Thesis (M.S.)--Duke University, 2001. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 157-160).

This thesis is composed of two articles. The first is an analysis of long-term survival among A. cervicornis outplants in the Florida Keys, from 2007 to the present. The second is a review of literature that informs coral restoration and guides both restoration practitioners and coral researchers towards greater effectiveness in outplant survival and understanding biological processes involved in restoration. In the first article, despite promising initial evidence of outplant survival and health, the long-term results, using Weibull survival analysis, are discouraging with almost all out planted corals over an 8 year long study exhibiting steep declines in percent live tissue and survival between three and five years. Not only is this 3-5 year collapse apparent in all the outplanted cohorts, but the evidence is highly significant that the length of outplant survival is decreasing with each passing year (diminished resilience). These findings suggest that some shared, likely environmental factor, is increasingly impacting all outplants. Further, no cohorts appear to adapt to the environmental conditions in which these declines are occurring (diminished adaptive capacity), a trend that would be evident if their declines slowed or reversed and Weibull beta-parameterization would show. The second article, reviews several areas of recent study which offer avenues for future research: these include, ecological history and biogeography, developmental pathways of colonial form and function, polarity and symmetry, genetics, wound healing, fecundity, reproduction, sexual maturity and community interactions. The thesis concludes with questions for further research and understanding in the field of coral restoration.

Commercial fisheries in the Florida Keys have experienced a significant decline in participation and harvest over the past two decades, with over half of the fishers exiting the fishery since 1990 and a 50-70% decline in annual landings compared to previous decades. The conventional narrative of fisheries management identifies overfishing and overcapacity as the malaise endemic to open-access fisheries systems, for which the remedy offered is technocratic management. Technocratic management, which seeks to restore ecological integrity and economic efficiency, has been increasingly employed in the Florida Keys, in the form of limited access and property rights measures. I contend that the technocratic management approach is flawed and in a large part responsible for the decline of Florida Keys fisheries because the approach has ignored social sustainability, leading to a significant reduction in fisher participation, the fragmentation of fishing communities, and erosion of social capital. Technocratic management has also underestimated the importance of non-fishery factors, unique to place, and these factors – including population, tourism, and globalization factors – have exacerbated the impacts of management measures. The net result has been the opening up of scarce and valuable coastal space, which was previously occupied by fishers, fish houses and processors, and other fisheries infrastructure, to conversion for non-working waterfront uses. While measures have been undertaken to foster fisher participation and slow down waterfront conversion, these have largely failed due to the measures’ inability to address the core problem, which is the flawed management approach that undermines social sustainability. I provide a revised, comprehensive fisheries management framework that, if implemented, can at least address some of the technocratic management’s shortcomings and prevent further decline in fisher participation and fisheries decline.

Orientador: Jose Roberto Sanches Mantovani / Banca: Sergio Azevedo de Oliveira / Banca: Antônio César Baleeiro Alves / Resumo: A restauração do sistema de energia elétrica consiste na busca da melhor topologia com o maior número de cargas restauradas e o menor número possível de chaveamentos. Os limites de operação devem ser respeitados, ou seja, a rede deve manter a estrutura radial, os limites de tensão e das capacidades de cargas dos alimentadores e de subestações não devem ser violados. Desta forma, um dos objetivos do procedimento da restauração do serviço em sistemas de energia elétrica é reenergizar a maioria de cargas fora de serviço no menor tempo possível, pela transferência dessas áreas para outros sistemas energizados, sem violar restrições de operações e de projeto. Isso é uma busca constante das empresas concessionárias em atender a satisfação dos clientes e da adequação aos índices de continuidade de serviços impostos pelas agências reguladoras, no caso brasileiro a ANEEL (Agência Nacional de Energia Elétrica). Neste trabalho propõe-se uma técnica para melhorar a confiabilidade de sistemas de distribuição, através da alocação de chaves automáticas para restauração desses sistemas. O problema de alocação de chaves é modelado como um problema de programação não linear restrito, com uma função multiobjetivo. A técnica de solução proposta para resolver tanto o problema de alocação de chaves como o de restauração de sistemas radiais de distribuição é um algoritmo de busca tabu reativa (BTR). Para introduzir a metodologia proposta para solução dos problemas de alocação de chaves e restauração de sistemas de distribuição, são apresentados os aspectos teóricos destes problemas, o sistema de codificação que representa soluções potenciais para o problema, e permite que o mesmo seja resolvido através de meta-heurísticas e o desenvolvimento do trabalho de pesquisa para o planejamento da operação e controle on line de um sistema real / Abstract: The restoration of electric power system is the search for the best topology with the largest number of loads and restored fewest switching. The operating limits must be respected, in other words, the network must maintain the radial structure, voltage limits and capacity loads of feeders and substations should not be violated. Thus one aim of the procedure of restoration of service in electric power systems is re-energized the most charges out of service in the shortest time possible, and the transfer of these areas to other systems energized, without violating restrictions on operations and constructions. This is a constant search for businesses to meet customer satisfaction and the suitability indices of continuity of services imposed by regulatory agencies, in Brazil, ANEEL (National Agency of Electrical Energy). This paper proposes a technique to improve the reliability of distribution systems, through the allocation of keys for automatic restoration of such systems. The problem of allocation of keys is modeled as a problem of constrained nonlinear programming with a multi-objective function. The technical solution proposed to solve both the problem of assigning keys to the restoration of radial distribution systems is an algorithm of reactive tabu search (RTS). To introduce the proposed methodology for solving problems of allocation of keys and restoration of distribution systems, be present the theoretical aspects of these problems, the coding system that represents potential solutions to the problem, and allows it to be resolved by metaheuristics and development of research work for the planning of the operation and control an online real system / Mestre

Benthic habitat maps provide the spatial framework for many research science and management activities in coastal areas such as coral-reefs. Accuracy, the degree to which information on a map matches true or accepted values, of benthic habitat maps is important because often times the map will be used in decision-making processes about how we manage our marine resources. It is critical that some measure, such as the accuracy, of the map be known in order to give a sense of how the overall map portrays the seascape. This study compared the accuracy in the following map classes; major structure, major and detailed biological cover, and detailed coral cover, of the 2014 NOAA Florida Keys Coral Reef Ecosystem Habitat map using two separate quantitative, in situ, and qualitative, drop camera, data sets in order to assess how the data sets compare to one another. Benthic habitat map classes of the NOAA Florida Keys map were based on a NOAA peer-reviewed hierarchical coral reef habitat classification scheme. Accuracy assessment tests to see how often the NOAA Florida Keys map producer correctly classified the different habitats, included error matrix analyses (overall, user’s and producer’s accuracy), and the tau coefficient. Study areas in the Florida Keys reef tract included hard-bottom reef habitat from Key West to the northern end of Key Largo, and focuses on three regions of interest that encompass the eastern and western Lower Keys and Key Largo. The Qualitative, drop-camera, accuracy assessment (AA) analyses for all three regions of interest gave overall accuracies of 84.2%, ±16.9, at the major level of geomorphological structure, 85.4%, ±16.4, and 73.8%, ±18.7, at the major and detailed levels of biological cover and 70.4%, ±20.6, for detailed coral cover. The Quantitative, in situ, AA analyses for all three regions of interest gave overall accuracies of 86.1%, ±0, at the major level of geomorphological structure, 85.2%, ±1.9, and 50.7%, ±13.4, at the major and detailed levels of biological cover and 47.5%, ±13.4, for coral cover. Qualitative and quantitative accuracies were similar at the major geologic structure (hard vs. soft bottom) and major biological cover (i.e. seagrass, algae) however qualitative AA’s for detailed biological cover (i.e. percent of seagrass, algae) and detailed coral cover (percent of coral) were 23.1% and 22.9% higher than the quantitative AA’s. This trend was also found when analyzing the accuracies for the individual regions of interest. The results suggest that for performing an AA of broad map categories, a Qualitative AA compares well with an in situ Quantitative AA, but for more detailed map categories the in situ quantitative AA is more accurate. Marine resource managers should consider these accuracies when making decisions based on the 2014 NOAA Florida Keys Coral Reef Ecosystem Habitat map.

The Florida Keys is one of the most susceptible island chains in the United States to sea level rise induced inundation because most elevations are lower than 2 m above current sea level. By analyzing a digital elevation model (DEM) derived from airborne light detection and ranging (LiDAR) measurements using a geographic information system (GIS), this paper estimates the potential impacts of a series of sea level rise scenarios from 0.15 to 5 m on the Florida Keys. The results showed that a 0.5 m sea level rise by the end of this century would inundate a large area, about 66% of the total area of the Florida Keys. However, this extent of sea level rise would not inundate a large percentage of the current population (<9%) and property (<14%). In contrast, a 1.5 m rise in sea level would inundate 90% of the land and 70% of population and property in the Florida Keys. Comparison of inundation dynamics using hypsometric curves demonstrated that, among the major Keys population centers. Big Pine Key is most susceptible to sea level rise, followed by Key Largo and Key West. Thus, inundation dynamics need to be considered in policy-making.

Canopy gaps in many forests are thought of as resetting the successional sequence due to increased light availability. In this study, canopy gaps were identified with a LiDAR digital canopy model in a Key Largo hardwood forest. Sapling structure and composition were recorded in the gaps. Weighted averaging calibration was applied to relative abundances of trees to determine the successional age optimum for each tree species, and weighted averaging regression was used to calculate inferred stand ages for each gap’s saplings. The inferred stand ages were greater in young forest gaps than in surrounding, unimpacted forest, suggesting that succession was actually advanced. Canopy heights in Key Largo were shorter than many other tropical and temperate forests, canopy gaps were smaller and therefore light availability did not vary with gap area. This suggests that the largest gaps may not be big enough to produce the light conditions required to reestablish pioneer tree species. Soil and water conditions in young forest gaps may also favor mature rather than pioneer species. Resetting of the forest successional sequence may not occur without intense disturbances such as fires or major hurricanes that remove the entire canopy and consume or erode soils.

Background: A recent study shows that key management in the cooperate world is very painful due to, among other reasons, a lack of knowledge and resources. Instead, some companies embed the encryption keys and other software secrets directly in the source code for the application that uses them, introducing the risk of exposing the secrets. Today, there are multiple systems for managing keys. However, it can be hard to pick a suitable one. Objectives: The objectives of the thesis are to identify available key management systems for securing secrets in software, evaluate their eligibility to be used by small businesses based on various attributes and recommend a best practice to configure the most suited system for managing software secrets. Methods: Key management systems are identified through an extensive search, using both scientific and non-scientific search engines. Identified key management systems were compared against a set of requirements created from a small business perspective. The systems that fulfilled the requirements were implemented and comprehensively evaluated through SWOT analyses based on various attributes. Each system was then scored and compared against each other based on these attributes. Lastly, a best practice guide for the most suitable key management system was established. Results: During the thesis, a total of 54 key management systems were identified with various features and purposes. Out of these 54 systems, five key management systems were comprehensively compared. These were Pinterest Knox, Hashicorp Vault, Square Keywhiz, OpenStack Barbican, and Cyberark Conjur. Out of these five, Hachicorp Vault was deemed to be the most suitable system for small businesses. Conclusions: There is currently a broad selection of key management systems available. The quality, price, and intended use of these vary, which makes it time-consuming to identify the system that is best suitable based on the needs. The thesis concludes Hachicorp Vault to be the most suitable system based on the needs presented. However, the thesis can also be used by businesses with other needs as a guideline to aid the problem of choosing a key management system. / Bakgrund: En ny studie visar att nyckelhantering i företagsvärlden är väldigt omständligt, bland annat på grund av brist av kunskap och resurser. Istället väljer vissa företag att inkludera krypteringsnycklar och andra mjukvaruhemligheter direkt i källkoden för applikationen som ska använda dem, och därmed introducerar risken att exponera hemligheterna om källkoden skulle bli tillgänglig för en obehörig part. Syfte: Syftet med denna avhandling är att identifiera tillgängliga nyckelhanteringssystem för att säkra upp mjukvaruhemligheter, bedöma deras lämplighet för småföretag genom att utvärdera dem baserat på olika egenskaper, och rekommendera bästa praxis för att konfigurera det mest lämpliga nyckelhanteringssystemet. Metod: Nyckelhanteringssystem har identifierats genom en omfattande sökning i både vetenskapliga och icke-vetenskapliga sökmotorer. Identifierade nyckelhanteringssystem jämfördes med ett antal krav skapade från ett småföretags-perspektiv. De systemen som uppfyllde kraven implementerades och utvärderades omfattande genom SWOT analyser baserade på attribut för exempelvis funktioner, prestanda, användarvänlighet och uppskattat framtida stöd. Varje system fick sedan en poäng som jämfördes mot de andra systemen baserat på dessa attributen. Till sist togs även en bästa praxis fram för det mest lämpade nyckelhanteringssystemet. Resultat: Under avhandlingen identifierades totalt 54 nyckelhanteringssystem med olika funktioner och syften. Utav dessa system jämfördes fem omfattande. Dessa var Pinterest Knox, Hashicorp Vault, Square Keywhiz, OpenStack Barbican och Cyberark Conjur. Utav dessa fem ansågs Hachicorp Vault vara det mest lämpade systemet för småföretag. Slutsatser: Det finns nuvarande ett brett utbud av nyckelhanteringssystem tillgängliga. Kvalitén, priset och deras syfte varierar vilket gör det tidskrävande att identifiera det systemet som best lämpar sig till ens behov. Avhandlingen anser Hachicorp Vault vara den mest lämpliga baserat på de presenterade behoven, men avhandlingen kan också användas av företag med andra behov som en guide för att underlätta problemet med att välja ett lämpligt nyckelhanteringssystem.

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La familia de dípteros Rhiniidae (Diptera: Oestroidea) se encuentra distribuida fundamentalmente en las areas tropicales y subtropicales de las regiones Afrotropical, Australiana, Oriental y Paleártica. Tradicionalmente era considerada con el rango taxonómico de subfamilia de la familia Calliphoridae. No obstante, estudios filogenéticos recientes, basados en el análisis de caracteres morfológicos y moleculares, evidencian que Calliphoridae no es un grupo monofilético. Esto provocó diversos cambios sistemáticos, considerando a los rhiniidos con el rango taxonómico de familia independiente. Actualmente, se reconocen casi 400 especies de Rhiniidae agrupadas en dos subfamilias y 30 géneros. La región Afrotropical alberga la mayor diversidad de rhiniidos a nivel mundial, con un total aproximado de 170 especies comprendidas en 5 géneros de la subfamilia Rhiniinae y 11 de Cosmininae. Existe muy poca información sobre la diversidad, biología y distribución geográfica de la familia Rhiniidae. El ciclo biológico y en particular los hábitos y morfología larvaria es desconocido para la mayoría de las especies. La mayor parte del conocimiento se limita a unas pocas especies restringidas a enclaves geográficos muy concretos. En general, se conoce que tienen una fuerte asociación ecológica a ambientes naturales, que los adultos frecuentan flores por lo que se cree que son importantes polinizadores y que algunas especies parecen tener una estrecha relación con termitas. En cuanto al estudio de su diversidad y taxonomia, desde los años setenta muy pocas investigaciones se han realizado en relación a Rhiniidae en la región Afrotropical, por lo cual el conocimiento del grupo se encuentra desactualizado. Además, su identificación morfológica, en muchos casos, depende exclusivamente de la terminalia masculina y por lo tanto muchos ejemplares femeninos permanecen sin identificar o inadecuadamente identificados. El objetivo general de esta tesis doctoral es contribuir y actualizar el conocimiento de la familia Rhiniidae en la región Afrotropical, a través del estudio de su diversidad, taxonomía y filogenia en la región, con especial énfasis en Sudáfrica. Para ello, en primer lugar se realizó un estudio taxonómico y de la diversidad de la familia en Sudáfrica, país que a nivel mundial se considera como un hot-spot de biodiversidad. Se examinaron más de 4.000 especímenes de Rhiniidae depositados en colecciones entomológicas de África, Europa y los Estados Unidos. Se generó una lista actualizada de las especies presentes en el país, así como se revisó el estatus taxonómico de las mismas. Adicionalmente, se generaron mapas de distribución histórica y fotografías de alta resolución del habitus para la mayoría de las especies estudiadas. Entre los resultados más importantes que se han obtenido destacan nueve citas nuevas para el país, para un total de 73 especies de Rhiniidae, alrededor de 15 nuevas especies a ser descritas en trabajos futuros y la compilación de información bionómica novedosa para varias especies (Capítulo I). Posteriormente profundizamos dentro de la familia con la revisión taxonómica del género Fainia Zumpt, 1958, exclusivo de la región Afrotropical. Este género incluye siete especies descritas, pero el estatus taxonómico de algunas de ellas es controvertido. Se realizó un estudio morfológico de la terminalia masculina de las especies descritas, junto a la revisión de su respectivo material tipo disponible, para así aclarar el estatus taxonómico de sus especies. De esta forma, se aportan nuevas herramientas de identificación para el género, tales como claves de identificación para ambos sexos, redescripciones, y fotografías de alta resolución de la morfología general del adulto y terminalia masculina, así como nuevas sinonimias. Este estudio se complementó con la homogenización y actualización de la nomenclatura morfológica utilizada para la familia Rhiniidae, así como con la proposición de posibles sinapomorfias para la diagnosis de las dos subfamilias actuales Cosmininae y Rhiniinae (Capítulo II). Finalmente, empleamos herramientas moleculares con el fin de corroborar las identificaciones basadas en morfología, asociar los morfotipos femeninos a sus masculinos conspecíficos, explorar las relaciones filogenéticas entre géneros y especies, y generar la primera biblioteca de códigos de barras de ADN (CO1) para las especies de Rhiniidae. Para ello, generamos fragmentos de códigos de barras de ADN (CO1) de 138 especímenes de Rhiniidae. Para inferir los límites entre especies y su monofilia se utilizaron árboles de Inferencia Bayesiana y Máxima Verosimilitud. Esto se complementó con las variaciones genéticas intraespecíficas e interespecíficas reconstruidas con distancias por pares utilizando el modelo de sustitución de nucleótidos de Kimura-dos-parámetros (K2P) y la delimitación de especies mediante el análisis ABGD. La mayoría de las especies delimitadas a nivel morfológico se lograron recuperar como monofiléticas. Se determinaron entre 65 y 68 posibles especies de Rhiniidae presentes en nuestro estudio, así como 31 morfotipos femeninos se vincularon con éxito a sus machos conspecíficos (Capítulo III). Esta investigación demuestra la importancia de revisar las colecciones entomológicas para mejorar el conocimiento de la diversidad y de usar la información que aportan las etiquetas de los especímenes como un valioso recurso de datos para interpretar: ocurrencia temporal y espacial, preferencias ambientales y asociaciones con plantas u otros organismos como termitas, que a su vez son relevantes para estudios de biología de la conservación, polinización e interacciones ecológicas. Además, los códigos de barras de ADN mostraron eficiencia como medio complementario para la revisión taxonómica de Rhiniidae; sin embargo, entre especies muy similares a nivel morfológico no tuvo el éxito esperado, lo que sugiere una posible divergencia evolutiva reciente y la necesidad de realizar más estudios moleculares. / Parcialmente financiada por H2020 Research and Innovation Staff Exchange Programme of the European Commission (RISE), project 645636: ‘Insect-plant relationships: insights into biodiversity and new applications’ (FlyHigh).