Submitted by Sandra Pereira (srpereira@ufrrj.br) on 2016-09-14T14:46:35Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2011 - Jurema Schinz Diniz.pdf: 1784426 bytes, checksum: ef765e40d98144beee9ab74d12aff5f8 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-09-14T14:46:35Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2011 - Jurema Schinz Diniz.pdf: 1784426 bytes, checksum: ef765e40d98144beee9ab74d12aff5f8 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-06-02 / Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior - CAPES / This study contributes to understanding the relationship between tropical dry forests regeneration and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi activity. The specific objective of this study is to extract and quantify glomalin, glomerospores and humic substances in different sucessional stages of a dry forest. The main objective is to study the activity of AMFs in different stages of a dry forest and to colabore to the projects: ?Functional links between aboveground changes and belowground activity with land use in the Americas: Soil biodiversity and food security? e ?Human, Ecological and Biophysical Dimensions of Tropical Dry Forest?. Total Glomalin (TG) and carbon levels were higher in inicial and late stage of dry forest, indicating the carbon storage contribution to glomalin in soil. In addition, the higher number of glomerospores in this sucessional stage shows the more activity of AMF and its potential to regeneration of disturbed dry forests. The different chemical and physical properties of soil in intermediate stage possibly contributed to low glomalin and carbon levels. The higher levels of humic substances in this stage possibly contribute to the lower activity of AMF and can be explained by the higher diversity of plants in this area. It is important to study the influence of physical and chemical properties, humic substances and plant diversity in AMF activity, in different sucessional stages of dry forests. / Este trabalho contribui para o entendimento da rela??o da regenera??o de florestas tropicais secas, com a atividade dos fungos micorr?zicos arbusculares (FMAs). Tem como objetivos espec?ficos: a extra??o e a quantifica??o de glomalina, de glomerosporos e de subst?ncias h?micas em diferentes sucess?es de floresta seca. O objetivo ? avaliar a atividade dos FMAs em diferentes est?gios sucessionais de floresta seca, acrescentando e colaborando assim para o desenvolvimento dos projetos: ?Functional links between aboveground changes and belowground activity with land use in the Americas: Soil biodiversity and food security? e ?Human, Ecological and Biophysical Dimensions of Tropical Dry Forest?. Os teores de glomalina total e de carbono org?nico foram maiores na ?rea de sucess?o inicial e tardia de floresta seca, indicando maior influ?ncia do estoque de carbono na glomalina do solo. O maior n?mero de esporos e glomalina, na ?rea de sucess?o inicial, mostrou a maior atividade dos fungos micorr?zicos arbusculares em ?rea perturbada que est? se regenerando, sugerindo a contribui??o dos FMAs para essa recupera??o do ecossistema de florestas secas. As propriedades f?sicas e qu?micas diferentes do solo na ?rea de sucess?o intermedi?ria provavelmente contribu?ram para a baixa concentra??o de glomalina e carbono. Os maiores teores de ?cidos h?micos e f?lvicos no solo de sucess?o intermedi?ria podem ter contribu?do tamb?m para a baixa atividade dos FMAs e podem ser devidos ? maior diversidade de esp?cies vegetais nesta ?rea. ? importante desenvolver estudos que comparem as propriedades qu?micas e f?sicas do solo com a atividade desses microorganismos simbiontes em diferentes sucess?es vegetais; que analisem a influ?ncia das subst?ncias h?micas na atividade dos FMAs em campo; e da influ?ncia da diversidade de esp?cies vegetais na atividade dos FMAs.

Este trabalho faz parte do processo de investigação e conhecimento da evolução da paisagem a partir da interação solo-relevo, isto é, de uma abordagem pedogeomorfológica. Como tais estudos são escassos no semiárido brasileiro e, considerando o interesse em contribuir com o conhecimento e disseminação da geo e biodiversidade deste domínio, foi selecionada para estudo uma área localizada no setor nordeste do estado da Bahia, próxima ao município de Nova Soure. O recorte espacial adotado foi a bacia de drenagem, por entender que a bacia é, mesmo em condições semiáridas, uma unidade importante para a compreensão das relações entre formas e materiais, como a cobertura pedológica. A bacia selecionada é a do Riacho Natuba, que está, geologicamente, localizada na bacia sedimentar do Tucano Sul, que integra o rifte Recôncavo-Tucano-Jatobá. Geomorfologicamente está inserida nos Tabuleiros do Itapicuru, formados por modelados de aplainamentos e dissecação. O estudo foi realizado a partir de etapas de gabinete, campo e laboratório, que incluíram: revisão bibliográfica e conceitual, levantamento de materiais cartográficos, processamento de imagens e produção de mapas através do geoprocessamento, trabalhos de campo com reconhecimento da área, descrição e coleta de perfis de solos, análises laboratoriais e estudos microscópicos de seções delgadas. Diferentes escalas foram adotadas para o estudo da relação solo-relevo. Na escala da bacia, o estudo foi realizado a partir da identificação e descrição dos compartimentos morfopedológicos. Na escala da vertente, o estudo foi realizado a partir da descrição e caracterização de solos ao longo de transectos entre os compartimentos morfopedológicos e na escala de detalhe foram observadas as microestruturas em lâminas com o auxílio de microscópios petrográficos. Os resultados indicaram que a bacia é pedodiversa e que essa variedade e distribuição de solos possui íntima relação com a variação de litofácies da Formação Marizal e com processos do relevo, como a erosão seletiva superficial e subsuperficial de finos (argilas). Os solos de maior ocorrência nas partes altas da bacia são os Neossolos Quartzarênicos, que se diferenciam pelo conteúdo de argila, composição mineralógica e arranjos do fundo matricial. Essas distinções foram interpretadas como produtos da influência da circulação da água, atestando a importância do relevo na sua gênese. Nas partes baixas da bacia, a diversidade de solos é maior, ocorrendo Argissolos, Luvissolos, Chernossolos, Neossolos Fluvicos e Planossolos. Todos refletem propriedades dos materiais de origem sob condições de intemperismo típicas do semiárido, como a fertilidade, a mineralogia e as organizações micromorfológicas. Além disso, também estão relacionados aos processos erosivos atuantes nas vertentes, que formam, por exemplo, o gradiente textural, seja através da elutriação (Argissolos e Luvissolos) ou através da sedimentação (Planossolos). De maneira geral, os solos da bacia estão interligados entre si, e essa ligação se dá a partir da redistribuição de material ao longo das dinâmicas do relevo. Este contexto expressa a importância de considerar conjuntamente a pedogênese e morfogênese na evolução da paisagem semiárida. / This work is part of the process of research and knowledge of the evolution of the landscape from the interaction between soil and relief, i.e., a soil geomorphological approach. Aiming to contribute to and disseminate the knowledge of the geo- and biodiversity of the Brazilian semiarid, where studies such as this one is rare, we investigated an area in the northeast of Bahia, near the Nova Soure municipality. The drainage basin was picked as the unit of spatial analysis because, even in semiarid conditions, we understand it to provide the best comprehension of the relationships between shapes and materials, such as soil coverage. The Natuba stream drainage basin we investigate in this study is geologically situated in the Tucano Sul sedimentary basin, itself part of the Recôncavo-Tucano-Jatobá rift. Geomorphologically, the basin is part of the Itapicuro tablelands, formed by surfaces of planation and dissection. The investigation involved office, field, and laboratory stages, including: literature and conceptual review, gathering of cartographic material, image processing, geoprocessing to produce maps, area survey and fieldwork, profile description and sampling, laboratory analysis, and thin section microscopy. We adopted different scales to study the soil-relief relationship. At the basin-scale, the study comprised the identification and description of morphopedological compartments. At the slope-scale, the study was derived from the description and characterization of soils along transects between morphopedological compartments. Finally, at the detail-scale we observed the microstructures on slides, using petrographic microscopes. Results indicate that the basin is soil-diverse and that its variety and distribution is intimately related to the variation of the lithofacies of the Marizal Formation and to relief processes such as superficial and subsuperficial erosion of fine material (clays). The Quartzarenic Neosols, more frequent in the higher regions of the basin, are differentiated by the clay content, mineral composition, and the relative distribution of groundmass. These distinctions were interpreted as products of the influence of water circulation, substantiating the importance of the relief in the soil genesis. At the lower regions of the basin, the soil is more diverse: Acrisols, Luvisols, Chernozems, Fluvisols, and Planosols occur. Fertility, mineralogy and micromorphological organization of the soils are typical of the original material enduring conditions of weathering that are characteristic of the semiarid. Furthermore, the soils are related to the erosive processes that affect the slopes and form, for instance, the textural gradient as a result of elutriation (Acrisols and Luvisols) or sedimentation (Planosols). Generally, the basin soils are interlinked via the redistribution of material throughout the landscape. This context, therefore, expresses the importance of considering both pedogenesis and morphogenesis when examining the evolution of the semiarid landscape.

O semiárido cearense apresenta um baixo potencial hídrico superficial, aumentando a dependência da população às águas subterrâneas. O Aquífero Fraturado, constituído pelo embasamento cristalino, é o de maior ocorrência na região e apresenta baixa produtividade e teores excessivos de sais. O presente trabalho propôs avaliar os condicionantes regionais que controlam as produtividades nos aquíferos no semiárido com base nas informações de mais de 6 mil poços tubulares. A correlação entre a litologia, clima e geomorfologia demonstrou que a primeira exerce o papel principal no controle das potencialidades hídricas, sendo o clima o seu segundo fator de influência. Os maiores valores de mediana da capacidade específica (Q/smed) de 15,32 m3/h/m e 0,83 m3/h/m foram verificados em rochas carbonáticas e sedimentares em clima úmido/subúmido, respectivamente. Desta forma, suas produtividades são mais evidentes em climas mais úmidos, logo que sua permeabilidade intrínseca e produtividade estabelecem uma relação diretamente proporcional com a disponibilidade de chuvas. De maneira geral, os metassedimentos (Q/smed 0,099 m3/h/m) se apresentaram mais produtivos quando comparados aos gnaisses e migmatitos (0,051 m3/h/m) e às rochas plutônicas (0,052 m3/h/m). Nos gnaisses e migmatitos o clima aparentou não ter uma influência efetiva na produtividade. As águas subterrâneas da região têm elevada salinidade, confirmada em 210 análises hidroquímicas. O mecanismo de salinização dos aquíferos no semiárido provavelmente está associado aos sais aerotransportados do mar, com predominância para o cloreto e sódio, e às elevadas taxas de evaporação, como pode ser confirmado pelas maiores concentrações de cloreto na água de poços localizados mais próximos à costa. O mecanismo de recarga em rochas mais permeáveis pode favorecer a redução de salinidade (maior infiltração), como o verificado em metassedimentos, quando comparadas às maiores concentrações verificadas em gnaisses e migmatitos. / The semi-arid region of Ceará has low surface-water availability, increasing the population\'s dependence on groundwater. The fractured aquifer, constituted by a crystalline basement, is the one with the highest occurrence in the region and presents low productivity and excessive levels of salinity. The present work proposed to evaluate the regional constraints that control the aquifer productivities in the semiarid region based on the information of more than 6 thousand tubular wells. The correlation between lithology, climate and geomorphology has shown that the former plays the main role in controlling the aquifer potentiality, with climate being its second influence factor. The highest values of specific capacity average (Q/s avg) were verified in carbonate (15.32 m3/h/m) and sedimentary (0.83 m3/h/m) rocks in humid/sub- humid climate. In this way, their productivities are more evident in more humid climates, once their intrinsic permeability and productivity establish a relationship directly proportional to the availability of rainfall. In general, metasediments (Q/s avg 0.099 m3/h/m) were more productive when compared to gneisses and migmatites (0,051 m3/h/m) and to plutonic rocks (0.052 m3/h/m). In the gneisses and migmatites, the climate appeared to have no effective influence on productivity. The groundwater of the region has high salinity, confirmed in 210 hydrochemical analyzes. The mechanism of salinization of aquifers is probably associated with salt seawater spray, predominantly for chloride and sodium, and high evaporation rates, as can be confirmed by the higher concentrations of chloride in the water of wells located closer to the coast. The mechanism of recharge in more permeable rocks may favor the reduction of salinity (greater infiltration), as verified in metasediments when compared to the higher concentrations observed in gneisses and migmatites.

This thesis describes the growth of European olive (Olea europaea L.) at three different trial sites located near Laverton, in the north-eastern Goldfields region of Western Australia. The local region comprises part ofthe rangelands area of Australia and has a semi-arid climate. The initial reason for planting olives was indirectly related to the rapid decrease in the local population and the economic downturn that resulted within that community during the late 1990's. This prompted an investigation into other possibilities for economic diversity for remote communities such as Laverton, which are located in the rangelands area of Australia. In Australia, much of the southern and eastern areas of the country have similar climate to traditional olive growing areas in Europe. [n the rangelands however, the environment is different to most other areas in the world where olive trees are grown and there is a notable absence of a commercial olive industry. Whilst locally, individual trees were also observed to be growing well and fruiting abundantly, it is not known whether it is possible to grow olive trees successfully on a commercial scale. Two preliminary trials were established in an ad-hoc manner, to examine whether olive trees could be grown successfully in the rangelands environment. Eighty-eight trees of 5 different cultivars were planted on a shallow, clay soil profile at the first trial site. Ninety-eight trees of 11 different cultivar were planted on a deep sand soil profile at the second site. Higher mortality rate occurred at the first site, with most tree deaths being recorded in the first two years. Peak growth of branch tips occurred during the spring-summer seasons at both sites. Differences in trial design and timing of planting prevented statistical comparison of growth performance between sites however. / A third olive trial, consisting of 3 olive groves was established according to randomised design. In the north and middle groves, 54 trees of 3 different cultivar were planted on a deep alluvial soil profile. In the south grove, 53 trees of 3 different cultivar were planted on a shallow clay soil profile. High mortality rates were recorded at all 3 groves during the first year, as a result of high salinity levels in irrigation water during the establishment period. Overall, most tree mortality was recorded at the south grove. Significantly higher growth performance occurred within the deeper alluvial soil profile at the north and middle groves, compared to the shallow clay soil profile in the south grove. Negligible olive fruit production occurred at the first site. At the second site, small quantities of olive fruit were produced during some seasons only. No olive fruit production occurred at any grove at the randomized site. Successful fruit formation appears directly related to tree health, as a function of water supply. Ripening of olive fruit occurred earlier than at other more temperate olive growing areas of Australia. Similar major and trace element deficiencies occurred at all sites, interpreted to be a function of universal alkaline ground-water conditions. / This study failed to confirm conclusively, whether European olive could be grown successfully in the semi-arid climate, typical of much of the rangelands area of Australia. As a result of the study however, successful growth in this environment is confirmed to be highly dependent on three factors. Firstly, availability of reliable irrigation waters of sufficient quality. Secondly, choice of suitable soil types. Thirdly, selection of suitable cultivars. Quality of olive oil produced from fruit appears to be influenced by local climatic factors The study also highlighted the issues of land tenure, current management attitudes and level of support within the local community as having a direct and significant impact on the trial.

The ability of feral herbivores to reduce the amount of food available to domestic livestock has rarely been quantified. This thesis seeks to examine the degree to which feral goats (Capra hircus) reduce the availability of pasture and shrub biomass for other herbivores. The interaction between feral goat populations and their food supply will be explored using a modelling approach. In addition to this it will also examine the cost of controlling goats and attempt to identify the cost efficient target densities for control operations. The implications of this information for management will be discussed. There are two ways an animal population can interact with its food supply, through: (1) intrinsic food shortages, and (2) extrinsic food shortages. Intrinsic food shortages occur when a negative feed-back loop exists between the animal population and their food supply. This means the animals affect the availability of their food and their food supply affects the dynamics of the animal population. Since the animals are affecting their own food supply it could be said that they will also affect the availability of that food to other herbivores if they consume the same species. Extrinsic food shortages occur when there is no feed-back from the animals to their food supply. Food availability is determined by extrinsic factors such as rainfall and is unaffected by the animal population. To determine how feral goats interact with their food supply several models will be examined, and these include: (1) single species models which use data from the animal population only. These have historically been used to identify density dependence which is commonly caused by the animal population being regulated through their food supply in the case of large herbivores, and (2) trophic models which incorporate data from at least two trophic levels in an ecosystem, in this case those being the animal population and the vegetation they are thought to consume. These models allow a more direct examination of the relationship between the feral goat population and their food supply. The various models were fitted to data collected on the field sites and the following results were obtained: (1) the dynamics of the feral goat populations could not be represented by single-species models. This was most probably due to the stochastic environment in which they lived causing the level of density dependence experienced by the goats to vary greatly masking its presence. (2) the rate of increase of the goat population could be predicted by the numerical response of rate of increase to pasture biomass. This demonstrated that food availability influenced the dynamics of the goat population. (3) goat density affected the availability of some species of shrub biomass. There was, however, no response seen in the availability of pasture species to changes in goat density. Since the study was conducted during a drought this is in agreement with other studies which indicated that goats will primarily browse during dry spells but switch to pasture species when conditions improve following rainfall. These results indicate that a negative feed-back loop does exist between feral goat populations and their food supply since the goats affected the availability of some shrub species and so they suffer intrinsic food shortages. This means goats have the ability to reduce the availability of food to other herbivores providing both are eating the same species. Cost-efficiency analysis showed that the cost of removing individual feral goats increases exponentially as density decreases because the search time per animal becomes greater. This relationship was used to construct a model that predicted the cost of achieving a target density. The model describing cost of control over density was also combined with a productivity model based on the numerical response of feral goats to pasture biomass to predict the cost of maintaining target densities under different environmental conditions. Using these models the most cost-efficient density identified was 11 goats/km2. From this study we can make the following conclusions: (1) feral goats have the ability to reduce the amount of shrub biomass available to other herbivores during dry conditions (2) their ability to influence the availability of pasture species remains unknown (3) given the cost of initial and ongoing control and the minimal benefits that result it would be difficult to justify controlling goats during a drought on the field sites.

Over time the impact of human interactions upon the natural environment has revealed changes to the condition and structure of the landscape. Practices which were once deemed to be suitable to natural conditions have since been recognised as having caused degradation to land, water, soils, and impacted upon floral and faunal biodiversity. In response to evidence of ecological declines, a range of institutional and management responses have been implemented, evolving to become a complex and fragmented environmental legal and management system. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of institutional responses as solutions to environmental problems. It did this through a case study exploration of the development, implementation, and administration of regulatory changes to the management of native vegetation in Queensland. These reforms were introduced to meet electoral commitments to address the high land clearing rates in light of scientific evidence of the association between this activity and the symptoms of degradation. Specifically, the study investigated whether these reforms would achieve their designed objectives without perverse impacts upon the ecological, economic, or social sustainability in semi-arid rangelands of south-west Queensland. The Pressure-State-Response (PSR)/ Driving Force-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) Models and the principles of Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD) provided the foundation for the formation of the case study research questions to examine this complex real world environmental problem, and the attempts made to achieve its resolution. These questions focused upon each element of the Models. Hence, five research questions guided this investigation: 1. What is the condition of the environment in south-west Queensland? 2. What are the major pressures upon the condition of the environment? 3. How effectively have institutional responses to address the environmental problem been implemented? 4. What are the social, economic, and environmental impacts of the response in the case study region? 5. Was the response designed to maximise its potential effectiveness without unintended consequences (impacts)? Five research cycles were employed to gather and verify data required to explore these questions. Firstly, published knowledge, science, and best-practice approaches to decision making were highlighted through literature examinations. Focus groups then identified priority issues for further exploration. Interviews facilitated the in-depth investigation of problems and the testing of assumptions. Practical and on-ground conditions, practices, and issues were subsequently detailed in ethnographic studies, and emerging research and system changes reviews presented the context to the matters being explored. Through this process of data collection, triangulation, and verification, collectively, this case study investigation found that: • despite extensive research and investment into science and knowledge, environmental problems in the case study area persist, due to the combined impacts of natural and induced pressures; • the introduction of domestic grazing and permanent waters into an area ill-equipped to handle it led to the transformation of the semi-arid landscape, whilst the changes which have become apparent have been attempted to be resolved by the landholders who inherited them; • the on-ground responses to degradation are influenced by an evolving, multifaceted, and multi-jurisdictional framework of policies, laws, and strategies which comprise the environmental legal system, and are implemented at international, national, jurisdictional, local, and property levels; • Queensland’s native vegetation framework is one of the more recent additions to this system, and whilst well intended, its design and implementation has been criticised as poorly reflecting best practice approaches; • regulatory deficiencies have the potential to limit the effectiveness of native vegetation reforms and the achievement of desired legislated objectives, and have the potential to compounding environmental, social, and economic problems in the case study region. However, it is argued that had a best practice approach to institutional response design and implementation been followed, this would have provided the opportunity to anticipate future problems, and allowed them to be addressed through the development and implementation of complementary tools and strategies. Furthermore, where institutional responses anticipate and address perversities as they occur, this can ensure that potential solutions to complex problems are capable of maximising the achievement of desired objectives without unacceptable impacts. Consequently, in order to identify and prevent the undesired outcomes predicted for the case study region, and to maximise the effectiveness of policy and institutional responses, problems need to be correctly defined, and appropriate responses generated. Hence, the thesis is: Where institutional reforms to solve environmental problems are not designed,implemented, and administered effectively, they will create negative ecological,economic, and social impacts. Policy design must be capable of conceptualizing and responding to possible and probable outcomes. However, and despite the knowledge, science, and information to do this already being available to guide decision making processes, the exploration of the case study demonstrated that institutional responses can still be potentially ineffective. This may be due to the complexity of issues needing to be considered, and the lack of guiding processes and tools to assist decision makers undertake this multidisciplinary activity. To resolve this dilemma, an adapted model has been created. The “Anticipatory, Sustainable, and Precautionary Institutional Response Evaluation (ASPIRE) Model” incorporates the findings and lessons from this study, and the elements which need to be considered in decision making. Through the utilisation of this model as a framework for examining complex problems, and developing and evaluating proposed solutions, the replication of the negative and perverse impacts of institutional responses which are anticipated for the case study can be prevented in the future. This will be achieved where the model is utilised by decision makers to guide the process for policy development and solution design in all sectors which attempt to address complex problems in multifaceted management environments.

A stochastic, compartmental Model for Adaptive Livestock Management (MALM) was developed for cow-calf enterprise for Rolling Plains of Texas from an existing model, Simple Ecological Sustainability Simulator (SESS). The model simulates forage and animal production. It runs on a monthly time step. Two stocking strategies, flexible and fixed, were evaluated at seven stocking levels for effects on forage and animal production, range condition, and net ranch income. Evaluation data were obtained from published and unpublished data from Texas A&M Agricultural Experimental Station at Vernon for Throckmorton. The model adequately simulated forage and animal production. Light fixed stocking rates and flexible stocking strategies resulted in cows of median body condition score (BCS) 5, compared to low BCS of 4 under moderate fixed stocking rate, and BCS of 3 under heavy fixed stocking. BCS declined from autumn to early spring and peaked in summer. Cows under light fixed stocking rates and under flexible stocking were heavier (460 kg) compared to those under heavy fixed stocking (439 kg). Replacement rates were lower under light stocking (22 %), compared to flexible (37 %) and heavy stocking (56 %). Calf crops were all above the reported 90 % expected for bred heifers because of the replacement policy. Flexible stocking strategy resulted in higher net income ($19.62 ha-1), compared to fixed light ($5.93 ha-1) or fixed heavy ($-17.35 ha-1) stocking strategies. Coefficient of variation (CV) in net income was highest under heavy stocking (90%) compared to light stocking (60%) and flexible stocking (50%). Maximum net income was obtained between 0.05 AUM·ha-1 and 0.13 AUM·ha-1 when fixed stocking strategy was used but when flexible stocking strategy was used maximum net income was obtained between 0.1 AUM·ha-1 and 0.17 AUM·ha-1. Range condition rapidly declined under fixed heavy stocking, increased under fixed and light flexible stocking, and remained constant under moderate flexible stocking. Heavy fixed stocking decreased range condition rapidly over a 20-year period. MALM was an effective tool to demonstrate effects of different management strategies. The model can function as a strategic or a tactical decision aid. It is concluded that there is potential for this model to assist managers in improving the sustainability of agriculture.

Variations in Leaf Area Index (LAI) can greatly alter output values and patterns of various models that deal with energy flux exchange between the land surface and the atmosphere. Customarily, such models are initiated by LAI estimated from satellite-level Vegetation Indices (VIs) including routinely produced Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) products. However, the accuracy from LAI-VI relationships greatly varies due to many factors, including temporal and spatial variations in LAI and a selected VI. In addition, NDVI products derived from various sensors have demonstrated variations in a certain degree on describing temporal and spatial variations in LAI, especially in semi-arid areas. This thesis therefore has three objectives: 1) determine a suitable VI for quantifying LAI temporal variation; 2) improve LAI estimation by considering both temporal and spatial variations in LAI; and 3) evaluate routinely produced NDVI products on monitoring temporal and spatial variations in LAI.<p> The study site was set up in conserved semi-arid mixed grassland in St. Denis, Saskatchewan, Canada. One 600 m - long sampling transect was set up across the rolling typography, and six plots with a size of 40 × 40 m each were randomly designed and each was in a relatively homogenous area. Plant Area Index (PAI, which was validated to obtain LAI), ground hyperspectral reflectance, ground covers (grasses, forbs, standing dead, litter, and bare soil), and soil moisture data were collected over the sampling transect and plots from May through September, 2008. Satellite data used are SPOT 4/5 images and 16-day Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) 250m, 1km as well as 10-day SPOT-vegetation (SPOT-VGT) NDVI products from May to October, 2007 and 2008. The results show that NDVI is the most suitable VI for quantifying temporal variation of LAI. LAI estimation is much improved by considering both temporal and spatial variations. Based on the ground reflectance data, the r2 value is increased by 0.05, 0.31, and 0.23 and an averaged relative error is decreased by 1.57, 1.62, and 0.67 in the early, maximum, and late growing season, respectively. MODIS 250m NDVI products are the most useful datasets and MODIS 1km NDVI products are superior to SPOT-VGT 1km composites for monitoring intra-annual spatiotemporal variations in LAI. The proposed LAI estimation approach can be used in other studies to obtain more accurate LAI, and thus this research will be beneficial for grassland modeling.

Field-scale transport through unsaturated soil is influenced by surface and subsurface boundary conditions, and the spatial variability of state soil variables. The objective of this thesis is to examine the relative importance of the spatial redistribution of surface water versus spatial variability of soil properties on long-term transient water flow and transport under semi-arid conditions. The field-scale transport (34 yr) of a surface applied tracer (chloride), spatial variability of other pedogenic tracers, and surface water redistribution over a 19 mo fallow period were measured in a catchment basin. In 1966 and 1971, a chloride tracer (KCl) was surface applied to plots (6.1 m x 90 m, Chernozemic soil) near Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. In 2000 and 2001, 262 soil cores were taken along and perpendicular to one KCl strip. Soil layering at each core was recorded and samples were analysed for chloride concentration, electrical conductivity, bulk density and water content. Sulphate and nitrate concentrations were measured on selected cores. The site is level by common definitions, with a very slight concave depression (1.8% grade) midway along the KCl strip and a slight grade (¡Ü2.1%) perpendicular to the KCl strip. Measured water recharge indicated slight differences in surface slope had a marked effect on redistribution of water and spatial distribution of the chloride tracer. An estimated 90% of redistributed water was subsequently used by plants and 10% resulted in an increase in deep drainage. A varved layer had a strong influence on the subsurface redistribution of water and chloride below the root zone. There were sharp horizontal transitions between areas of slow and faster transport, which corresponded to sharp increases in catchment area and water recharge. Small surface depressions, which controlled pedogenic transport and soil formation, have been filled in by tillage translocation. Spatial variability of soil horizon thickness (and associated hydraulic properties) had little effect on transport of chloride after 34 yr. Computer simulations also suggest substantial surface redistribution of precipitation and snowmelt. In contrast to the measured chloride data, the model was sensitive to changes in hydraulic properties and horizon thickness in the root zone. Surface water redistribution was the primary factor controlling long-term transport.

Semi-arid regions, like the Okanagan Basin of British Columbia, Canada, are often faced with the difficulty of managing limited groundwater and surface water resources while accommodating rapid population growth and increasing land development. In the South Okanagan Basin, a better understanding of groundwater recharge sources, groundwater availability and susceptibility of water supplies to anthropogenic contamination is needed to best direct and protect the regions water resources. The purpose of this study was: (1) to characterize the regional hydrogeological setting of the South Okanagan Basin by establishing an isotopic and geochemical framework that included precipitation and surface waters of the Okanagan Basin and groundwaters of the South Okanagan Basin; and (2) to characterize nitrate contamination and its sources in shallow groundwaters of the Osoyoos area. Stable isotopes of water, nitrate and dissolved oxygen, groundwater chemistry, water levels and enriched tritium, tritium/helium and/or radiocarbon age dating techniques were used. Two provisional local meteoric water lines were established for the Okanagan Basin: &delta2H=6.06&delta18O31.21 (Osoyoos) and &delta2H=7.03&delta18O-12.68 (West Kelowna). Surface waters of the Okanagan River system were sources of irrigation water in the South Okanagan Basin valley and irrigation-return flow was the primary source of recharge for shallow groundwaters. Fractured bedrock in highlands east and west of the valley were not a significant source of recharge for shallow valley groundwater, however, may recharge deeper, or basal, valley deposits. As irrigation-return flow controls shallow groundwater dynamics in the valley sediments, groundwater quality is susceptible to anthropogenic contamination. In Osoyoos, nitrate was present in shallow groundwaters at concentrations of up to 24.4 mg/l N as a result of fertilizer nitrogen applied at the soil surface, mostly at orchards. Two agricultural drainage systems in north Osoyoos discharge roughly 1,900 kg N/year from nitrate-contaminated groundwater directly into Osoyoos Lake and may contribute in part to its eutrophication.