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The purpose of this study was to compile practical feeding guidelines for donkeys in the UK. Current guidelines are to feed 0.75 of horse feeding recommendations on a body weight basis. However, the superior digestive efficiency of donkeys, compared to horses, may render the use of horse recommendations inappropriate. The formulation of guidelines specific to donkeys would enable owners to calculate their donkey‟s requirements with greater accuracy and prevent overfeeding. A postal survey, used to gain information on the body condition score of donkeys in the UK, and the husbandry and feeding practices used to manage them, indicated that approximately 24% of donkeys in the UK are overweight. Feeding practices indicated that although owners were aware of their donkey‟s requirement for fibrous forages, the practice of feeding unnecessary concentrates, chaffs and high energy forages, in addition to grazing, was the likely cause of donkeys becoming overweight. The finding that the majority (85 – 90%) of donkeys were kept as non-working companion animals also reduced the need for owners to feed higher energy foods to their donkeys. Results also suggested that owners were unsure of how to adjust their donkey‟s diet to account for seasonal changes in requirements and pasture availability, as most owners‟ adjusted grazing access, and not the feeding of supplementary feeds. From a study of dry matter (DM) and digestible energy (DE) intakes by 20 mature donkeys maintaining weight during each UK season, the maintenance DE requirements of donkeys were calculated. Results showed no effect of sex on DM or DE intake. Season significantly (P<0.001) affected DM and DE intakes, implying increased requirements in winter compared to spring, summer and autumn. Dry matter intakes (DMI) increased from 51g/kg BW0.75 in spring, summer and autumn to 66g/kg BW0.75 in winter. Digestible energy requirements increased from 0.32MJ/kg BW0.75 in spring, summer and autumn to 0.43MJ/kg BW0.75 in winter. Comparison of results with horse recommendations showed considerably reduced requirements by donkeys. Horse recommendations overestimated DE requirements in summer and winter by 82 and 30%, respectively, making horse recommendations unsuitable for calculating donkey energy requirements. Husbandry practices commonly used by owners to manage their donkeys grazing access (grazing time, grazing area, strip grazing), were assessed for their effect on DMI by grazing donkeys in summer and autumn, using n-alkanes. The effect of grazing time was assessed by restricting donkeys to 8, 12 or 23 hours grazing per day. Season significantly affected food intake with donkeys in the 8 and 23 hour grazing groups eating more during summer when pasture availability was greater. Donkeys responded to the poorer quality summer pasture by grazing more intensively but less selectively, increasing the rate at which food was consumed. Grazing time was only influential over grass intake in summer, when pasture was more abundant. Restricting donkeys to 12 hours or less grazing per day significantly (P<0.001) reduced their grass intake compared to that of donkeys with 23 hours access. When grazing sparse pastures (autumn), grazing time did not influence grass intake, indicating an effect of herbage mass on grazing behaviour. Herbage mass was the most influential factor over diet composition (percentage of grass and straw consumed) in a second grazing study assessing the affect of strip grazing and set stocking systems on intake by grazing donkeys during summer and autumn. Herbage mass per donkey was higher in the set stocking system during both seasons, resulting in higher grass intakes. Determining if either grazing system was more effective at regulating grass intake was prevented due to differences in pasture availability between study sites. It is concluded that donkeys have lower DMI and maintenance DE requirements than horses, requiring donkey feeding guidelines to be formulated. Excess body weight in donkeys is caused in part, by the feeding of energy dense feeds in addition to low energy forages. Most owners place little nutritional importance on pasture, despite its potential to provide a large percentage of daily DM, DE and nutrient intake. Therefore nutritional guidelines must include advice on how to manage access to grazing, and how to feed donkeys with access to pasture. Restricting grazing time to 8 hours a day did reduce grass intake by donkeys, but was only effective when grazing abundant pastures. Providing ad libitum straw to grazing donkeys allows them to satisfy their DM and dietary fibre requirements without consuming excess energy.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:24:16Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2011-10-21Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:31:24Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 zerlin_ra_me_botib.pdf: 1985628 bytes, checksum: 0cbc9a7259cb15ed2a449eda24d54fd6 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / O objetivo do presente trabalho foi caracterizar a comunidade bentônica quanto à composição taxonômica, e a densidade das populações e também avaliar a qualidade da água e do sedimento nos períodos distintos do ciclo hidrológico (enchente, águas altas, vazante e águas baixas) da lagoa do Camargo, verificando possíveis relações entre as variáveis físico-químicas na estrutura da comunidade bentônica ao longo de um gradiente temporal. As coletas foram realizadas mensalmente no período de agosto de 2009 a agosto de 2010. Foram recolhidas em um ponto no meio da lagoa com o coletor tipo draga de Van Veen com área de pegada de (0,0640 m2) três amostras do sedimento para a análise da fauna, lavadas em rede seletiva de 250 μm e três para análises da granulometria e do conteúdo orgânico. Simultaneamente foram medidos os seguintes parâmetros limnológicos da lagoa: profundidade, transparência, temperatura, condutividade elétrica, pH, oxigênio dissolvido. Dados de precipitações mensais e nível hidrológico foram obtidos. Em função da variação da pluviosidade a maior profundidade ocorreu em abril/10 (final da cheia) e a menor em janeiro/10 (começo da cheia). Entre as variáveis analisadas na água, as variáveis de oxigênio dissolvido na superfície, condutividade elétrica de superfície e fundo e pH de superficie, tiveram seus valores mais elevados em junho/10 (águas baixas). Para oxigênio dissolvido no fundo, pH de fundo e transparência, os maiores valores foram em julho/10 (final águas baixas). Com relação ao sedimento, de modo geral, no mês de setembro de 2009 (final águas altas) ocorreu maior concentração de matéria orgânica. A fauna de macroinvertebrados bentônicos foi composta 15 grupos taxonômicos; a ordem Diptera foi representada por sete táxons com maior riqueza em relação aos demais taxa. Correspondeu a 60% da abundância total... / The aim of this study was to characterize the taxonomic composition and abundance of benthic community and, also assess the water and sediment quality in different periods of the hydrological cycle at Camargo Lake. Relationships between the physical chemical factors and the structure of benthic community were examined along a temporal gradient. Samples were collected monthly from August 2009 to July 2010. Three sediment samples were collected at site in the middle of the lake with a Van Veen area (0.0640 m2) for analysis of macroinvertebrates; then the sediment was, washed in 250 μm mesh net. Other three samples were collected for the analysis of grain size and organic content. Simultaneously, the following limnological parameters were measured; pond depth, water transparency, temperature, electrical conductivity, pH and dissolved oxygen. Monthly rainfall and water level data were obtained. In function of rainfall, the highest depth was in April/10 and, the lowest in January/10. Water dissolved oxygen and electrical conductivity at surface and bottom surface and, pH present higher values in June/10. For dissolved oxygen and pH at Bolton and, transparency the highest values were recorded in June/10. With respect to the sediment, the highest organic matter concentration was observed in of September 2009. Benthic macroinvertebrate fauna was composed 15 taxonomic groups; the order Diptera were represented by seven taxa and present higher richness than the other taxa. Diptera accounted for 60% of total abundance, followed by Ephemeroptera (22%) and Anellida (16%). Branchiura sowerbyi, Chironomus gigas and Campsurus, were present in all months of study, while the taxon Chironomus sp., was present in only one month of the study. Among the benthic macroinvertebrates, temporal significant differences on density and total richness were observed for to Narapa bonettoi, Chaoborus, Ablabesmyia... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

This diploma thesis deals with monitoring of water quality in the reservoirs which form the Litovicko- Šárecká cascade. It is a cascade of ponds, waterworks and retention reservoirs situated on the Litovicko-Šárecký stream and is composed of 9 major reservoirs. These reservoirs have different functions: from landscaping, retention, biological as well as recreation: fishing and swimming. Many of these reservoirs flow through human settlements, which have a negative impact on the quality of water within the whole cascade. The goal of this thesis is to monitor physical and chemical indicators of water as well as to determine the composition of phytoplankton populations, assess the state of water depending on the human activities in the basin and also to monitor how has the water quality changed in time and what are the main pollution sources. The water quality was determined from 11 samples collected with monthly intervals during March 2012 to May 2013. Samples were collected on all the reservoirs from the inflow, in the middle and at the outflow for chemical analysis and only from the middle for biological analysis. The following indicators were monitored: temperature, pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, indicators of neutralization capacity (ZNK8.3 a KNK4.5), hardness, CODMn, the concentration of...

Orientador: Raoul Henry / Banca: Juliano Joé Corbi / Banca: Paulo Augusto Zaitune Pamplin / Resumo: O objetivo do presente trabalho foi caracterizar a comunidade bentônica quanto à composição taxonômica, e a densidade das populações e também avaliar a qualidade da água e do sedimento nos períodos distintos do ciclo hidrológico (enchente, águas altas, vazante e águas baixas) da lagoa do Camargo, verificando possíveis relações entre as variáveis físico-químicas na estrutura da comunidade bentônica ao longo de um gradiente temporal. As coletas foram realizadas mensalmente no período de agosto de 2009 a agosto de 2010. Foram recolhidas em um ponto no meio da lagoa com o coletor tipo draga de Van Veen com área de pegada de (0,0640 m2) três amostras do sedimento para a análise da fauna, lavadas em rede seletiva de 250 μm e três para análises da granulometria e do conteúdo orgânico. Simultaneamente foram medidos os seguintes parâmetros limnológicos da lagoa: profundidade, transparência, temperatura, condutividade elétrica, pH, oxigênio dissolvido. Dados de precipitações mensais e nível hidrológico foram obtidos. Em função da variação da pluviosidade a maior profundidade ocorreu em abril/10 (final da cheia) e a menor em janeiro/10 (começo da cheia). Entre as variáveis analisadas na água, as variáveis de oxigênio dissolvido na superfície, condutividade elétrica de superfície e fundo e pH de superficie, tiveram seus valores mais elevados em junho/10 (águas baixas). Para oxigênio dissolvido no fundo, pH de fundo e transparência, os maiores valores foram em julho/10 (final águas baixas). Com relação ao sedimento, de modo geral, no mês de setembro de 2009 (final águas altas) ocorreu maior concentração de matéria orgânica. A fauna de macroinvertebrados bentônicos foi composta 15 grupos taxonômicos; a ordem Diptera foi representada por sete táxons com maior riqueza em relação aos demais taxa. Correspondeu a 60% da abundância total... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The aim of this study was to characterize the taxonomic composition and abundance of benthic community and, also assess the water and sediment quality in different periods of the hydrological cycle at Camargo Lake. Relationships between the physical chemical factors and the structure of benthic community were examined along a temporal gradient. Samples were collected monthly from August 2009 to July 2010. Three sediment samples were collected at site in the middle of the lake with a Van Veen area (0.0640 m2) for analysis of macroinvertebrates; then the sediment was, washed in 250 μm mesh net. Other three samples were collected for the analysis of grain size and organic content. Simultaneously, the following limnological parameters were measured; pond depth, water transparency, temperature, electrical conductivity, pH and dissolved oxygen. Monthly rainfall and water level data were obtained. In function of rainfall, the highest depth was in April/10 and, the lowest in January/10. Water dissolved oxygen and electrical conductivity at surface and bottom surface and, pH present higher values in June/10. For dissolved oxygen and pH at Bolton and, transparency the highest values were recorded in June/10. With respect to the sediment, the highest organic matter concentration was observed in of September 2009. Benthic macroinvertebrate fauna was composed 15 taxonomic groups; the order Diptera were represented by seven taxa and present higher richness than the other taxa. Diptera accounted for 60% of total abundance, followed by Ephemeroptera (22%) and Anellida (16%). Branchiura sowerbyi, Chironomus gigas and Campsurus, were present in all months of study, while the taxon Chironomus sp., was present in only one month of the study. Among the benthic macroinvertebrates, temporal significant differences on density and total richness were observed for to Narapa bonettoi, Chaoborus, Ablabesmyia... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Η δομή των φακιδίων μελετήθηκε κατά τη διάρκεια του έτους με τη χρήση ηλεκτρονικού μικροσκοπίου σάρωσης (Scanning Electron Microscopy – SEM), οπτικού μικροσκοπίου, οπτικού μικροσκοπίου φθορισμού καθώς και με ιστοχημικές τεχνικές. Παρατηρήθηκαν διαφορές μεταξύ των σχηματισμών των δύο υπό έρευνα φυτών. Τα φακίδια της Olea europaea (ελιά) ανήκουν στον τύπο Magnolia, Populus και Pyrus (Esau, 1965). Τα γεμιστικά κύτταρα είναι φελλοποιημένα, όπως προκύπτει από τις ιστοχημικά δεδομένα μας και δεν υπάρχει κανενός είδους καλυπτήριο στρώμα (closing layer). Χαλαρά διευθετημένα, με λεπτά τοιχώματα κύτταρα εναλλάσσονται ετησίως με κύτταρα με παχιά τοιχώματα με μικρότερους μεσοκυττάριους χώρους. Καθ’ όλη τη διάρκεια του έτους, ο φθορισμός της χλωροφύλλης παρατηρήθηκε εντονότερος σε περιοχές του φλοιού παρακείμενες στα φακίδια από ότι σε πιο απομακρυσμένες Τα φακίδια του Cercis siliquastrum (κουτσουπιά) ανήκουν στον τύπο Prunus και Robinia (Esau, 1965). Χαρακτηρίζονται από στιβάδες χαλαρά διευθετημένων, μη φελλοποιημένων γεμιστικών κυττάρων τα οποία καλύπτονται από ένα στρώμα φελλοποιημένων κυττάρων (closing layer). Το στρώμα αυτό σπάζει κατά την αρχή της βλαστητικής περιόδου εξαιτίας της πιέσεως που δημιουργείται από τα υποκείμενα, μη φελλοποιημένα κύτταρα, τα οποία συνεχώς παράγονται από το φελλογόνιο κατά την περίοδο αυτή και αντικαθίσταται από ένα νέο στρώμα που δημιουργείται προς το τέλος της. Αντιστοιχίες παρατηρήθηκαν με την Olea europaea όσον αφορά στο φθορισμό της χλωροφύλλης. / The structure of primary lenticels of the Mediterranean evergreen Olea europaea and the winter deciduous species Cercis siliquastrum was investigated during the year using scanning electron, conventional bright field and epi-fluorescence microscopy. It was revealed that lenticels of O.europaea do not undergo significant structural changes during the year. The filling tissue of O.europaea lenticels consists of fully-suberized cells which form small intercellular spaces. The air-exposed filling cells are replaced during spring and early summer by new early-suberized cells; further remarkable structural modifications during the year were not observed. On the contrary, lenticels of C. siliquastrum possess a closing layer of suberized cells delimiting an underlying mass of non-suberized filling cells. During the period of high metabolic activity of the plant, i.e. during spring and early summer the suberized closing layer is broken from the pressure the underlying newly formed cells exercise. During late summer a new closing layer is formed, delimiting again the non-suberized underlying filling cells during winter. The possible role of lenticels in the gas exchange process is discussed. In both species the shade adapted parenchyma cells of the cortex beneath lenticels shows bright chlorophyll red auto-fluorescence, a phenomenon which is not yet fully understood.

A series of eight experiments was conducted to investigate the requirement for thyroid hormones in neuroendocrine processes which lead to the seasonally anoestrous state in red deer hinds. The first two experiments used thyroidectomized, ovariectomized, oestradiol-treated hinds which received various thyroid hormone replacement treatments (n=5 per group) to investigate the timing and dose-responsiveness of thyroid hormones in bringing about seasonal oestradiol-induced suppression of plasma LH concentration. A significant seasonal decline in mean plasma LH concentration during September (coinciding with the onset of anoestrus in entire cycling hinds in New Zealand) was observed in all thyroidectomized hinds in both experiments regardless of T₄ or T₃ treatment. When oestradiol implants were removed in November or December, mean plasma LH concentrations increased significantly in all but one of hinds in which T₄ had been administered at very low doses by subcutaneous implants, and mean plasma LH concentrations and LH pulse amplitude increased in approximately half of hinds administered T₃ at varying doses by subcutaneous injections over a one-week period in October. These results suggested that thyroid hormones are not required for steroid-dependent reproductive suppression, but could possibly play a role in steroid-independent suppression of LH secretion. Because problems were encountered in delivering appropriate doses of thyroid hormones in both experiments, further confirmation of these findings was required. Therefore in the next experiment the role of thyroid gland secretions was examined in euthyroid (n=5) and thyroidectomized (n=4) ovariectomized hinds treated with oestradiol implants. These implants were removed for about one month on three occasions to examine the effect of thyroidectomy on steroid-independent control of seasonal LH secretion. During the non-breeding season basal and GnRH-induced plasma LH concentrations declined in all hinds in the presence of oestradiol, but returned to breeding season levels when oestradiol was withdrawn in November. In a concurrent experiment, thyroidectomy of ovary-entire hinds (n=7) during the breeding season prevented the cessation of oestrous cyclicity in spring; this was in contrast to oestrous cyclicity in T₄replaced (n=4) or euthyroid control (n=5) hinds which ceased to occur in early September. Collectively, these results indicate that thyroid hormones are required for the termination of the breeding season in cycling red deer hinds and that this action occurs via steroid-independent neuroendocrine pathways. Two experiments were conducted using neurotransmitter receptor agonists and antagonists to identify neural pathways in the brain which mediate LH suppression by oestradiol and by steroid-independent mechanisms, and to test if the thyroid gland is required for activation of these pathways during the non-breeding season. It was concluded from the lack of plasma LH responses to dopaminergic and opioidergic agonists and antagonists in ovariectomized and ovariectomized, thyroidectomized hinds (n=5) that neural pathways involving dopamine-D₂receptors do not mediate oestradiol-induced seasonal suppression of plasma LH concentrations, and neither dopaminergic or opioid neural pathways mediate non-steroidal suppression of plasma LH concentrations. However preliminary evidence was obtained for a stimulatory role of serotonergic neural pathways in controlling LH secretion. Another experiment was conducted to identify when the steroid-independent mechanisms which suppress LH concentrations during the non-breeding season are responsive to thyroid hormones. T₄treatment at the beginning of or during the non breeding season was effective in bringing about suppression of plasma LH concentration in thyroidectomized, ovariectomized hinds (n=5 per group), but this action of thyroid hormones did not occur during the breeding season. These results show that the steroid-independent mechanisms which contribute to seasonal suppression of plasma gonadotrophin concentrations require thyroid hormones to be present only from around the time of the end of the breeding season for their normal expression, and they remain responsive to thyroid hormones after this period. Lastly, the feasibility of achieving out-of-season breeding using thyroidectomized hinds (n=9) was evaluated by comparing oestrous behaviour, ovulation and pregnancy rates to those of euthyroid control hinds (n=7) following synchronization of oestrous cycles. There was a non-significant trend for a greater occurrence of oestrous behaviour and ovulation in thyroidectomized hinds compared with euthyroid controls during the non-breeding season, but the pregnancy rate following out-of season mating with a thyroidectomized stag was low, suggesting that a side effect of thyroidectomy may be impaired fertility. Six out-of-season pregnancies were obtained from eight matings, however because three of these pregnancies occurred in euthyroid control hinds no improvement in out-of-season reproductive performance could be attributed to thyroidectomy. It is likely that if the actions of the thyroid glands are to be exploited as a tool for achieving out-of-season breeding in this species, techniques will have to be developed for specifically blocking or overcoming the effects of thyroid hormones on the reproductive neuroendocrine centres without causing general hypothyroidism and its associated side-effects.

Thesis deals with measuring of chosen indicators of water quality in Vír reservoir (temperature, pH, colour, turbidity, fluorescence of fykocyanin, concentration of chlorofyl-a, pheopigments, microcystin-LR, orthophosphates, nitrates, etc.). Samples were taken from the sampling profiles 10, 30 a 50 metres from absolute level and in the season from May to October was direct in reservoir measured a vertical profile by a multifunction sonde YSI 6600.

This paper studies the impacts on flight trajectories, such as lateral and vertical changes, when avoiding the formation of persistent contrails for transatlantic flights. A sophisticated Earth-System Model (EMAC) coupled with a flight routing submodel (AirTraf) and a contrail submodel (CONTRAIL) is used to optimize flight trajectories concerning the flight time and the flight distance through contrail forming regions (contrail distance). All the trajectories are calculated taking into account the effects of the actual and local meteorological parameters, e.g., wind, temperature, relative humidity, etc. A full-year simulation has been conducted based on a daily flight schedule of 103 transatlantic flights. The trade-off between the flight time and contrail distance shows a large daily variability, meaning for the same increase in flight time, the reduction in contrail distance varies from 20% to 80% depending on the daily meteorological situation. The results confirm that the overall changes in flight trajectories follow a seasonal cycle corresponding to the nature of the potential contrail coverage. In non-summer seasons, the southward and upward shifts of the trajectories are favorable to avoid the contrail formation. In summer, the northward and upward shifts are preferred. A partial mitigation strategy for up to 40% reduction in contrail distance can be achieved throughout all the seasons with a negligible increase in flight time (less than 2%), which represents a reasonable trade-off between flight time increase and contrail avoidance.

<p> Measurements of soil temperature and soil moisture values beneath and in close proximity to circular mulches of hay and straw were made. The experiments were conducted to determine whether sub-surface effects vary with mulch diameter, and to acquire information concerning the seasonal changes in such effects produced by a mulch of most favourable diameter. The modification of soil climate increased with a greater mulch size. A circular mulch with a diameter of 60 cms or less was considered to be of no practical value for winter protection of roots. The mulch with a 240 cms. diameter, provided some winter protection, preventing freezing of the soil, and, in summer caused considerable modification of the sub-surface climate. In the summer, soil temperatures were lowered by values of up to 5°C and 2.5°C at 5 and 100 cms. depth respectively. After a two-month period of dry weather, moisture values at 0-10 cms. depth beneath the mulch were 20% by volume, whereas, outside the mulch they were 5%. These differences decreased with increasing depth but were over 10% at 100 ems. </p> / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)