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No. of bitstreams: 1 JaciaraSP_DISSERT.pdf: 2270128 bytes, checksum: 3ed201108d97d3b3c22c5679daa6908d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-04-04 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The abundance of flowering plants around the nests shapes the nest-internal and nest-external activities of social bee colonies. In addition to limiting the quantity of resources collected, the availability of floral resources in the environment may influence the distance that foragers have to fly in order to collect food. With decreasing abundance of flowering plants, bees more likely visit distant resources and, consequently, increase their flight range in search for new food sources. The semiarid region in north-eastern Brazil, the Caatinga, is characterized through a short rainy season with a high availability of floral resources on the one hand, and, on the other hand, through an extended dry season during which only few tree species are in bloom. In face of this striking difference concerning the availability of floral resources in the course of the year in this region, the aim of the present study was to assess the time that foragers of Melipona subnitida (Apidae, Meliponini) need to collect food (nectar and pollen) during times of high and low abundance of flowering plants. We investigated the time spent by foragers to collect floral resources in three distinct landscapes of the Brazilian north-east: an urban area and an area with natural caatinga vegetation, both at Mossoró/RN, as well as a high-altitude humid forest enclave at Martins/RN. During the study (July of 2015 to August of 2016), we counted monthly the number of plant species in bloom in each study location. During one day in each month, we measured at each study location the foraging times of bees, marked previously for individual identification, from three colonies of M. subnitida, marking the exit and return times between 05h00 and 08h00. Additionally, we identified the respective resource collected (nectar or pollen) and determined the plant species visited by the individuals through analysis of their corbicula pollen loads or the pollen on their bodies. Our results indicate that the quantity of plant species around the nests had an impact on the time the bees spent for food collection. With decreasing availability of floral resources, the bees spent more time foraging. This implies a greater energy expenditure for bee in the absence of resources near the nest and bee will have to move to distant areas / A disponibilidade de recursos florais ao redor dos ninhos molda as atividades tanto internas como externas das colônias de abelhas sociais. Além de limitar a quantidade de recursos coletados, a disponibilidade de recursos florais no ambiente pode influenciar na distância percorrida pelas abelhas forrageiras durante a coleta de alimento. À medida que os recursos florais se tornam escassos, as abelhas são mais propensas a usar recursos mais distantes e, consequentemente, expandem sua distância de voo em busca de novas fontes florais. A região semiárida do nordeste brasileiro, a Caatinga, possui uma breve estação chuvosa com alta disponibilidade de recursos florais e, em contraste, uma estação seca com apenas algumas espécies arbóreas em floração. Considerando o contraste na disponibilidade de recursos florais ao longo do ano nessa região, o objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar o tempo que as abelhas forrageiras da abelha Melipona subnitida gastam na coleta de alimento (néctar e pólen) durante os períodos com alta e baixa riqueza de plantas em floração. Foi investigado o tempo que as abelhas forrageiras gastam para coletar recursos florais em três paisagens do nordeste brasileiro: uma área urbana, uma área com vegetação natural de caatinga, ambas em Mossoró/RN e um Brejo de Altitude, em Martins/RN. Durante o estudo (junho de 2015 a agosto de 2016) foi registrado mensalmente o número de espécies de plantas em floração em cada ambiente. Mensalmente (um dia a cada mês), foi cronometrado o tempo de forrageamento de abelhas previamente marcadas para identificação individual, provenientes de três colônias de M. subnitida em cada local de estudo, registrando os horários de saída e entrada de abelhas forrageiras, no período entre 05:00 h e 08:00 h da manhã. Além disso, o respectivo recurso coletado (néctar ou pólen) foi identificado por meio da análise do pólen nas corbículas ou no corpo dos indivíduos. Os resultados indicam que a quantidade de recursos florais disponível ao redor dos ninhos influenciou o tempo gasto na coleta de alimento. Quanto menor a disponibilidade de recursos maior foi o tempo gasto pelas abelhas durante o forrageamento. Isso implica em um maior gasto energético para abelha, pois na ausência de recursos próximos ao ninho a abelha terá que se deslocar para áreas distantes / 2018-03-27

O dimorfismo sexual varia consideravelmente entre populações dentro de uma mesma espécie. Essa variação na direção e na magnitude do dimorfismo sexual é, em parte, devida às diferenças sexuais na respostas plásticas às condições e aos recursos ambientais. Por meio de experimentos em laboratório, sabe-se que a temperatura e a disponibilidade de alimento são fatores importantes na geração de variações morfológicas inter-individuais e que seus efeitos diferem entre machos e fêmeas. Usamos indivíduos da tesourinha Labidura xanthopus (Dermaptera) coletados em 20 localidades ao longo da costa brasileira para investigar como o tamanho corporal e o tamanho do armamento de machos e fêmeas variam em um gradiente natural de temperatura. O tamanho do corpo diminuiu com o aumento da temperatura, mas o dimorfismo sexual se manteve constante ao longo do gradiente de temperatura. Para o tamanho do armamento, encontramos uma relação negativa para machos e positiva para fêmeas. Conseqüentemente, a magnitude do dimorfismo sexual no tamanho do armamento diminuiu ao longo do gradiente de temperatura. Para entender o efeito da disponibilidade de alimento sobre a expressão de características morfológicas em cada um dos sexos, manipulamos a dieta durante o desenvolvimento de indivíduos provenientes de uma população de clima tropical e uma de clima temperado. Independente da população, o dimorfismo sexual foi causado por diferenças sexuais na dependência de condição. Machos e fêmeas diferiram não apenas na magnitude da resposta, mas também na direção. Em relação ao comprimento relativo dos fórceps, em particular, os resultados obtidos em laboratório não apóiam que a variação encontrada em campo se deve à disponibilidade de alimento. Outros fatores que não levamos em consideração, tais como densidade populacional, podem exercer um papel importante na resposta de machos e fêmeas em relação ao tamanho do armamento. Por fim, mais estudos experimentais comparando populações com diferenças marcantes de condições ambientais poderão lançar luz sobre quais fatores ecológicos podem ter favorecido a evolução do dimorfismo sexual dependente de condição / Sexual dimorphism varies considerably among populations within species. This variation in the direction and magnitude of sexual dimorphism is partially explained by sexual differences in phenotypically plastic responses to environmental conditions and resource availability. Laboratory experiments have already shown that temperature and food availability are important factors promoting inter-individual morphological variation and that their effects differ between males and females. We used individuals of the earwig Labidura xanthopus (Dermaptera) collected from 20 Brazilian localities to investigate how body size and weapon size of males and females vary across a natural temperature gradient. Body size decreased with increasing temperature, but sexual size dimorphism remained constant across the temperature gradient. For weapon size, we found a negative relationship for males and a positive relationship for females. Thus, the magnitude of sexual dimorphism in weapon size decreased across the temperature gradient. To understand the effect of food availability on the expression of morphological traits in each sex, we manipulated the diet of individuals from a tropical and temperate population. Regardless of the population, sexual dimorphism was caused by sex-differences in condition dependence. Males and females differed not only in the magnitude of their responses, but also in the direction. Regarding the relative length of the forceps, in particular, our results do not support the interpretation that the morphological variation observed in the field is explained by differences in food availability. Other factors not considered here, such as population density, may play an important role in determining weapon size variation in males and females under natural conditions. Finally, more experimental studies comparing populations with marked differences in environmental conditions may shed light on which ecological factors have favored the evolution of condition-dependent sexual dimorphism

Au sein de son aire de répartition, le chevreuil (Capreolus capreolus) rencontre des conditions environnementales variables et contrastées qui engendrent une grande variété de patrons d'utilisation de l'espace. Jusqu'à présent, aucune étude n'a clairement établi un lien entre les différents patrons d'utilisation de l'espace et les conditions environnementales dans lesquelles le chevreuil évolue, ce qui limite notre compréhension des mécanismes impliqués dans le processus de sélection d'habitat. Grâce aux suivis télémétriques de nombreux chevreuils dans 4 sites avec des conditions environnementales fortement variables et contrastées nous avons cherché à établir un lien entre les variations des conditions environnementales et les variations des patrons d'utilisation de l'espace. Ainsi, nous avons démontré qu'en milieu alpin, les chevreuils adaptent l'amplitude de leurs déplacements en fonction des variations spatiales et temporelles de la disponibilité des ressources ainsi qu'en fonction des conditions d'enneigement. Contrairement aux précédentes études sur l'utilisation de l'espace par le chevreuil en milieu de montagne, nous avons montré que les mouvements des chevreuils au sein de notre aire d'étude correspondaient à un processus de sélection d'habitat de troisième ordre (48 cas; 89%) plutôt qu'à de la migration partielle, puisque très peu d'individus (6 cas; 11%) avaient stabilisé leurs déplacements au sein de domaines vitaux distincts au cours des saisons. Par ailleurs, nous avons démontré que le comportement de sélection d'habitat des chevreuils à l'échelle du domaine vital était très variable entre les populations mais également au sein de chaque population. Ainsi dans les forêts les plus pauvres où les ressources sont spatialement séparées au sein de différents habitats, nous avons démontré que les chevreuils étaient contraints de réaliser des compromis, générant des réponses fonctionnelles en sélection d'habitat. Au contraire, dans les habitats les plus riches où les ressources sont disponibles dans toutes les catégories d'habitat, nous n'avons pas observé de réponse fonctionnelle puisque les chevreuils n'étaient pas contraints et donc ne réalisaient pas de compromis. De plus, nous avons démontré que les chevreuils avec une même composition de domaine vital dans différents sites, utilisaient les ressources différemment. Ces résultats démontrent que la façon dont une ressource est utilisée ne dépend pas seulement de son niveau de disponibilité au sein du domaine vital mais varie également en fonction des conditions environnementales. De ce fait, il est impératif de tenir compte des conditions environnementales au sein d'un site pour mieux comprendre les mécanismes impliqués dans l'émergence des différents patrons d'utilisation de l'espace observés chez les ongulés. Enfin, nous avons tenté d'établir un lien entre les variations observées dans les patrons de sélection d'habitat à différentes échelles et la valeur sélective des chevreuils dans les populations de Chizé et de Trois-Fontaines pour lesquelles les données requises étaient disponibles, mais nous n'avons pu mettre en évidence aucun effet du comportement de sélection d'habitat sur la valeur sélective individuelle des femelles / Across its distributional range, the European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) encounters a wide range of environmental conditions that generate marked differences of space use patterns. However, linking variation in space use by animals in different populations facing contrasted environmental conditions to site-specific conditions has not yet been investigated, which currently limits our understanding of the mechanisms involved in habitat selection. Using data collected on roe deer equiped with VHF and GPS collars in four different sites with contrasted environmental conditions, we aimed to fill this knowledge gap by relating variations in space use by animals in variable environmental conditions. We found that roe deer in Alpine environment adapt the magnitude of their movements to the spatial and temporal variation in resource availability, but also to the amount of snow cover. Contrary to previous studies on roe deer performed in mountain ranges, we showed that roe deer movements in the northern French Alps corresponds to the usage of various habitat components within the home range (third order habitat selection process; 48 cases; 89%) rather than as partial migration because very few (6 cases; 11%) roe deer stabilized their activity in distinct home ranges across seasons. Moreover, we found that roe deer markedly differed in habitat selection within their home range, both within and among populations. Roe deer facing poor environmental conditions with spatially segregated resources should trade one resource for another one, which generates a functional response in habitat selection. At the opposite, roe deer benefiting from rich environmental conditions in their home range do not have to trade one resource for another one and therefore did not display any functional response. In addition, our results suggest that a same habitat composition can lead to widely different space use patterns. These findings demonstrate that the way a given habitat type is used in relation to its availability strongly varies in response to environmental conditions, so that accounting for variation in environmental conditions is required to provide a reliable assessment of the mechanisms involved to shape the diversity of space use patterns we currently observed in ungulates. Finally, we looked for linking observed variation in space use patterns to indivudual fitness of female roe deer in the populations of Chizé and Trois-Fontaines for which the required data were available. However, we did not find any evidence of a positive effect of the intensity of habitat selection on individual female fitness

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to investigate how the challenges of Internet of Things that manufacturers can influence can be overcome. Theoretical foundation - This study conducted an extensive literature review to identify and understand the challenges to Internet of Things and actions to overcome them. 11 technical challenges, 13 organisational and 6 resource availability challenges were identified. 4 actions were identified. Method - To fulfil the purpose, an embedded multiple case study at a global Aerospace manufacturer was conducted. 7 unstructured interviews, 12 semi-structured interviews and a survey were conducted. Respondents were picked due to their experience in Internet of Things projects and relevant technologies. The survey was conducted to evaluate the challenges’ relevance to high-technology manufacturers, on a 7-point Likert scale. The semi-structured interviews aimed to find actions to overcoming the challenges relevant to high-technology manufacturers. Findings - The evaluation of the challenges relevance to high-technology manufacturers resulted in 10 common, 9 occasional and 2 uncommon challenges. 12 actions to overcoming the challenges and their tasks were identified. Theoretical contribution - The study provides a comprehensive list of potential challenges to Internet of Things. It evaluated the challenges’ impact on high-technology manufacturers, thus challenging and validating Internet of Things challenges presented in literature. It provides a set of actions and a framework which aids in overcoming challenges that impact high-technology manufacturers’ Internet of Things initiatives, thus contributing to digital change management. Finally, it aids in the progress towards concretising Industry 4.0 and its trends toward connectivity, intelligence, and flexible automation. Practical contribution - The study provides an increased understanding of potential challenges of Internet of Things, and recommendations to how high-technology manufacturer can overcome the challenges. A framework is provided which gives an overview of which actions, and subsequent tasks, to take to overcome a specific challenge.

Das Wissen über Mechanismen, die einen Einfluss auf Muster der Artenvielfalt und biotische Interaktionen haben, ist grundlegend für den Schutz von Biodiversität. Darüber hinaus kann es von direktem ökonomischem Nutzen sein, zum Beispiel im biologischen Pflanzenschutz oder bei Bestäubungsdienstleistungen. Die Größe eines Organismus kann ein solcher Faktor sein, der die Artenzahl und Interaktionen der assoziierten Organismen beeinflusst, denn große Organismen sind auffälliger als kleine und ihr Angebot an Ressourcen und Nischen für mit ihnen assoziierte Organismen ist oft reicher. Bezogen auf Pflanzen könnte daher die Größe einer Pflanze einen erheblichen Einfluss auf die Artenzahl der mit ihr assoziierten Arthropoden und ihre biotischen Interaktionen wie Herbivorie oder Bestäubung haben. Trotzdem ist der Einfluss der Pflanzengröße auf mutualistische und antagonistische Interaktionspartner der Pflanze und der sich daraus ergebende Einfluss auf die reproduktive Fitness der Pflanze bisher nicht umfassend und unter standardisierten Bedingungen untersucht worden. In der vorliegenden Studie wurden die Auswirkungen der Pflanzengröße auf die Artenzahl von Herbivoren, deren Gegenspielern und Bestäubern untersucht, sowie die Auswirkungen dieser Interaktionspartner auf die Pflanzenfitness. Dabei wurde zusätzlich zwischen endophagen und ektophagen Herbivoren und deren Gegenspielern unterschieden. Außerdem wurden die Herbivoren einzelner Pflanzenkompartimente und deren Gegenspieler separat analysiert. Des Weiteren wurde der Einfluss der Pflanzengröße auf den Herbivorieschaden an den verschiedenen Pflanzenkompartimenten und deren Einfluss auf die reproduktive Fitness der Pflanze, d.h. auf ihre Samenzahl, Tausendkorngewicht und Samengesamtgewicht, untersucht. Zuletzt wurde besonderes Augenmerk auf den Einfluss der Pflanzengröße auf mutualistische und antagonistische Blütenbesucher und deren Einfluss auf die reproduktive Fitness gelegt und untersucht, ob und inwiefern die reproduktive Fitness letztendlich von der Pflanzengröße abhängig ist. Zur Untersuchung dieser Fragen wurde ein „Common Garden“-Experiment angelegt. Um einen interspezifischen Pflanzengrößengradienten zu erzeugen, wurden 21 annuelle Pflanzenarten aus der Familie der Kreuzblütler (Brassicaceae) ausgewählt, deren Größe von 10 bis 130 cm reichte (gemessen als Pflanzenhöhe vom Boden bis zur Spitze). So konnten die Einflüsse des Habitats und der umgebenden Landschaft für alle Pflanzenarten standardisiert und trotzdem ein breiter Gradient realisiert werden. Dadurch hebt sich diese Studie von den bisherigen ab, die den Effekt von meist intraspezifischer Pflanzengröße auf die assoziierten Tiere anhand wild wachsender Pflanzen untersucht haben. Pflanzengröße sowie Zahl, Biomasse und Größe der unterschiedlichen überirdischen Pflanzenkompartimente (Blüten, Schoten, Blätter, Stängel) sowie Blütendeckung und -farbe wurden aufgenommen. Der Herbivorieschaden an diesen Pflanzenkompartimenten und die reproduktive Fitness (Samenzahl, Tausendkorngewicht und Gesamtsamengewicht) wurden gemessen. An und in Blüten, Schoten, Blättern und Stängeln wurden herbivore, räuberische, parasitäre und bestäubende Arthropoden gezählt. Die Pflanzengröße hatte einen positiven Einfluss auf die Artenzahl von Herbivoren, deren Gegenspielern und Bestäubern. Das traf ebenso auf endophage und ektophage sowie auf mit Blättern und Schoten assoziierte Herbivore und deren Gegenspieler zu. Des Weiteren konnte ein Anstieg des Herbivorieschadens an Blüten und Schoten mit zunehmender Pflanzengröße festgestellt werden, wohingegen der Schaden an Blättern und Stängeln von der Biomasse des entsprechenden Kompartiments positiv beeinflusst wurde. Der Schaden an Blüten hatte den stärksten Einfluss auf die reproduktive Fitness und reduzierte neben der Samenzahl auch das Tausendkorngewicht und das Gesamtsamengewicht der Pflanze. Die genaue Analyse der blütenbesuchenden Insekten ergab einen positiven Einfluss der Pflanzengröße auf die Abundanz und Artenzahl von Bestäubern (allerdings nicht bei extrem großem Blütenangebot), wie auch auf die Abundanz der adulten und juvenilen Rapsglanzkäfer und deren Parasitierungsrate. Steigende Rapsglanzkäferzahlen verringerten die Samenzahl sowie das Tausendkorngewicht, während die Bestäuber sich lediglich auf die Samenzahl positiv auswirkten. Insgesamt führte ein Anstieg der Pflanzenhöhe zu einer Abnahme des Tausendkorngewichts, aber nicht zu einer Veränderung der Samenzahl oder des Gesamtsamengewichts, was auf einen Ausgleich der Effekte von zunehmender Antagonistenzahl und zunehmender Mutualistenzahl hindeutet. Großen Pflanzen entstehen also durch ihre Auffälligkeit und Attraktivität für Herbivore hohe Fitnesskosten, wobei insbesondere der Blütenschaden durch Rapsglanzkäfer einen starken negativen Einfluss auf Samenzahl, Tausendkorngewicht und Gesamtsamengewicht hat. Diesen Fitnesskosten großer Pflanzen wirkt der Nutzen durch ihre Auffälligkeit und Attraktivität für Bestäuber entgegen, die die Samenzahl positiv beeinflussen. Hinsichtlich der Samenzahl sollten also große Pflanzen gegenüber kleineren im Vorteil sein, wenn die Insektengemeinschaft des Habitats von Bestäubern dominiert wird. Wird sie aber von herbivoren Blütenbesuchern dominiert, sollten kleine Pflanzen gegenüber großen einen Vorteil haben. Im Gegensatz dazu sollten große Pflanzen immer einen Nachteil bezüglich des Tausendkorngewichts haben, das von Antagonisten, nicht aber von Mutualisten beeinflusst wurde. Der Einfluss der Pflanzengröße auf biotische Interaktionen wurde bisher oft unterschätzt, obwohl er sich auf komplexe Weise über die mutualistischen und antagonistischen Insekten auf die reproduktive Fitness der Pflanze auswirkt.

La réduction du volume des glaciers et la fusion printanière plus précoce de la neige causée par le réchauffement climatique provoquent des variations du cycle hydrologique à la fois pour les têtes de bassin versant, mais aussi pour les zones situées plus à l’aval. Afin de prédire correctement l’amplitude des changements possibles futurs et d’envisager une gestion adaptée, une bonne connaissance de l’interaction entre les glaciers, le climat et les écoulements hydriques est nécessaire. L’objectif de cette étude est d’évaluer l’effet de la variabilité climatique sur le fonctionnement hydro-glaciologique et ses conséquences sur la disponibilité de l’eau du bassin versant de l’Arve (Alpes françaises) depuis 1960. Ce bassin s’étend sur une surface de 1958 km2 et est composé de cinq bassins versants emboités (Arveyron d’Argentière, Arveyron de la Mer de Glace, Arve au Pont des Favrands, à Sallanches and au Bout du Monde), tous influencés par la fusion glaciaire et nivale mais dans différentes proportions étant donnée la large gamme d’extension de couverture glaciaire s’étalant de 5 á 53%. Ce travail est basé sur des longs jeux de données glaciologiques, météorologiques, hydrologiques et de couverture de neige qui sont issues soit de mesures ponctuelles dans l’espace soit de données obtenues par télédétection.L’analyse des tendances a été réalisée sur des données hydrologiques et météorologiques des cinq bassins versants emboités. Pour cela, le cycle saisonnier du débit est ajusté en utilisant une fonction mathématique de type “modèle à pic asymétrique”. Les changements observés des débits ont été reliés aux variables météorologiques ainsi que à l’évolution de la couverture glaciaire. Les résultats indiquent un comportement contrasté entre les bassins versants selon les taux d’englacements, avec une tendance croissante des valeurs de débit dans les bassins versants fortement englacés (couverture de glacier >30%) et une décroissante pour les moins englacés. La sensibilité du cycle hydrologique au changement climatique futur a été évaluée. Pour le milieu du 21e siècle, on prévoit que le volume annuel écoulé serait réduit de 16% pour l’Arveyron d’Argentière et de 31% pour l’Arveyron de la Mer de Glace. Pour la période estivale, la quantification détaillée de chaque terme de l’équation du bilan hydrologique, ainsi que leurs incertitudes, sur les bassins versants de l’Arveyron d’Argentière et de l’Arveyron de la Mer de Glace-Leschaux a permis de souligner l’importance des transferts d’eau souterraine pour représenter et prédire le comportement hydro-glaciologique d’un bassin versant donné. Deux model d’écoulement distribués de type degré-jour couples à un modèle de routage hydrologique à réservoir linéaire ont était utilisé sur le bassin versant de l’Arveyron d’Argentière sur la période 1960–2009. La calibration est effectuée autant sur la base des données de débit qu’avec une approche multicritère avec les données de débit, de couverture neigeuse et du bilan de masse annuel, à pas de temps journalier. Les résultats montrent l’aptitude d’utiliser un modèle classique degré-jour pour simuler le comportement hydro-glaciologique et la production d’eau sous-glaciaire d’un bassin versant fortement glaciaire. Pour la période 1960–2004, une valeur de Kling Gupta Efficiency de 0.85 entre le débit simulé et observe à était obtenu. La calibration multicritère semble réduire les incertitudes des simulations. / Glacier recession and the anticipation of spring snow melt driven by a warming climate could lead to changes in the hydrological cycle affecting not only the headwater catchments but also the areas downstream. In order to correctly predict the magnitude of future possible changes and to consider appropriate strategies of water management, a good understanding of the interaction between glaciers, climate and hydrology is needed. The aim of this study is to assess the effect of climate variability on the hydro-glaciological behaviour and its consequence on water availability in the Arve River catchment (French Alps) since 1960. It covers 1958 km2 and is composed by five nested catchments (Arveyron d’Argentière, Arveyron de la Mer de Glace, Arve at Pont des Favrands, Arve at Sallanches and Arve at Bout du Monde), all influenced by glacier and snow melt but characterized by various percentages of glacier cover ranging from 5 to 53%. This research is based on a long dataset of in situ or remote sensing glaciological, meteorological, hydrological and snow cover area data.Trend analyses are performed on the hydrological and meteorological data at all the considered sites. The seasonal cycle of each catchment is fitted using a mathematical function, namely the asymmetric peak model, and changes in the discharge are related to observed changes in the meteorological variables and the glaciers’ evolution. Results point out a contrasting behaviour among the catchments characterized by different glacier covers, showing an increasing trend on the discharge values in highly glacierized catchments (with a glacier cover >30%) and a decrease in the low glacierized ones. The sensitivity of the seasonal cycle to the future climate is evaluated. In the mid-21st century the annual runoff would be reduced by 16% for Arveyron d’Argentière and 31% for Arveyron de la Mer de Glace. Over the summer season, a detailed quantification of each term of the hydrological balance equation, as well as their uncertainties, on the Argentière and Mer de Glace-Leschaux drainage basins allows to underline the importance of considering the groundwater transfers to represent and predict the hydro-glaciological behaviour of a considered catchment. Two different distributed temperature index melt models coupled with a linear reservoir discharge model are used on the Arveron d’Argentière catchment over the 1960–2009 period. The calibration is carried out against discharge only and with a multi- criteria approach considering the discharge, the snow cover area and the glacier-wide annual mass balance values at daily time step. Results demonstrate the suitability of the use of a classical degree day model in simulating the hydro-glaciological behaviour and the subglacial water production of a highly glacierized catchment. A KGE of 0.85 is obtained between the observed and simulate discharge values over the 1960–2004 period. The use of a multi-criteria approach seems to reduce the simulation uncertainties.

The National Senior Certificate Examination results for Physical Sciences have recently declined, particularly in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. This study identified the causes of poor learner performance in Physical Sciences in grade 12 in the Further Education and Training (FET) phase in public schools in the Pinetown District, KwaZulu-Natal. The study employed a quantitative as well as a qualitative approach. Two public schools in the Pinetown District participated in this study. The identities of all respondents were protected. Upon analysis of the results, several contributory factors for poor performance were identified; no single factor was accountable for poor performance in Physical Sciences. Recommendations for improvement in the areas identified were provided and topics for future research on the curriculum of grade 8 and 9 Natural Science were suggested. / Education / M.ED (Curriculum Studies)

The National Senior Certificate Examination results for Physical Sciences have recently declined, particularly in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. This study identified the causes of poor learner performance in Physical Sciences in grade 12 in the Further Education and Training (FET) phase in public schools in the Pinetown District, KwaZulu-Natal. The study employed a quantitative as well as a qualitative approach. Two public schools in the Pinetown District participated in this study. The identities of all respondents were protected. Upon analysis of the results, several contributory factors for poor performance were identified; no single factor was accountable for poor performance in Physical Sciences. Recommendations for improvement in the areas identified were provided and topics for future research on the curriculum of grade 8 and 9 Natural Science were suggested. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)