Studies of avian navigation are making increasing use of miniature Global Positioning Satellite devices, to regularly record the position of birds in flight with high spatial and temporal resolution. I suggest a novel approach to analysing the data sets pro- duced in these experiments, focussing on studies of the domesticated homing pigeon (Columba Livia) in the local, familiar area. Using Gaussian processes and Bayesian inference as a mathematical foundation I develop and apply a statistical model to make quantitative predictions of homing pigeon flight paths. Using this model I show that pigeons, when released repeatedly from the same site, learn and follow a habitual route back to their home loft. The model reveals the rate of route learning and provides a quantitative estimate of the habitual route complete with associated spatio-temporal covariance. Furthermore I show that this habitual route is best described by a sequence of isolated waypoints rather than as a continuous path, and that these waypoints are preferentially found in certain terrain types, being especially rare within urban and forested environments. As a corollary I demonstrate an extension of the flight path model to simulate ex- periments where pigeons are released in pairs, and show that this can account for observed large scale patterns in such experiments based only on the individual birds’ previous behaviour in solo flights, making a successful quantitative prediction of the critical value associated with a non-linear behavioural transition.

M. Tech. (Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Applied and Computer Science), Vaal University of Technology| / Pigeon droppings, found in abundance in most cities and towns where pigeons are found, are a source of potential yeast and molds into the environment. Invasive fungal infections are a cause of morbidity and often mortality in immunocompromised individuals. The objective of this study was to the identification of bacterial and mold agents from pigeon droppings. Pigeon droppings samples were collected from three locations during the winter and summer months and studied for the occurrence of bacteria, yeast and molds by utilising culture-independent techniques. Amplification of the 16S rDNA gene and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, cloning and ARDRA and DGGE were used for the characterisation of the microbial populations followed by sequencing. Several mold and yeasts, as well as bacteria were found to be present in pigeon droppings, which can spread into the environment and be transmitted to immunocompromised individuals and children. DGGE analysis of the bacterial communities revealed banding patterns that clustered all but one winter samples and all summer samples, showing a high similarity among the microbial members in both seasons and sample locations. Fungal DGGE analysis revealed clusters that grouped summer and winter samples from Johannesburg and Pretoria while VUT samples were clustered on their own. From the identification of fungal and bacterial DNA, Cryptococcus species was the majority of fungi isolated from the dropping samples. Geotrichum, Kazachstania and Fusarium species were isolated from phylotypes obtained from ITS amplicons analysed by ARDRA. Lactobacillus and Enteroccoccus species, organisms usually found in the gastrointestinal tract were the common bacterial members identified. The results showed no difference in microbial communities across all sample locations, while seasonal changes also had no impact in microbial community patterns.

A integração das espécies de adubos verdes, que imobilizam P, com a aplicação de fontes minerais fosfatadas é uma das medidas agronômicas mais promissoras para melhorar a disponibilidade de P para a cultura principal, com o objetivo de recuperar a fertilidade do solo, aumentar a matéria orgânica do solo e assim, otimizar eficiência de fertilizantes minerais. Os objetivos deste trabalho foram selecionar entre as espécies de adubos verdes mais eficientes em absorver o P na forma menos disponível e pela marcação isotópica destas plantas com ³²P, quantificar o aproveitamento deste nutriente proveniente dos adubos verdes e do fertilizante mineral pela cultura da cana-de-açúcar e do arroz, determinando suas reais contribuições como fonte de P. O estudo foi desenvolvido três fases, em amostras de Latossolo Vermelho Amarelo distrófico típico, com baixo teor de P, em casa-de-vegetação no CENA/USP. O primeiro experimento foi realizado com a finalidade de identificar e selecionar entre as 25 espécies de adubos verdes (AV) mais eficientes em absorver P através de métodos de diluição isotópica. As plantas foram cultivadas em delineamento inteiramente casualizado com três repetições. Com os resultados (13 variáveis) das 25 espécies de adubo verde realizou-se análise estatística de componentes principais (PCA) e de agrupamento hierárquico (AHA) visando grupar os mais similares. A PCA foi explicada pelas duas primeiras componentes, definidas como P acumulado na planta e o valor L, resultando em três grupos, sendo o tremoço a espécies mais eficiente em absorver o P menos disponível, portanto, há diferença entre as espécies quanto à absorção. A partir desses grupos foram selecionadas algumas espécies de adubos verdes para avaliar o aproveitamento do P (AP) do adubo verde e do superfosfato triplo (SFT) pela raiz e parte aérea da cana-de-açúcar (experimento II) e pela parte aérea do arroz (experimento III) através da técnica da diluição isotópica. Para a cana-de-açúcar, foram selecionados braquiária ruziziensis, crotalária juncea, guandu anão, estilosante cv. Campo grande e para o arroz, a crotalária juncea e guandu anão e quatro doses de SFT (0; 30; 60 e 120 mg/vaso de P). Em média, os AVs apresentaram baixo aproveitamento, sendo 0,1 % pela raiz da cana; 0,8% pela parte aérea da cana e 2,0% pelo arroz. Para SFT, o AP pela raiz da cana foi de 1,0%; 9,9% pela parte aérea e 4,0% pelo arroz. Assim, o AP do SFT é superior aos dos adubos verdes para as duas culturas, independente das espécies de adubos verdes. Obtêm-se maior aproveitamento do SFT para ambas as culturas, na dose de 30 mg/vaso de P. O P do adubo verde não é suficiente para suprir a total demanda da cultura principal, mas favorece a absorção do P pela cultura quando associada ao SFT. / Integration of green manures species, which immobilize P, with supplying mineral P sources is one of the most promising agronomic practices for improving the availability of P for the main crop in order to recover soil fertility, increasing soil organic matter and thus optimize the efficiency of mineral fertilizers. The objectives of this work was to select among the green manure species the most efficient in absorbing the less available form of P, and by isotopic labeling of this plants, quantify the use of this nutrient from the green manures and mineral fertilizer by the sugar cane and rice crops, determining their real contributions as a P source. It was developed in three phases, in dystrophic Typical Hapludox, low-P, in the greenhouse in CENA / USP. The first experiment was conducted to identify and select the green manure species the more efficient one in absorbing P by isotopic dilution techniue. The plants were grown in a completely randomized design with three replications. With 25 species of green manures and 13 variables statistical analysis of principal components (PCA) and hierarchical clustering (HCA) were carried out in order to group the most similar ones. The PCA was explained by the first two components, defined as plant accumulated P and the L value, resulting three groups, and the white lupin being the most efficient in absorbing less available P, so there is difference between species on the ability to absorb the less available form of soil P absorption. From these groups some species of green manure were selected to evaluate the P use efficiency (PUE), from green manure and triple superphosphate (TSP), both labeled with ³²P, by sugar cane (experiment II) and rice plant (experiment III) through the isotopic dilution technique. Brachiaria, sunnhemp, dwarf pigeon pea, stylosante cv. campo grande were selected for sugar cane and sunnhemp and dwarf pigeon pea for rice, and four rates of TSP (0, 30, 60 and 120 mg P/ pot). On average, the AVs had low PUE, begin 0.1% by the root of sugar cane, 0.8% by shoot of sugar cane and 2.0% by rice. For TSP, the PUE by sugar cane roots were 1.0%, 9.9% by shoots and 4.0% by rice plants. Thus PUE of TSP is greater than that of green manure for both crops, regardless of green manure species. The highest PUE of TSP for both crops was obtained at rate of 30 mg P/pot. The green manure P is not sufficient to meet total demand for the main crop, but improves the absorption of P by the crop when associated with SFT.

A integração das espécies de adubos verdes, que imobilizam P, com a aplicação de fontes minerais fosfatadas é uma das medidas agronômicas mais promissoras para melhorar a disponibilidade de P para a cultura principal, com o objetivo de recuperar a fertilidade do solo, aumentar a matéria orgânica do solo e assim, otimizar eficiência de fertilizantes minerais. Os objetivos deste trabalho foram selecionar entre as espécies de adubos verdes mais eficientes em absorver o P na forma menos disponível e pela marcação isotópica destas plantas com ³²P, quantificar o aproveitamento deste nutriente proveniente dos adubos verdes e do fertilizante mineral pela cultura da cana-de-açúcar e do arroz, determinando suas reais contribuições como fonte de P. O estudo foi desenvolvido três fases, em amostras de Latossolo Vermelho Amarelo distrófico típico, com baixo teor de P, em casa-de-vegetação no CENA/USP. O primeiro experimento foi realizado com a finalidade de identificar e selecionar entre as 25 espécies de adubos verdes (AV) mais eficientes em absorver P através de métodos de diluição isotópica. As plantas foram cultivadas em delineamento inteiramente casualizado com três repetições. Com os resultados (13 variáveis) das 25 espécies de adubo verde realizou-se análise estatística de componentes principais (PCA) e de agrupamento hierárquico (AHA) visando grupar os mais similares. A PCA foi explicada pelas duas primeiras componentes, definidas como P acumulado na planta e o valor L, resultando em três grupos, sendo o tremoço a espécies mais eficiente em absorver o P menos disponível, portanto, há diferença entre as espécies quanto à absorção. A partir desses grupos foram selecionadas algumas espécies de adubos verdes para avaliar o aproveitamento do P (AP) do adubo verde e do superfosfato triplo (SFT) pela raiz e parte aérea da cana-de-açúcar (experimento II) e pela parte aérea do arroz (experimento III) através da técnica da diluição isotópica. Para a cana-de-açúcar, foram selecionados braquiária ruziziensis, crotalária juncea, guandu anão, estilosante cv. Campo grande e para o arroz, a crotalária juncea e guandu anão e quatro doses de SFT (0; 30; 60 e 120 mg/vaso de P). Em média, os AVs apresentaram baixo aproveitamento, sendo 0,1 % pela raiz da cana; 0,8% pela parte aérea da cana e 2,0% pelo arroz. Para SFT, o AP pela raiz da cana foi de 1,0%; 9,9% pela parte aérea e 4,0% pelo arroz. Assim, o AP do SFT é superior aos dos adubos verdes para as duas culturas, independente das espécies de adubos verdes. Obtêm-se maior aproveitamento do SFT para ambas as culturas, na dose de 30 mg/vaso de P. O P do adubo verde não é suficiente para suprir a total demanda da cultura principal, mas favorece a absorção do P pela cultura quando associada ao SFT. / Integration of green manures species, which immobilize P, with supplying mineral P sources is one of the most promising agronomic practices for improving the availability of P for the main crop in order to recover soil fertility, increasing soil organic matter and thus optimize the efficiency of mineral fertilizers. The objectives of this work was to select among the green manure species the most efficient in absorbing the less available form of P, and by isotopic labeling of this plants, quantify the use of this nutrient from the green manures and mineral fertilizer by the sugar cane and rice crops, determining their real contributions as a P source. It was developed in three phases, in dystrophic Typical Hapludox, low-P, in the greenhouse in CENA / USP. The first experiment was conducted to identify and select the green manure species the more efficient one in absorbing P by isotopic dilution techniue. The plants were grown in a completely randomized design with three replications. With 25 species of green manures and 13 variables statistical analysis of principal components (PCA) and hierarchical clustering (HCA) were carried out in order to group the most similar ones. The PCA was explained by the first two components, defined as plant accumulated P and the L value, resulting three groups, and the white lupin being the most efficient in absorbing less available P, so there is difference between species on the ability to absorb the less available form of soil P absorption. From these groups some species of green manure were selected to evaluate the P use efficiency (PUE), from green manure and triple superphosphate (TSP), both labeled with ³²P, by sugar cane (experiment II) and rice plant (experiment III) through the isotopic dilution technique. Brachiaria, sunnhemp, dwarf pigeon pea, stylosante cv. campo grande were selected for sugar cane and sunnhemp and dwarf pigeon pea for rice, and four rates of TSP (0, 30, 60 and 120 mg P/ pot). On average, the AVs had low PUE, begin 0.1% by the root of sugar cane, 0.8% by shoot of sugar cane and 2.0% by rice. For TSP, the PUE by sugar cane roots were 1.0%, 9.9% by shoots and 4.0% by rice plants. Thus PUE of TSP is greater than that of green manure for both crops, regardless of green manure species. The highest PUE of TSP for both crops was obtained at rate of 30 mg P/pot. The green manure P is not sufficient to meet total demand for the main crop, but improves the absorption of P by the crop when associated with SFT.

The present study is part of the Kaupapa Kereru Programme. The main aim of the programme is to increase the numbers and range of kereru (Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae) on Banks Peninsula. Home ranges, movements, diet and habitat use of 15 kereru captured in Hinewai Reserve, Banks Peninsula, were investigated from February 2005 to February 2006. Hinewai Reserve is the largest tract of regenerating native forest in a highly modified urban-rural landscape. Phenology of 11 plant species predicted to be key kereru foods, was studied to determine the pattern of food availability in Hinewai Reserve. Twelve radio-tagged kereru resided in the Hinewai Reserve study site (Otanerito Valley and Sleepy Bay) and three resided in Akaroa. Ripe fruit was available from January to August; the height of the fruiting season was in autumn. The bulk of new leaf growth occurred in spring and early summer although new leaves were available on broom and tree lucerne year round. Peak flowering occurred in spring. Kereru in Akaroa ate a total of 21 plant species; six of these species were native and 15 introduced. Kereru in the Hinewai Reserve study site ate a total of 26 plant species; 20 of these species were native and six introduced. Fruit was preferred when readily available. Native fruit appeared to be preferred over fruit of introduced species in Akaroa, where both types were available. New foliage of introduced legumes and deciduous species appeared to be preferred over new foliage of native species at both sites during winter and spring. These species were important food sources prior to the breeding season and may be selected specifically for their nitrogen and protein content. Food is currently not a limiting factor for kereru survival or reproductive success. Considerable variation in the use and preference of vegetation types of individual kereru made it difficult to identify trends in habitat selection. Use and preference for many vegetation types was seasonal; this was certainly because of the availability of food species included in or close to these vegetation types. Overall, native vegetation communities were used more than communities dominated by introduced species and forest communities were used more than non-forest communities. Kanuka (Kunzea ericoides) was used most often for non-feeding activities and 67% of observed nests were built in kanuka. Annual home ranges and core areas in the Hinewai Reserve study site (mean of 15.9 and 2 ha respectively) were significantly larger than those found in Lyttelton Harbour, Banks Peninsula in previous research (mean of 8 and 0.08 ha respectively). Home ranges were larger when fruit was eaten, than when no fruit was eaten indicating that kereru are more sedentary when feeding on foliage. Kereru from the Hinewai Reserve study site made no excursions >5 km and no daily movements >2 km. Kereru from Akaroa and Sleepy Bay travelled into Otanerito Valley to feed on horopito in autumn, indicating that there may have been a lack of fruit in their local areas during autumn. No kereru in Otanerito Valley travelled outside of the valley. The distribution of high quality food sources is likely to have caused the observed differences in home range and core area size between localities. Kereru in Lyttelton Harbour may have been restricted to small patches of high quality resources in a study area consisting largely of unsuitable habitat. In Hinewai Reserve, high quality resources were spread over larger areas and were more uniformly distributed. The density of kereru was unknown at both study sites, and this confounded assessment of habitat quality. However, it is likely that the Hinewai Reserve study site would support a higher number of kereru. The main factor limiting population growth in the present study was failure of nests at the egg and chick stage. The fledge rate was 17%. Two of fifteen adult kereru died. Control of predators should be the first aspect of management that is focused on, and will almost certainly increase reproductive success of kereru and loss of breeding adults. As the population of kereru on Banks Peninsula increases due to predator control in existing kereru habitat, food may become a limiting factor. Habitat can be improved for kereru by planting a diverse range of plant species that provide food year-round. Native fruiting species are greatly recommended for habitat enhancement and should be selected so that fruit is available for as much of the year as possible. Native and introduced legumes should also be made available as foods for winter and spring. As most land on Banks Peninsula is privately owned, co-operation and enthusiasm of the community is critical for successful management. Information and support needs to be given to landowners wishing to enhance their properties for kereru.

Orientador: Marlene Aparecida Schiavinato / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-21T08:53:28Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Longatti_ClaudiaAparecida_M.pdf: 1449126 bytes, checksum: be3aefaf910ddbe46531e367581164f3 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012 / Resumo: O metabolismo geral de uma planta pode ser afetado pelo excesso de sais no solo, visto que a salinidade pode causar reduções no crescimento e acelerar a senescência. Os brassinosteróides são hormônios vegetais envolvidos no aumento da tolerância a vários tipos de estresses, inclusive o estresse salino. Com o objetivo de avaliar a influência da aplicação de brassinosteróide no crescimento e metabolismo do nitrogênio em plantas de Cajanus cajan sob diferentes condições de estresse salino, plantas noduladas de C. cajan foram cultivadas em casa de vegetação na ausência ou presença de brassinosteróide (24-epibrassinolídeo), sob diferentes concentrações de NaCl (0 mM, 100 mM e 200 mM). A salinidade afetou o crescimento, reduzindo a área, o comprimento do caule, a longevidade foliar, o teor de umidade de folhas, caules e raízes, bem como a atividade da nitrogenase, os teores de pigmentos fotossintetizantes, de malondialdeído e de nitrogênio total em folhas verde maduras, e a proficiência e eficiência do uso de nitrogênio. A aplicação de brassinosteróide amenizou o efeito do NaCl nas reduções da área foliar e teores de clorofila a e total. Também atenuou o efeito do estresse salino na atividade da nitrogenase. Esse efeito positivo do brassinosteróide sobre a atividade da enzima refletiu-se no aumento da concentração de compostos nitrogenados nas folhas verde-maduras e reduziu, ainda, a perda de N nas folhas senescentes. A maior concentração de N total nas folhas verde-maduras de plantas tratadas com o 24-epibrassinolídeo levou à redução da eficiência de utilização desse elemento / Abstract: The general metabolism of a plant can be affected by salinity excess in soil, due to the fact that salinity can cause growth reduction and accelerate senescence. The brassinosteroids are plant hormones involved in increasing tolerance in several types of stress, including salt stress. In order to verify the influence of the application brassinosteroid on development and nitrogen metabolism in Cajanus cajan plants under different levels of salt stress, nodulated plants of C. cajan were cultivated in the greenhouse in the absence or presence of 24-epibrassinolide, under different concentrations of NaCl (0 mM, 100 mM and 200 mM). Salinity affected growth reducing leaf area, branch length, leaf longevity, moisture content of leaves, stems and roots, as well as activity of nitrogenase, amounts of photosynthetic pigments, malondialdehyde and total nitrogen in mature green leaves; nitrogen use proficiency and efficiency. The application of brassinosteroid attenuated the effect of NaCl on the leaf area and on the concentrations of chlorophyll a and total chlorophyll. The hormone also attenuated the effect of salt stress on the activity of nitrogenase. The positive effect of the hormone on the activity of the enzyme led to an increase in the concentration of nitrogenous compounds in the mature green leaves and reduced the lost of nitrogen in senescent leaves. The higher concentration of total nitrogen in mature green leaves of the plants treated with 24-epibrassinolide led to a reduction in nitrogen use efficiency / Mestrado / Biologia Vegetal / Mestre em Biologia Vegetal

The thesis addresses issues related to the overbred population of feral pigeons (Columbia livia forma Domestica) in Czech towns. It approaches the subject from procedural, bureaucratic perspective. Specifically, the thesis examines the factors which affect the selection of methods of the feral pigeons' population regulation in four Czech towns: Special attention is devoted to the question whether the method of controlled city dovecotes, used to regulate pigeon populations, could come in useful in the Czech context. Research carried out for the thesis is qualitative; the data comes from semi-structured interviews with experts. Analysis of the collected data focuses on verification of authenticity of the provided information. Subsequently, effectiveness of cage entrapment, which considerably prevails over the other methods used, is considered in ethical, ecological, and economic respect. The thesis also surveys the health risk posed by the feral pigeon population to public and how views of the public concerning the issue affect the regulation process. The overall aim is to highlight the drawbacks of the decision making process, offer possible alternatives, and prompt more research.

Building an intelligent agent model from scratch is a difficult task. Thus, it would be preferable to have an automated process perform this task. There have been many manual and automatic techniques, however, each of these has various issues with obtaining, organizing, or making use of the data. Additionally, it can be difficult to get perfect data or, once the data is obtained, impractical to get a human subject to explain why some action was performed. Because of these problems, machine learning from observation emerged to produce agent models based on observational data. Learning from observation uses unobtrusive and purely observable information to construct an agent that behaves similarly to the observed human. Typically, an observational system builds an agent only based on prerecorded observations. This type of system works well with respect to agent creation, but lacks the ability to be trained and updated on-line. To overcome these deficiencies, the proposed system works by adding an augmented force-feedback system of training that senses the agents intentions haptically. Furthermore, because not all possible situations can be observed or directly trained, a third stage of learning from practice is added for the agent to gain additional knowledge for a particular mission. These stages of learning mimic the natural way a human might learn a task by first watching the task being performed, then being coached to improve, and finally practicing to self improve. The hypothesis is that a system that is initially trained using human recorded data (Observational), then tuned and adjusted using force-feedback (Instructional), and then allowed to perform the task in different situations (Experiential) will be better than any individual step or combination of steps.

Foram realizados dez experimentos envolvendo as culturas de feijão e milho consorciado com leguminosas e/ou Brachiaria brizantha, nas safras de verão de 2008/2009, inverno de 2009 e verão de 2009/2010, em dois municípios de estado de Goiás (GO). Em Ipameri-GO, a área foi cultivada com soja por vários anos e milho consorciado com B. brizantha na safra que precedeu a implantação dos experimentos. Em Santo Antônio de Goiás-GO, a área é mantida com a rotação de milho e soja com a forrageira B. brizantha, em esquema trienal. Os principais objetivos desses estudos foram avaliar: (i) a viabilidade do consórcio de milho com leguminosas, (ii) a resposta do feijoeiro cultivado em sucessão e (iii) o manejo do N nessas culturas. Foi constatado que em solos com média a alta fertilidade química, como os utilizados na experimentação, os consórcios de milho com B. brizantha ou com guandu-anão (Canajus cajan) ou crotalária (Crotalaria spectabilis) não interferiram na produtividade de grãos de milho na presença de N em cobertura, exceto no experimento conduzido em Santo Antônio de Goiás-GO, no qual a crotalária reduziu significativamente a produtividade do milho. Também, em ambos os locais, no consórcio simultâneo ou defasado de milho com crotalária ou guandu-anão não ocorreu liberação de nitrogênio (N) das leguminosas para o milho, medido pela produtividade de grãos, durante o ciclo das espécies. Já nos consórcios em que a B. brizantha foi mantida sem dessecação nas entrelinhas do milho, denominado de dessecação parcial, ocorreu decréscimo significativo na produtividade do milho, em relação ao cultivo em área totalmente dessecada. A análise de crescimento revelou maiores índice de área foliar (IAF) e acúmulo de massa de matéria seca da parte aérea (MSPA) para o guandu em monocultivo, sendo que para a crotalária cultivada na linha do milho, tanto o IAF quanto a MSPA aproximaram-se dos valores referentes ao monocultivo. As curvas de crescimento do milho revelaram a superioridade do cultivo com 90.kg.ha-1 de N tanto no IAF quanto na MSPA, quando comparado ao cultivo consorciado com leguminosas. No caso de Santo Antônio de Goiás-GO, na rotação trienal envolvendo espécies graníferas e forrageiras, registrou-se um acentuado aporte de N no solo, sendo obtidas altas produtividades de feijão cultivado em sucessão à pastagem, sem a aplicação de N mineral, ocorrendo, porém, aumento significativo na produtividade do feijoeiro nos tratamentos de palhadas que continham leguminosas. A aplicação de N mineral imediatamente antes da semeadura ou no estádio de plântulas do feijão e do milho teve efeito semelhante nas suas produtividades em relação à aplicação tradicional, ou seja, algumas semanas após a emergência dessas espécies. A aplicação de N mineral foi mais eficiente no aumento da produtividade de feijão irrigado quando feita próximo às fileiras de plantas ou quando o N foi incorporado mecanicamente no solo, comparados à aplicação a lanço. / Ten experiments were performed involving common beans and maize intercropped with legumes and/or Brachiaria brizantha, in the summer crops of 2008/2009, 2009 winter and summer of 2009/2010 in two municipalities in the Goiás (GO) state, Brazil. In Ipameri- GO, the area was planted with soybeans for several years and corn associated with B. brizantha in crop preceding the experiments. In Santo Antônio de Goiás-GO, the area is maintained with corn or soybean rotation with B. brizantha, in a three-year scheme. The main objectives of these studies were to evaluate the feasibility of intercropping maize with legumes and the response of common bean after it, in no-tillage system, on the mulching straws provided by the cultivation of maize intercropped with forage legumes and grasses and to study the management of nitrogen (N) in these two crops. It was found that in soils with medium to high chemical fertility, such as those used in the experiments, the intercropping of corn and B. brizantha or pigeonpea (Canajus cajan) and sunn hemp (Crotalaria spectabilis) had any influence on grain yield of maize in the presence of mineral N, except in the experiment conducted in Santo Antonio de Goiás-GO, where the sunn hemp significantly reduced corn productivity. Also, in both locations, simultaneous or lagged consortium of pigeonpea or sunn hemp with maize, there was no release of N from legumes to maize, as measured by grain productivity, during the cycle of the species. However, in the consortia in which B. brizantha is maintained without drying between the maize lines, called partial desiccation, there was a significant decrease in the yield of corn in relation to the totally desiccated area. The growth analysis showed higher leaf area index (LAI) and total dry matter accumulation (TDM) for pigeonpea grown in single system, but for sunn hemp cultivated in the corn rows, both LAI and TDM approached to its single cropping, confirming its competitiveness with corn in the intercropping system. Growth curves also showed the superiority of the corn crop with 90 kg N ha-1 in both LAI and TDM, compared to intercropping with legumes. In the case of Santo Antônio de Goiás-GO the three-year rotation involving grain species and grass forages caused an intake of N in the soil, and high yields of beans grown in rotation with pasture were obtained, without the application of mineral N, occurring, though, significant increase in grain yield in the treatments of straws containing legumes. The application of mineral N immediately before sowing or at the seedling stage of beans and corn had a similar effect on their productivity compared to traditional application, a few weeks after the emergence of these species. The application of mineral N was more efficient in increasing the productivity of beans when applied on the soil surface near the plants rows and in cases where the fertilizer was mechanically incorporated into the soil, comparing to surface-broadcasting.

Often perceived as pests, pigeon control is applied without investigating environmental, ecological and anthropogenic factors which affect their populations and response to controls. Estate Management of the University of South Africa’s Muckleneuk campus identified a need to investigate and address a perceived pigeon problem. Staff perceptions regarding the presence and attitude towards control of the pigeons was undertaken through an online Survey Monkey questionnaire and semi- structured interviews until saturation was achieved. It was determined that the a s sumed negative perception towards the pigeons was in fact incorrect. Participants would rather encourage the nesting and breeding activities of pigeons on campus, as they felt that the human–pigeon interactions and viewing of squabs in nests contributed positively to their work environment. Participants did not consider the pigeons or their related activities to pose a problem. It was felt that should control be imposed, the birds should rather be humanely managed through non-lethal measures rather than eradication. Pigeon numbers on five buildings on the University’s campus were counted at dawn and dusk, every week, for two years. The first year provided baseline data and the second year was when control measures were applied. The study determined that the pigeon population index fluctuated seasonally while breeding occurred throughout the year, with notable peaks and declines relating to physiological and population dynamics. The pigeons seemed to make opportunistic use of crop availability in surrounding farmlands during optimal production periods, while conserving energy when not favourable. Site selection in relation to building aspect indicated significant differences in all the seasons except for winter, while a positive significant relationship between level height and pigeon number was recorded. Once the control measures were applied, the total pigeon index on the campus declined by 50%. Control structures differed significantly in efficacy. Bird spikes indicated the highest efficacy at reducing the pigeon population index and seasonality did influence this efficiency. Birds of prey and an audio bird scarer were used to compare actual versus implied predator presence, it was determined that there was an association between method of scaring and the number of pigeons observed on the different time periods. Pigeons were observed to continue the natural trend of dispersion and return at the dawn and dusk counts during the audio bird scarer trial without being actively discouraged or dislodged from the building. Pigeons reacted positively to the visual raptor presence, which caused them to take flight from the buildings. The visual effect was only temporary however as pigeons returned once the threat had been removed 10 minutes post scare. The studies concluded in an interdisciplinary management plan presented to the University Estates. / Environmental Science / M. Sc. (Environmental Science)