Thesis (Ph. D.)--Oregon State University, 2011. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 85-90). Also available on the World Wide Web.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Georgia Institute of Technology, 2006. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on Oct. 28, 2006). Weissburg, Marc, Committee Chair ; Dusenbery, David, Committee Member ; Hay, Mark, Committee Member ; Webster, Donald, Committee Member ; Blanton, Jackson, Committee Member. Includes bibliographical references (p. 108-119).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Ohio University, August, 2002. / Title from PDF t.p. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 2003. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on May 13, 2006). Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 136-146).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Oregon State University, 2008. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 85-94). Also available on the World Wide Web.

Orientador: Célio Fernando Baptista Haddad / Banca: Rogério Pereira Bastos / Banca: Anne Taffin D'Heursell Baldisseri / Banca: Ricardo Jannini Sawaya / Banca: Itamar Alves Martins / Resumo: Até a presente tese, a informação sobre predação e estratégias defensivas em anuros estava fragmentada e desconexa na literatura científica. Na ausência de uma revisão sobre o tema, algumas especulações foram geradas baseadas nas impressões pessoais de diversos pesquisadores. Por exemplo, existem muitos ou poucos relatos de anuros sendo apresados? Um determinado comportamento defensivo já foi descrito em algum lugar, ou é inédito? Qual a relação entre os predadores e os mecanismos de defesa dos anuros? Essas e outras perguntas estavam em aberto. Mesmo em livros texto, os quais geralmente revisam os assuntos abordados de forma abrangente, nota-se o parco conhecimento sobre o tema, sendo estes sempre os menores capítulos dos livros e de conteúdo razoavelmente superficial. Todavia, muita informação já foi gerada e muita ainda está por vir. É nesse sentido que idealizamos e realizamos o presente estudo, visando reunir grande parte do conhecimento atual e gerar novas previsões e hipóteses testáveis. Assim, relacionamos os predadores atuais e naturais dos anfíbios anuros (incluindo as desovas e pós-metamórficos) e revisamos as principais estratégias defensivas dos adultos (pós-metamórficos). Muitos dados apresentados são inéditos e outros compilados da literatura, mas ambos analisados de maneira integrada e sempre dando enfoque evolutivo nas discussões apresentadas. Consideramos este estudo um ponto inicial para compreendermos mais profundamente as estratégias defensivas dos anuros e sua relação com os predadores naturais. / Abstract: Until the present moment, the information about defensive strategies and predation upon anurans was fragmented and disconnected in the scientific literature. In the absence of an overview of the subject, some speculations have been raised based on personal points of view of several scientists. For example, are there many or few reports of predation upon anurans? A specific defensive behavior has already been described or not? How is the relationship between the defensive strategies and predator mechanisms? These and odder questions were hard to answer. Even in text books, where the subjects are treated in a broad way we can notice the poor knowledge of the subject and these are always the shorter and superficial chapters. However, many information is already available and many is about to come. Therefore, we idealized and did the present thesis, aiming to joint a large part of the current knowledge and promoting some previsions and testable hypotheses. So, we related the actual and natural predators of anurans (including eggs and post-metamorphics) and reviewed the main defensive strategies of the adults (post-metamorphics). A great amount of the data presented is novel and other set of data were found in the available literature, but both were analyzed simultaneously with an evolutive approach. We consider this thesis a starting point of a deeper comprehension of the anurans’ defensive strategies and their relationship with natural predators. / Doutor

Orientador: Nilza Maria Martinelli / Coorientador: Ana Lúcia Benfatti Gonzalez Peronti / Banca: Valmir Antonio Costa / Banca: Arlindo Leal Boiça Junior / Resumo: A agricultura é de suma importância para o desenvolvimento do Brasil. O estado de São Paulo, com significativa produção e produtividade de diversas culturas, é o maior produtor de cana-de-açúcar e citros, e o terceiro em café. No entanto, grandes perdas econômicas e ambientais ocorrem pelo uso indiscriminado de agrotóxicos para controlar insetos-praga, incluindo cochonilhas. Informações sobre insetos benéficos atualmente presentes nas regiões produtoras são fundamentais para o manejo integrado de pragas. Este estudo teve como objetivo fazer um levantamento de inimigos naturais associados a espécies de cochonilhas consideradas pragas, primárias ou secundárias, para as culturas de cana-de-açúcar, citros e café no estado de São Paulo, relacionando à origem de cada espécie; especificidade a presa; e as possíveis adaptações a predação ou parasitismo em relação às características morfológicas macroscópicas das cochonilhas. O levantamento de inimigos naturais associados com dez espécies de cocóideos frequentemente associados a estas plantas foi realizado em 15 municípios, situados nas mesorregiões de São José do Rio Preto, Ribeirão Preto, Araraquara e Campinas. As coletas foram realizadas entre agosto de 2016 e agosto de 2017, de maneira aleatória, em áreas urbana e rural. Nesse período, foram coletadas 52 espécies de inimigos naturais. Para cochonilhas da cana-de-açúcar, todas as associações são novos relatos para o estado de São Paulo; e, Anagyrus saccharicola Timberlake,... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Agriculture is of great importance for the development of Brazil. The state of São Paulo, with significant production and productivity of several crops, is the largest producer of sugarcane and citrus, and the third in coffee. However, major economic and environmental losses occur through the indiscriminate use of pesticides to control pest insects, including scale insects. Information on beneficial insects currently present in producing regions is essential for integrated pest management. The objective of this study was to survey natural enemies associated with scale insects species considered as primary or secondary pests for sugarcane, citrus and coffee crops in the state of São Paulo, relating to the origin of each species; specificity prey; and the possible adaptations to predation or parasitism in relation to the macroscopic morphological characteristics of scale insects. The survey of natural enemies associated with ten coccoid species frequently associated with these plantations was carried out in 15 municipalities located in the mesoregions of São José do Rio Preto, Ribeirão Preto, Araraquara and Campinas, in the main sugarcane producing regions, citrus and state coffee. The collections were carried out between August 2016 and August 2017, in a random manner, in urban and rural areas. During this period, 52 species of natural enemies were collected. For sugarcane scale insects, all associations are new reports for the state of São Paulo; and, Anagyrus saccha... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Orientador: Carlos Camargo Alberts / Banca: Fernando Frei / Banca: Beatriz M. Beisiegel / Resumo: O conflito entre humanos e carnívoros silvestres devido à predação exercida sobre rebanhos domésticos tem sido um dos precursores mundiais que tornam os carnívoros um dos grupos com espécies mais ameaçados de extinção. No Brasil, a predação por onças-pardas tem sido documentada em diversas regiões e como consequência a perseguição desses animais é fortemente observada. A fim de identificar os fatores que poderiam estar associados a predações aos rebanhos domésticos por onças-pardas no oeste do Estado de São Paulo, realizamos entrevistas com produtores rurais, utilizando questionários semi-estruturados, abordando características das propriedades, do manejo e da paisagem. Realizamos 71 entrevistas e identificamos propriedades que passaram por eventos de predação na última década. Ovinos e bovinos foram os grupos de animais mais frequentemente predados. Através da Regressão Logística foi possível obter um modelo de previsão de ataques com 81% de concordância entre estimado e observado, do qual o número de ovinos e a quantidade de vegetação natural presentes em cada propriedade foi positivamente relacionado aos casos de predação, porém o manejo das criações de risco como ovinos e bezerros pode contribuir significativamente para a redução de perdas de animais domésticos e assim reduzir possíveis conflitos com a fauna silvestre / Abstract: The conflict between humans and wild carnivores due the predation on domestic livestock has been a reason that made the Carnivora one of the groups with most threatened species. In Brazil, predation by pumas has been recorded in various regions and result in a harsh persecution on these animals. In order to identify factors that might be associated with predation on domestic livestock by pumas in the west of São Paulo, we did interviews with farm owners and their regular employees using a semi structured questionnaire, addressing characteristics of the property, the management and landscape. We conducted 71 interviews and identified properties that had gone through predation events in the last decade. Sheep and cattle were the most often attacked species. Using logistic regression it was possible to obtain a predictive model of attacks with 81% agreement between estimated and observed, in which the number of sheep and amount of natural vegetation present in each property was positively related to cases of predation. However, a proper management of individuals under risk for both sheep and calves showed to be effective and can contribute significantly to reduce livestock losses and thus to reduce potential conflicts with wildlife / Mestre

Orientador: João Vasconcellos Neto / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-08T10:59:41Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Andrade_RafaelBarretode_M.pdf: 418060 bytes, checksum: c8897014f5215d7a9839343a8b549c94 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007 / Resumo: O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar padrões de forrageamento do esquilo Sciurus ingrami em frutos de palmeiras. No primeiro capítulo foi avaliada a eficiência e o aprendizado de diferentes estratégias de forrageio em frutos de Syagrus romanzoffiana. No segundo capítulo comparamos a ocorrência de diferentes estratégias de forrageio em frutos de Syagrus oleracea e S. romanzoffiana. Os resultados obtidos indicam que o esquilo S. ingrami pode utilizar diferentes estratégias de forrageio quando se alimenta de frutos de palmeiras. Algumas estratégias são evidentemente mais eficientes e possibilitam o melhor aproveitamento do endosperma gorduroso. Também foi registrado um caso de aprendizado de novas estratégias de forrageio. Essas características podem ter um papel importante na capacidade do esquilo S. ingrami de se adaptar a novos ambientes e contribuir para sua ampla ocorrência / Abstract: The objective of this study was to investigate the squirrel's Sciurus ingrami foraging patterns in palm fruits. In the first chapter, efficiency and learning of different foraging strategies in Syagrus romanzoffiana fruits was assessed. In the second chapter, we compared the occurrence of distinct foraging strategies in Syagrus oleracea and S. romanzoffiana fruits. The results indicate that S. ingrami can use different foraging strategies when feeding in palm fruits. Some strategies are clearly more efficient in obtaining the fatty endosperm within the seeds. A case of learning of new foraging strategies was also recorded. These traits probably play an important role on the squirrel's ability to adapt to new environments and contribute to its widespread occurrence / Mestrado / Ecologia / Mestre em Ecologia

Trophodynamics of carnivorous zooplankton in the region of the Subtropical Convergence (STC) in the Indian sector of the Southern Ocean was investigated during austral autumn (April 2007) as part of the first cruise of the Southern Ocean Ecosystem Variability Study. Within the region of the study, the STC was well defined by the 14°C surface isotherm which separated the Agulhas Return Current and Subtropical water in the north from Sub-Antarctic waters to the south. Total average abundance (3.89 ± 5.46ind 100m-3) and biomass (0.14 ± 0.27mg Dwt 100m-3) of carnivorous zooplankton south of the front were significantly higher than the total average abundance (1.33 ± 1.81ind 100m-3) and biomass (0.03 ± 0.05mg Dwt 100m-3) north of the front (p<0.001). There were no significant correlations between the selected physico-chemical (temperature and salinity) and the biological (mesozooplankton abundance and biomass) variables and the total abundance and biomass of the carnivorous zooplankton during the investigation (p>0.05 in all cases). There was no evidence of enhanced biomass and abundance values at stations occupied in the immediate vicinity of the front. Total average carnivorous zooplankton abundance was dominated by chaetognaths (Eukrohnia hamata Möbius 1875, Sagitta gazellae Ritler-Záhony 1909 and S. zetesios Fowler 1905) and euphausiids (Nematoscelis megalops Sars 1883, Euphausia longirostris Hansen 1908 and E. spinifera Sars 1883), which contributed up to 86.58 ± 32.91% of the total counts. The total average biomass was dominated by euphausiids and amphipods (Themisto gaudichaudii Guérin-Méneville 1825, Phronima sedentaria Forsskål 1775 and Vibilia armata Bovallius 1887) which contributed up to 71.45 ± 34.85% of the total counts. In general the populations of both the euphausiids and amphipods were dominated by females while the chaetognaths were dominated by juveniles. Numerical analysis identified two major zooplankton groupings within the survey area which did not coincide with the water masses within the survey area. The SIMPER procedure of the PRIMER package indicated differences between the groups were mainly attributed to changes in the abundance of the numerically dominant species rather than the presence or absence of individual species. The absence of any significant spatial patterns in the distribution of the carnivorous zooplankton suggests that the STC did not act as a biogeographical barrier during the present study. The mean feeding rates of the chaetognaths E. hamata, S. gazellae and S. zetesios were 1.82 ± 0.85prey d-1, 3.63 ± 2.08prey d-1 and 2.18 ± 0.59prey d-1, respectively. These rates correspond to a combined predation impact equivalent to <5% of the mesozooplankton standing stock or <10% of the mesozooplankton secondary production. Mesozooplankton, comprising mainly copepods was the dominant prey in the guts of the three chaetognath species. Total predation impact of the euphausiids, chaetognaths and amphipods, estimated using published daily ration data, on the mesozooplankton standing stock and secondary production ranged from 0.01% to 1.53% and from 0.03% to 30.54%, respectively. Among the carnivorous zooplankton, chaetognaths were generally identified as the dominant predators of mesozooplankton. Low predation impact of selected carnivorous zooplankton suggested that these organisms contributed little to the vertical carbon flux within the region of investigation during the study.