To predict the response of communities and ecosystems to rising levels of atmospheric CO2, the response of individual plants under natural conditions needs to be determined. Podalyria sericea, a fynbos legume, was grown in a greenhouse under ambient (35 Pa) and elevated (70 Pa) CO2 partial pressure for 18 months. Growth, leaf 615N and leaf gas exchange was measured to determine whether this N2-fixer could maintain a positive growth response under conditions of high competition. Results revealed a lack of positive growth response to elevated CO2, although far more flowers were produced in the elevated treatment. Allocation patterns were slightly different, with relatively higher shoot mass for plants exposed to elevated CO2. Leaf 61 5N and N concentrations were unaffected. Photosynthetic capacity was greatly reduced and maximum rates of Rubisco carboxylation (V cmaJ and light saturated electron transport (Jniax) were lower for plants exposed to elevated CO2. Net CO2 assimilation (A) at growth CO2 was higher for the plants from the ambient treatment. Shading appears to have been an important constraint on growth response to elevated CO2, and plants which received more light had significantly more biomass in the elevated treatment. The potential effect of restricted root growth and low soil nutrient availability are discussed as additional factors which may have negated a positive growth response.

Thesis (M.S.)--Miami University, Dept. of Zoology, 2008. / Title from first page of PDF document. Includes bibliographical references (p. 34-38).

The purpose of this thesis was to elaborate a survey analysis in the cadastral territory of Milenovice. For the production of the survey analysis was used the methodology processed by Dumbrovský. This methodology divides survey analysis into the research of the climatic, hydrological and aquiculturing rates, the research of the transport system and the current situation of the cadastral territory, the research of the agricultural land utilization and the protection of the agricultural land resources and the research of ecological stability of the territory. The result of this thesis was the discovering of the problems concerning the process of the complex land adjustments in the mentioned territory. The survey analysis refers mainly to the problems regarding the erosion, the flood-protection, the ecological stability and the drainage.

Magistriniame darbe įvertinamas Ignalinos atominės elektrinės ir gamtinių sąlygų poveikis terminiam Drūkšių ežero režimui. Tyrimo tikslas – įvertinti Ignalinos atominės elektrinės ir gamtinių sąlygų poveikį terminiam Drūkšių ežero režimui. Tyrimo objektas – atominė elektrinė ir Drūkšių ežeras. Nuo l984 m. Lietuvos didžiausias Drūkšių ežeras pradėjo tarnauti kaip Ignalinos atominės elektrinės (IAE) aušintuvas. Todėl natūralus hidrologinis režimas ir šilumos balansas ežere buvo sutrikdyti. Ypač pakito Drūkšių ežero terminis režimas. Vidutiniškai Drūkšių ežero vandens temperatūra pakilo apie 3,5 ºC. Tačiau pastaraisiais metais Lietuvoje stebimos klimato atšilimo tendencijos. Per pastaruosius dešimtmečius vidutinė oro temperatūra padidėjo apie 1 ºC. Oro temperatūros augimas taip pat turėjo įtakos visų vandens telkinių, tuo pačiu ir Drūkšių ežero vandens temperatūrai. Todėl tiek antropogeniniai veiksniai (atominė elektrinė), tiek gamtiniai veiksniai (klimato kaita) turi įtakos Drūkšių ežero terminiam režimui. Lietuvos energetikos instituto ir kitų mokslinių institucijų darbuotojai atliko daug tyrimų, susijusių su Drūkšių ežero hidrologine, hidrotermine bei ekologine būkle. Tačiau šiuose tyrimuose mažai dėmesio buvo skirta gamtinės kaitos įtakos Drūkšių ežero terminiam režimui nustatymui. Šio tyrimo tikslas buvo įvertinti atominės elektrinės ir gamtinių sąlygų poveikį terminiam Drūkšių ežero režimui. Norint įvertinti Drūkšių ežero terminio režimo pokyčius veikiant IAE... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The paper evaluated the Ignalina nuclear power and natural conditions, the thermal effect of the lake Drūkšiai regime. Purpose of the survey - to assess the Ignalina nuclear power and natural conditions on the thermal regime of Lake Drūkšiai. The object of research - nuclear power and natural environment impacts. Since l984, the Lithuanian Drūkšiai largest lake began to serve as the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant (INPP) cooler. Therefore, the natural hydrological regime and heat balance in the lake has been disturbed. In particular, changes in lake thermal regime Drūkšiai. On average, Drūkšiai lake temperature has risen approximately 3.5 ° C. However, in recent years, Lithuania observed warming trends. Over the past decades, the average air temperature increased about 1 ° C. Air temperature rise is also affected by the water at the same time and lake water temperatures. Therefore, both anthropogenic factors (NPP) and natural factors (climate change) affect the thermal regime of Lake Drūkšiai. Lithuanian Energy Institute and other scientific staff, the large number of tests and touching Drūkšiai lake hydrology, hydrothermal and ecological condition. However, these studies little attention was given to natural changes affect Drūkšiai lake thermal regime. Purpose of this study was to evaluate nuclear power and natural conditions on the thermal regime of Lake Drūkšiai. To assess Drūkšiai Lake thermal regime change operation IAE... [to full text]

No description available.

Diploma work, the proposal of establishment of an outdoor geological expositions near the village Kozolupy deals with characteristics of the place where the exhibition has to be established, natural conditions, geological history of the place and other tourist destinations of the area. Further work characterizes geoparks and issues associated with them and indicates the difference between geoparks and geological exposition, there is also provided a particular example. In next part of the work there are rocks selected for the exhibition, their description and geological characteristics of the area where it came from. This theoretical part follows the practical one. Here is described everything needful concerning the location of geological exposition in the attachment there are exhibition plans and photographs of the park, where exposition is to be located. There are also particular proposals of information boards. Last but not least, work is drawing up the budget. Diploma work concludes proposal of excursions to interesting locations with the visit of the exposition. This Master thesis was created as a part project GA JU 065/2010/S.

The purpose of this thesis is to process a research material obtained from a fieldwork in the region around Zálesí in Sumava, Czech Republic, in order to elaborate bases for a global countryside improvement of the area. The theoretical part of the thesis is focused on the explanation of the concepts that define the forms and goals of the countryside and land improvement. It is followed by an introduction of the relations among the land improvement and a stability of the ecology system, landscape and common devices planning. The theoretical part is concluded with a short description of the natural conditions and, according to the methodology, an analysis of the current situation in the field. The applied part of the thesis follows the methodology of Dumbrovsky at al., 2004. In the first part, there is a general characterization of the field, spatial analysis and an analysis of the differentiation of the area around Zálesí. It is followed by an identification of its concrete characteristics and values. The outcome of the thesis is a detailed and global research of the countryside, which could be used during the planning of the improvements of the global stability of the region.

The practical part of my dissertation is focused on a few esential issues, one of them is the choice of the area of the interest which has to meet some standards : 1) the existence of territorial plan 2) the corresponding area 3) the possibility of meaningful municipality growth with the connections to its surroundings. At the given municipality and its surroundings, the area and municipality characteristics was made. Also local research was conducted, and after that, the landscape character and SWOT analysis followed. The environment, public utilities, conditions for economy development, socio-demographic and water supply and distribution were studied and analysed. Next, studying of the methodology of the country area growth was also neccessary. During preparation, consultations with the purchaser (chairman of the council) were held, where the progress of work was set and mutual standpoints on partial problems conception were discussed. Next step was the territorial-economic rules procedure and discussion and making own concept of the proposal of territorial plan change. Program GIS was used for this plan {--} the output was a map with the current situation and suggested changes.

Abstract Previous reports on the effects of enhanced UV-B radiation on bryophytes have been equivocal. This study shows that mosses not only respond to enhanced UV-B, but they are affected by changes in ambient radiation. The studies were conducted with two model species common in northern environments; red-stemmed feather moss (Pleurozium schreberi) and juniper haircap moss (Polytrichum juniperinum). Both species showed high concentrations of methanol-extractable UV-absorbing compounds (UACs) with high spring-time and early-summer UV, whereas in P. juniperinum, the concentration was affected by early-summer drought. The UACs of P. juniperinum increased again towards autumn suggesting a role in winter hardening. The (spring-time) cell wall-bound UV screen was important to both species. The fundamental adaptation of P. juniperinum to open and exposed environments was reflected in relatively higher concentrations of total UACs compared to P. schreberi. The enhanced UV-B experiments in situ were conducted over two years in Oulu and six years at the FUVIRC site in Sodankylä. Some of the effects of UV-B were seen within the first years of the experiments, or even within hours, while others were observed after several years. Five or six years of enhanced UV-B treatment increased the methanol-extractable UACs of P. schreberi and decreased the green shoot growth of P. juniperinum. The immediate light environment was proposed to have an impact on the varying UAC concentrations. Some mitigating effects of UV-A were observed as well. Off-site measured, reconstructed and modelled UV radiation data was used for comparisons of light environment in situ, or when performing a reconstructive research with historical samples. The environmental sample banks can provide a useful tool to study past environmental conditions, and even reconstruct past radiation levels. It was shown in this study that UACs in P. schreberi and P. juniperinum have fundamental roles as UV-B screens in the cell walls, but there is also a variable response with the soluble fraction that reacts and adapts to the changes in UV radiation. The responses to increasing UV-B radiation vary in magnitude and in time. As P. schreberi and P. juniperinum possess circumboreal and cosmopolitan distributions, the effects of UV-B on these species and consequently on ecosystems has a broad application.

Cerastoderma glaucum est un modèle biologique de choix pour des études phylogéographiques et écotoxicologiques.Une étude de sa structure génétique en méditerranée occidentale a été réalisée en utilisant deux types de marqueurs, mitochondrial et nucléaire. Les résultats obtenus ont révélé à travers l’ADN mitochondrial une population très divergente de toutes les autres populations (Ellouza, Sud de la Tunisie).Une étude écotoxicologique sur des populations issues de ce site Ellouza et deux autres sites à proximité dans la région du golfe de Gabès a été réalisée dans le but d’étudier la réponse adaptative des populations de la coque C. glaucum en milieu naturel à différents niveaux de l’organisation biologique allant du niveau individuel jusqu’au niveau cellulaire et moléculaire. En parallèle à cette étude, deux expérimentations en laboratoire ont été réalisées afin de préciser les mécanismes pouvant expliquer le succès ou l’échec du maintien des populations de C. glaucum. La première expérimentation a été réalisée en utilisant des effluents industriels et la deuxième en utilisant un contaminant pur le cadmium. Les niveaux de l’organisationbiologique concernés par cette étude étaient le niveau individuel et le niveau moléculaire. Différents biomarqueurs impliqués dans la réponse à différents types de stress : (MT), (ABCB1), (MnSOD et CuZnSOD), (CAT), (HSP70) et (COI) ont été utilisés en milieu naturel ainsi qu’en conditions contrôlées et les résultats obtenus ont montré l’importance dumétabolisme énergétique dans la réponse au stress quelque soit l’approche utilisée (in situ/ expérimental) à travers la régulation de l’expression du gène COI. / Cerastoderma glaucum is an adequate biological model for phylogeographic and ecotoxicological studies.A study of its genetic structure in the Western Mediterranean sea was conducted using two markers types: mitochondrial and nuclear. The DNA mitochondrial marker results show a divergent population from all the other ones (Ellouza South ofTunisia).An ecotoxicological study of populations sampled from Ellouza site and two other nearby sites in the Gulf of Gabes region was carried out in order to study the adaptive response of natural populations of C. glaucum at different levels of biological organization from the individual level to the cellular and molecular ones. In parallel, two laboratory experiments were performed to clarify the mechanisms that may explain the success or failure of maintaining populations of C. glaucum. In thefirst one, industrial effluents were used and in the second we have used a pure contaminant, the cadmium. These studies experiments concerned individual and molecular levels. Different biomarkers involved in the response to different types of stress: (MT), (ABCB1) (MnSOD and CuZnSOD) (CAT) (HSP70) and (COI) were used in natural and exposed cockles.Results showed the importance of energy metabolism in response to stress whatever the used approach (in situ / Experimental) through the regulation of the expression of the COI gene.