Dendroclimatologists often approach field work with the intent of reconstructing a particular climate variable (e.g. temperature, streamflow, precipitation). Although guidelines exist for species and site selection, isolating the signal of interest is difficult in areas with complex terrain or a lack of ideal sites. In this case study, I suggest climatological techniques for a more efficient sampling scheme and apply these techniques to identify criteria for selecting sites sensitive to winter precipitation in the north-central Rocky Mountains. These techniques include examining factors influencing the regional response of tree growth to climate by utilizing the International Tree-Ring Databank (ITRDB), using eigenvector analyses to identify modes of variability between sites, and delineating climate regions based on the variable of interest through climate regionalization. Results suggest that low- or mid-elevation Pseudotsuga menziesii sites should be targeted for maximizing the winter precipitation signal in the case study area. The season of precipitation impacting growth was found to be a major component of the overall variability between sites.

Projetos de monitoramento de longo prazo estão sendo desenvolvidos internacionalmente a fim de monitorar continuamente os impactos que as mudanças climáticas globais vêm gerando nas comunidades marinhas bentônicas, entretanto, no âmbito nacional, há uma carência desse tipo de estudo e dados para a costa brasileira. O objetivo do presente estudo foi a instalação de uma estação de monitoramento de longo prazo, bem como a caracterização da comunidade bentônica presente no médiolitoral do costão rochoso à direita da Enseada de Palmas, no Parque Estadual da Ilha Anchieta (Ubatuba, SP) seguindo as diretrizes do \"Protocolo de Médiolitoral para Monitoramento de Comunidades de Costão Rochoso\" da ReBentos (Rede de Monitoramento de Habitats Bentônicos Costeiros). As amostragens dependentes semestrais (n = 3) foram realizadas no período de um ano, compreendendo o inverno de 2014 e o verão de 2015, utilizando fotoquadrados de 10x10 cm na faixa superior e 25x25 cm nas faixas intermediária e inferior. A análise variância ANOVA two way para dados repetidos revelou variação sazonal na largura das faixas das unidades operacionais (UO) Tetraclita (39,1 cm) e Macroalgas (27 cm) e no recobrimento percentual médio (RPM) das UO Cianobactéria (12,6%) na faixa superior, T. stalactifera (16,6%), Espaço vazio (38,4%) e Algas Calcárias Articuladas (55,7%) na faixa intermediária. As análises multivariadas (Cluster, nMDS e PCA) revelaram alta similaridade para as faixas superior (80%) e inferior (85%) e baixa (65%) para a faixa intermediaria, indicando que as maiores diferenças entre verão e inverno foram encontradas nesta faixa. Como o médiolitoral apresenta UO bioindicadoras de monitoramento, como T. stalactifera, A. beauvoisii e Sargassum vulgare, e de variação sazonal, então eleva-se a importância da realização, integração e continuidade de projetos de monitoramento de longo prazo em costões rochosos a fim de gerar dados históricos ao longo do litoral brasileiro / The development of long-term monitoring projects around the world aims to monitor continuously the impacts that global environmental changes (GEC) have been causing in the benthic marine communities. However, nationally, there are few monitoring studies and data for the Brazilian coast. In this study, we aimed to install a long-term monitoring station and characterize the benthic community located in the intertidal zone of the rocky shore in the right of the Cove of Palmas at the Anchieta Island State Park (Ubatuba, São Paulo state). We intended to do that by following the guidelines of the \"Intertidal Protocol for the Monitoring of Rocky Shore Communities\" (Rocky Shores Working group, ReBentos). We studied the rocky shore for a year and collected the dependent samples every semester (n = 3), encompassing the winter of 2014 and the summer of 2015. We used photoquadrats in the intertidal zone (10x10 cm in the upper band and 25x25 cm in the intermediate and lower bands). Two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) for repeated measures reveled seasonal variation in the bandwidth of Tetraclita (39,1 cm) and Macroalgae (27 cm) operational units (OU) and in the average percentage overlap for Cyanobacteria (12,6%) at upper band, T. stalactifera (16,6%), Empty space (38,4%) and Articulated Calcareous Algae (55,7%) at intermediate band. Multivariate analysis (Cluster, nMDS and PCA) revealed high similarity for upper (80%) and lower (85%) bands and low similarity for intermediate band (65%), suggesting major differences between summer and winter in the intermediate band. As the intertidal zone has monitoring bioindicators operational units, like T. stalactifera, A. beauvoisii and Sargassum vulgare, and seasonal variation, it is of great importance to implement, integrate and continue long-term monitoring projects in rocky shores in order to generate Brazilian coast historical data

A caracterização da biodiversidade de comunidades bentônicas resume-se, no litoral brasileiro, a pouco mais de uma dezena de trabalhos estudando, na totalidade, uma área aproximada de apenas 3400 m2. Pretendeu-se aqui propor um novo método, inédito para comunidades marinhas de substrato consolidado, baseado na amostragem de unidades de heterogeneidade da paisagem, denominados povoamentos, visando um aumento na velocidade e abrangência das amostragens neste ambiente. Este estudo foi realizado em um trecho de 260m do costão leste da Praia do Presídio (Enseada das Palmas, P. Est. de Ilha Anchieta, Ubatuba, SP) e divididiu-se em quatro abordagens: 1) identificação e descrição dos povoamentos presentes e spécies neles dominantes; 2) mapeamento da repartição horizontal geo-referenciada de cada povoamento e determinação de sua amplitude vertical máxima; 3) quantificação de seus recobrimentos percentuais médios a partir de imagens; 4) avaliação da composição específica e da variação espacial de povoamentos selecionados. Trinta povoamentos, incluídos nas categorias Banco, Colônia, Crosta e Tapete, além de um atributo não-biológico incluído na categoria Região, foram identificados e descritos e as informações serão disponibilizadas em um banco de dados na internet. O mapeamento foi realizado em apenas 6 mergulhos, em cada estação, de 50 a 80 minutos. A maior parte os povoamentos ocorreu pontualmente. O número de povoamentos e a repartição horizontal dos mesmos praticamente não se alteraram entre verão e inverno. A análise da freqüência relativa dos povoamentos evidenciou que Banco de Sargassum (BSG) apresentou maior valor no verão (25,3%) e Tapete de Amphiroa e Jania (TAJ), no inverno (21,3%). Quanto à distribuição vertical, foram delimitadas quatro principais zonas baseadas na freqüência relativa: uma mais rasa definida por BSG, outra intermediária superior definida por TAJ, outra intermediária inferior definida por Tapete de Ectoprocta (TEC) e uma mais funda definida por povoamentos variáveis com a estação. Foram obtidos 84 elementos amostrais fotográficos no verão e 100 no inverno, os quais evidenciaram 26 e 28 povoamentos, respectivamente. Foram realizadas análises de repartição espacial nos modos R e Q e avaliação de heterogeneidade dos agrupamentos formados. BSG apresentou maior valor de recobrimento percentual médio tanto no período de verão (26,1%) quanto de inverno (32,0%), seguido de TEC (19,7% no verão e 24,2% no inverno), significativamente maior que a maioria dos demais povoamentos (p<0,05). Os povoamentos fitobentônicos foram mais representativos na área (62,2% de recobrimento médio no verão e 61,8% no inverno). Quando consideradas as categorias de povoamentos, os bancos fitobentônicos foram mais representativos (31,2% no verão e 37,0% no inverno). Se somados animais e algas, a categoria ?tapete? foi a mais representada (46,3% no verão e 41,4% no inverno), com grande contribuição dos povoamentos TAJ e TEC, indicando uma possível influência da sedimentação na área. A análise de repartição espacial em Modo R evidenciou a existência de seis grupos no verão e cinco no inverno, sugerindo povoamentos com as mesmas exigências ecológicas. Já em Modo Q observou-se que a comunidade da área é bastante heterogênea, apresentando um padrão em manchas, sendo os povoamentos BSG, Região de Substrato Inconsolidado, TAJ, TEC (e algumas de suas variações) e Tapete de Gelidiopsis e Hypnea (TGH) os responsáveis pela formação dos grupos com o Índice de Similaridade de Morisita-Horn. A análise da composição específica dos povoamentos BSG, TAJ, TEC e TGH evidenciou que os mesmos podem ser considerados homogêneos ou apresentam-se na forma de fácies na área de estudo, podendo ser utilizados como unidades operacionais de forma consistente. Entretanto, estudos em outras áreas são necessários para fornecer suporte aos dados obtidos, principalmente em relação aos dois últimos povoamentos, que carecem de estudos ecológicos. A análise espectral evidenciou suficiência amostral para todos os povoamentos em relação aos pontos Calleja adotados. Os espectros de riqueza foram diagonais e os de diversidade foram retangulares. Para os quatro povoamentos, o Índice de Diversidade de Shannon ficou entre 1,6 e 2,2 e o de Diversidade de Simpson, entre 2,6 e 5,7. O povoamento TGH foi o mais rico e o mais diverso. A comunidade estudada no presente estudo pode ser considerada característica da região sudeste do Brasil. O método dos povoamentos, tanto a partir da Abordagem 2 quanto da 3, possibilitou a caracterização estrutural da comunidade de forma rápida. A análise da micro-heterogeneidade de 4 povoamentos evidenciou que podem ser utilizados como unidades ecológicas consistentes. / The biodiversity characterization of benthic communities in the Brazilian coast is limited to a few works, which studied an area of about 3,400 m2. The objective of this study was to propose a new method, unprecedented in hard bottom marine communities, based in the sampling of landscape heterogeneity units, named physiognomies and settlements, aiming at an increase in sampling speed and covering in this environment. This study was performed in a 260 m infralittoral stretch of Presidio Beach eastern coast (Palmas Bay, Anchieta Island State Park, Ubatuba, SP) and was divided in four approaches: 1) identification e description of settlements and their dominant species; 2) georeferenced spatial repartition mapping of each settlement and determination of maximum vertical amplitude; 3) mean percent cover quantification from digital images; 4) evaluation of specific composition and spatial variation of selected settlements. Thirty settlements, included in Bed, Colony, Crust and Turf categories, besides a non-biological attribute included in Region category, were identified and described and the information will be available in a database in the internet. Mapping was performed in only 6 dives of 50 to 80 minutes in each season. The major part of the settlements occurred punctually. Settlements number and horizontal repartition practically did not change between summer and winter. Sargassum Bed (SGB) was more frequent in the summer (25.3%) and Amphiroa and Jania Turf (AJT) in the winter (21.3%). In relation to vertical repartition, four main zones were delimited based in relative frequencies: a shallower one defined by SGB, another upper intermediary defined by AJT, another lower intermediary defined by Ectoprocta Turf (ECT) and a last one, deeper, defined by variable settlements according to season. Eighty four sampling units were obtained in summer and 100 in winter, from which 26 and 28 settlements could be recognized, respectively. Cluster analysis in R and Q modes and heterogeneity evaluation of the obtained groups were made. SGB showed the highest mean percent cover as much in summer (26.1%) as in winter (32.0%), followed by ECT (19.7% in summer and 24.2% in winter), significantly higher than most of the other settlements (p<0.05). Phytobenthic settlements were the most representative in the area (62.2% of mean cover in summer and 61.8% in winter). When settlements categories were considered, phytobenthic beds were the most representative (31.2% in summer and 37.0% in winter). With animals and algae altogether, the category ?turf? was the most represented (46.3% in summer and 41.4% in winter), with great contribution of AJT and ECT, indicating a possible sedimentation influence in the area. The cluster analysis in R Mode showed the existence of six groups in summer and five in winter, suggesting settlements with the same ecological exigencies. In Q Mode a highly heterogeneous community could be evidenced, showing a patchy pattern. The settlements SGB, Unconsolidated Substrate Region, AJT, ECT (and some of its variations) and Gelidiopsis and Hypnea Turf (GHT) were the responsible for group formation with the use of Morisita-Horn Similarity Index. Specific composition analysis of SGB, AJT, ECT and GHT showed that these settlements can be considered homogeneous or present themselves as facies in the study area and can be consistently used as operational units. However, studies in other areas are necessary in order to give support to the obtained data, mainly regarding ECT and GHT, which lack ecological studies. Spectral analysis made evident sampling sufficiency for all settlements in relation to Calleja points adopted. Richness spectra were diagonal and diversity spectra were rectangular. For the four settlements, Shannon?s Diversity Index was between 1.6 and 2.2 and Simpson?s Dominance Index, between 2.6 and 5.7. GHT was the richest and most diverse settlement. The community studied in the present work can be considered typical of Brazilian south eastern region. Settlements method, through approaches 2 and 3, facilitated community structural characterization in a fast way. Micro-heterogeneity evaluation of four settlements showed that they can be used as consistent ecological units.

Como os processos que definem distribuições de espécies operam em diferentes escalas espaciais, abordagens multi-escalares são necessárias para que a variabilidade do sistema seja considerada no desenvolvimento de desenhos amostrais. Estudos sobre padrões espaciais de distribuição são necessários para servir de base para monitoramento e avaliações de impactos. Este trabalho avaliou a variação espacial de comunidades de infralitoral, em costões rochosos de três ilhas na Estação Ecológica dos Tupinambás. Os padrões espaciais foram investigados em quatro escalas, que variam de poucos metros a dezenas de quilômetros. Foram amostradas as profundidades de 1 a 5 e de 5 a 10 metros, no verão e inverno de 2013 e verão de 2014. O recobrimento percentual das unidades biológicas foi extraído a partir de foto-quadrados de 50x50 cm, aleatorizados, seguindo um desenho amostral aninhado. Os dominantes foram analisados individualmente com análise de variância univariada. Algas Calcárias Articuladas (ACA) foram o grupo dominante em todas as ilhas, períodos e profundidades, além de influenciar padrões multivariados, evidenciados pelo PCA. O recobrimento médio de ACA variou de 36% a 89.56%, considerando toda a amostragem. Outros dominantes variaram de acordo com o período e profundidade de coleta, dentre eles, Sargassum sp., Codium intertextum e Asparagopsis taxiformis. Todas as análises multivariadas (PERMANOVA, Pairwise Comparisons e nMDS) revelaram alta variação entre ilhas. Todas as outras escalas apresentaram variabilidade significativa, exceto a de poucos metros. Estimativas de variação revelaram que a variação residual e a entre ilhas foram sempre maiores do que as das outras escalas, confirmando a heterogeneidade intrínseca em pequena escala e a complexidade de comunidades insulares. O monitoramento nesta UC deverá incorporar todas as escalas investigadas. / As processes that define species distributions operate at different spatial scales, multi-scale approaches are needed to account for the system\'s natural variability, when developing sampling designs. Research about spatial patterns is essential to generate data to drive monitoring initiatives and impact assessments. The present study evaluated the spatial variability of subtidal rocky shore communities in three islands within the Ecological Station of Tupinambás. Spatial patterns were investigated across four scales, ranging from few meters to tens of kilometers, from 1 to 5 and from 5 to 10 m depth, in the summer and winter of 2013 and summer of 2014. Percent cover of the biological units was evaluated from photo-quadrats of 50x50 cm, randomly scattered, following a nested design. Dominant species and morphological groups were analyzed individually by univariate analyses of variance. Articulated Calcareous Algae (ACA) were the dominant group in all islands, depths and periods, and the main driver of multivariate patterns, as evidenced by the PCA. Mean cover of ACA varied from 36% to 89.56%, considering all occasions. Other dominant species were the algae Sargassum sp., Codium intertextum and Asparagopsis taxiformis, which varied according to sampling period and depth. All multivariate procedures (PERMANOVA, Pairwise Comparisons and nMDS plots) showed the highest variability among islands. All the other scales, except of few meters, presented significant variability. Estimates of variation showed that residual and intra-island variability were always higher than in other scales, confirming the intrinsic small-scale patchiness of marine assemblages and the complexity of insular communities. Monitoring efforts in this MPA should incorporate all the examined scales.

como uma tarefa importante das ciências relacionadas aos ambientes litorâneos. É importante progredir com os estudos, por meio da revisão e reinterpretação dos dados já existentes e da proposição de dados adicionais que elucidem as divergências que permeiam o delineamento das curvas de variação do nível do mar na costa brasileira e melhorem o diagnostico dos paleoníveis. A importância desses pesquisas reside no fato de que as variações contribuíram diretamente na formação e evolução das áreas costeiras. O município de Ubatuba possui grande potencial para a ocorrência de indicadores biológicos e geomorfológicos de paleoníveis marinhos, ainda pouco estudados em todo o litoral paulista. Estudos prévios que encontraram paleoindicadores biológicos de variações holocênicas do NM em alguns costões rochosos de Ubatuba, são um bom exemplo desse potencial. No presente trabalho avaliou-se 3 costões no município citado, quanto a suas características geomorfológicas e geológicas, e suas potencialidades para a ocorrência de indicadores de variação do NM. Os resultados apresentados permitem concluir que esses costões apresentam características peculiares que permitem o desenvolvimento e preservação de registros de NM. Pode-se inferir que as bandas de ouriços pormenorizadas no presente estudo definem níveis marinhos pretéritos, bem como os níveis de plataformas de abrasão marinha inativas aqui caracterizados. Tanto as plataforma quanto a presença das bandas sugerem pelo menos três estabilizações de NM mais alto que o atual, o que corrobora a literatura. Para estabelecer correlações entre as áreas estudas e delas com outras áreas do município, serão necessários estudos futuros, que contemplem ainda a datação de amostras de restos biogênicos, para que se possa relacionar os dados espaciais aqui apresentados com referencias temporais. / Responding to issues related to marine paleolevels reiterated increasingly as an important task of the science related to coastal environments. It is important to make progress with the studies through the review and reinterpretation of existing data and additional data proposition elucidating the differences that permeate the design of the variation curves sea level on the Brazilian coast and improve the diagnosis of paleolevels. The importance of these studies lies in the fact that changes have contributed directly to the formation and evolution of coastal areas. The city of Ubatuba has great potential for the occurrence of biological and geomorphological indicators of marine paleolevels, still understudied throughout the São Paulo coast. Previous studies have found that biological paleoindicadores of Holocene variations of sea level in some rocky shores of Ubatuba, are a good examples of this potential. In the present study we evaluated three rocky shores in Ubatuba as its geomorphological and geological features, and its potential for the occurrence of NM variation indicators. The results allow us to conclude that these shores have peculiar characteristics that enable the development and preservation of NM records. It can be inferred that the hedgehogs bands detailed in this study define tenses sea levels as well as levels of inactive marine abrasion platforms here characterized. Both the platform and the presence of the bands suggest at least three higher NM stabilizations that the current, which corroborates the literature. To establish correlations between them and studied areas with other areas of the municipality will require further study, still contemplating the dating of samples of biogenic remains, so that you can relate to the spatial data presented herein with temporal references.

Terrestrial organic matter (TOM) constitutes an important source of energy in many aquatic environments (streams, lakes, wetlands). This is the first study to examine the role of TOM in food webs of the rocky intertidal zone. We compared the consumption of red alder leaves (Alnus rubra) to common marine sources of drifting detritus along the southern Oregon coast (Nereocystis luetkeana, Phyllospadix spp., and Fucus gardneri). We used short term (hours to days) and long term (months) feeding experiments to compare the rate of consumption among each plant species during the Spring and Fall of 2014 and 2015. In addition, we quantified the amount of TOM in beach wrack and in the drift of two streams that flowed directly to the rocky intertidal zone. We also measured the food quality of each plant species (C:N and polyphenolic concentrations). On average, the two small streams in this study transported 1,113.6 kg AFDM/m3 of TOM per day during Fall leaf abscission to the rocky intertidal zone. Also, the biomass of terrestrial leaves in beach wrack varied from negligible (2.1 g AFDM) to the dominant source of detritus (60.7 g AFDM) depending on if it was the dominant riparian plant growing along the edges of the shore. Consistent with previous research, N. luetkeana was a high quality food (C:N = 15:1; polyphenolics = 418 mg/ml), whereas F. gardneri (C:N = 22:1; polyphenolics = 8098 mg/ml) was more recalcitrant. Phyllospadix spp. was puzzling because it had low concentrations of polyphenolics (800 mg/ml) but was not consumed. Alnus rubra had a high concentration of structural compounds (C:N = 33:1) and intermediate levels of polyphenolics (3,415 mg/ml after leaching). Both short term and long term experiments showed that the rates of consumption of Spring-shed, green leaves and freshly fallen brown leaves of A. rubra were intermediate between N. luetkeana and the less palatable marine species (F. gardneri and Phyllospadix spp.). Thus, A. rubra was eaten by common intertidal consumers and may constitute an important source of energy between brief inputs of more nutritious marine resources (e.g. N. luetkeana).

Small businesses provide 48% of private-sector jobs in the United States and play a vital role in the country's economic growth and development. Only half of U.S. small businesses survive for longer than 5 years. The purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to explore sustainability strategies managers of small oilfield service companies used to sustain their business for longer than 5 years. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with 10 managers--one manager from each of 10 different oilfield service companies located in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States and from review of publicly available documents and archived records. The conceptual framework for this study was the dynamic capability theory. Data analysis was conducted using Yin's 5-step data analysis process and methodological triangulation. Four themes emerged from the study: networking or relationship strategies, financial planning strategies, differentiation strategies, and education and experience strategies. The implications of this study for positive social change include the potential for small business managers to use these findings to develop strategies for profitability and sustainability resulting in job creation, poverty reduction, and socioeconomic development.

Most sociological analyses of community attachment have focused on the strength of attachment, with little concern for the qualities or attributes of a place to which people become attached. In cases where dimensions of attachment are the focus of analysis, the literature is rather narrowly focused on social dimensions, re ferring most often to connections with family, friends, and other social networks and largely ignoring the realm of natural environment factors. Two primary premises motivated this study. Fi rst, sociological understandi ngs of community attachment wou ld benefit from an expanded analytic framework that incorporates more complex arrays of both social and natural environment dimensions. Second, it is important to understand what variations in attachment may mean for the broader well-being of rural communities. Initial analyses of the data demonstrated four key results. First, factor analysis of fi fleen indicators of attachment produced two distinct dimensions of community attachment, social and natural environment. Second, the nature of the response patterns indicates that strength of natural environment attachment is widely shared amongst a variety of res idents, regardless of length of residence, historical roots to the area, or life cycle. Third, participation in collective action and perceptions of open communication (measures of well-being) within a respondent's community explained only a small portion of the variance in both social and natural environment attachment. Fourth, Structural Equation Modeling demonstrated that there is a causal relationship between attachment and community well-being, though that relationship appeared to be non-recursive. In contrast to much of the previous empirical work on community attachment, this research provides strong evidence of the natural environment dimension and provides justification for further research. This research provides one model to be considered and expanded upon in future research efforts in this area, and supports the need for further attention to the use of multiple dimensions of attachment and their associations with community well-being.

Thesis (M. Environmental Management)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

The Arizona Oil and Gas Commission in conjunction with the Arizona Geological Survey have collected a large amount of data for the oil and gas wells in the State of Arizona. The data covers over 1,000 wells that were drilled from the 1940s to present. This data includes copies of permits, location information, scanned copies of well logs and digitized versions of the well logs in .las file format. These files have been difficult to distribute efficiently because of an unfriendly web user interface. The purpose of this project is to give the Arizona Geological Survey a way to distribute the oil and gas well data through an effective web application. The web application will leverage existing web services at the Arizona Geological Survey. To create this map I used the Esri JavaScript API. In this application the users can select multiple wells by clicking and dragging over the well heads they want. This will then display the metadata in a grid along with hyperlinks to the available files for those wells. This data will be primarily used by companies involved with carbon sequestration or others seeking information for geological exploration.