La mara (Dolichotis patagonum) es un roedor cursorial endémico de la Argentina con características ecológicas particulares: es el cávido de mayor tamaño en patagonia (8 a 12 kg) y su sistema social combina apareamiento monogámico territorial con crianza en madrigueras comunales. Estas características la hacen un modelo de interés para estudiar la influencia de interacciones intraespecíficas positivas y características del paisaje en la selección de hábitat de una especie. El objetivo de esta tesis fue investigar los principales procesos que afectan la distribución por hábitat de los individuos de mara, y explorar las consecuencias de la cría comunal en la selección de hábitat y capacidad de coloni-zación de esta especie. Se estudiaron los patrones de uso o presencia de maras y su relación con variables ambientales a distintas escalas en Península Valdés. También se investigó la relación entre abundancia, éxito reproductivo y caracterís-ticas del hábitat, y las relaciones espaciales entre sitios reproductivos. Los resultados mostraron que la ubicación de la madriguera es un punto influyente en el uso del hábitat a escala de microhábitat, concentrándose gran parte de la actividad anual de las maras en sus inmediaciones. La influen-cia de la madriguera se mantendría fuera de la temporada reproductiva pues no se encontraron evidencias de centros de actividad alternativos. Tanto a escala de microhábitat como a escala de hábitat los sitios utilizados por las maras se caracterizaron por presentar alta proporción de suelo desnudo y cercanía a elementos de infraestructura, como molinos o puestos, caminos y alambrados. La relación con proporción de cobertura de estepa arbustiva fue variable de acuerdo al ambiente del que se tratase, lo que concuerda con la hipóte-sis de que la mara selecciona el hábitat de acuerdo al refugio que éste provee, requiriendo áreas abiertas para detección de predadores y arbustos para ocultarse, sobre todo en ambien-tes donde este tipo de vegetación no es predominante. El número de adultos por madriguera estuvo relacionado con las características del hábitat estudiadas y el éxito reproductivo fue diferente en distintos tipos de hábitat. Se encontraron evidencias de beneficios resultantes de la comunalidad sobre el éxito reproductivo en madrigueras ubicadas en sitios con predominio de suelo desnudo, alta diversidad de coberturas y cercanía a alambrados, el tipo de hábitat que presentó mayor abundancia de adultos. Finalmente, las madrigueras mostraron un patrón de distribución agregado que fue explicado por heterogeneidad ambiental relacionada con diversas variables que incluyen cobertura relativa de los principales grupos funcionales, distancia a molinos y alambrados dependiendo del área de estudio. En cambio, la explicación del patrón por interacciones entre pares de madrigueras fue constante a través de ambientes y áreas de estudio. Tanto las caracterís-ticas del hábitat, naturales o de origen antrópico, como las interacciones sociales entre individuos, influyen en la se-lección de hábitat y en los patrones de distribución pobla-cional de la mara en Península Valdés. Las interacciones que se desarrollan a escala de hábitat en relación a la cría comu-nal condicionarían el uso y selección de hábitat a otras escalas. / The Mara (Dolichotis patagonum) is an endemic mammal of Argentina, with particular ecological characteristics: is the largest Cavid (8 to 12 kg) and its social system combines monogamy with communal denning. Because of these, it is a model species to study the influence of positive intraspecific interactions and landscape structure over habitat selection patterns. The objective of this thesis was to identify the major processes driving habitat selection in maras, and to explore the consequences of communal breeding on habitat selection and colonization ability of the species. I studied the spatial patterns of habitat use or presence of maras and their relationship with environmental variables at different scales in the Península Valdés Protected Area. Also I assessed the rela-tion among mara abundance, reproductive success and habi-tat characteristic, and the spatial relationships among reproductive sites. The results showed that the location of breeding warrens influenced the habitat use at a small, microhabitat scale, even after the reproductive season ended. The core area of the annual activity of maras was concentrated around the warren and there was no evidence of alternative activity areas. At both microha-bitat and habitat scales, the sites used by maras presen-ted a high proportion of bare soil and were close to in-frastructure elements. The relationship with the shrub-steppe habitat was variable across environments, which agrees with the hypothesis that maras select the habitat according with the cover against predators, searching for open areas allowing for predator detection and bushes for hiding, mostly where bushes are not predominant. The number of adults per warren was related to habitat charac-teristics and the breeding varied across different habi-tats. I found evidence of benefits of communal denning over reproductive success in warrens located in sites with a high proportion of bare soil, high diversity of cover types and close to fences, the habitat type with the highest number of adults. Finally, the warrens showed a clustered spatial pattern explained by environmental heterogeneity related to different variables in different study areas such as distance to the wind mill, distance to the fence and relative cover of the main vegetation func-tional gruoups. Otherwise, the pattern was explained always by pairwise interaction among warrens across environments and study areas. Social interactions as well as habitat characteristics, natural or anthropogenic, influenced habitat selection and distribution patterns of mara popu-lation in Península Valdés. The interactions developed at a habitat scale related with communal denning may affect habitat use and selection patterns at other spatial scales.

Thesis (MInternationalStudies)--University of South Australia, 2007.

Thesis (MInternationalStudies)--University of South Australia, 2007.

D. Litt et Phil. (Psychology) / The need was identified to place the work of Mara Selvini PalazzoIi (PalazzoIi) within a specific socio-political and theoretical context in order to be able to appraise her contributions to the field of family therapy. Therefore the first part of this thesis examines the Italian context within which Palazzoli's work has evolved, with specific emphasis on certain social and political changes which have taken place in the past twenty five years. These transformations also led to a new mental health legislation (Law 180 of 1978) which saw the closing down of psychiatric institutions and in turn greatly encouraged the development of family therapy. A close analysis of Law 180 is provided with specific criticism from a systemic perspective. The nature of the Italian families with which PalazzoIi has worked is also briefly examined. Certain theoretical influences have also played an important part in the development of her work from psychoanalysis to systems theory, and lastly to complexity. These are examined, although the emphasis falls on the work of the Frenchman Edgar Morin with regard to complexity, because of the epistemological value it has for PalazzoIi's latest work. This historical development of Palazzoli's work is examined in great detail within a "complex dialectical" framework which focuses on how knowledge develops and how contradictions are often present in this process. Her psychoanalytical work is seen as the thesis of this dialectical process, moving to its antithesis, namely systems theory and, lastly the synthesis found in a model of family games. This process seems to be evolving once again and a new thesis is identified in the most recent therapeutic and theoretical developments. Attention is also given to the work carried out by PalazzoIi in larger organizations as it shows how family therapy principles can be adapted to other than therapeutic contexts. Having created this contextual framework for a critical appraisal the last chapter examines Palazzoli's work in terms of so-called "internal" and "external" factors in an attempt to identify the significance of her work for the theory and practice of family therapy. Some recommendations for future research arising from this study are given at the end of the thesis.

The Masai Mara Game Reserve of southwestern Kenya forms the northernmost extension of the Serengeti ecosystem and provides the critical dry season range for approximately 1.5 million migratory wildebeest. Over the past 100 years, major ecological changes have occurred. The area has experienced a transformation from open grassland to dense woodlands and back. This study addressed the transition in the Mara woodlands from both an historical and a contemporary perspective. The study focused on two central questions: 1) what factor (or factors) were responsible for the decline of the woodlands in the 1960s? And 2) what factor (or factors) are currently responsible for inhibiting woodland regeneration? In the 1880s an introduced disease, rinderpest, decimated wild and domestic ungulates in the Serengeti-Mara region. Local pastoralists, dependent on their livestock for survival, succumbed to disease and starvation. Elephant numbers had also been greatly reduced by indigenous hunters. Explorers, slave traders, and hunters described the area as an open grassland by 1900. In the following decades, conditions were conducive to the establishment of woodlands; burning rates were low and elephant browsing was negligible. By the 1930s, the area was covered by dense woodland. These woodlands began a steady decline several decades later. Unusually high rainfall, high grass productivity, and severe fires characterized the period of greatest decline (1961 1967). Although woodland losses were initially viewed as "elephant problems", findings from this study suggest that fire was the primary factor in the disappearance of woodlands, while elephants merely accelerated the rate of decline. Elephants preferred open grasslands, swamps, and relict thickets in the wet season. However, in the dry season, elephants selected wooded habitats. Average group size was significantly higher in the wet season than the dry. Mara elephants fit the same feeding patterns reported for many African elephant populations. Elephants concentrated on grasses and herbs in the rainy season and browse in the dry season. In general, males browsed more than females, while females ate more diverse diets containing more herbaceous matter. Elephants utilized seedlings under 1m more than any other height class of trees throughout the year. This pattern of selective feeding significantly reduced seedling survivorship. Large-scale field experiments subjected plants to three treatments: browsed only, browsed and burned, and neither browsed nor burned. Although fire, at current fuel loadings and intensities, produced an almost total topkill, the majority of burned individuals resprouted within six months. Elephants removed a significant proportion of seedlings and severely damaged others. Wildebeest inhibited seedling growth through trampling, thrashing, and accidental browsing. Only those seedlings protected from both burning and browsing increased in height. Woodland dynamics in the Mara are currently more affected by elephants, wildebeest, and other browsers than by fire. Elephants can be considered a "keystone" species in this system. I concluded that elephants were not capable of initiating the woodland declines which started over two decades ago. However, once tree densities had been reduced by previous perturbations (such as increased burning rates following a reduction in wildebeest numbers and an increased frequency of man-made fires), elephants accelerated the rate of decline. My findings did not support Caughley's "stable limit cycle" hypothesis. Today, elephants are holding the Mara in a grassland phase, despite low burning rates. This pattern suggests that the Mara may have two locally stable states, woodland or grassland, and that an external factor such as fire is necessary to move the system between the two. Elephants, alone, apparently cannot move the system from one state to another, but once it is in the grassland phase, they can hold it there. / Science, Faculty of / Zoology, Department of / Graduate

Mara Lake, British Columbia, straddles the boundary between the Monashee Group on the east and the Mount Ida Group on the west. Both groups of rock have experienced four phases of deformation. Phases one and two are tight and recumbent, trending to the north and to the west respectively. Phases three and four are open to close and upright, trending northwest and northeast respectively. Second phase deformation includes large scale tectonic slides which separate limbs of major folds. These slide surfaces are folded by third and fourth phase structures and outline domal outcrop patterns. Peak metamorphism accompanied and followed phase two. Metamorphic grade is related to position within the second phase structure, increasing downward from greenschist to amphibolite facies. Greenschist conditions accompanied phase three while hydrothermal alteration characterizes phase four. Brittle fracturing and local faulting along a northeasterly trend followed phase four. Abrupt changes in metamorphic grade found at the northern end of Mara Lake are related to these late faults. Correlation of lithologies across the southern end of Mara Lake and the similar structural sequences indicate that no stratigraphic or structural distinction is necessary between the Mount Ida Group and the Monashee Group. On a regional scale similar structural sequences are observed in other areas of the Shuswap Metamorphic Complex. Microscopic deformation features are common in many mineral phases in the Mara Lake area. Amphibole rarely shows evidence of plastic deformation. To examine this apparent high strength characteristic, fifty samples of hornblendite (AM-2) were deformed in a large, solid-medium Griggs-type apparatus at 700° to 1000°C at strain rates from 10⁻⁴/sec to 10⁻⁶/sec and at 10 kb confining pressure. Talc, pyrophyl lite, and platinum jacketing were used to yary water content. From 700° to 850°C both mechanical twins (101) and translation glide (100) were observed. Twin development appears to be favored over glide at higher confining pressures, lower temperatures, and higher strain rate. Above 850°C subgrain development and recrystallization occur just prior to melting. A flow law, Є = ~ 1.5 x 10⁻¹ exp (-38/RT)σ[sup 4.8] describes steady state deformation from 750° to 910°C under wet conditions. Decreasing water and temperature are accompanied by increasing n values and perhaps increasing activation energy. At 750°C under dry conditions an exponential relationship, Є = 53 exp (.23 σ) best fits the data. From 910° to 950°C the amphibole structure "hardens" such that strain rate remains constant for a given load. This hardening is interpreted to be related to oxidation and distortion within the lattice. Uncertainty regarding the activation energy precludes effective extrapolation of the data to "geologic" strain rates. A tentative comparison of amphibole and quartz data reveals an order of magnitude difference in flow stress, suggesting that quartz will yield plastically before amphibole. / Science, Faculty of / Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Department of / Graduate

No description available.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-10T10:34:41Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 ROMILDA ALVES DA SILVA ARAUJO.pdf: 5905150 bytes, checksum: f2234b74781e4ed69c39fc865a66d867 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-05-06 / The research purpose was to analyze the Congregation of São Pedro Ad Vincula trajectory in Mara Rosa-GO, which icon is the Priest Lorenzo Martinez Arias. This priest came to the town of Mara Rosa in 1961 to take on the Santo Antônio de Pádua Parish (in Amaro Leite), remaining in the position of vicar until his death, in 1995. It is worth noting that we searched on Priest Lorenzo s mailing, the representations built by him around the people and place, as well as around himself, his priesthood and the role he exercised. The sources used on the research were: the data collection entitled Priest Lorenzo s writings , documents that belong to the book tumble in the Santo Antônio Parish in Mara Rosa. We also used two small books about the congregation history written by Ad Vincula priests. Another source was the Congregation blog in Brazil. The results we reached made it possible to apprehend that priest Lorenzo extended his role as the São Pedro Ad Vincula Congregation missionary beyond the religious field. He exercised other activities as vicar. He was also near the local politics, offering support and incentive on the realizations and projects that could bring benefits to town and its people. And, at the same time, he was analyzing, arguing and, sometimes, criticizing the government actions. He also appears involved on education. Firstly, on the Congregation School and, after, on the public service as the Colégio Estadual Presidente Castelo Branco principal. We concluded that the priest s realizations are fruit of his comprehension on the role he had to fulfill as a missionary, regarding his congregation: sacrifice himself for it. Which means, make it prosper in relation to the local people, bring them some civility and make them participants of the Catholic Church. In the end, the dedication with which he fulfills his mission can be understood as a consequence of the representations he made about himself, and of its salvific mission: the congregation itself and its souls / O objetivo desta pesquisa foi analisar a trajetória da Congregação de São Pedro Ad Vincula em Mara Rosa GO, cujo ícone é o Pe. Lorenzo Martinez Arias. Este padre chegou à cidade de Mara Rosa em 1961 para assumir a Paróquia de Santo Antonio de Pádua (em Amaro Leite), permanecendo na função de pároco até sua morte, ocorrida em 1995. Cabe ressaltar que buscamos na correspondência do padre Lourenzo, as representações construídas por ele em torno das pessoas e do lugar, bem como de si, seu sacerdócio e do papel que exerceu. As fontes utilizadas na pesquisa foram: a coleção de documentos intitulada Escritos do Padre Lourenzo , documentos pertencentes ao livro tombo na paróquia de Santo Antonio em Mara Rosa. Também utilizamos dois pequenos livros sobre a história da congregação escrita por padres Ad .Vincula. Outra fonte foi o blog da Congregação no Brasil. Os resultados aos quais chegamos possibilitam apreender que padre Lourenzo estendeu seu papel como missionário da Congregação de São Pedro Ad Vincula para além do campo religioso. Exerceu outras atividades como Pároco. Esteve também próximo da política local, oferecendo apoio e incentivo nas realizações e projetos que beneficiassem a cidade e seu povo. E, ao mesmo tempo, analisando, discutindo e, às vezes, criticando ações do poder público. Também aparece envolvido na educação. Primeiramente, na Escola da Congregação e, depois, no serviço público como diretor do Colégio Estadual Presidente Castelo Branco. Chegamos à conclusão de que as realizações do padre, são frutos de sua compreensão, sobre o papel que tem a cumprir como missionário, em relação à sua congregação: sacrificar-se por ela. Ou seja, fazêla prosperar em relação às pessoas do lugar; levar-lhes civilidade , e fazer-las partícipes da igreja católica. Enfim, a dedicação com que cumpre sua missão, pode ser entendida como conseqüência das representações que faz de si, e de sua missão salvífica: de almas e da própria congregação.

Food frequency questionnaire and 24-hour recall methods were used to assess the general consumption of leafy vegetables and fruits within the Luo of northern Tanzania. The frequency questionnaire focused specifically on the consumption of Crotalaria brevidens, a leafy vegetable in a genus characterised by toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Leafy vegetables were the most frequently consumed food group, contributing 23% of the total frequency scores. Crotalaria brevidens contributed 1.7% of the total frequency scores although some individuals consume significantly more. High consumption frequency of Crotalaria sp. is negatively associated with the consumption of fruits, fats and oils, vitamin A animal sources and consumption of animal products. Edible portions of Crotalaria sp. contain toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids detected by thin layer chromatography. HPLC analysis showed that the plant contains high amounts of $ beta$-carotene. Quantification of the toxic alkaloids was not possible due to the low sensitivity of the methods used and low quantities present in the edible portions. Based on reported detection limits for the methods used a low and high estimated intake of toxic alkaloids was calculated and risk/benefit is assessed in relation to its nutrient content.

Integrated conservation and development projects have been widely promoted across Africa. These often involve public-private partnerships targeting tourism. Despite this encouragement, there are conflicting views regarding their impact. Conservancies have emerged bordering the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya. These conservancies are the latest in a series of attempts by residents to capture benefits and developmental assistance from the safari industry. Drawing upon 19-months of fieldwork, the thesis examines the contentious relationship between conservancies and development through a case study of Olare Motorogi and Naboisho Conservancies. The thesis analyses diverging interpretations of development between and within stakeholder groups active in the study site. Three key development indicators are identified: basic needs, economic implications and livelihood security. These indicators are used to assess how the conservancies are perceived to be impacting upon development, what motivating factors for involvement are, and whether this affects society evenly. Findings suggest that conservancies and their affiliated organisations are now widely seen as the main development actors within the study site. This is largely through the creation of community projects, income-earning opportunities and grazing schemes. The involvement of conservancy-based tourism businesses in these development initiatives suggests that inclusive business models are being adopted. There is still a degree of discontent regarding conservancies, especially within neighbouring communities. Successful project outputs do not always result in successful outcomes. Without steps to ensure that these outcomes are realised, community projects may be more beneficial for tourism marketing than they are for neighbouring residents. Significant disparities also remain in income distribution, although economic benefits accruing from the conservancies are now distributed more evenly than they were in previous community-based tourism attempts in the Mara. The most emotive issue amongst local residents is access to essential resources for the dominant livelihood, pastoralism. During the research period, more comprehensive grazing schemes were introduced which simulate communal grazing systems. These practices would otherwise have been lost following land subdivision. Some pastoralists maintain that fines for grazing illegally continue to outweigh other benefits, although others assess that they are beginning to see that conservancies can have a positive impact on their livelihood. Conservancy businesses adopting more inclusive strategies constitute a more conscious form of capitalism. Motivations for this centre around the importance of place, and incorporate an Africonsciousness. As such, the conservancies exemplify Africapitalism, a new concept within the broader inclusive business arena. To date, the effectiveness of inclusive capitalism as a development agent has been inconclusive due to insufficient data. This thesis begins to address this broad literature gap, and also expands research on Africapitalism to a new industry. Although a positive relationship with development is widely perceived within the study site, the sustainability of the conservancies is questioned in the face of multiple prevailing threats. These challenges can be recognised and mitigated against, but the future of the Maasai Mara Conservancies – and their ability to continue being development actors – remains uncertain.