The Master’s thesis deals with the issue of collecting mixed municipal waste from producers to a~waste-to-energy or landfills. The initial chapters are aimed to waste legislation and transportation of the waste by road freight transport across Europe. The objective is to collect the data, that are required for calculation in tool NERUDA. The next part describes the cluster analysis and different approaches in it. The selected methods of cluster analysis are apllied to the logistic task in the final chapters. The cluster analysis is considered from different aspects. The results are visualized using the software ArcGIS.

The decline of kereru (Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae) may limit dispersal of large-seeded plants in New Zealand, but the consequences of this are unknown. I determined kereru disperser effectiveness by modelling seed dispersal distances (using seed retention times and movement patterns). Mean seed retention time was significantly longer for larger-seeded species, ranging from 37-181 minutes. Wild radiotracked kereru were sedentary, remaining at one location for up to 5.25 hours. The mean flight distance was 77 m and the maximum was 1, 457 m. Estimated mean seed dispersal distances for tawa (Beilschmiedia tawa), puriri (Vitex lucens), and fivefinger (Pseudopanax arboreus) were 95, 98, and 61 m respectively. Kereru dispersed 66-87% of ingested seeds away from the parent tree, with 79-88% of seeds dispersed <100 m and < 1% dispersed over 1,000 m. In a field seed-fate experiment, "pre-human" conditions (cleaned seeds, low density, away from parent, and protected from mammals) increased survival compared to "post-human" conditions (whole fruits, high density, under parent, not protected) for both taraire (Beilschmiedia tarairi; 15% vs. 2% survival to one year respectively) and karaka (Corynocarpus laevigatus; 60% vs. 11% to two years, respectively). Fruit diameter varied considerably within karaka, taraire, and tawa, although theoretically not enough for them to be swallowed by other birds. Nevertheless, other birds are reported to occasionally take fruits of nearly all large-seeded species. Small tawa seeds produced smaller seedlings in the glasshouse; therefore selection of only smaller seeds by alternative dispersers may negatively affect tawa recruitment. Kereru are generally not gape-limited, and fruit size preferences were independent of mean fruit size. Kereru provide effective dispersal by moving most seeds away from the parent, and enhancing seed and seedling survival. Therefore, both dispersal failure and introduced mammals negatively affect the regeneration of large-seeded trees in New Zealand.

Diversos estudos que utilizaram o procedimento matching-to-sample indicaram que estabelecimento de controle pela posição em detrimento ao controle pela relação entre estímulos. Zentall e Hogan (1975) utilizaram um procedimento alternativo ao matching-to-sample com o qual respostas são emitidas ou não em uma única chave (procedimento go/no-go) para estabelecer relações de identidade ou singularidade. Nesse procedimento, o disco circular de respostas era longitudinalmente seccionado de maneira que cada metade do disco poderia ser iluminada independentemente por cores iguais ou diferentes. Os resultados dos testes indicam que quando novas cores foram apresentadas os pombos responderam sob controle da identidade. Carter e Werner (1978), no entanto, levantam a possibilidade de que os sujeitos estivessem respondendo sob controle de um campo homogêneo (formado por duas metades iguais), o que refletiria controle discriminativo simples e não condicional que seria necessário para atestar estabelecimento de controle pela identidade. O objetivo do presente estudo foi verificar se após um treino similar ao conduzido por Zentall e Hogan (1975), pombos responderiam sob controle da identidade quando as duas metades fossem apresentadas espacialmente separadas sem a possibilidade de configurarem um campo homogêneo. Os resultados dos testes indicaram ausência de discriminação. Mas, quando os pombos foram submetidos a novas sessões de treinos em que os semicírculos eram apresentados juntos, os resultados dos três pombos indicaram discriminação. Essas diferenças entre os resultados do primeiro e do segundo teste indicam que provavelmente pombos respondem sob controle de um campo homogêneo, o que confirmaria a hipótese de Carter e Werner (1978). / Several experiments that employed matching-to-sample procedure indicated the establishment of stimuli position control. Zentall and Hogan (1975) used an alternative procedure with which responses were emitted or not in a single-key (go/no-go procedure). In this procedure, the response key was longitudinally sectioned, so each half of the key could be lighted independently by the same or by two different colors. Results indicated that pigeon\'s responses were under identity control in tests with new colors. Carter and Werner (1978) argued that the pigeon\'s responses might have been controlled by an homogeneous field and not by the relation between the two colors presented in the two halves. So, pigeons\' performance would suggest simple discriminative control and not conditional control that is necessary to attest identity control. The purpose of this research was to evaluate if the procedure employed by Zentall and Hogan (1975) would produce simple or conditional control. Three pigeons were submitted to the same procedure reported by Zentall and Hogan (1975), but the two halves of the key were spatially separated in a way that no homogeneous field could be detected. All pigeons did not show discriminative performances in tests with new colors. When new training sessions were conducted with the two halves not spatially separated, the three pigeons showed discriminative performances in tests with new colors. These results indicate that Zentall and Hogan (1975)\' procedure probably generates simple discriminative performances and not identity control as suggested by Carter and Werner (1978).

Diversos estudos que utilizaram o procedimento matching-to-sample indicaram que estabelecimento de controle pela posição em detrimento ao controle pela relação entre estímulos. Zentall e Hogan (1975) utilizaram um procedimento alternativo ao matching-to-sample com o qual respostas são emitidas ou não em uma única chave (procedimento go/no-go) para estabelecer relações de identidade ou singularidade. Nesse procedimento, o disco circular de respostas era longitudinalmente seccionado de maneira que cada metade do disco poderia ser iluminada independentemente por cores iguais ou diferentes. Os resultados dos testes indicam que quando novas cores foram apresentadas os pombos responderam sob controle da identidade. Carter e Werner (1978), no entanto, levantam a possibilidade de que os sujeitos estivessem respondendo sob controle de um campo homogêneo (formado por duas metades iguais), o que refletiria controle discriminativo simples e não condicional que seria necessário para atestar estabelecimento de controle pela identidade. O objetivo do presente estudo foi verificar se após um treino similar ao conduzido por Zentall e Hogan (1975), pombos responderiam sob controle da identidade quando as duas metades fossem apresentadas espacialmente separadas sem a possibilidade de configurarem um campo homogêneo. Os resultados dos testes indicaram ausência de discriminação. Mas, quando os pombos foram submetidos a novas sessões de treinos em que os semicírculos eram apresentados juntos, os resultados dos três pombos indicaram discriminação. Essas diferenças entre os resultados do primeiro e do segundo teste indicam que provavelmente pombos respondem sob controle de um campo homogêneo, o que confirmaria a hipótese de Carter e Werner (1978). / Several experiments that employed matching-to-sample procedure indicated the establishment of stimuli position control. Zentall and Hogan (1975) used an alternative procedure with which responses were emitted or not in a single-key (go/no-go procedure). In this procedure, the response key was longitudinally sectioned, so each half of the key could be lighted independently by the same or by two different colors. Results indicated that pigeon\'s responses were under identity control in tests with new colors. Carter and Werner (1978) argued that the pigeon\'s responses might have been controlled by an homogeneous field and not by the relation between the two colors presented in the two halves. So, pigeons\' performance would suggest simple discriminative control and not conditional control that is necessary to attest identity control. The purpose of this research was to evaluate if the procedure employed by Zentall and Hogan (1975) would produce simple or conditional control. Three pigeons were submitted to the same procedure reported by Zentall and Hogan (1975), but the two halves of the key were spatially separated in a way that no homogeneous field could be detected. All pigeons did not show discriminative performances in tests with new colors. When new training sessions were conducted with the two halves not spatially separated, the three pigeons showed discriminative performances in tests with new colors. These results indicate that Zentall and Hogan (1975)\' procedure probably generates simple discriminative performances and not identity control as suggested by Carter and Werner (1978).

The Pigeon River watershed has been the focus of a ¬¬major recovery project to reintroduce fish and other aquatic species into the river where they were historically present. A paper mill at Pigeon River Kilometer/Mile (PRKM 102.1/PRM 63.2) began operations in 1908 and discharged effluents which had a detrimental impact on the aquatic wildlife. Recent modifications to the mill have significantly improved effluent quality such that most aquatic organisms are recolonizing the river. The present study is a baseline survey of crayfish species in the Pigeon River and its tributaries; it also includes a comparison of the mean Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) in four different reaches of the stream and documents diversity upstream and downstream of the paper mill. Crayfish are important to the aquatic ecosystem and food web because they serve as cutters that help to break down leaf litter and carrion and are also a food source for predators. Crayfish were collected using modified minnow traps and electroshocking and by snorkeling along ‘turning’ rocks; the method used was based on characteristics of the stream reach sampled, including water depth, flow, transparency, and type of substrate. A total of 1,320 crayfish specimens representing seven species was collected during the eight month study. Crayfish were found in nine Pigeon River tributaries , in the main stem of the Pigeon River upstream of the paper mill (PRKM 102.1/PRM 63.2), and below the Progress Energy Dam (PRKM 61.1/PRM 38.0). No crayfish were found downstream of the paper mill in the river itself; however, crayfish were found downstream from the Progress Energy Dam down to the Pigeon River’s confluence with the French Broad River.

This study characterizes the mass transport of ions in two streams in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, comparing transport between stormflow and baseflow periods. By comparing ion mass transport between these two hydrological conditions, the importance of soil and the governing biogeochemical processes will be underscored. Two water quality monitoring study sites were located on the Middle Prong of the Little Pigeon River and Ramsey Prong within the same basin. These remote sites were equipped with YSI 6920 multi-parameter sonde to record continuous 15-min data of pH, depth, conductivity, turbidity, and temperature. Additionally, ISCO 6712 composite samplers were used to collect stream samples during storm events. Baseflow was collected by grab samples prior to storm events, and stormflow collected by ISCO samplers. Throughfall samples were collected after storm events. All samples were analyzed for pH, ANC, and conductivity using an autotitrator. Inductively coupled plasma spectrometry and ion chromatography were used to determine major cations, trace metals, and anions (Ca2+, Na+, K+, Mg2+, Aln+, Cu, Fe, Mn, Si, Zn, SO42-, NO3-, Cl-, NH4+). Stage-discharge relationships were developed at each site utilizing a combination of field measurements and modeling. Velocity and area field measurements were taken to calculate discharges for mid- to low-flow stages while mid- to upper-flow stages were modeled using RIVER2D and verified with field measurements. Stage-discharge curves and sample ion concentrations were used to compute ion mass transport for a two year period in 2006 through 2008. Differences in mass transport of ions between baseflow and stormflow periods found that greater mass transport of ions, except protons, occurred during baseflow periods. These results indicate that on an annual basis ions are stored from input throughfall sources and released gradually through groundwater flow over time more than rapid interflow transport during storm events. This information illustrates the importance of soils and groundwater storage in the regulation of ion transport and streamwater quality in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The decline of kereru (Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae) may limit dispersal of large-seeded plants in New Zealand, but the consequences of this are unknown. I determined kereru disperser effectiveness by modelling seed dispersal distances (using seed retention times and movement patterns). Mean seed retention time was significantly longer for larger-seeded species, ranging from 37-181 minutes. Wild radiotracked kereru were sedentary, remaining at one location for up to 5.25 hours. The mean flight distance was 77 m and the maximum was 1, 457 m. Estimated mean seed dispersal distances for tawa (Beilschmiedia tawa), puriri (Vitex lucens), and fivefinger (Pseudopanax arboreus) were 95, 98, and 61 m respectively. Kereru dispersed 66-87% of ingested seeds away from the parent tree, with 79-88% of seeds dispersed <100 m and < 1% dispersed over 1,000 m. In a field seed-fate experiment, "pre-human" conditions (cleaned seeds, low density, away from parent, and protected from mammals) increased survival compared to "post-human" conditions (whole fruits, high density, under parent, not protected) for both taraire (Beilschmiedia tarairi; 15% vs. 2% survival to one year respectively) and karaka (Corynocarpus laevigatus; 60% vs. 11% to two years, respectively). Fruit diameter varied considerably within karaka, taraire, and tawa, although theoretically not enough for them to be swallowed by other birds. Nevertheless, other birds are reported to occasionally take fruits of nearly all large-seeded species. Small tawa seeds produced smaller seedlings in the glasshouse; therefore selection of only smaller seeds by alternative dispersers may negatively affect tawa recruitment. Kereru are generally not gape-limited, and fruit size preferences were independent of mean fruit size. Kereru provide effective dispersal by moving most seeds away from the parent, and enhancing seed and seedling survival. Therefore, both dispersal failure and introduced mammals negatively affect the regeneration of large-seeded trees in New Zealand.

Orientador: Elenice Aparecida de Moraes Ferrari / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-23T21:27:10Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Sperandeo_MariaLuizaAntunes_D.pdf: 3058745 bytes, checksum: 13c43e27d3d229473548efb9ae77c620 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013 / Resumo: O estudo do condicionamento clássico aversivo contribuiu para caracterizar as fases da formação da memória (aquisição, consolidação, reconsolidação, persistência e extinção) e os mecanismos de plasticidade neuronal subjacentes. Entre estes, a ativação de receptores glutamatérgicos NMDA, de transcrição gênica e síntese proteica parecem fundamentais. O fator neurotrófico derivado de cérebro (BDNF) e o gene de expressão imediata (IEG) zenk são ativados no hipocampo de mamíferos durante a reconsolidação e a extinção. Este estudo investigou os efeitos da inibição da síntese proteica e do bloqueio dos receptores NMDA no hipocampo de pombos na reconsolidação e extinção da memória de medo contextual. No Experimento 1, pombos foram condicionados, testados ao contexto (reativação), submetidos à infusão intra-hipocampo de salina (SAL-PR), de anisomicina (ANI-PR) ou de MK-801 (MK-PR) após o teste (pós-reativação; PR), e retestados 2 dias depois (Rt 2d). No Experimento 2, três grupos tiveram um segundo reteste, 9 dias após a infusão (Rt 9d), enquanto que outros três grupos não passaram pelo teste (sem reativação- SR). O treino (20 min) teve três pareamentos som-choque. No teste e no Rt 2d houve exposição ao contexto do condicionamento por 5 min e no reteste Rt 9d, por 30 min. Nos dois experimentos, todos os grupos apresentaram alta ocorrência de congelamento (CONG) nas sessões de treino e de teste, mas no Rt 2d os grupos ANI-PR e MK-PR mostraram uma redução significativa de CONG (p < 0,05). Os grupos SR exibiram alta ocorrência de CONG tanto no Rt 2d, quanto no início do Rt 9d (p > 0,05). No Rt 9d o grupo MK-PR não teve recuperação espontânea de CONG, sugerindo prejuízo irreversível provocado pelo MK-801 na memória de medo contextual. Os grupos, SAL-PR, SAL-SR, ANI-PR, ANI-SR e MK-SR mostraram diminuição gradual de CONG durante a sessão de Rt 9d, evidenciando a extinção. Análises com Western blotting após o Rt 9d indicaram que o conteúdo de BDNF-maduro no hipocampo dos pombos SAL-PR foi significativamente maior em comparação aos demais grupos (p < 0,05), mas não foram observadas diferenças entre os grupos para o Zenk (p > 0,05). Isso sugere a participação do BDNF hipocampal na reconsolidação e na extinção da memória de medo contextual em pombos. Assim, a inibição da síntese proteica e o bloqueio dos receptores NMDA no hipocampo de pombos, após o teste ao contexto, prejudicaram a reconsolidação da memória de medo condicionado ao contexto. Além disso, os prejuízos observados foram dependentes da reativação da memória durante o teste / Abstract: The study of classical aversive conditioning has contributed to the characterization of different phases in memory formation (acquisition, consolidation, reconsolidation, extinction and persistence) and the underlying mechanisms of neuronal plasticity. Among these, the activation of NMDA glutamate receptors, gene transcription and protein synthesis are pointed as essentials. The brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and immediate expression gene (IEG) zenk are activated in the hippocampus of mammals during reconsolidation and extinction. This study investigated the effects of protein synthesis inhibition and blockade of NMDA receptors in the hippocampus of pigeons on reconsolidation and extinction of contextual fear memory. In Experiment 1, pigeons were conditioned, tested in the context (reactivation), received intra-hippocampus infusion of saline (SAL-PR), anisomycin (ANI-PR) or MK-801 (MK-PR) after the test (post-reactivation, PR), and had a retest two days later (Rt 2d). Experiment 2, had a retest 9 days after intra-hippocampus infusion (Rt 9d) for three PR groups, and other three groups that were not tested 24h after training served as control for reactivation (no reactivation-NR). Three tone-shock pairings were presented during training (20 min). Pigeons were exposed to the context during 5 min in the test and Rt 2d sessions and during 30 min in Rt 9d. In both experiments, the occurrence of freezing (FRZ) was high in training and testing sessions for all the groups, but ANI-PR and MK-PR pigeons showed a significant decrease in FRZ during the Rt 2d (p < 0.05). The NR groups exhibited high occurrence of FRZ both in the Rt 2d and in the beginning of Rt 9d (p > 0.05). MK-PR pigeons had no spontaneous recovery of FRZ, suggesting irreversible impairment caused by MK-801 in contextual fear memory. The groups, SAL-PR, SAL-NR, ANI-PR, ANI-NR and MK-NR showed a gradual decrease in FRZ during the Rt 9d session, evidencing extinction. Western Blotting analysis indicated that the content of mature BDNF in the hippocampus of SAL-PR group after Rt 9d session was higher than that seen for the other groups (p < 0.05), but no between-group differences for Zenk were observed (p > 0.05). This suggests the involvement of hippocampal BDNF in reconsolidation and extinction of contextual fear memory in pigeons. The present data show that inhibition of protein synthesis and blockade of NMDA receptors in the hippocampus of pigeons, after the testing session to context, impaired reconsolidation of contextual fear conditioning memory and affected the process of extinction. Furthermore, the impairments were dependent on the reactivation of fear memory during the test / Doutorado / Fisiologia / Doutor em Biologia Funcional e Molecular

An individual position in social hierarchy is the key mechanism, how an individual could gain a priority access to more quality food resources, find an attractive sexual partner to reproduce and find territory with low predation risk and maintain its fitness in total. Personality is supposed to be an important factor how an individuals keep their positions in social groups. The consistent individual variability in aggressive behaviour is closely related to the expression of melanin-based colouration and testosterone levels in blood. More explorative, aggressive, bolder and darker-coloured individuals are supposed to achieve higher dominance rank in social structures. But this prediction was barely tested. The main aims of this diploma thesis were: to find consistent individual variability in social and non-social context to confirm personality traits and to define connection between an individual variability in agonistic and explorative behaviour and melanin-based colouration in relation to social rank in experimental group of domestic pigeons (Columba liva f. domestica) under human care. Unfortunately, personality could not be defined and even more, there was no significant correlation between dominant position in social hierarchy and individual behavioural variability in social and non-social...

The possible relationship between CO2 responsiveness and body mass in birds was explored using newly acquired ventilatory data from the barn swallow, Hirundo rustica, and the pigeon, Columbia livia, and that from the literature on four other species. Ventilatory responsiveness (%ΔV̇) of birds to 5% inspired CO2 is scaled to body mass to the 0.145 power (%ΔV̇∝ Mb0.145). A similar allometric relationship exists for data on 7 species of eutherian mammals taken from the literature (%ΔV̇∝ Mb0.130). The reduced responsiveness to CO2 in small birds and mammals may be related to an elevated hypoxic ventilatory sensitivity, as demonstrated in mammals (Boggs and Tenney, Respir. Physiol. 58: 245-251, 1984). These scaling relationships may reflect a mechanism for minimizing the inhibition of ventilation resulting from excessive loss of CO2 which thereby permits a higher hypoxic ventilatory response in small species. Other mechanisms, however, could include size related differences in mechanics or alveolar ventilation.