck turtle from Projeto Quelônios da Amazônia, State of Mato Grosso. The increase in the contents of fiber in the diet up to 16% improved the Arrau sideneck turtle’s growth, when the growth characteristics showed their best values. In diets including 20% of fiber, the turtle’s growth decreased. In diets including between 16 and 20% of fiber, the turtle’s growth decreased. The highest rate occurred when using contents similar to those found in the natural diet of the species, corroborating its potential to use herbivore diet. The availability of minerals and the digestibility of nutrients were influenced by the contents of fiber in the diet. The Arrau sideneck turtle presents a high potential for dietary fiber digestion, comparable to that of the ruminants and other herbivore reptiles, with its digestibility increasing as the contents of fiber increase

Neste estudo foi avaliado o grau de proteção conferido à Chamaecrista debilis a partir das formigas visitantes dos seus nectários extraflorais (NEFs), que são estruturas não envolvidas diretamente na polinização e que representam uma importante fonte alimentar para vários grupos de artrópodes. Foram utilizados dois experimentos, no primeiro foram escolhidas e marcadas 20 plantas, sendo 10 destinadas ao controle, permanecendo em seu estado natural, e outras 10 denominadas tratamento, onde as formigas presentes foram retiradas, sendo aplicada uma resina na base do caule, afim de impedir o acesso das formigas à planta. Em cada planta de ambos os grupos, foram marcadas 6 folhas, contando¬se seus folíolos para acompanhar a herbivoria. No segundo experimento, foram escolhidas 6 plantas, sendo marcados dois ramos em cada uma, um destinado ao controle e outro destinado ao tratamento, onde foi aplicada a resina em sua base e as formigas foram excluídas. Foram marcadas 3 folhas em cada ramo, sendo contado o número de folíolos para acompanhar a herbivoria. No primeiro experimento não objetivou¬se determinar a defesa diferencial, dependendo das espécies das formigas associadas aos NEFs, enquanto que no segundo experimento foi avaliada especificamente a defesa conferida por Camponotus cingulatus. A fenologia foi acompanhada quinzenalmente, avaliando¬se a porcentagem das estruturas da plantas. Formigas, visitantes florais, herbívoros e outros insetos presentes na planta foram coletados. Foram encontradas 15 espécies de formigas associadas aos NEFs da planta, enquanto que os principais herbívoros foram os proscopídeos (Orthoptera). Quinze espécies de visitantes florais foram relatadas, e vários outros grupos estiveram associados à planta, especialmente em relação às galhas. Os resultados dos experimentos demonstraram que a presença das formigas determina uma redução significativa da herbivoria em Ch. debilis, nos dois experimentos, sendo que esta defesa amplia¬se com o passar do tempo. Todavia, este mutualismo parece ser facultativo, como a maioria destas relações envolvendo plantas com NEFs e organismos associados. / In this study was valued the protection degree provided to Chamaecrista debilis from ants visiting its extrafloral nectaries (EFNs), that are structures not involved directly to pollination and that are a important food resource to various arthropod groups. Were performes two experiments, in the first one were choosed and marked 20 plants, where 10 were control plants, remaining in to their natural conditions, and the other 10, labeled as treatement, where the ants presents were excluded and applied a resin at the basis of the stem, to prevent the access of the ants. In wich plant of both groups were marked 6 leaves, counting the number of folioles to value the herbivory rates. In the second experiment was choosen six plants, where were marked two branches, one destined to control and the other one to the treatment, where the resin was applied at the basis, to prevent the ants? access to these branches, from where the ants were excluded. Were marked 3 leaves in wich branch counting the number of folioles to value the herbivory rates. In the first experiment was not evalueted the differencial degree of protection, depending on the ants? species while in the second one was valueted specifically the defense from Camponotus cingulatus. The phenology was evalueted each 15 days, considering the porcentage of the plants? structures. Ants, flower visitors, herbivores and other insects presents on the plant were colected. Was found 15 ant species associated to EFNs, while the main herbivore were the Proscopiidae. Fifteen specis of flower visitors were recorded and another various groups were associeted to plant, specially to the galls. The results of the two experiments showed that the presence of ants provide a significative reduce to herbivory rates in Ch. debilis, and this defense grows along the time. However, this mutualism seems to be facultative, like the majotity of these relationships involving EFN plants and associated organisms.

A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masters in Science. / Satellite imagery and remote sensing techniques provide a way to collect data over large temporal and spatial scales, and build indices that gauge ecological variables. These indices can explain the distribution of animals in their environment. In this study I compare the ability of various indices derived from Landsat 8, to reliably predict locations of different large herbivore species across diverse habitats. The study was undertaken in the Kgaswane Mountain Reserve, North West Province, South Africa. Daily locations of two herds of sable antelope (Hippotragus niger) and one herd of eland (Tragelaphus oryx) were used. One sable antelope herd (vlei herd) occupied a grassland plateau with a wetland and the other sable antelope herd (woodland herd), shared the wooded area at the base of the mountains with the eland herd. I described vegetation communities, burnt areas, geology and soil templates at animal locations during foraging bouts in the dry season; coinciding with the times of the Landsat images. The overall aim of this study was to see whether an index or a combination of indices could better describe animal locations than the normally used NDVI. I calculated a number of indices, and compared their predictive ability to define areas used by the study animals. Specifically, I compared the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) to Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index (SAVI), Visible Atmospherically Resistant Index (VARIgreen), Green Atmospherically Resistant Index (GARI), Normalised Difference Water Index (NDWI), a proxy for soil moisture; and mineral composite indices assessing clay minerals, ferrous minerals and iron oxide. I chose these indices as they describe the basic characteristics of an ecologically functioning unit. The locations of one of the sable antelope herds, located in grassland areas underlined by quartzite, were best described by NDVI, SAVI and VARIgreen. The locations of the other sable antelope herd, occurring in an open wooded area with shallow sandy soils on norite and quartzite, were best described by clay minerals and GARI. Eland locations, found in woodland areas characterised by deep norite soils, were best described by a combination of iron oxide, NDVI and SAVI. Therefore, NDVI proved to be an adequate indicator in open grassland areas, where it could be interchanged with SAVI, and improved by VARIgreen. In closed woodlands NDVI, SAVI and NDWI could all be used to describe browser locations. NDVI was not a suitable index when it came to describe locations of a grazer in a woodland/grassland matrix. However, it is important to keep in mind that my results pertain only to one dry season and two herbivore species, and therefore further studies would be needed to be able to generalise the results further. / MT2016

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So Ka Yi Erica. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 243-255). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Acknowledgements --- p.i / Abstract --- p.iii / Contents --- p.ix / List of Tables --- p.xii / List of Figures --- p.xix / Chapter Chapter 1 --- General Introduction / Chapter 1.1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- General Objectives --- p.11 / Chapter 1.3 --- Study Site --- p.12 / Chapter 1.4 --- Organization of the Thesis --- p.13 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- "General Surveys on the Abundance of Algae and Herbivores in A Ma Wan, A Ye Wan and Lung Lok Shui, Tung Ping Chau, Hong Kong" / Chapter 2.1 --- Introduction --- p.16 / Chapter 2.2 --- Materials and Methods --- p.20 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Study site --- p.20 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Measurement of water temperature --- p.21 / Chapter 2.2.3 --- Measurement of algal percentage cover --- p.22 / Chapter 2.2.4 --- Measurement of herbivore density --- p.22 / Chapter 2.2.5 --- Investigation on the species richness and diversity of algae and herbivores --- p.23 / Chapter 2.2.6 --- Statistical analysis --- p.24 / Chapter 2.3 --- Results --- p.27 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Measurement of algal abundance and diversity --- p.27 / Chapter 2.3.1.1 --- Percentage cover and morphology --- p.28 / Chapter 2.3.1.2 --- Species richness --- p.29 / Chapter 2.3.1.3 --- Species diversity --- p.29 / Chapter 2.3.1.4 --- Dominance and composition --- p.30 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Measurement of herbivore abundance and diversity --- p.32 / Chapter 2.3.2.1 --- Density of herbivores --- p.32 / Chapter 2.3.2.2 --- Species richness --- p.33 / Chapter 2.3.2.3 --- Species diversity --- p.34 / Chapter 2.3.2.4 --- Dominance and composition --- p.34 / Chapter 2.3.3 --- Relationships between algae and herbivores --- p.37 / Chapter 2.3.3.1 --- Pairwise Pearson Correlation between algae and herbivores in different sites --- p.37 / Chapter 2.3.3.2 --- Canonical correlations between algal and herbivorous species --- p.38 / Chapter 2.3.4 --- "Water temperature and its relationships with the abundance, richness and diversity of algae and herbivores" --- p.39 / Chapter 2.4 --- Discussion --- p.40 / Chapter 2.4.1 --- Spatial distribution of algae and herbivores --- p.40 / Chapter 2.4.2 --- Seasonal distributions of algae and herbivores --- p.46 / Chapter 2.4.3 --- Interactions between algae and herbivores --- p.50 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Growth of Algae in Herbivore-exclusion Manipulative Experiment / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.106 / Chapter 3.2 --- Materials and Methods --- p.111 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Study site --- p.111 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Manipulative experiment --- p.111 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Investigation on the manipulative experiment --- p.112 / Chapter 3.2.3.1 --- Species composition of algae and herbivores --- p.113 / Chapter 3.2.3.2 --- Percentage cover of algae and density of herbivores --- p.113 / Chapter 3.2.3.3 --- Sizes of herbivores --- p.113 / Chapter 3.2.4 --- Detecting the cage effect --- p.114 / Chapter 3.2.5 --- Statistical analyses --- p.114 / Chapter 3.3 --- Results --- p.117 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Algae --- p.117 / Chapter 3.3.1.1 --- Percentage cover --- p.117 / Chapter 3.3.1.2 --- Species richness --- p.120 / Chapter 3.3.1.3 --- Composition between treatments --- p.121 / Chapter 3.3.1.4 --- Compositions between set-ups --- p.121 / Chapter 3.3.1.5 --- Effects from caging and clearing --- p.122 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- Herbivores --- p.123 / Chapter 3.3.2.1 --- Density --- p.123 / Chapter 3.3.2.2 --- Species richness --- p.124 / Chapter 3.3.2.3 --- Compositions between treatments --- p.124 / Chapter 3.3.2.4 --- Compositions between set-ups --- p.125 / Chapter 3.3.3 --- Relationships between algae and herbivores --- p.125 / Chapter 3.3.3.1 --- Abundance --- p.125 / Chapter 3.3.3.2 --- Composition --- p.126 / Chapter 3.3.4 --- Sizes of herbivores --- p.128 / Chapter 3.3.5 --- Irradiance between treatments --- p.128 / Chapter 3.4 --- Discussion --- p.129 / Chapter 3.4.1 --- Effects of clearing on algal and herbivore dynamics --- p.130 / Chapter 3.4.2 --- Effects of caging on algal and herbivore dynamics --- p.135 / Chapter 3.4.3 --- Effects of seasonality of clearing on algal and herbivore dynamics --- p.139 / Chapter 3.4.4 --- Interactions of algae and herbivores --- p.142 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Feeding Behavior of Common Herbivores in the Artificial Food Experiment / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.216 / Chapter 4.2 --- Materials and Methods --- p.218 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Sample collections --- p.218 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Production of artificial foods --- p.219 / Chapter 4.2.3 --- Feeding experiments --- p.219 / Chapter 4.2.4 --- Statistical analysis --- p.220 / Chapter 4.3 --- Results --- p.221 / Chapter 4.4 --- Discussion --- p.222 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Summary and Conclusion --- p.233 / References --- p.243