<p> <p>&nbsp / </p> </p> <p align="left">The underlying theme of this thesis is identification, classification, detection and prediction of cellular network faults using state of the art technologies, methods and algorithms.</p>

<p> <p>&nbsp / </p> </p> <p align="left">The underlying theme of this thesis is identification, classification, detection and prediction of cellular network faults using state of the art technologies, methods and algorithms.</p>

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / The underlying theme of this thesis is identification, classification, detection and prediction of cellular network faults using state of the art technologies, methods and algorithms.

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Thesis (MScConEcol (Conservation Ecology and Entomology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Insect pollinators play an important role in producing crops in global agriculture. Pollinatordependent crops contribute to maintaining a healthy variety in the human diet and often have a high market value, beneficial for local or regional economies. Insect crop pollinators can either be from natural areas adjacent to orchards, or they can be brought into orchards by beekeepers that manage them. Pollination by wild pollinators is an ecosystem service, while managed pollinators (mostly honeybees) is a humanly managed service, considered not to be related to the ecosystem. Ecosystem services and their economic value have often been used as an incentive for conservation, although it is sometimes difficult to characterise and quantify them. Wild and managed pollinators have been reported to be threatened in several regions around the world, and there is concern about the effect a pollination deficit may have on crop production. Different crops and cultivars have different levels of dependence on insect pollination due to a combination of biological, physical and management factors. In this study, the pollination dependence of the Granny Smith apple cultivar and the respective contributions of wild and managed pollinators are investigated in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Granny Smith apples show a significant increase in production with insect pollination (wild and managed). Managed honeybees are more abundant in orchards than wild honeybees, and also provide a better pollination service. This difference between the pollination service of wild and managed honeybees are specifically noted in the quality, where managed honeybees pollination result in significantly more seeds per fruit and consequently produce a better shaped apple. The study goes further by quantifying the ecosystem services to the managed honeybee industry through a questionnaire completed by beekeepers. It was found that 49% of the managed hives in the Western Cape rely to some extent on natural vegetation as a forage source. Furthermore 18% of honey produced is also from natural vegetation and the wild honeybee population replenish managed honeybee stocks if they become depleted. Although managed honeybees are not usually considered an ecosystem service, it is clear that they are still linked to the ecosystem via these pathways. It is thus obvious that all pollination sources are linked to the environment, not just wild pollinators. A further economic valuation of the ecosystem service studied, and to the argument for conservation of pollinators and the resources they depend on. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Insek bestuiwing speel ‘n belangrike rol in die produksie van gewasse in landbou wêreldwyd. Gewasse wat bestuiwing-afhanklik is, dra by tot ‘n gesonde verskeidenheid in die mens se dieët en hul hoë mark waarde is voordelig vir plaaslike en streeks ekonomieë. Insek bestuiwers kan of van natuurlike areas langs boorde afkomstig wees, of bestuurde bestuiwers kan deur byeboere in boorde ingebring word. Bestuiwing deur wilde bestuiwers is ‘n ekosisteem diens, maar die byeboere verskaf ‘n bestuurde diens, wat nie altyd gereken word om aan die ekosisteem verwant te wees nie. Ekosisteem dienste en hul ekonomiese waarde word gereeld gebruik as insentief vir bewaring, alhoewel dit soms moeilik is om dit te karaktariseer en te kwantifiseer. In sekere streke wêreldwyd is dit bewys dat wilde, asook bestuurde bestuiwers, bedreig is en daar heers bekommernis dat ‘n tekort aan bestuiwers gewas produksie negatief sal beïnvloed. Verskillende gewasse en kultivars het verskillende vlakke van bestuiwing-afhanklikheid as gevolg van verskillende biologiese en fisiese faktore en bestuurspraktyke. In hierdie studie is die bestuiwings-afhanklikheid van die Granny Smith appel kultivar ondersoek, asook die bydrae van wilde en bestuurde heuningbye in die Wes-Kaap provinsie van Suid Afrika. Granny Smith appels toon ‘n betekenisvolle produksie verbetering met insek bestuiwing (wilde en bestuurde bye). Daar is ‘n groter hoeveelheid bestuurde bye in ‘n boord as wilde bye, en hulle verskaf ook dus ‘n beter bestuiwingsdiens. Die voordeel van bestuurde bye bo wilde bye word veral in vrug kwaliteit opgemerk. As bestuurde bye gebruik word, is daar betekenisvol meer sade per vrug en gevolglik het die appels ook ‘n beter vorm. Verder fokus die studie ook op die kwantifisering van ekosisteem dienste wat aan die bestuurde heuningby industrie verskaf word, deur inligting van byeboere te gebruik. Daar is bevind dat 49% van die kolonies bestuurde bye in die Wes- Kaap is tot ‘n mate afhanklik van natuurlike plantegroei vir voedsel. Verder is 18% van die geproduseerde heuning ook afkomstig van natuurlike plantegroei se nektar en byeboere vang wilde kolonies om uitgestorwe bestuurde kolonies te vervang. Dit is dus duidelik dat alle bestuiwings bronne gekoppel is aan die omgewing, nie slegs wilde bestuiwers nie. ‘n Verdere ekonomiese waardasie van die onderskeie ekosisteem dienste wat bestudeer is, voeg motivering by tot die bewaring van bestuiwers en die hulpbronne waarvan hulle afhanklik is.

Submitted by Joyce de Figueiró Santos (joycefigueiro@gmail.com) on 2014-07-21T14:48:02Z No. of bitstreams: 1 mestrado(1).pdf: 12859151 bytes, checksum: cce9beb4e56c9706618a1d6361e58fd9 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Janete de Oliveira Feitosa (janete.feitosa@fgv.br) on 2014-07-22T21:09:53Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 mestrado(1).pdf: 12859151 bytes, checksum: cce9beb4e56c9706618a1d6361e58fd9 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Marcia Bacha (marcia.bacha@fgv.br) on 2014-07-24T17:35:11Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 mestrado(1).pdf: 12859151 bytes, checksum: cce9beb4e56c9706618a1d6361e58fd9 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-07-24T17:35:59Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 mestrado(1).pdf: 12859151 bytes, checksum: cce9beb4e56c9706618a1d6361e58fd9 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-06-06 / The ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor that parasitize honey bees has become a global problem. Although this mite is unlikely to, by itself, cause the mortality of hives, it plays an important role as a vector for many viral diseases. These diseases are identified as some of the most important reasons for the Colony Collapse Disorder. The effects of V.destructor infestation are disparate in different parts of the world. Greater morbidity - in the form of colony losses - has been reported in colonies of European honey bees (EHB) in countries of Europe, Asia and North America. However, this mite has been in Brasil for many years and there are no reports of losses of Africanized honey bees (AHB) colonies. Studies carried out in Mexico showed that some resistance behaviors to the Varroa mite - especially grooming and hygienic behavior - appear to be different in each subspecies. Could those mechanisms explain why the AHB are less susceptible to Colony Collapse Disorder? In order to answer this question, we propose a mathematical model based on differential equations, to analyze the role of these resistance mechanisms in the overall health of the colony, and it’s ability to face environmental challenges. / Os ácaros ectoparasitas Varroa destructor, que parasitam as abelhas tornaram-se um problema global. Embora seja pouco provável que estes ácaros, por si só, provoquem a mortalidade das colmeias, eles desempenham um importante papel como vetor de muitas doenças virais. E estas doenças são identificados como algumas das mais importantes razões para a Desordem do Colapso das Colônias. Os efeitos da infestação do V.destructor são distintas em diferentes partes do mundo. Maiores mortalidades de colônias têm sido relatadas em colônias de abelhas européias (AE) em países da Europa, Ásia e América do Norte. No entanto, este ácaro está presente no Brasil já por muitos anos e não existem relatos de perdas em colônias das abelhas africanizadas (AA). Estudos realizados no México mostraram que alguns comportamentos de resistência ao ácaro Varroa - especialmente o grooming e o comportamento higiênico - são diferentes em cada uma das subespécie. Poderiam então esses mecanismos explicar por que as abelhas africanizadas são menos suscetíveis à Desordem do Colapso das Colônias? A fim de responder a esta pergunta, propomos um modelo matemático baseado em equações diferenciais, com o objetivo de analisar o papel desses mecanismos de resistência na saúde geral da colônia e na capacidade da colônia para enfrentar desafios ambientais.

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Die Arbeit beschreibt ein stochastisches Simulationsprogramm zur Modellierung von Honigbienenpopulationen unter Zuchtbedingungen. Dieses Programm wurde neu implementiert um unterschiedliche Selektionsstrategien zu evaluieren und zu optimieren. In einer ersten Studie wurde untersucht, inwiefern die Vorhersagen, die das Programm trifft, vom verwendeten genetischen Modell abhängt. Hierbei wurde festgestellt, dass das Finite-Locus-Modell dem Infinitesimalmodell in Langzeitstudien vorzuziehen ist. Eine zweite Studie beleuchtete die Bedeutung der sicheren Anpaarung auf Belegstellen für die Honigbienenzucht. Hier zeigten die Simulationen, dass die Zucht mit Anpaarungskontrolle derjenigen mit freier Paarung von Königinnen deutlich überlegen ist. Schließlich wurde in einer finalen Studie der Frage nachgegangen, wie erfolgreiche Zuchtprogramme bei der Honigbiene langfristig nachhaltig zu gestalten sind. Hierbei sind kurzfristiger genetischer Zugewinn und langfristige Inzuchtvermeidung gegeneinander abzuwägen. Durch umfangreiche Simulationen konnten für verschiedene Ausgangspopulationen Empfehlungen für eine optimale Zuchtintensität auf mütterlicher und väterlicher Seite gefunden werden. / The present work describes a stochastic simulation program for modelling honeybee populations under breeding conditions. The program was newly implemented to investigate and optimize different selection strategies. A first study evaluated in how far the program's predictions depend on the underlying genetic model. It was found that the finite locus model rather than the infinitesimal model should be used for long-term investigations. A second study shed light into the importance of controlled mating for honeybee breeding. It was found that breeding schemes with controlled mating are far superior to free-mating alternatives. Ultimately, a final study examined how successful breeding strategies can be designed so that they are sustainable in the long term. For this, short-term genetic progress has to be weighed against the avoidance of inbreeding in the long run. By extensive simulations, optimal selection intensities on the maternal and paternal paths could be determined for different sets of population parameters.

Honigbienen (Apis mellifera L.) sind in der Lage mit ihren Komplexaugen visuelle Muster wahrzunehmen und die Musterinformation im Zentralen Nervensystem zu speichern und für Ähnlichkeitsbewertungen wieder abzurufen. Die vorliegende Arbeit zeigt klare Evidenz gegen eine ausschließliche Bewertung von Schwarzweißmustern mit Hilfe von Template-Matching-Mechanismen. Mit systematisch abgewandelten Dressurparadigmen trainierte Bienen bewerteten Muster unabhängig von der erfolgten Dressur stets bevorzugt gemäß eher grober Mustereigenschaften, wie zum Beispiel die Parameter "schwarzer Musterzentralbereich" und "Musterzerstreutheit". Veränderte man in einem weiteren Versuchansatz die Musterinformation der Schwarzweißmuster zudem gezielt durch geeignete Fourier-Filterung, zeigte sich, dass Bienen zur Musterdiskriminierung bereits die Frequenzinformation von 2 - 8 Schwingungen/Bildbreite genügte. Diese Unschärfe der bewerteten Bildinformation ließ sich nicht ausschließlich aus den optischen Eigenschaften des visuellen Apparates der Bienen ableiten. Videodokumentationen und Einzelbildanalyse des Flugverhaltens der Bienen vor den Mustern ergaben zudem keinerlei Hinweise für eine Nutzung des Flugverhaltens als Bewertungsgrundlage zur Musterdiskriminierung. Die erhaltenen Ergebnisse zur Musterdiskriminierung wurden vor dem Hintergrund eines ökonomischen Entscheidungsmodells für menschliches Verhalten, den Frugalheuristiken, diskutiert und Hinweise auf eine ökonomische Bewertungsstrategie der Bienen entsprechend einer Take-The-Best-Heuristik gefunden. / Honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) are able to perceive visual patterns through their compound eyes and store the visual information in the central nervous system for subsequent use in pattern discrimination tasks. This thesis provides clear evidence against the assumption that pattern discrimination relies exclusively on template matching mechanisms. Bees discriminated pairs of patterns preferential using extracted pattern parameters. Within this thesis the preferred parameters of the bees following the training paradigms were coarse parameters such as "black centre" and "pattern disruption". In experiments with Fourier filtered patterns the frequency information of the patterns were additionally reduced. The results showed that bees could discriminate patterns using only 2 - 8 cycles/pattern-width of the frequency information. The fuzziness of the exploited visual information could not be assigned to restrictions of the visual system of bees. Additional documentation and single picture analysis of the videotaped flight behaviour in front of the patterns provided no evidence for bees using their flight behaviour in order to enhance the pattern discrimination ability. Application of economic human decision models (frugal heuristics) to the behavioural results showed clues that bees'' decisions could be explained with the help of the Take-The-Best-heuristic.