Il a été montré que les oiseaux forestiers sont affectés par leur environnement local, mais également par les caractéristiques du paysage environnant. Ainsi, la structure des communautés des peuplements résiduels de milieux agroforestiers fortement fragmentés peut être altérée par rapport à celles de paysages moins fragmentés. Dans ces milieux, la prédation et le parasitisme par le Vacher à tête brune (Molathrus ater) peuvent également affecter le succès de reproduction des oiseaux forestiers des peuplements résiduels. Dans le contexte de paysages forestiers aménagés à des fins de foresterie, il est ainsi possible que la perte d'habitat et la fragmentation influencent également la structure des communautés aviaires ainsi que leur reproduction. Or, les effets de ces deux phénomènes ont jusqu'à maintenant été moins documentés que dans les territoires forestiers modifiés par l'agriculture ou le développement urbain. Le premier chapitre de ce mémoire analyse la structure et la composition des communautés d'oiseaux dans les habitats résiduels de territoires aménagés, en forêt boréale mixte de la Haute-Mauricie, Québec, Canada. Le deuxième chapitre porte une attention particulière sur l'occupation d'habitat et l'activité reproductrice d'une espèce associée aux forêts matures, le Roitelet à couronne dorée (Regulus satrapa). L'objectif est de vérifier les effets des conditions locales et du contexte du paysage sur la composition des communautés aviaires des peuplements résiduels ainsi que sur la densité de territoires, l'activité reproductrice et le succès de nidification des Roitelets à couronne dorée. Entre 2006 et 2009, des points d'écoute et de la repasse de chants ont permis de répertorier plus de 86 espèces dans 72 stations d'échantillonnage. De plus, le succès d'appariement et d'envol des juvéniles de 59 territoires de Roitelets, distribués dans 14 peuplements résiduels, ont été mesurés à l'aide de la cartographie des territoires et un suivi intensif des groupes familiaux en 2009. Pour les deux études, les données ont été récoltées dans des peuplements résiduels caractérisés par une végétation mature à dominance résineuse et enclavées dans des aires de régénération d'âges variables. Ainsi, certains paysages (1 km de rayon) étaient très jeunes (< 13 % de forêts matures) et d'autres étaient principalement composés de forêts matures (> 78 % de la superficie). L'étude montre que la perte d'habitat mature à l'échelle du paysage ne semble pas affecter significativement les assemblages d'oiseaux des peuplements résiduels, ni la reproduction d'une espèce associée aux forêts matures, le Roitelet à couronne dorée. En effet, la structure des communautés et le succès de reproduction des Roitelets étaient peu variables, peu importe le degré de perte et de fragmentation de l'habitat à l'échelle du paysage. Nous interprétons ce résultat étonnant au fait que la matrice forestière est dominée par de la jeune forêt (7 -12 m) qui constitue un milieu qui est vraisemblablement peu hostile aux mouvements des oiseaux forestiers, et ce, malgré le fait qu'il ne subsiste que 10 % du territoire en forêts résineuses matures. Nos résultats indiquent donc que les populations d'oiseaux des forêts matures persistent dans ces environnements fortement fragmentés par la coupe. Cette tolérance à la coupe pourrait être associée aux patrons de coupes en Haute-Mauricie qui, à l'échelle régionale, maintiennent un couvert forestier plus hétérogène (assiettes de coupes plus petites et habitats matures et âgés mieux répartis dans le paysage) que dans d'autres régions aménagées de la forêt commerciale du Québec où les agglomérations de coupes se juxtaposent sur des milliers de kilomètres carrés. Les habitats résiduels des territoires aménagés en Haute-Mauricie semblent donc avoir une capacité élevée à être utilisés comme habitats-refuges par l'avifaune des forêts matures et âgées. ______________________________________________________________________________ MOTS-CLÉS DE L’AUTEUR : Oiseaux, perte d'habitat, fragmentation, forêt boréale, paysage aménagé, peuplement résiduel, communautés, succès de reproduction.

This dissertation contributes to the definition of an analytical framework for the study of optimal jurisdictional size for local service delivery. We argue that the standard economics framework for the analysis of optimal jurisdictional size importantly neglects individual preferences for political accountability. Our theoretical model shows that once we take into account such preferences, the optimal jurisdictional size for the provision of local public goods is smaller than in the standard model. We obtain empirical evidence to support our hypothesis from a sample of 197 countries. Our results show that, in fact, demand for political accountability leads to higher jurisdictional fragmentation both in terms of greater number of jurisdictions and smaller average population per jurisdiction. In addition, a meta-analysis of the empirical contributions to the study of economies of scale in the provision of local services shows that the economies of scale expected from service provision to larger jurisdictional sizes may not be present except for a handful of local services, and limited to relatively small population sizes. The results of the meta-analysis signal moderately increasing to constant returns to scale in the provision of traditional local services. In light of these results, we argue that forced jurisdictional consolidation programs across the world justified by perceptions of excessive jurisdictional fragmentation, or by the expectation of large expenditure savings due to economies of scale may have been, thus, erroneously designed. From a policy perspective, multi-layered institutional frameworks for service delivery (including cooperation and privatization among other options) may allow targeting available efficiency gains more efficiently than consolidation.

With an increased human impact, natural resources are under great pressure.  Deforestation is one effect of this, and the largest threat against biodiversity.. Changes in tropical habitats is a major concern for conservation biologists, due to its high biodiversity and rapid decreased area. Recently, developmental activities and habitat destruction have caused a major decline in the abundance of the terrestrial mega-fauna.This is especially evident in areas with a high human population and a rich mega-fauna as in India. The purpose of this project was to determine the land-use cover change (LUCC) in the area of Karbi Anglong, which lies in the middle of Assam, India. This was done by identifying different vegetation types from satellite images, from the years 1992, 2002 and 2011 using a remote sensing application (ERDAS) and ArcGIS. Interviews in the area werealso operated, and data about how animal use the corridors were used along with registered human-tiger conflicts. The results show that during the first period, a total of 360 km2 of the area changed vegetation type, mostly due to an increase of agricultural areas. The second largest change (79 km2) was an increase of moist mixed deciduous forest which seems to have taken over some of the semi evergreen forest’s previous area. If that is the case it is most likely an effect of selective logging from the local people, who use fire wood as fuel.All in all, there has been a great habitat loss along withfragmentation of the landscape. The conflict data shows that tigers are present between the core areas, and the interviews show that the migrations of other animals are also common.To maintain the high ecological values in Karbi Anglong, it is of great importance to maintain connectivity between core areas and stop further habitat loss and fragmentation.

The European red click beetle, Elater ferrugineus L., is associated with wood mould in old hollow deciduous tree. As a result of severe habitat fragmentation caused by human disturbance, it is threatened throughout its distribution range. A new odour-based trapping method, which is very efficient in attracting males, was used in the present study to relate the occurrence of E. ferrugineus to the density of deciduous trees using a recently completed regional survey recording &gt;120, 000 deciduous trees. Results showed that the occurrence of E. ferrugineus increased with increasing amount of large hollow and large non-hollow trees in the surrounding landscape. Quercus robur was found as an important substrate for E. ferrugineus and two groups of tree species (Carpinus betulus, Fagus sylvatica, Ulmus glabra, vs. Acer platanoides, Aesculus hippocastanum, Fraxinus excelsior and Tilia cordata) could be a complement to the existence of Quercus in sustaining the beetle’s population. E. ferrugineus responded to the density of Quercus at two different spatial scales, 327 m and 4658 m, suggesting that a multi-scale approach is important for studying the species. In conclusion, for conservation management, priority should be given to Quercus, and also to all deciduous trees in the genera listed above, regardless of the tree quality. The response showed by E. ferrugineus on the amount of substrate at two different scales indicates that using multi-scale approach in studying this particular species is the better option as single-scale approach may result in poor decision support.

Sleep has a recreating, health promotive and regenerative function. Research shows that intensive care patients suffer from sleep deprivation and bad sleep quality with considerable negative consequences. The aim of the report was to examine how much nocturnal sleep patients without ventilator treatment get and to observe factors that may influence sleep. Methods: An observation chart was used to collect data. The staff’s observation of the patients’ night sleep and estimated nocturnal noise- and light levels in the patients’ rooms were documented. The patients’ answers to questions about pain and possible causes for their awakenings were noted. The staff documented also their own perception of what could have awakened the patient, plus the use of ear plugs, sleep medication and sedatives. Results: The results show that patients at CIVA have too short nocturnal sleep. Furthermore their sleep is fragmented and there are few sleep periods of 90 minutes or longer, which means that the sleep structure is disturbed. The results show also that there is room for improvement work at CIVA concerning factors which may influence the patients’ nocturnal sleep. Conclusions: Patients at CIVA have too short and fragmented night sleep. Efforts to promote the patients night sleep should be intensified. / Sömn har en rekreerande, hälsofrämjande och regenererande funktion. Forskning visar att intensivvårdspatienter har sömnbrist och dålig sömnkvalitet med betydande negativa konsekvenser. Rapportens syfte var att kartlägga hur mycket nattsömn icke- ventilatorbehandlade patienter på CIVA får och att observera faktorer som kan påverka sömnen. Metod: Ett formulär användes till datainsamling. Personalens observationer av patientens nattsömn samt skattade nattliga ljud- och ljusnivåer i patientsalen dokumenterades. Patientens svar på frågor om smärta och möjliga orsaker till uppvaknanden noterades. Personalen dokumenterade även sin egen uppfattning om vad som kunde ha väckt patienten samt användning av öronproppar, sömnmedicin och lugnande medicin. Resultat: Resultaten visar att patienterna på CIVA har för kort nattsömn. Dessutom är sömnen fragmenterad och det förekommer få sömnperioder à 90 minuter eller längre vilket betyder att sömnstrukturen är störd. Resultaten visar även att det finns utrymme för förbättringsarbete på CIVA angående faktorer som kan påverka patienternas nattsömn. Slutsats: Patienterna på CIVA har för kort och fragmenterad nattsömn. Kvalitetsutvecklingsarbetet för att främja patienternas nattsömn borde intensifieras.

Snake populations in the North American tallgrass prairie appear to be declining, yet data unavailability impedes the development of enhanced ecological understanding of snake species-habitat relationships and also hinders snake conservation efforts. This study addresses both issues for the snakes of Illinois in two steps. In a two-year mark-recapture study at twenty-two sites within six northern Illinois prairie preserves, I investigated snake species-habitat relationships using habitat variables at three scales: microhabitat (< 100 m), landscape (1 - 10 km), and regional (> 10 km). A total of 120 snakes representing seven species was captured using drift fence arrays associated with funnel traps and sheet metal cover. The low numbers and diversity of snakes captured, when compared to historic evidence, indicate that Illinois snake populations have declined. At the microhabitat scale, non-metric multidimensional scaling and Mantel tests revealed a relationship between snake species composition and elevation. At the landscape-scale, snake species composition varied along an agricultural-urban cover gradient. Classification and regression trees and maximum entropy models (Maxent) were used to identify the scales at which snake species-habitat relationships were strongest. Six of seven regression trees for individual snakes species contained habitat variables at the landscape scale. Important landscape characteristics included patch size, isolation, and land cover, metrics that strongly covary with habitat loss. Microhabitat features only appeared in the regression trees of two species and in three Maxent models. This study indicates that habitat loss has shaped the current distribution of snake species in Illinois's remnant prairies and that snake conservation efforts should emphasize the landscape-scale. Finally, I developed a risk ranking system based on natural and life history characteristics to assess the conservation status of Illinois's 38 snake species. Cluster analysis identified eight groups of snakes, similar in terms of risk factors, with high risk species sharing characteristics such as large body size, long life span, limited habitat breadth, and a high anthropogenic threat ranking. Here, I emphasize the need for basic demographic studies on snakes and suggest that ranking systems be used with population data (when available) and expert opinion to identify snake species of conservation concern in other regions. / Dissertation

Several metal honeycombs, termed Linear Cellular Alloys (LCAs), were fabricated via a paste extrusion process and thermal treatment. Two Fe-Ni based alloy compositions were evaluated. Maraging steel and Super Invar were chosen for their compatibility with the process and the wide range of properties they afforded. Cell wall material was characterized and compared to wrought alloy specifications. The bulk alloy was found to compare well with the more conventionally produced wrought product when porosity was taken into account. The presence of extrusion defects and raw material impurities were shown to degrade properties with respect to wrought alloys. The performance of LCAs was investigated for several alloys and cell morphologies. The results showed that out-of-plane properties exceeded model predictions and in-plane properties fell short due to missing cell walls and similar defects. Strength was shown to outperform several existing cellular metals by as much as an order of magnitude in some instances. Energy absorption of these materials was shown to exceed 150 J/cc at strains of 50% for high strength alloys. Finally, the suitability of LCAs as an energetic capsule was investigated. The investigation found that the LCAs added significant static strength and as much as three to five times improvement in the dynamic strength of the system. More importantly, it was shown that the pressures achieved with the LCA capsule were significantly higher than the energetic material could achieve alone. High pressures, approaching 3 GPa, coupled with the fragmentation of the capsule during impact increased the likelihood of initiation and propagation of the energetic reaction. This multi-functional aspect of the LCA makes it a suitable capsule material.

An onset coarsening-coalescence event based on the incubation time of cylindrical mesopore formation and a significant decrease of specific surface area by a certain fraction relative to the dry pressed samples was determined by N2 adsorption-desorption hysteresis isotherm for amorphous SiO2 nanoparticles (ca. 40 nm in size). In the temperature range of 1150-1300oC, the nanoparticles with binder (PVA) additive underwent onset sintering coupled with coarsening-coalescence without appreciable crystallization. The apparent activation energy of such a rapid process for amorphous SiO2 nanoparticles was estimated as 177 ¡Ó 31.5 kJ/mol, based on 30% change of specific surface area. As a comparison, in much lower temperature range of 600-900oC, the amorphous Zn2SiO4 nanoparticles underwent onset sintering coupled with coarsening-coalescence accompanied more or less with the formation of ZnO The apparent activation energy of such a rapid process for a amorphous Zn2SiO4 was estimated as 105 ¡Ó 3.8 kJ/mol based on 50% change of specific surface area. The minimum temperatures for sintering/coarsening/coalescence of the amorphous SiO2 and Zn2SiO4 are 1120¢J and 635oC, respectively based on the extrapolation of steady specific surface area reduction rates to null. PLA fragmentation of amorphous and nearly spherical SiO2 nanoparticles (40 nm in size) in water (i.e. PLAL process) with optional NaCl addition was conducted under Q-switch mode (532 nm, 400 mJ per pulse) having laser focal point fixed at ca. 10 mm beneath the water level for an accumulation time of 20 and 30 min at 10 Hz. The 532 nm laser incidence suffered little water absorption and was effective to produce irregular shaped amorphous nanocondensates as small as 10nm~20nm in diameter with accompanied change of medium range order (MRO) as indicated by single rather than two broad x-ray diffractions at low 2theta angle. Whereas the Na+ uptake in the amorphous silica from the salty water account for a lower wave number of FTIR bands. The combined effects of nanosize, MRO change and H+ -signature may cause a lower minimum band gap of the amorphous products (analogous to opal-A) which become partially crystallized as £]-cristobalite (analogous to opal-CT) with additional £\-tridymite when Na+ is present.

Strip steaks from the McGregor genome project were used to evaluate the effects of sarcomere length, myofibrillar fragmentation index, 3 h postmortem pH, 24 h postmortem pH, marbling, electrical stimulation (ES), sarcoplasmic free calcium concentration, and collagen characteristics on tenderness as measured by Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBS). The WBS values were measured prior to this project so the animals were able to be separated into “tender” and “tough” groups using a WBS value of 30 N as the separating point, steaks with a WBS value less than 30 N being “tender” and the others being “tough”. It was found that ES sides had lower WBS values, however, “tough” steaks showed a greater response to ES than “tender” steaks. ES sides also had higher sarcoplasmic free calcium concentration and lower 3 h postmortem pH. Tenderness is best predicted by treatment (ES versus NON-ES), however, there is some efficacy in using total collagen and collagen solubility in conjunction with treatment.

Copper ions (Cu⁺, Cu²⁺) play important roles in many biological processes (i.e., oxidation, dioxygen transport, and electron transfer); many of the functions in these processes result from copper ions interacting with proteins and peptides. Previous studies using matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry (MS) have shown that Cu⁺ ions preferentially bind to electron rich groups in gas phase (i.e., N-terminal amino group, the side-chains of lysine, histidine and arginine). For peptides with more than one Cu⁺ ligand, the interaction between Cu⁺ ions and ligands is described in terms of competitive binding; however, Cu⁺ coordination chemistry for multiple Cu⁺-containing proteins and peptides in gas phase is still not fully understood. In addition, no studies on the fragmentation chemistry for multiple Cu⁺-binding peptides, such as [M + 2Cu - H]⁺ ions, have been reported. The synthesized dinuclear copper complex (alpha-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (CHCA) copper salt (CHCA)₄Cu₂) enhances the ion abundances for [M + xCu - (x-1)H]⁺ (x = 1-6) ions in gas-phase when used as a MALDI matrix. Using this matrix we have investigated site-specific copper binding of several peptides using fragmentation chemistry of [M + Cu]⁺ and [M + 2Cu - H]⁺ ions. The fragmentation studies reveal that the binding of a single Cu⁺ ion and two Cu⁺ ions are different, and these differences are explained in terms of intramolecular interactions of the peptide-Cu ionic complex. The competitive Cu⁺ binding to C-terminus (i.e., amide, carboxyl, methyl ester) versus lysine, as well as cysteine (SH/SO₃H) versus arginine (guanidino), was also examined by MALDI MS and theoretical calculations (Density Functional Theory (DFT)). For example, results from theoretical and experimental (fragmentation reactions) studies on [M + Cu]⁺ and [M + 2Cu - H]⁺ ions suggest that cysteine side chains (SH/SO₃H) are important Cu⁺ ligands. Note that, the proton of the SH/SO₃H group is mobile and can be transferred to the arginine guanidino group. For [M + 2Cu - H]⁺ ions, deprotonation of the -SH/SO₃H group is energetically more favorable than that of the carboxyl group, and the resulting thiolate/sulfonate group plays an important role in the coordination structure of [M + 2Cu - H]⁺ ions.