As the largest and most poorly environment on Earth, the deep-sea is facing global threats from climate change and anthropogenic disturbance further compounded by the lack of critical baseline data on seafloor species composition and community structure. Many data-deficient regions include those in geographically-isolated offshore environments, like low-latitude seamounts, where sampling and surveys have been limited, resulting in critical knowledge gaps that do not allow for effective conservation measures to be realized. This work seeks to characterize the coral fauna of tropical seamount environments greater than 150 m depth and understand the environmental controls on species distribution and community assembly for long-lived, ecologically-important species, primarily from the Octocorallia, Antipatharia, Stylasteridae, and Scleractinia. Methodologies for accomplishing this research have included analysis of remotely operated vehicle (ROV) video surveys and identification of collected voucher specimens to understand biogeographic patterns within coral communities on seamounts and other rugged seafloor features in 3 different regions: the tropical western Atlantic (Anegada Passage), the equatorial central Pacific (Phoenix Islands), and the tropical eastern Pacific (Costa Rica). These regions represent vastly different oceanographic regimes in terms of biological productivity and water column structure resulting in differential effects on deep-sea coral communities. Evidence from these three regions has shown significant effects of the role that oceanic water masses have on structuring deep-water coral biodiversity and suggests that these features, along with other abiotic environmental variables, are important indicators for understanding species distribution patterns, community structure, and global biogeographic patterns. More broadly, the results of this work have demonstrated the capabilities of exploratory ROV surveys, across multiple platforms, to add practical knowledge to coral species inventories and identify bathyal biogeographic patterns in remote regions of the deep sea. The results of this work, serving as baseline coral biodiversity surveys for each area, are also germane to evaluating the effects of human-mediated disturbance and global climate change in the deep ocean. These disturbances also include ocean acidification, ocean deoxygenation, deep-sea mining, and bottom-contact fishing, all of which have been identified as threats to the seamount benthos. / Biology

Monitoring the health status of coral reefs is a crucial activity in protecting the environment. One way is by conducting "Manta tow surveys." For a long time, these surveys were conducted by a diver holding a board being towed by a boat. In this thesis, we propose a new vehicle design that works as a platform to help conduct the "towboard" activities for underwater coral reef surveys. It utilizes paravane or depressor features which is a common tool used by fishermen to catch fish at a specified depth. The vehicle offers a compact size, modular design, and control surfaces to maneuver around and close to reef walls. The thesis describes the architecture of the overall system and its components, the design decisions, the mechanical interfaces, and a brief description of the dynamics. An experiment is conducted to validate the design and verify system performance, measuring pressure, speed, and orientation. The prototype is presented as a proof of concept.

This research explores the instantaneous mechanical behavior of the skeleton of the critically endangered staghorn coral Acropora cervicornis. Both bleached and sanded skeletons were used in this experiment. The Raman spectroscopy test showed that there was no significant change in the Raman shift between the three branches tested. The shifts were nearly identical to Raman shifts of calcium carbonate. Vickers hardness test found that 1 Bleached had the average hardness of 3.44 GPa with a standard deviation of 0.12 GPa. The sanded sample also had a similar value of 3.54 GPa with a standard deviation of 0.13 GPa. Samples from 2 Bleached had a hardness value that was significantly lower at only 2.68 GPa with a standard deviation of 0.37 GPa. The axial compressive stress test determined that the average strength for the bleached samples was 18.98 MPa and for the sanded, 29.16 MPa. This information can be used to assist in the restoration of this species.

Remote sensing studies based on satellite and aerial imagery have improved our understanding of the morphology and distribution of several shallow reefs along the Red Sea Arabian coast and of the benthic assemblages associated to them (Bruckner et al., 2011; Bruckner et al., 2012; Rowlands et al., 2016). However, data concerning the deeper benthic assemblages' composition and spatial distribution in the central Red Sea are still missing. Using high-resolution acoustic technology and an underwater remotely operated vehicle (ROV), we aim to map, describe, and classify the reefs found in Thuwal's coastal area, filling the information gap by producing the first benthic habitat map of this area and making progress towards the evaluation of shallow and upper mesophotic benthic resources in the Saudi Arabian Red Sea. High-resolution acoustic data was collected using a multibeam echosounder system, which generated a bathymetric model. Based on this, the seafloor features were classified into 12 morphotypes following a visual assessment. Based on the morphotypes classification, 28 sites were visually selected for ground-truthing data acquisition and characterization of the substrate and benthic assemblages using a remotely operated vehicle equipped with an ultra-short baseline (USBL) positioning system. With the information obtained from the bathymetry data and the ROV video transects, a Top-Down approach in which we analyzed, categorized, and classified the data was used to create Thuwal's reefs benthic habitat map in which 23 different benthic habitat types were identified. This research uncovered previously poorly studied reef morphologies in the Red Sea and their associated benthic assemblages. Moreover, this work will help improve the understanding of the spatial distribution of benthic communities located on Thuwal's reefs, giving a baseline with the potential to provide fundamental information that can be used for mapping, management, conservation, and future research at other Red Sea reef sites in Saudi Arabia.

O objetivo principal deste trabalho é estudar os processos de desenvolvimento da escuta melódica de adultos, sem formação musical, integrados a coros vocacionais, com o intuito de poder melhorar a performance vocal do grupo. Tendo como objeto o processo de formação do Coral Oficina Comunicantus, grupo integrado ao Comunicantus: Laboratório Coral do Departamento de Música da Escola de Comunicações e Artes da Universidade de São Paulo. Nosso método de coleta de dados foi baseado nas observações dos ensaios e nas análises das avaliações (relatórios) feitas pelos monitores integrados ao Comunicantus: Laboratório Coral, através dos quais procuramos vislumbrar as necessidades de aprendizagem dos coralistas do coro supracitado. Por se tratar de uma pesquisa ora de observação ora interativa, atuamos combinando tais ações e orientando o desenvolvimento das habilidades inerentes à escuta melódica em aspectos pré-definidos. Durante o processo investigativo, utilizamos como método referencial de análise, dos conteúdos musicais, os trabalhos do Prof. Dr. Marco Antonio da Silva Ramos e do Prof. Paulo Rubens Morais Costa e, por outro lado, a produção bibliográfica de educadores como César Coll e Teresa Mauri, que atuaram na reforma escolar espanhola, de forma a subsidiar nossas escolhas pedagógicas e didáticas para atuar junto aos coralistas. Como resultado desse processo, pudemos desenvolver algumas atividades que contribuíram para a resolução de certas necessidades de aprendizagem momentâneas deste grupo e também suscitaram a criação de outras que foram utilizadas oportunamente, após o término do prazo definido de observação e interação a que este trabalho se refere. / This dissertation aims mainly at studying the processes of development of melodic hearing by adults who do not have any musical formation and yet join vocational choirs in order to improve the vocal performance of the group. Its object is the process of formation of the Educational Lab-Choir Comunicantus, which belongs to the Comunicantus Choral Office of the Department of Music of the School of Communication and Arts of the University of São Paulo. The method of data collection was based on rehearsal observations and on the analysis of evaluations (reports) made by student trainees integrated in the Comunicantus Choir Office, through which we trie to identify the gaps in learning of the choir singers. As the research is partly made up of observations and partly interactive, action was taken so as to combine these actions and give advice on the development of skills innate to melodic hearing in predefined aspects. Along the process of investigation, the Referencial de Análises of the musical contents by Professor D. Marco Antonio da Silva Ramos and Professor Paulo Rubens Morais Costa were used as a method. On the other hand, the works by educators as César Coll and Teresa Mauri, who worked in the Spanish school reform, were used to provide pedagogical and didactic choices for us to act with the choral singers. As a result of this process, some activities were developed that contributed to offer solution to some specific learning needs of this group and also made possible the creation of others that were used, whenever suitable, after the period of observation and interaction.

O objetivo principal deste trabalho é estudar os processos de desenvolvimento da escuta melódica de adultos, sem formação musical, integrados a coros vocacionais, com o intuito de poder melhorar a performance vocal do grupo. Tendo como objeto o processo de formação do Coral Oficina Comunicantus, grupo integrado ao Comunicantus: Laboratório Coral do Departamento de Música da Escola de Comunicações e Artes da Universidade de São Paulo. Nosso método de coleta de dados foi baseado nas observações dos ensaios e nas análises das avaliações (relatórios) feitas pelos monitores integrados ao Comunicantus: Laboratório Coral, através dos quais procuramos vislumbrar as necessidades de aprendizagem dos coralistas do coro supracitado. Por se tratar de uma pesquisa ora de observação ora interativa, atuamos combinando tais ações e orientando o desenvolvimento das habilidades inerentes à escuta melódica em aspectos pré-definidos. Durante o processo investigativo, utilizamos como método referencial de análise, dos conteúdos musicais, os trabalhos do Prof. Dr. Marco Antonio da Silva Ramos e do Prof. Paulo Rubens Morais Costa e, por outro lado, a produção bibliográfica de educadores como César Coll e Teresa Mauri, que atuaram na reforma escolar espanhola, de forma a subsidiar nossas escolhas pedagógicas e didáticas para atuar junto aos coralistas. Como resultado desse processo, pudemos desenvolver algumas atividades que contribuíram para a resolução de certas necessidades de aprendizagem momentâneas deste grupo e também suscitaram a criação de outras que foram utilizadas oportunamente, após o término do prazo definido de observação e interação a que este trabalho se refere. / This dissertation aims mainly at studying the processes of development of melodic hearing by adults who do not have any musical formation and yet join vocational choirs in order to improve the vocal performance of the group. Its object is the process of formation of the Educational Lab-Choir Comunicantus, which belongs to the Comunicantus Choral Office of the Department of Music of the School of Communication and Arts of the University of São Paulo. The method of data collection was based on rehearsal observations and on the analysis of evaluations (reports) made by student trainees integrated in the Comunicantus Choir Office, through which we trie to identify the gaps in learning of the choir singers. As the research is partly made up of observations and partly interactive, action was taken so as to combine these actions and give advice on the development of skills innate to melodic hearing in predefined aspects. Along the process of investigation, the Referencial de Análises of the musical contents by Professor D. Marco Antonio da Silva Ramos and Professor Paulo Rubens Morais Costa were used as a method. On the other hand, the works by educators as César Coll and Teresa Mauri, who worked in the Spanish school reform, were used to provide pedagogical and didactic choices for us to act with the choral singers. As a result of this process, some activities were developed that contributed to offer solution to some specific learning needs of this group and also made possible the creation of others that were used, whenever suitable, after the period of observation and interaction.

Esta tese é parte integrante do trabalho de doutorado em Performance Musical com especialização em Regência Coral do Programa de Pós-graduação em Música da Escola de Comunicações e Artes da Universidade de São Paulo. Durante os quatro anos de doutorado foram realizados concertos, ensaios e atividades práticas desenvolvidas simultaneamente à escrita deste texto que discute questões referentes à prática de um performer. Nosso objeto central é a relação entre a escrita musical e a interpretação. Buscamos compreender, como intérpretes, quais são os espaços criativos e seus limites dentro de uma obra musical. Para isso, utilizamos a obra coral do compositor brasileiro Osvaldo Lacerda, conhecido por sua escrita rigorosa e bastante indicativa. Após uma reflexão sobre os conflitos existentes entre composição e interpretação, fizemos uma análise geral da escrita composicional de Lacerda buscando encontrar os espaços para a criatividade do intérprete. Em seguida, analisamos com profundidade quatro composições de Osvaldo Lacerda: Automação, Romaria, A Primeira Missa e o Papagaio e o movimento Uníssono da obra Quatro Estudos para Coro. As obras analisadas foram performatizadas durante o período de doutorado junto ao Coro de Câmara Comunicantus e pudemos formar, experimentar e consolidar nossas concepções interpretativas, as quais comentamos e justificamos ao longo do texto. Por fim, apontamos para algumas respostas sobre o espaço criativo na performance de uma obra extremamente indicativa e sobre a responsabilidade do intérprete diante da partitura. / This thesis is part of the doctoral work in Musical Performance with specialization in Choral Conducting for the Post-Graduation Program in Music of the Escola de Comunicações e Artes da Universidade de São Paulo. During the four doctoral years, concerts, rehearsals and practices were undertaken simultaneously with the writing of this text which discusses questions regarding the practice of a performer. Our main object is the relationship between musical writing and performance. As interpreters, we seek to understand what the creative spaces and their limits within a work of music are. In order to do this, the choral work of the Brazilian composer Osvaldo Lacerda - known for his rigorous and rather indicative writing - was used. After a reflection on the conflicts between composition and interpretation, a general critical analysis of the compositional writing of Lacerda was carried out to identify the spaces for the creativity of the interpreter. Next, an in-depth analysis was carried out on four compositions by Osvaldo Lacerda: Automação, Romaria, and O Papagaio and the movement Uníssono of the work Quatro Estudos para Coro. The analyzed works were presented during the doctoral period together with the Chamber Choir Comunicantus and we could form, test and consolidate our interpretative conceptualizations, as is commented and justified throughout the text. Lastly, we point to some answers regarding the creative space in the performance of an extremely indicative piece and about the responsibility of the interpreter to the sheet music.

The Florida Reef Tract in Southeast Florida is made up of hard-bottom formations. The shape and size of the tract is constantly changing. One major factor contributing to these changes is the movement of sand. This is influenced by location-based, human-induced, and natural factors. These shifting sands cover or uncover reef structure. Images of the Florida Reef Tract in Palm Beach County were analyzed by the Department of Geosciences at Florida Atlantic University, using a partially automated method of mapping. There are notable changes in reef structure throughout the years 2004-2006, in which many major storm events occurred in the region. A time series analysis was conducted throughout these years. Losses and gains of reef structure were quantified and compared throughout the county as a whole, in beach renourishment project areas, and inlet intervals. Trends suggest that the major storms of 2004-2006 may have had effects on the reef tract. / by Joseph G. Pitti. / Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2011. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2011. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Este trabalho é fruto de uma pesquisa-ação associada às atividades de preparação vocal realizadas com o Coral Escola e o Coral Oficina do Comunicantus: Laboratório Coral do Departamento de Música da ECA-USP. Os objetivos dividiram-se em duas perspectivas: a formação do estagiário em preparação vocal e o desenvolvimento da técnica vocal nos coros Escola e Oficina. A coleta de dados foi feita por meio da participação nos ensaios destes dois grupos no ano de 2010 e da análise do protocolo de documentação do Comunicantus: Laboratório Coral. O capítulo 1 inicia-se com uma explanação sobre o funcionamento do Comunicantus: Laboratório Coral e sobre o conceito de Coral Escola, no qual todas as atividades estão fundamentadas; segue com uma discussão a respeito dos desafios da educação coral no século XXI e encerra-se expondo saberes e habilidades que fazem parte da formação dos estagiários em preparação vocal, como a classificação vocal, a percepção vocal e a pedagogia. No capítulo 2, são descritas as principais características vocais dos coralistas iniciantes dos coros Escola e Oficina em relação a postura, respiração, apoio, ressonância, articulação, assim como as dificuldades mais frequentes com afinação. No capítulo 3, por meio de uma confrontação entre as práticas do Comunicantus: Laboratório Coral e a literatura sobre regência coral e pedagogia vocal, são apresentados e discutidos os exercícios mais usados na preparação vocal destes grupos, visando trabalhar aspectos como postura, respiração e apoio, ressonância, diferenciação de vogais, agilidade, staccato, sustentação, homogeneidade de registros vocais, extensão e escuta harmônica. Nas considerações finais, discute-se a perspectiva da preparação vocal como uma atividade complexa, na qual diversos saberes, habilidades e ferramentas são empregados conjunta e interativamente como parte de estratégias que visam à consecução de objetivos artísticos e educativos. / This work is the result of an action research associated to voice building activities performed at the Coral Escola and the Coral Oficina of Comunicantus: Choral Laboratory of the Music Department at ECA-USP. The goals were divided into two perspectives: the training of the trainee in voice building and the development of vocal technique in the choirs Escola and Oficina. Data collection was done through participation in the rehearsals of these two choirs in 2010 and analysis of Comunicantus: Choral Laboratory\'s protocol documentation. Chapter 1 begins with an explanation about the functioning of Comunicantus: Choral Laboratory and about the concept of Choir-School, in which all activities are based; it follows with a discussion about the challenges of choral education in the twenty-first century and it ends exposing knowledge and skills that are part of the training of trainees in voice building, such as vocal classification, vocal perception and pedagogy. Chapter 2 describes the main vocal characteristics of the beginners in the choirs Escola and Oficina regarding posture, breathing support, resonance, articulation, as well as the most frequent difficulties concerning intonation. By confronting the practices of Comunicantus: Choral Laboratory and the literature on choral conducting and vocal pedagogy, Chapter 3 presents and discusses the most used exercises in the voice building activities of these groups, aiming to work aspects such as posture, breathing and support, resonance, vowel differentiation, agility, staccato, sostenuto,homogeneity of vocal registers, extension and harmonic hearing. In the final considerations, voice building is discussed as a complex activity, in which different knowledge, skills and tools are used together and interactively as part of strategies that aim the achievement of artistic and educational goals.

Este trabalho é fruto de uma pesquisa-ação associada às atividades de preparação vocal realizadas com o Coral Escola e o Coral Oficina do Comunicantus: Laboratório Coral do Departamento de Música da ECA-USP. Os objetivos dividiram-se em duas perspectivas: a formação do estagiário em preparação vocal e o desenvolvimento da técnica vocal nos coros Escola e Oficina. A coleta de dados foi feita por meio da participação nos ensaios destes dois grupos no ano de 2010 e da análise do protocolo de documentação do Comunicantus: Laboratório Coral. O capítulo 1 inicia-se com uma explanação sobre o funcionamento do Comunicantus: Laboratório Coral e sobre o conceito de Coral Escola, no qual todas as atividades estão fundamentadas; segue com uma discussão a respeito dos desafios da educação coral no século XXI e encerra-se expondo saberes e habilidades que fazem parte da formação dos estagiários em preparação vocal, como a classificação vocal, a percepção vocal e a pedagogia. No capítulo 2, são descritas as principais características vocais dos coralistas iniciantes dos coros Escola e Oficina em relação a postura, respiração, apoio, ressonância, articulação, assim como as dificuldades mais frequentes com afinação. No capítulo 3, por meio de uma confrontação entre as práticas do Comunicantus: Laboratório Coral e a literatura sobre regência coral e pedagogia vocal, são apresentados e discutidos os exercícios mais usados na preparação vocal destes grupos, visando trabalhar aspectos como postura, respiração e apoio, ressonância, diferenciação de vogais, agilidade, staccato, sustentação, homogeneidade de registros vocais, extensão e escuta harmônica. Nas considerações finais, discute-se a perspectiva da preparação vocal como uma atividade complexa, na qual diversos saberes, habilidades e ferramentas são empregados conjunta e interativamente como parte de estratégias que visam à consecução de objetivos artísticos e educativos. / This work is the result of an action research associated to voice building activities performed at the Coral Escola and the Coral Oficina of Comunicantus: Choral Laboratory of the Music Department at ECA-USP. The goals were divided into two perspectives: the training of the trainee in voice building and the development of vocal technique in the choirs Escola and Oficina. Data collection was done through participation in the rehearsals of these two choirs in 2010 and analysis of Comunicantus: Choral Laboratory\'s protocol documentation. Chapter 1 begins with an explanation about the functioning of Comunicantus: Choral Laboratory and about the concept of Choir-School, in which all activities are based; it follows with a discussion about the challenges of choral education in the twenty-first century and it ends exposing knowledge and skills that are part of the training of trainees in voice building, such as vocal classification, vocal perception and pedagogy. Chapter 2 describes the main vocal characteristics of the beginners in the choirs Escola and Oficina regarding posture, breathing support, resonance, articulation, as well as the most frequent difficulties concerning intonation. By confronting the practices of Comunicantus: Choral Laboratory and the literature on choral conducting and vocal pedagogy, Chapter 3 presents and discusses the most used exercises in the voice building activities of these groups, aiming to work aspects such as posture, breathing and support, resonance, vowel differentiation, agility, staccato, sostenuto,homogeneity of vocal registers, extension and harmonic hearing. In the final considerations, voice building is discussed as a complex activity, in which different knowledge, skills and tools are used together and interactively as part of strategies that aim the achievement of artistic and educational goals.