The potential relationship between riparian arachnids and aquatic insect productivity was assessed in forest streams throughout the central South Island of New Zealand. Initially, a survey was conducted of thirty seven, first-third order forest streams. Streams were selected to represent a range of benthic invertebrate standing crops (as a surrogate measure of "productivity") from Banks Peninsula streams with relatively high benthic invertebrate densities to acid mine drainage streams near Reefton that were almost devoid of aquatic life. At each site benthic invertebrate densities and biomass were measured in riffle habitats and adjacent gravel bars were sampled for terrestrial invertebrates. At a sub-set of 16 sites, a 20 metre longitudinal web-building spider survey was conducted along each bank of the stream. As an additional component, a 20 metre transect starting at the stream margin and running perpendicularly into the forest was used to survey the density of web-building spiders with increasing distance from the stream. Results from the survey of in-situ stream insect biomass and gravel bar invertebrates showed a strong relationship between aquatic insect biomass and the biomass of riparian arachnids (R2 = 0.42, P < 0.001) having accounted for potentially confounding factors such as stream size, elevation, substrate and disturbance. The 20 metre longitudinal survey showed that streams with the highest in-situ insect biomass had significantly higher densities of web-building spiders along their banks (R2 = 0.28, P < 0.05), having accounted for potential confounding variables of elevation, habitat architecture and stream and channel width. The stream to forest survey showed a strong exponential decay in web-building spider densities with increasing distance from the stream (R2 = 0.96, P < 0.0001). Regardless of stream productivity web-building spiders were most abundant at the stream margins and rapidly declined to very low densities 20 metres from the stream. In order to further test the relationship between riparian web-building spider densities and stream insect productivity, a stream fertilization experiment was conducted on six first-second order streams in the Maimai experimental catchment, Reefton. Three streams were enriched by the addition of a fertiliser solution mainly consisting of sodium nitrate for seven months, and the other three streams were used as controls. Water chemistry, benthic invertebrate communities, emerging aquatic adults, and the densities of web-building spiders along the stream corridor and in the forest were monitored in three seasons (spring, summer and autumn) over the course of the nutrient-addition. By the end of the experiment, conductivity was significantly higher in nutrient-addition streams than in the control streams (F = 80.5, P < 0.001), but chlorophyll concentrations showed no significant differences between treatments. Both benthic mayfly densities (F = 6.15, P < 0.05) and the biomass of adult aquatic dipterans (Chironomidae, Simuliidae) (F = 9.25, P < 0.01) were significantly higher in nutrient-addition streams in the last sampling round. Spiders recorded from intercept traps indicated that by the end of the experiment spider activity was significantly higher within 2.5 metres of the nutrient-addition streams (F = 5.70, P < 0.01). However, seasonal densities of web-building spiders along the stream margin and in the forest decreased with no significant differences observed between nutrient-addition and control streams. The results from these studies indicate that adult insects emerging from streams represent an important source of prey that could influence the biomass and abundance of riparian arachnids. Additionally, the results imply that stream productivity and size could mediate the strength of the interaction between riparian and stream habitats. Moreover, feedback mechanisms present in both systems could have implications for such interactions. The elevated densities of web-building spiders observed at the stream margin led to the proposal of the "Highway Robber" hypothesis. This hypothesis suggests that such higher densities of spiders are the result of increased insect activity along the stream corridor: the emergence of adult aquatic insects was predicted to vary less over temporal and spatial scales than that of terrestrial insects due to the poorly synchronized life histories in many New Zealand stream insects. I conclude by suggesting that there are numerous anthropocentric perturbations such as loss of heterogeneity, introduced species, pollution and habitat degradation that could undermine and decouple the intimate linkages between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.

The potential relationship between riparian arachnids and aquatic insect productivity was assessed in forest streams throughout the central South Island of New Zealand. Initially, a survey was conducted of thirty seven, first-third order forest streams. Streams were selected to represent a range of benthic invertebrate standing crops (as a surrogate measure of "productivity") from Banks Peninsula streams with relatively high benthic invertebrate densities to acid mine drainage streams near Reefton that were almost devoid of aquatic life. At each site benthic invertebrate densities and biomass were measured in riffle habitats and adjacent gravel bars were sampled for terrestrial invertebrates. At a sub-set of 16 sites, a 20 metre longitudinal web-building spider survey was conducted along each bank of the stream. As an additional component, a 20 metre transect starting at the stream margin and running perpendicularly into the forest was used to survey the density of web-building spiders with increasing distance from the stream. Results from the survey of in-situ stream insect biomass and gravel bar invertebrates showed a strong relationship between aquatic insect biomass and the biomass of riparian arachnids (R2 = 0.42, P < 0.001) having accounted for potentially confounding factors such as stream size, elevation, substrate and disturbance. The 20 metre longitudinal survey showed that streams with the highest in-situ insect biomass had significantly higher densities of web-building spiders along their banks (R2 = 0.28, P < 0.05), having accounted for potential confounding variables of elevation, habitat architecture and stream and channel width. The stream to forest survey showed a strong exponential decay in web-building spider densities with increasing distance from the stream (R2 = 0.96, P < 0.0001). Regardless of stream productivity web-building spiders were most abundant at the stream margins and rapidly declined to very low densities 20 metres from the stream. In order to further test the relationship between riparian web-building spider densities and stream insect productivity, a stream fertilization experiment was conducted on six first-second order streams in the Maimai experimental catchment, Reefton. Three streams were enriched by the addition of a fertiliser solution mainly consisting of sodium nitrate for seven months, and the other three streams were used as controls. Water chemistry, benthic invertebrate communities, emerging aquatic adults, and the densities of web-building spiders along the stream corridor and in the forest were monitored in three seasons (spring, summer and autumn) over the course of the nutrient-addition. By the end of the experiment, conductivity was significantly higher in nutrient-addition streams than in the control streams (F = 80.5, P < 0.001), but chlorophyll concentrations showed no significant differences between treatments. Both benthic mayfly densities (F = 6.15, P < 0.05) and the biomass of adult aquatic dipterans (Chironomidae, Simuliidae) (F = 9.25, P < 0.01) were significantly higher in nutrient-addition streams in the last sampling round. Spiders recorded from intercept traps indicated that by the end of the experiment spider activity was significantly higher within 2.5 metres of the nutrient-addition streams (F = 5.70, P < 0.01). However, seasonal densities of web-building spiders along the stream margin and in the forest decreased with no significant differences observed between nutrient-addition and control streams. The results from these studies indicate that adult insects emerging from streams represent an important source of prey that could influence the biomass and abundance of riparian arachnids. Additionally, the results imply that stream productivity and size could mediate the strength of the interaction between riparian and stream habitats. Moreover, feedback mechanisms present in both systems could have implications for such interactions. The elevated densities of web-building spiders observed at the stream margin led to the proposal of the "Highway Robber" hypothesis. This hypothesis suggests that such higher densities of spiders are the result of increased insect activity along the stream corridor: the emergence of adult aquatic insects was predicted to vary less over temporal and spatial scales than that of terrestrial insects due to the poorly synchronized life histories in many New Zealand stream insects. I conclude by suggesting that there are numerous anthropocentric perturbations such as loss of heterogeneity, introduced species, pollution and habitat degradation that could undermine and decouple the intimate linkages between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.

The Lusushwana River, which is within the Maputo River Basin, forms the western boundary of Matsapha, the most industrialized town in Swaziland. Current findings suggest that the Lusushwana River is polluted by industries within the town. What is not clear is the establishment of an association between the industries and the river quality, the extent of pollution in the river, and whether the river can meet national water quality objectives. Further, literature implies that the pollution causes impacts on the riverine ecosystem, health and livelihoods of the riparian communities; and that environmental monitoring, application and enforcement of legislation are weak. There is therefore a need for a detailed investigation on the pollution of the Lusushwana River to establish whether there is an association between the industries and the river quality; and the health and livelihoods impacts on the riparian communities and riverine ecosystem, with a view to recommending intervention measures to minimize the pollution taking into account social, technical, environmental, financial and institutional factors. The research was carried out at Matsapha, Swaziland. A mixed research methodology was adopted, which enabled the researcher to employ multiple data collection methods, which in turn provided the opportunity for data triangulation and as such enhanced the study‘s rigour, validity and reliability. The research took a deductive approach, and entailed a longitudinal experimental and cross-sectional survey design. Non-probability sampling methods in the form of snowball and purposive sampling were used to select an appropriate and representative sample that can be generalized. Data were collected using technical experiments, biotic index, semi-structured open ended questionnaires, interviews, and field observations. The questionnaires were self administered to 121 riparian communities‘ households, 3 environmental monitoring agencies and 26 proprietors of companies at Matsapha. Additionally, 15 key informants were interviewed. Water and wastewater samples were taken along the Lusushwana River, and at the wastewater treatment plant and industries. Statistical analysis of the data using PASW Statistics and Microsoft Excel led to the various findings from the research. The findings confirm the claim from literature that the anthropogenic activities at Matsapha pollute the Lusushwana River. The evaluation of the Lusushwana River showed microbiological, physical, organic and inorganic pollution to be most acute; but concentrations of heavy metals such as cadmium were low. The biotic index showed the absence of macro-invertebrate species (e.g. damselflies) that are highly sensitive to oxygen-depletion pollution. The riparian communities suffer human health impacts, especially diarrhoea and skin problems, and are restricted in meeting their domestic and livelihood water needs by the quality of the Lusushwana River. This study has led to the conclusion that the Lusushwana River is polluted by the anthropogenic companies in the Matsapha industrial estate, but has revealed that there is also pollution upstream of Matsapha. The companies at Matsapha have environmental management procedures that are insufficient or ineffective; environmental awareness, education, monitoring and legislation enforcement is lacking, the riparian communities suffer health and livelihood impacts, and their complaints are not effectively addressed. Therefore the study recommends that effective monitoring, legislation enforcement, and collaboration of all stakeholders should be used to achieve effective wastewater management and to minimize pollution of the Lusushwana River and the associated impacts. The empirical findings of the study regarding the pollution of the Lusushwana River and its impacts on the riparian communities, as well as the need for effective monitoring, enforcement of legislation and collaboration of the stakeholders contribute to professional knowledge, academic research, policy and practice. Potential areas recommended for further research include studies on assessment of companies that need pre-treatment in order to minimize environmentally significant discharges into the Lusushwana River; and on how much pollution the river can receive and still meet national water quality objectives.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-04-11T13:57:06Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 priscila rabassa.pdf: 5339343 bytes, checksum: 95dffc13c3fa6e82fd642cf53715fe61 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-09-13 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The community communication is now identified as a strategy for the development and the pursuit of social transformation, creating active subjects in the conquest of their rights as citizens. Given this possibility, this study aims to analyze the process of community communication established between the Suruacá community and Rede Mocoronga from Saúde e Alegria non-profit organization, both located in the state of Pará, and their contribution to the promotion of citizenship of the riverine population. The study featured a theoretical support of the authors Fábio Castro (2012), Cicilia Peruzzo (2007) and Margarida Kunsch (2007) that present community communication as a factor crucial to connecting communities with each other and with the world, and contribute to expansion of the rights and duties of citizenship, the right of every human being. For the development of this research methodology we used as the case study, using the techniques of interview and participant observation as well as records of informal conversations. The result reveals the contribution of community communication for development and the extension of citizenship of riverine population, as well as helps to understand the communication environment that configures the relationships established between the Rede Mocoronga and Suruacá community. / A comunicação comunitária é identificada atualmente como estratégia para o desenvolvimento e para a busca da transformação social, criando sujeitos ativos na conquista pelos seus direitos de cidadãos. Diante dessa possibilidade, este trabalho visa analisar o processo de comunicação comunitária estabelecido entre a comunidade de Suruacá e a Rede Mocoronga, da Organização Não Governamental, Saúde e Alegria, ambas localizadas no estado do Pará, e a sua contribuição para a promoção da cidadania da população ribeirinha. O estudo contou com um suporte teórico dos autores Fábio Castro (2012), Cicilia Peruzzo (2007) e Margarida Kunsch (2007) que apresentam a comunicação comunitária como fator crucial para conectar as comunidades entre si e com o mundo, além de contribuir para a ampliação dos direitos e deveres de cidadania, direito de todo ser humano. Para o desenvolvimento dessa pesquisa utilizamos como metodologia o Estudo de Caso, por meio das técnicas de entrevista e observação participante, além dos registros de conversas informais. O resultado revela a contribuição da comunicação comunitária para o desenvolvimento e para a ampliação da cidadania da população ribeirinha, assim como ajuda a entender o ambiente comunicacional que se configura nas relações estabelecidas entre a Rede Mocoronga e a comunidade de Suruacá.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-03-15T19:43:36Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Angelino Gomes Ferreira Junior.pdf: 3296507 bytes, checksum: 431c557fe74373ffaec69af596aaaf51 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-08-27 / Fundo Mackenzie de Pesquisa / We have faced a serious problem concerning Art educational practices towards students who live along rivers in Abaetetuba, State of Pará. The educational system set up in modules works in a lack of technology and appropriate structure. On the other hand we have the Art PCNs for basic level education all around Brazil. PCNs give teachers the mission of being a proposer and facilitator, the one who shows and articulate Art skills through artistic, esthetical, and cultural experiences produced by people all over the mankind history, taking on account their own present-day context, and their own production.Facing these major problems, our goal is to understand the limits and possibilities of enabling students of river areas an esthetical on-line experience by using internet as a way for searching State of Pará s heritage, even though students have never used this kind of technology. Trying to figured out whether these new technological tools help or not students improve their self-building knowledge in Art, a participative intervention research, an analytical descriptive one, was set among students at a public school for middle and high school levels called João Maria, in Rio Doce community, by the use of a computer room of another school called Pedro Teixeira, both schools belong to Abaetetuba City, in Pará. We worked in the middle school with a group of eighth grade students, and in the high school with a group of freshmen. The analysis of datas we gathered through this search shows us an improvement in Art classes when the use of new pedagogical tools, which origins by the union of new technologies era and Education, is made. / Um problema considerável que temos enfrentado nas práticas educativas em Artes, junto aos alunos ribeirinhos do Ensino Modular de Abaetetuba, no Estado do Pará, diz respeito à pauperidade de estrutura física e tecnológica adequada. Por outro lado, o propósito dos PCNs em Arte, direcionado a todos os alunos da educação básica do Brasil, imprime ao professor a missão de ser mediador propositor, que apresenta e articula a produção do conhecimento nessa área, através das experiências artísticas, estéticas e culturais produzidas pelo homem ao longo da historia da humanidade, do seu contexto atual, e de sua própria produção. Diante desta problemática, objetivamos investigar os limites e possibilidades de produzir nestes alunos ribeirinhos uma experiência estética virtual, por meio de pesquisa em recursos multimídias, em especial a internet, com o recorte do Patrimônio Cultural do Pará, mesmo que estes ainda não tenham acesso direto a ela. Com o intuito de avaliar se essas novas ferramentas tecnológicas podem vir a ajudar estes alunos a terem um ganho qualitativo na construção do conhecimento em arte realizou-se uma pesquisa de intervenção participativa de tipo analíticodescritiva no contexto escolar da escola E.M.E.F.M. João Maria na comunidade Rio Doce e no laboratório de informática da E.E.E.F.M. Pedro Teixeira, ambos no Município de Abaetetuba, envolvendo os discentes de uma turma de 8ª do Ensino Fundamental, e do 1º ano do Ensino Médio. A análise dos dados da pesquisa aponta que as aulas de arte se mostram consideravelmente mais estimulantes, sob a perspectiva dos alunos, quando apoiadas com o suporte das novas ferramentas pedagógicas advindas da profusão das novas tecnologias no mundo agregadas a educação.