Piñon and juniper encroachment and infilling can alter ecosystem processes and decrease resilience and resistance in sagebrush grasslands. Land managers employ a variety of techniques to eliminate these trees and mitigate their negative effects. Mechanical mastication or shredding is an increasingly popular method of removing these trees in Utah. It is a versatile treatment that can reduce canopy fuels, increase infiltration, and reduced sediment loss. We compared vegetation cover for annual and perennial vegetation functional groups on shredded and adjacent unshredded areas across a range of sites. Our approach was to categorize sites by ecological site type (encroachment or tree) and subplots by treatment (untreated, shredded, and shredded-seeded) and initial tree cover. Mixed model analysis of covariance and the Tukey-Kramer test were used to determine significant differences among ecological site type and treatment combinations for each 5% increment of untreated or initial tree cover. Shrub cover was unaffected by treatment and decreased with increasing tree cover. In general, perennial herbaceous understory cover increased after shredding to equal or exceed initial encroachment and infilling levels. This held true for both ecological site types and treatments, even at high pretreatment tree cover percentages. Cheatgrass also increased in cover after tree shredding although this trend was dampened in the seeded treatments indicating some suppression of cheatgrass by seeding. Shredding when there is high cover of perennial herbaceous plants and shrubs or seeding in conjunction with shredding where initial tree cover exceeds 35-40% will help discourage dominance by weeds.

This study analyzes tree, soil, and microtopographic patterns present within the Cranberry Glades, a bog wetland complex located in the mountains of West Virginia. The Cranberry Glades are comprised of four open bog meadows, which provide unique habitat to several rare and endangered plant species. However, these meadows are filling in with trees and alder. This research is a study on the factors that may be involved in the processes and patterns influencing tree encroachment into the bog meadows across the open meadow – bog forest ecotone. To determine the patterns of infilling and the potential relationships among the trees, microtopography, and soil conditions, I collected and analyzed data on each of these factors within nine belt transects located across the ecotone. I gathered tree data on the following: location within transect, species, diameter at breast height or diameter at ground level, height class, associated microtopography, and growing conditions on 1,389 trees. Soil samples were gathered across the ecotone and analyzed for percent moisture, pH, and various nutrients and metals. I assessed historical aerial photographs to gain a temporal history on the patterns of infilling. The results indicate that trees decrease in density across the ecotone towards the peatland interior, and that trees are likely to be growing on hummock features and within tree islands. Soil properties resulted in mixed conclusions. The aerial photograph assessment revealed that trees and alders have been steadily encroaching into the open peatlands for at least the past 52 years. The finding of this research lend to increased knowledge on southern peatlands, wetland succession, and the Cranberry Glades Botanical Area. / Master of Science

L'évolution sédimentaire des milieux lagunaires est un phénomène complexe faisant intervenir à la fois des processus intenses sur le court terme (crues, tempêtes) et des processus plus lents sur le long terme (variations du niveau marin moyen, changements climatiques). Si les mécanismes généraux de ces phénomènes sont bien connus, leur variabilité spatiale et temporelle les rends difficiles à estimer au niveau local. La grande diversité des milieux lagunaires et l'influence des actions anthropiques rendent plus hasardeuse encore cette estimation. Dans cette étude, je me suis intéressé au cas du système lagunaire méditerranéen des « étangs Palavasiens, étang de l'Or, canal du Rhône à Sète » situé dans le Golfe du Lion (Sud de la France). L'utilisation d'une approche pluridisciplinaire a permis d'évaluer la dynamique sédimentaire sur des échelles de temps multiples. Sur les deux derniers siècles, le comblement du système lagunaire a pu être estimé à la vitesse moyenne de 1,3 mm.an-1 à travers l'utilisation conjointe de données géographiques historiques et d'analyses géochronologiques (210Pb, 137Cs). Une perte de surface imputable pour moitié aux aménagements anthropiques est également mise en avant au cours du XXème siècle. Une campagne de mesures haute fréquence de la dynamique hydro-sédimentaire a été menée à court-terme (2 ans). Elle a permis de déterminer l'influence des conditions de forçages physiques sur les processus internes (érosion, remise en suspension, dépôt). Les seuils caractéristiques tels que la tension critique d'érosion ont pu être estimés et reliés aux conditions météorologiques. Le bilan net sur les stations suivies durant cette période montre une perte de sédiment. Ce bilan opposé aux estimations historiques sur les mêmes secteurs est probablement en lien avec les conditions d'apports réduites durant la période investiguée. L'adaptation d'un modèle numérique sur la zone d'étude a été entreprise afin de préciser cette dynamique sur une plus large échelle spatiale et temporelle. / The sedimentary evolution of coastal lagoons is a complex phenomenon involving both short term extreme processes (floods, storms) and long term processes (mean sea level variations, climate change). If general mechanisms of these phenomena are well known, their spatial and temporal variability makes them difficult to assess at the local scale. The diversity of lagoonal environments and human influence makes this even more risky. I have focussed this study on the case of a Mediterranean lagoon system : “Palavasian lagoons, Or lagoon, and Rhône-Sète waterway” which is located in the Gulf of Lion (South of France). A multidisciplinary approach was used to assess sediment dynamics on multiple time scales. An average filling rate of 1.3 mm.year-1 over the two last centuries was assessed using a both historical maps and geochronology (210Pb, 137Cs). An area loss due for half to anthropogenic impacts was also highlighted in the twentieth century. A short term (2 years) and high frequency monitoring of in situ hydro-sedimentary dynamics was performed to determine the influence of physical forcing over internal processes (erosion, resuspension, deposition). The main characteristics thresholds were estimated and related to weather conditions. The observed net balance during this monitoring shows a loss of sediment. This assessment, opposite of historical trends, is probably related to the conditions of reduced river contribution. The implementation of a numerical model is going on in order to explain the dynamics on a larger spatial and temporal scales.

This research discusses the role of the baptism and infilling of the Holy Spirit in missions through a specific focus on Ghanaian Pentecostal Churches. Scripture, history, scholarly works, interviews, observations, ecumenical documents, as well as relevant documents of Ghanaian Pentecostal churches were used to study the issue under discussion. In order to achieve the objective for the topic chosen, the research also discusses some of the major factors that led to Pentecostalism in Ghana – i.e. the concern of the indigenes about their worldview not being addressed by the Western missionaries that came to serve in Ghana. In the desire of the then Ghanaian Christians to have their worldview addressed, they resorted first to the Pentecostalism initiated by the African Initiated Churches, and then to the current trend of Pentecostalism in Ghana. The findings reveal that, though one of the factors that has made Pentecostalism so acceptable to Ghanaians is the way it has addressed their worldview; Ghanaian Pentecostal Churches themselves are of the opinion that the role of the Holy Spirit is the major factor. Their argument is that, it takes the role of the Holy Spirit to convict a sinner of his or her sins and incorporate the person into the body of Christ. After this incorporation, the person needs to be continually filled with the Holy Spirit in order to be able to live according to the will of God. Furthermore, it is the Holy Spirit that also empowers believers to work both within and outside the church. This empowerment is manifested through the gifts that the Holy Spirit gives to believers – for both their personal edification and the perfection of the church. As believers operate in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, God works through them in the power of the Holy Spirit to fulfill the missio Dei. It was finally revealed that, although the Holy Spirit is the power behind mission, the human factor cannot be forgotten. With this in mind, it was argued that Ghanaian Pentecostal churches have put into place various missional approaches, to help them to effectively participate in the missio Dei. These missional approaches were therefore discussed in the light of the “five marks of mission” (i.e. Evangelism, discipleship, responding to the social needs of people through love, transforming the unjust structures of society and safe guarding the integrity of creation) and Krintzinger et al.’s holistic mission approach (i.e. kerygmatic, diaconal, fellowship and liturgical). / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / lk2014 / Science of Religion and Missiology / PhD / Unrestricted

<p> The Paleozoic bedrock surface of southern Ontario is dissected by an interconnected system of buried bedrock valleys that are infilled with thick successions of glacial, interglacial and fluvial sediments. These valleys can be several kilometers wide, reach depths of up to 250m and the coarse-grained units are known to host significant local and regional groundwater aquifers.</p> <p> Two buried bedrock valleys located near the Niagara Escarpment in the Region of Halton were under investigation in the fall of 1999 for their potential to host additional municipal groundwater aquifers to supply drinking water to the towns of Milton and Georgetown. Detailed logging of sediment recovered from eleven continuously-cored boreholes, drilled within the Georgetown and Milton bedrock valleys, forms the basis for this study. Four distinct facies types were identified within the borehole cores including sand, gravel, fine-grained sediment and diamict (sand-rich, mud-rich and clast-rich). These four facies types were used to subdivide the cores into six stratigraphic units based on textural characteristics and stratigraphic position. These six units form a stacked succession of aquifers and aquitards within the valley infill with two stratigraphic units being identified as potential municipal aquifers.</p> <p> The Georgetown buried bedrock valley contains narrow bedrock channel interpreted to have been fluvially incised, lying within a broader flat-bottom valley likely formed by glacial scouring of the bedrock. It is feasible that regional bedrock jointing created a zone of weakness that was later exploited by a drainage network. The valley infill sediments record the approach of the Laurentide Ice Sheet into southern Ontario during the Early to Mid-Wisconsin, and the subsequent overriding of the area during the Late Wisconsin period.</p> / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

Watershed monitoring programs generally do not have perfect data collection success rates due to a variety of field and laboratory factors. A major source of error in many stream-gaging records is lost or missing data caused by malfunctioning stream-side equipment. Studies estimate that between 5 and 20 percent of stream-gaging data may be marked as missing for one reason or another. Reconstructing or infilling missing data methods generate larger sets of data. These larger data sets generally generate better estimates of the sampled parameter and permit practical applications of the data in hydrologic or water quality calculations. This study utilizes data from a watershed monitoring program operating in the Northern Virginia area to: (1) identify and summarize the major reasons for the occurrence of missing data; (2) provide recommendations for reducing the occurrence of missing data; (3) describe methods for infilling missing chemical data; (4) develop and evaluate methods for infilling values to replace missing chemical data; and (5) recommend different infilling methods for various conditions. An evaluation of different infilling methods for chemical data over a variety of factors (e.g., amount of annual rainfall, whether the missing chemical parameter is strongly correlated with flow, amount of missing data) is performed using Monte Carlo modeling. Using the results of the Monte Carlo modeling, a Decision Support System (DSS) is developed for easy application of the most appropriate infilling method. / Master of Science

Grouting has long been implemented as a ground improvement technique to reduce the seepage through the rock mass. Grout curtains are usually constructed under dams as a barrier to prevent leakage from the reservoir. So far, the grout curtains under dams have mainly been designed by using an empirical design approach. However, the empirical approach has its limitations. Generally, the usage of “rules of thumbs” makes the design highly dependent on the experience of the designers. Lack of experience can result in insufficient or over-conservative grout curtains. For example, the stop criteria for the grouting process adopted by the empirical approach can lead to long grouting time and thus becomes inefficient. In addition, high grouting pressure may cause unexpected deformations of the rock and open up new leakage paths. To deal with these limitations, a theory-based design methodology has been developed. Theories on rock grouting developed in recent decades are used to build up the design methodology. In the theory-based design methodology, the grout curtain is treated as a structural component in the dam foundation. The geometry and location of the grout curtain is first designed with respect to three requirements: (i) the hydraulic conductivity reduction, (ii) prevention of erosion of fracture infillings and (iii) optimization of uplift reduction. Grouting work is then designed to obtain the designed geometry of the grout curtain. In the design of the grouting work, analytical calculations are implemented to determine the grouting pressure, grouting time and grout hole layout. The stop criteria are based on the grouting time, which is believed to obtain better efficiency. The principles of the observational method are implemented to deal with the uncertainties involved in the grouting process.  One of the main limitations with the proposed methodology is the limited research on the erosion process of fracture infilling materials in flowing water. To study this issue, coupled numerical analyses are performed to better understand the initiation of erosion of fracture infillings. The results show that the Hjulström and Shields diagram are not appropriate to be used to estimate the incipient motion of fracture infilling materials. Instead, a previous equation derived under laminar flows shows better agreement with the results. / Injektering har länge använts som en metod för att förstärka grunden och reducera vattenflödet i en bergmassa. Injekteringsridåer uppförs ofta under dammar som en barriär med syfte att förhindra läckage av magasinets vatten. Hittills har injekteringsridåerna i huvudsak dimensionerats baserat på empiriska metoder. De empiriska metoderna har emellertid sina begränsningar. Användandet av olika tumregler resulterar i att dimensioneringen i hög utsträckning är beroende av ingenjörens erfarenhet. Brist på erfarenhet kan resultera i en ineffektiv, eller en för konservativ, utformning av injekteringsridåerna. Till exempel kan de stoppkriterier som tillämpas i det empiriska tillvägagångssättet leda till en för lång injekteringstid och därmed bli ineffektiv. Utöver detta kan höga injekteringstryck leda till oväntade deformationer i bergmassan och nya läckagevägar.  För att hantera dessa typer av begränsningar har en teoribaserad dimensioneringsmetodik utvecklats. Teorier för berginjektering som utvecklats under de senaste decennierna används för att bygga upp metodiken. I metodiken utformas injekteringsridån som en strukturell komponent i berggrunden under dammen. Den geometriska utformningen och läget för injekteringsridån bestäms med hänsyn till tre kriterier: (i) erforderlig reduktion av den hydrauliska konduktiviteten, (ii) förhindrande av erosion av sprickfyllnadsmaterial, och (iii) optimering av reduktionen i upptryck under dammen. Injekteringsarbetet utformas därefter i syfte att eftersträva den erforderliga utformningen. I utformningen av injekteringsarbetet används analytiska beräkningar för att bestämma injekteringstryck, injekteringstid och hålavstånd. Stoppkriterier baseras på erforderlig injekteringstid, vilket bedöms uppnå en mer effektiv injektering. Principerna för observationsmetoden används för att hantera de osäkerheter som kvarstår. En av de huvudsakliga begränsningarna med den föreslagna metodiken är den begränsade kunskapen som idag finns om erosion av sprickfyllnadsmaterial vid flödande vatten. För att studera denna fråga genomfördes kopplade numeriska analyser för att bättre förstå processen kring initiering av erosion av sprickfyllnadsmaterial. Resultaten visar att Hjulströms och Shields diagram inte är lämpliga att använda. Istället visar en tidigare framtagen ekvation för laminära förhållanden en bättre överensstämmelse. / <p>QC 210512</p>

To predict and anticipate future outcomes or reason about missing information in a sequence is a key ability for agents to be able to make intelligent decisions. This requires strong temporally coherent generative capabilities. Diffusion models have shown huge success in several generative tasks lately, but have not been extensively explored in the video domain. We present Random-Mask Video Diffusion (RaMViD), which extends image diffusion models to videos using 3D convolutions, and introduces a new conditioning technique during training. By varying the mask we condition on, the model is able to perform video prediction, infilling and upsampling. Since we do not use concatenation to condition on a mask, as done in most conditionally trained diffusion models, we are able to utilize the same architecture as used for unconditional training which allows us to train the model in a conditional and unconditional fashion at the same time. We evaluated the model on two benchmark datasets for video prediction, on which we achieve state-of-the-art results, and one for video generation. / Att förutse framtida resultat eller resonera kring bristande information i en sekvens är en viktig förutsättning för agenter att göra intelligenta beslut. Detta kräver robusta temporärt koherenta generativa kapaciteter. Diffusionsmodeller har visat pa stor framgang i flera generativa uppgifter i närtid, men denna potential har inte utforskats grundligt i samband med video. Vi presenterar Random-Mask Video Diffusion (RaMViD), vilket bredar bilddiffusionsmodeller till video med hjälp av 3D konvolutioner, och introducerar en ny konditioneringsteknik under träning. Genom att variera masken vi tränar med kan modellen utföra videoförutsägelse och videoifyllnad. Eftersom vi inte använder konkatenering för att träna pa en mask, som görs i de flesta villkorstränade diffusionsmodeller, har vi möjlighet att använda samma arkiktektur som används för ovillkorad träning, vilket i sin tur tillater oss att träna modellen pa ett villkorat och ovillkorat sätt samtidigt. Vi utvärderade modellen pa tva benchmnark datasets för videoförutsägelse och en för videogenerering, varav pa den första vi uppnade de bästa kvantitativa resultaten bland samtida metoder.

Les écosystèmes sahéliens, et tout particulièrement ceux qui se développent sur des sols sableux, réagissent très vite et très intensément aux moindres changements climatiques. Dans cette zone semi-aride, l’érosion éolienne qui affecte essentiellement les surfaces cultivées met en péril l’exploitation durable des ressources en terre. Par ailleurs, l’explosion démographique de ces dernières décennies et les grandes crises climatiques à l’origine des sécheresses du vingtième siècle ont eu d’importantes répercussions sur le milieu. Pour gérer au mieux ce milieu fragile, il importe d’abord de bien comprendre son fonctionnement. Ce travail de thèse s’est donc inscrit dans le programme de recherche AMMA (Analyse Multidisciplinaire de la Mousson africaine) et se situe au coeur du programme CORUS2 (Coopération pour la Recherche Universitaire et Scientifique) concernant essentiellement l’étude de la dynamique éolienne des sols sableux cultivés de la région de Niamey. La stratégie suivie au cours de cette étude a été de s’appuyer sur un important dispositif de mesures expérimentales pour comprendre au mieux et quantifier le fonctionnement actuel du milieu essentiellement vis-à-vis de l’érosion éolienne. Ces mesures expérimentales ont permis d’interpréter les changements que nous avons pu mettre en évidence sur un ensemble de terroirs proches de Niamey qui constituent les bassins versants de deux lacs permanents récents : Bangou Bi et Bangou Kirey (13,51° N – 2,21° E). Les enregistrements sédimentaires recueillis dans ces lacs ont ensuite été analysés en regard de l’évolution de leur bassin versant. Au cours de cette étude nous avons mis en évidence le rôle majeur des résidus de culture dans les champs traditionnels et montré que même à des taux de recouvrement extrêmement bas, ils constituent une protection pour les sols. Cependant leur efficacité chute en deçà d’un seuil de 2% et l’érosion éolienne déplace alors des quantités considérables de terres (130 t/an en moyenne) et participe activement à l’encroûtement des sols. Il est probable qu’à la faveur combinée de la mise en culture de l’ensemble des versant avant 1975 et de la sécheresse de 1985, un tel processus d’érosion et d’encroûtement s’est mis en place expliquant ainsi la dégradation considérable du milieu que nous avons mise en évidence entre 1975 et 2009 à partir d’enquêtes auprès des population et par la cartographie diachronique des petits bassins versant étudiés. A partir de l’étude des sédiments collectés dans les lacs, nous avons pu proposer un modèle de mise en place de ces sédiments qui suggère une intensification de l’érosion à partir du milieu des années 80. / Sahelian ecosystems, especially those installed on sandy soils react very quickly and intensely to small climatic changes. In this semi-arid area, wind erosion which occurs mainly on cultivated millet fields and is threatening the sustainable use of land resources. Furthermore, the rapid population growth and the severe droughts of the twentieth century have had important impacts on ecosystems. To better manage this fragile environment, it is important first to understand how it works. This thesis was included in the framework of the AMMA project (African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analyses) and was in the heart of a CORUS 2 (Coopération pour la Recherche Universitaire et Scientifique) program which aimed to study wind erosion of cultivated sandy soils in the region of Niamey. The strategy followed in this study was based on detailed experimental measurements aiming to precisely quantify and understand current environment dynamics and more precisely, wind erosion dynamics. The results of experimental measurements were used to explain the changes we observed on small catchments of two permanent lakes near Niamey: Bangou Bi and Bangou Kirey (13.51 ° N - 2, 21 ° E). The sediment cores collected in these lakes were then analyzed in light of their catchments changes during the last century. In this study, we highlighted the major role of crop residues cover in traditionally cultivated field against wind erosion. Even at extremely low cover rate, they provide efficient protection for soils. However, below a threshold of 2%, their efficiency dramatically decrease and wind erosion caused large amount of soil losses (in average 130 t per year) and is actively involved in soil crusting. It is likely that this mechanism (wind erosion due very low crop residue cover and soil crusting) occurred by the middle of eighties due to the combined effects of generalized soil cultivation and sever drought of 1985. These processes explained the large degradation of the lakes watersheds we observed from surveys and diachronic mapping between 1975 and 2009. With sediment core analyses, we proposed a model of sedimentation in the Niamey lakes. This model suggests increasing erosion since the 1980’s. From the study of sediments core collected in lakes, we proposed a model explaining sedimentation that suggests an intensification of erosion from the mid 80s.