High-latitude watersheds have been regarded as a carbon sink with soil carbon accumulating at low temperature. This sink is now believed to turn into a source, acting as positive feedback to climate warming. However, thawing permafrost soils would allow more water to percolate down to deeper soil layers where some of the carbon could be “consumed” in weathering and exported as bicarbonate to the sea. Using a hydrological mixing model showed that this could counterbalance the predicted positive feedback resulting from thawing soils. Vegetation-covered riparian zones in headwater areas appear to have a significant role for the dissolved constituent fluxes. Higher concentrations of weathering products are found in taiga and tundra rivers with larger areas of forest and peat cover in the watershed. These landscape elements can thus be regarded as “hot spots” of river loading with dissolved constituents. Comparing a regulated and an unregulated river tested the hypothesis that damming leads to a depletion of major elements also in oligotrophic river systems as a consequence of changes in landscape elements. A loss of upper soils and vegetation through inundation prevents the contact of surface waters with vegetated soil, and consequently reduces weathering fluxes. The hypothesis that the lower fluxes of dissolved silica (DSi) in the regulated river could also be explained by biological uptake was then tested using a model, and budget calculations indicate a significant reduction as a result of regulation. About 10% of this reduction can be attributed to the flooding of the fluvial corridor and the rest to diatom blooms in the reservoirs. A more detailed study of landscape elements for the headwaters of the river Luleälven showed that only 3% of the surface area has been inundated by reservoirs but ca. 37% of the deciduous forest. Such a significant loss of hot spots may indeed explain the observed lower DSi fluxes in the regulated watersheds of northern Sweden.

Because of climate change and resource development there is an ongoing increase in the attention directed towards high latitude areas. Over the last years, warming in the Arctic has accelerated quickly. The warming climate can possibly lead to thawing of ground ice, which in turn leads to alterations of the cryosphere. This can have a huge influence on the terrestrial hydrology of the Arctic and, more specifically, on the presence and distribution of lakes in arctic regions since both are coupled to subsurface ice. In this thesis data from remote sensing were used to look at the change in the size distribution of lakes for the Nadym catchment in northern Russia. The aim was to find out if there has been an increase or decrease in the number of lakes in the area over the past years. Results suggest that there were 229 lakes less (representing a 4% decrease) in 2007–2009 compared to 1987, indicating that lakes are slowly disappearing. Also, the total lake surface area decreased with 5%. Almost half of the lakes that disappeared (49%) can be found among the smallest lakes ranging between 10–20 ha. In the entire catchment this size class was also found to be the class with by far the highest number of lakes.

A system consisting of a GPS-enabled phone and a database has been designed and implemented. This system is capable of recording the route traveled by a user and determining the mode of transport (walk, bicycle, car or bus) used. The Java code running in the GPS-enabled phone automatically records location data, determines critical locations for the trip, and transmits the locations to a central database using the wireless capabilities of the phone. As the route information arrives at the database, it is processed by the mode detection algorithm that determines the mode of transportation being used by the individual for this route. The mode detection algorithm uses travel time, speed, location of bus stops and knowledge of bus routes. The system was tested on experimental data collected from 100 trips (25 trips for each mode of transportation). The correct mode of transport was detected on 97% of the trips.

Aim: The aim of the study was to analyse the psychosocial factors in work- and private life and its correlation with various stress-related symptoms and ill health among employees at a faculty at the Linnaeus University. The goal was also to analyze whether there was a gender difference in these health parameters associated with a difference in psychosocial work and home conditions between women and men. Method: Data were collected through a questionnaire were the responders answered questions about demand, control and social support which emanated from Karasek's demand control model. Their professional position was determined by their pay-and educational level in accordance with the theory of the social gradient of health. Stress was measured using "SCGP scale" and mental illness with the help of the ”General Health Qestionnarie.” Two regression analyses were conducted, the first to analyze the correlation between psychosocial factors and stress-related symptoms and the other to analyze the correlation between psychosocial factors and mental ilness. Results: High demand, low control, low social support and lower professional position had a strong relationship (p<0,000)  with both stress-related symptoms ( R = 0,49) and mental illness ( R = 0,56) even after controlling for confounders.The strongest own relationship (when the overlap effects between different variables was taken into account) were found between high demands and stress-related symptoms (standardized beta 0.35) and high demands and mental illness (standardized beta 0.38). Conclusion: Due to the cross-sectional nature of the study causal inferences cannot be made. However the results showed that high demand, low control and low social support together had a strong correlation with stress-related ill-health. Furthermore, the study showed no gender differences in the psychosocial factors which is a likely explanation for the fact that there was no difference between men and women in neither stress related symptoms or mental illness. This is an important and positive finding because of the fact that the result indicates that differences in health between men and women is reduced when they have equal opportunities in work and private life. / Mål: Målet med studien var att analysera psykosociala faktorer i arbets- och privatliv och dess samband med stressrelaterad ohälsa bland de anställda på en fakultet vid Linnéuniversitetet. Målet var även att analysera huruvida det fanns en könskillnad i dessa hälsoparametrar kopplad till en skillnad i psykosociala förutsättningar mellan kvinnor och män. Metod: Data samlades in via en enkätstudie där de anställda fick svara på frågor kring krav, kontroll och socialt stöd vilka utgick från Karasek´s krav kontroll modell. Individernas plats i yrkeshierarkin avgjordes av deras lön samt utbildningsnivå i enlighet med teorin kring hälsans sociala gradient. De frågor som berörde hemarbete utgick ifrån tidigare forskning på området. Stress mättes med hjälp av ”SCGP scale”, en skala som mäter olika stressrelaterade symtom och psykisk ohälsa mättes med hjälp av ”General Health Qestionnarie”. Två regressionsanalyser genomfördes, den första regressionen analyserade samband mellan psykosociala faktorer och stressrelaterade symtom och den andra regressionen analyserade samband mellan psykosociala faktorer och psykisk ohälsa. Resultat: Höga krav, låg kontroll, lågt socialt stöd samt lägre yrkesposition hade tillsammans ett starkt samband, (p <0,001) med både stressrelaterade symtom (R = 0,49) och psykisk ohälsa (R = 0,56), även efter kontroll för confounders. Det starkaste egna sambandet (när överlappningseffekter mellan olika variabler tagits hänsyn till) återfanns mellan höga krav och stressrelaterade symtom (standardiserad beta 0,35) respektive höga krav och psykisk ohälsa (standardiserad beta 0,38). Konklusion: Resultatet visade att höga krav, låg kontroll, lågt socialt stöd samt lägre plats i yrkeshierarkin tillsammans hade ett starkt samband med stressrelaterade symtom samt psykisk ohälsa. På grund av studiens tvärsnittsdesign kan dock inte orsak och verkan säkerställas. Vidare visade studien inga könsskillnader i ovannämnda psykosociala faktorer vilket är en trolig förklaring till att det inte heller fanns någon skillnad mellan kvinnor och män i stressrelaterade symtom samt psykisk ohälsa. Detta är ett viktigt och positivt fynd då resultatet indikerar på att skillnader i ohälsa mellan kvinnor och män går att utjämna genom att skapa lika förutsättningar i arbets- och privatliv.

Background: Resource-based view emphasizes that the competitive advantage of organization is built on two elements: resources and capabilities/competences, which are related to employees within it. And job-related stress is a phenomenon in workplace and a problem in employee satisfaction management. Aim: How are decision-making latitude in terms of autonomy, as the need of knowledge worker, and his/her job-related stress related? How is knowledge worker autonomy affected by middle level manager’s authority? What is the mechanism between middle level manager’s leadership and knowledge worker’s stress? Definitions: Stress: the overall transactional process; Stressors: the events or properties of events (stimuli) that are encountered by individuals; Strain: the individual’s psychological, physical and behavioral responses to stressors; Outcomes: the consequences of strain at both the individual and the organizational levels. Completion & Results: The mechanism among elements in and between knowledge worker and middle level manager is identified and presented.

This thesis concerns genomic variation within the Annelida, for which genome size studies are few and provide data for only a handful of groups. Genome size estimates were generated using Feulgen image analysis densitometry for 35 species of leeches and 61 polychaete species. Relationships were explored utilizing collection location and supplementary biological data from external sources. A novel, inverse correlation between genome size and maximum adult body size was found across all leeches. Leeches that provide parental care had significantly larger genome sizes than leeches that do not. Additionally, specimens identified as Nephelopsis obscura exhibited geographic genome size variation. Within the Polychaeta, Polar region polychaete genomes were significantly larger than those of Atlantic and Pacific polychaetes. These studies represent the first exploration of leech genome sizes, and provide base evidence for numerous future studies to examine relationships between genome size and life history traits across and within different annelid groups.

Our world is changing rapidly and factors like urbanisation, changed agricultural practices and climate change are causing losses in butterfly diversity. It is therefore of importance to understand the source of their diversity. Given the remarkable diversity of herbivorous insects compared to their non-herbivorous sister groups, changes in host use have been implicated as a promoter of speciation. This thesis looks at geographical aspects of host range evolution and the plasticity of host use. We show that butterflies in the subfamily Nymphalinae that feed on a wide range of host plants have larger geographic ranges than species with narrower host ranges. Although tropical butterflies appear to be more specialised than temperate species, this effect is lost when controlling for the differences in geographic range. Geographic variation in host plant use within Polygonia faunus, related to morphologically distinct subspecies, did not show any genetic differentiation. This suggests that the observed variation in host plant use is a plastic response to environmental differences. Reconstructing host use for the Polygonia-Nymphalis and Vanessa group shows that plasticity is also important for understanding host use at the level of butterfly genera. Using unequal transition costs and including larval feeding ability revealed that frequent colonisations of the same plant genus can often be explained by non-independent processes, such as multiple partial losses of host use, recolonisation of ancestral hosts, and parallel colonisations following a preadaptation for host use. These processes are further reflected in the conservative use of host plant orders within the butterfly family Nymphalidae. Few taxa feed on more than one host plant order, and these expansions occur at the very tips of the tree, which we argue is evidence of the transient nature of generalist host use. These insights improve our understanding of how host range evolution may promote diversification. / At the time of the doctoral defence,the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 3: Submitted; Papers 4 and 5: Manuscripts

This Ph.D. dissertation integrates stable isotope and trace element geochemistry in modern and fossil gastropod shells to study low-latitude marine paleoenvironments. First, stable isotopes (delta18O and delta13C) and Sr/Ca ratios are used to examine low-latitude temperature and salinity variations recorded in Plio-Pleistocene (3.5-1.6 Ma) fossils from western Florida during periods of high-latitude warming and "global" cooling. The middle Pliocene Pinecrest Beds (Units 7 and 4) and the overlaying Plio-Pleistocene Caloosahatchee Formation generate significantly different delta18O-derived paleotemperatures but identical Sr/Ca ratios. High delta18O values, together with low delta13C values and brackish fauna, indicate that Unit 4 was deposited in a lagoonal environment similar to modern Florida Bay. In contrast, relatively low delta18O and high delta13C values in Unit 7 and Caloosahatchee Formation represent deposition in an open-marine environment. The observed Unit 7 and Caloosahatchee paleotemperatures are inconsistent with middle Pliocene warming event, but consistent with the Plio-Pleistocene cooling trend. To quantify modern upwelling and freshening signals and contrast these signals between the tropical eastern Pacific (TEP) and southwestern Caribbean (SWC), methodologies are developed for reconstructing seasonal upwelling and freshening patterns from modern tropical gastropod shells from Panama using: 1) paired oxygen and carbon isotopic profiles and delta18O-delta13C (delta-delta) correlations, and 2) deviation from baseline delta18O values that represent conditions free of seasonal upwelling or freshening influences. Shell delta18O values normalized to the baseline faithfully record modern conditions of little or no upwelling in SWC and Gulf of Chiriqui, and strong upwelling in the Gulf of Panama, as well as strong freshwater input in most areas. The baseline and delta-delta methods are applied to identify and quantify changes in upwelling and freshening in the Neogene TEP and SWC seawaters associated with the final closure of Central American Isthmus. The records reveal significant upwelling in late Miocene SWC and mid Pliocene TEP waters, strong freshening in SWC waters from 5.7-2.2 Ma, and minimal seasonal upwelling and/or freshening variations in Plio-Pleistocene SWC waters. The reconstructed paleotemperatures agree with the global cooling trend through the late Miocene, but lack evidence for middle Pliocene warming or late Neogene global cooling.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T19:32:11Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 DissEMS.pdf: 3165612 bytes, checksum: 5b8faf93a6bcf389405ae12de61bd8ff (MD5) Previous issue date: 2005-02-24 / Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos / In this work the efficiency of three traditional methods of collection of insects were analyzed and tested (Malaise trap, Moericke trap and "sweepings" of the vegetation) for studies of the subfamília Hormiinae and, separately, for the six more abundant sorts in the collections (Allobracon Gahan, 1915; Aspilodemon Fischer, 1968; Hormius, Nees, 1818; Pambolus Haliday, 1836; Pseudorhysipolis Scatolini & Penteado-Dias, 2002, and Rhysipolis Förster, 1862). The relation of this efficiency ea biology of the sorts briefly is argued. The technique of "sweepings" of the vegetation was the method most efficient for specimen collection of the majority of the sorts. The theories regarding the distribution of the species in a latitudinal gradient are argued on the basis of specimen samples of a subfamily of parasitoid insects, that seem to constitute an exception to the classic standard of distribution of the largest part of the organisms. The importance to consider the biology of the organisms and regional variables is pointed out. The gotten results corroborate with the consulted works and the hypotheses of geometric limits, energy of the environment and spalling of resources. Twelve new species and new occurrences for three sorts and two species for Brazil are cited. The distribution of the species in the points of collection and the South America is told and illustrated. The potential of new species is briefly commented with approach in the main sorts and also in the Northeast Region. Twelve new species of Allobracon Gahan, 1915 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) are described and illustrated. All species described were collected in Brazilian Atlantic Forest. A key to species is added. / Neste trabalho foram analisadas e testadas a eficiência de três métodos usuais de coleta de Hymenoptera (armadilha Malaise, armadilha Moericke e varredura da vegetação) para estudos da subfamília Hormiinae e, separadamente, para os seis gêneros mais abundantes nas coletas (Allobracon Gahan, 1915; Aspilodemon Fischer, 1968; Hormius, Nees, 1818; Pambolus Haliday, 1836; Pseudorhysipolis Scatolini & Penteado-Dias, 2002, e Rhysipolis Förster, 1862). A relação dessa eficiência ea biologia dos gêneros é brevemente discutida. A técnica de varredura da vegetação foi o método mais eficiente para coleta de espécimes da maioria dos gêneros. As teorias a respeito da distribuição das espécies em um gradiente latitudinal são discutidas com base em amostras de espécimes de uma subfamília de insetos parasitóides, que parecem constituir uma exceção ao padrão clássico de distribuição da maior parte dos organismos. A importância de considerar a biologia dos organismos e variáveis regionais é salientada. Os resultados obtidos corroboram com os trabalhos consultados e com as hipóteses de limites geométricos, energia do ambiente e fragmentação de recursos. São citadas 12 novas espécies e novas ocorrências para três gêneros e duas espécies para o Brasil. A distribuição das espécies nos pontos de coleta e na América do Sul é relatada e ilustrada. A possibilidade de novas espécies é brevemente comentada com enfoque nos principais gêneros e também na Região Nordeste. Doze novas espécies do gênero Allobracon Gahan, 1915 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) são descritas e ilustradas. Todas as espécies descritas nesse trabalho foram coletadas na Mata Atlântica strictu sensu do Brasil. Uma chave para espécies é incluída.

Whilst the geographical range of species is a fundamental unit of macroecology and a leading predictor of extinction risk, the evolutionary dynamics of species’ ranges remain poorly understood. In some aquatic beetles, thermal niche has been shown to be related to both the relative range size and position of congeners but whether other physiological niche parameters play a role is unknown. Here, immunocompetence and metabolic plasticity were related to biogeography in these insects. Immunocompetence was first compared within a rare-common pair of Hydroporus species, finding species-specific immunity, which was affected by sex and acclimation time in the laboratory, with no clear relationship with rarity. This relationship was explored further in Deronectes species, whilst controlling for sex and acclimation time. Southern, narrow-ranging species had higher phenoloxidase (PO) activity, lower parasite load and antimicrobial peptide (AMP) activity that was stronger against Gram-negative Bacteria but weaker against Gram-positive Bacteria than their wider-ranging counterparts. As both of these studies found that PO activity did not positively correlate with encapsulation or AMP activity as reported in the literature, the pathway was investigated further in Tribolium castaneum. The data showed that the assumptions of the widely-used PO assay were violated, with differential activity between PO-driven reactions in melanin synthesis and different substrates used by larvae and adults. Future work should be wary of using the PO assay as a marker of potential melanin production and take into account the developmental requirements for melanin at different life stages. The relationship between metabolic plasticity and range was then assessed in Deronectes, finding that southerly species had more marked changes in glucose and protein content under elevated temperature stress than their northerly counterparts. Glucose content was also significantly positively correlated to lipid content, indicating that the energetics of species exhibiting differing range sizes may warrant future study. As the results from Hydroporus suggested that there may be trade-offs between immune defence and metabolism, the data on metabolic plasticity and immunocompetence in a sub-sample of Deronectes species were combined with thermal physiology, dispersal ability, body size and phylogenetic relatedness to assess which of these best explained variation in range size and position. Whilst variation in range extent and position were explained in part by thermal physiology, aspects of metabolic plasticity and immunocompetence also appeared to be important. This thesis provides one of the first indications that immunocompetence and metabolic plasticity may be related to geographical range and suggests parameters that may be worthy of exploration in other taxa.