In Ontario, the common snapping turtle, Chelydra serpentina, is listed as Special Concern and is at risk of decline. These long-lived organisms are particularly susceptible to anthropogenic threats owing to delayed sexual maturity, low recruitment and reliance on low adult mortality. Threats facing this species include road mortality and habitat loss and/or destruction. These threats are anecdotally evident within Cootes Paradise Marsh, a highly urbanized river-mouth coastal marsh located in a heavily urbanized region at the western end of Lake Ontario. Straddling Dundas and Hamilton, the wetland is bisected by Cootes Drive, a four-lane highway (maximum speed 80 km/h) that has resulted in fatal collisions with wildlife. We re-analyzed data from previous capture-mark-recapture studies and determined that the snapping turtle population has declined by almost 90% from 1985 to 2002. Using road mortality survey data collected by citizen science group Dundas Turtle Watch, we determined that some of this decline can be attributed to road mortality. Through radio tracking, we also found that the population remains at risk to road mortalities because their home ranges overlap surrounding roads. Besides the direct negative effect of mortality, roads impart broader and additional unintended consequences by hindering turtles’ access to critical nesting and overwintering habitat. We acquired digital orthophotos to assess changes in availability of nesting habitat, which is crucial for recruitment and population maintenance. Potential nesting habitat decreased by almost 50% between 1934 and 2010. Through nest surveys conducted in 2017, we determined that there is currently disproportionate use of artificial gravel mounds for nesting. For overwintering purposes, snapping turtles appear to be using a wide range of habitat types within the upland terrestrial matrix of the wetland ecosystem. We also confirmed that sites used for overwintering did not cool below inhibiting temperatures between early December and end of March. This study illustrates the toll that road mortality can have on urbanized herpetofauna populations and highlights the importance of ensuring that recovery plans focus on restoring both the quantity and quality of nesting and overwintering habitats. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc) / Common snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina) exhibit “slow” life history traits which make them particularly vulnerable to human activities, such as urbanization. In this thesis, I used demographic and road mortality information to provide evidence that the population of snapping turtles living in the degraded Cootes Paradise Marsh ecosystem has substantially declined over the past three decades. I also assessed current availability of nesting and overwintering habitat that are both essential for maintaining a viable population of snapping turtles. My results highlight the devastating effects road mortality can impart on long-lived freshwater reptiles, and cautions against further modification or destruction of their critical habitat.

Submitted by KELY REGINA MAXIMO VIEIRA null (kely_eng@hotmail.com) on 2016-04-05T18:09:58Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação de mestrado Kely UNESP_FEG.pdf: 6192545 bytes, checksum: 59d853e87efba339ac6bea6aeab6f11d (MD5) / Rejected by Juliano Benedito Ferreira (julianoferreira@reitoria.unesp.br), reason: Solicitamos que realize uma nova submissão seguindo as orientações abaixo: O arquivo submetido está sem a ficha catalográfica. A versão submetida por você é considerada a versão final da dissertação/tese, portanto não poderá ocorrer qualquer alteração em seu conteúdo após a aprovação. Corrija estas informações e realize uma nova submissão contendo o arquivo correto. Agradecemos a compreensão. on 2016-04-07T20:05:13Z (GMT) / Submitted by KELY REGINA MAXIMO VIEIRA null (kely_eng@hotmail.com) on 2016-04-07T20:34:23Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação Kely UNESP FEG.pdf: 6196946 bytes, checksum: bf09868facff4fd8869dde5f2fcde047 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Juliano Benedito Ferreira (julianoferreira@reitoria.unesp.br) on 2016-04-08T16:21:52Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 vieira_krm_me_guara.pdf: 6196946 bytes, checksum: bf09868facff4fd8869dde5f2fcde047 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-08T16:21:52Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 vieira_krm_me_guara.pdf: 6196946 bytes, checksum: bf09868facff4fd8869dde5f2fcde047 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-03-08 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Nesta dissertação, investiga-se a reação de dissolução ácida de rochas silicatos brasileiras visando a aplicação em um processo de captura e sequestro de carbono denominado por Carbonatação Mineral. Na carbonatação mineral pela rota indireta utiliza-se ácidos, bases ou sais de amônia para a extração do magnésio, principalmente, presente na rocha silicato a fim de a formar carbonatos estáveis. Destaca-se que a etapa de dissolução ácida é uma fase limitante para o processo de carbonatação mineral, principalmente por apresentar baixa taxa de reação. O objetivo deste trabalho é utilizar o ácido clorídrico (HCl) e dois serpentinitos oriundos do estado de Goiás e Minas Gerais para avaliar o processo de dissolução ácida. Os serpentinitos foram preparados, selecionados e caracterizados para determinar a composição elementar. Aplicou-se o planejamento experimental e arranjo L9 de Taguchi na avaliação dos fatores que influenciam o processo de dissolução, tais como, temperatura do processo, concentração do HCl, tamanho médio das partículas da matéria prima e excesso de ácido. Os 9 ensaios previstos na matriz de planejamento para cada serpentinito foram executados de forma aleatória e em duplicata. Os produtos finais, resíduo sólido retido no papel filtro e solução contendo os elementos de interesse, foram analisados obtendo-se a composição elementar das soluções. Considerando-se os testes previstos na matriz de planejamento, a condição de melhor ajuste para extração de Mg foi utilizando-se a granulometria média de 69 µm, temperatura de 70°C, HCl 2 M com quatro vezes a quantidade estequiométrica. Nas soluções foram obtidas as concentrações de 29 % e 76 % de Mg para as amostras de serpentinito de Minas Gerais e de Goiás, respectivamente. Foram também avaliadas as melhores condições para extração de Fe e Ca e menor extração de Si, uma vez que o Si diminui a conversão no processo. Na análise estatística verificou-se que para a amostra de Minas Gerais todos os fatores apresentaram significância. No caso da a amostra de Goiás a temperatura no nível alto (70°C) apresentou maior significância. / In this dissertation, acid dissolution reaction of Brazilian silicate rocks was investigated aiming the implementation in a Carbon Capture and Storage process named Mineral Carbonation. In the mineral carbonation by indirect route, acids, bases or salts of ammonia are used for magnesium extraction, mainly, present in the silicate rock in order to form stable carbonates. It is noteworthy that the acid dissolution step is a limiting step in the process of mineral carbonation, mainly because of its low reaction rate. The objective of this study was to use hydrochloric acid (HCl) and two serpentinites from Goiás and Minas Gerais states to evaluate the acid dissolution process. The serpentinites were prepared, selected, and characterized to determine the elemental composition. The L9 experimental design and Taguchi arrangement were applied to evaluate the factors that influence in the dissolution process, such as process temperature, HCl concentration, average particle size of material and acid excess. The nine tests prescribed in planning matrix for each serpentinite were performed at random and in duplicate. The end products, solid residue retained on the filter paper and the solution containing the elements of interest were analyzed obtaining the elemental composition of the solutions. Considering the prevised tests on planning matrix, the best adjust condition for Mg extraction was using the average particle size of 69 µm temperature of 70°C, 2 M HCl with four times the stoichiometric amount. In the solutions, the concentrations obtained were 29 % and 76 % Mg for samples of serpentinite from Minas Gerais and Goiás, respectively. The best conditions for the extraction of Fe and Ca and lower extraction of Si were evaluated, since Si decreases the conversion in the process. In the statistical analysis was found that in Minas Gerais sample all factors were significant. In the case of Goiás sample, the temperature at the high level (70°C) showed greater significance.

[pt] O presente trabalho diz respeito ao desenvolvimento de um modelo de simulação para evaporadores do tipo casco e serpentina, com aplicações para resfriadores de água. O modelo considera o trocador de calor como divido em duas zonas: uma de evaporação e outra de superaquecimento. Diferentes mecanismos de transferência de calor, existentes em cada zona, foram, portanto, levados em consideração. Definidas as condições de entrada de ambos os fluidos e a geometria do evaporador,um programa escrito em FORTRAN foi desenvolvido para calcular o desempenho térmico do evaporador, incluindo a capacidade térmica, condições de saída do refrigerante e água e distribuição de área de troca pelas duas zonas. Propriedades do refrigerantes foram calculadas com subrotinas do pacote REFPROP, desenvolvido no NIST, EUA, permitindo a modelagem de equipamentos operando com uma vasta gama de refrigerantes, incluindo hidrocarbonetos e misturas não azeotrópicas. Em virtude da ausência de informação na literatura, um aparato experimental foi construído para a determinação do coeficiente de transferência de calor no lado da carcaça, por onde escoa a água. / [en] The present work is concerned with the development of a simulation model for shell and coil heat exchangers with first application in water-chillers. The model considers the heat exchanger as divided into two zones: two-phase region (boiling) and superheating region. Different refrigerant properties and heat transfer mechanisms are thus taken into account for each zone. For prescribed heat exchanger's geometry and water and efrigerant inlet conditions, a program in FORTRAN calculates the evaporator's performance which includes: refrigerant and water outlet conditions, evaporator's thermal capacity, and tube distribution for each zone. The REFPROP code programmed in FORTRAN was used for getting the local refrigerant properties, and the new kattan et al. s model for refrigerants boiling, including the new flow pattern map, was used for predicting the internal convective coefficient of heat transfer at the boiling region. A simple correlation was obtained for predicting the water convective coefficient depending on Reynolds number for the specific geometry at tested ranges of temperature. An evaporator was manufactured and an accurate test rig that included two controlled temperature baths and a data acquisition system was used for obtaining used data. The model is able to deal with a number of pure refrigerants and refrigerant blends. / [es] El presente trabajo discute el desarrollo de un modelo de simulación para evaporadores de tipo casco y serpentina, con aplicaciones para refrigeradores de agua. El modelo considera que el agente de intercambio de calor está divido en dos zonas: una de evaporación y otra de supercalentamiento. Por esto, se consideraron los diferentes mecanismos de transferencia de calor existentes en cada zona. Definidas las condiciones de entrada de ambos fluidos y la geometría del evaporador, se desarrolló un programa en FORTRAN para calcular el desempeño térmico del evaporador, incluyendo la capacidad térmica, condiciones de salida del refrigerante y agua y distribución de área de intercambio térmico por las dos zonas. Las popriedades del refrigerante fueron calculadas con subrutinas del paquete REFPROP, desarrollado en el NIST, EUA, lo que permitió modelar los equipos operando con una vasta gama de refrigerantes, incluyendo hidrocarbonetos y mezclas no azeotrópicas. En virtud de la ausencia de información en la literatura, se construyó un aparato experimental para la determinación del coeficiente de transferencia de calor en el lado del casco, por donde sale el agua.

Keystone species are widely distributed across aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and are fundamental in preserving the structure, diversity, and stability of an ecological community due to its disproportionately large impact on its community relative to its biomass. As biodiversity of ecosystems becomes more threatened with urbanization and habitat destruction, it is imperative to understand a keystone species' role in maintaining ecosystem function. One of the ways to do so is by examining their significance and connection to the ecosystem food web. Within North American freshwater ecosystems is the pebble nest-building minnow, the bluehead chub (Nocomis leptocephalus; "chub"). Chubs provide spawning habitat for not only themselves, but for other minnows, collectively called "nest associates". In this work, I observe the predatory and potential mutualistic interactions between chubs, nest associates, and their predators. In Chapter 1, I observe spawning nests to identify the predators of adult chubs, nest associates, and embryos. I further investigate how nest visibility covariates including minnow activity, minnow abundance, nest size (area), and nest growth affect predator encounter rate to spawning nests. I found a total of 23 diverse taxa to prey on the adult minnows and minnow embryos on chub spawning nests, 14 predators of which had not been reported in literature. One of these predators was the common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina; "turtle"). Additionally, I found that activity, abundance, nest size (area), and nest growth had a significant effect on predator encounter rate, attracting predators to seek spawning nests for prey. In Chapter 2, I investigate the effect of ambient temperature on turtle epizoic coverage during the spawning season and provide preliminary evidence of a potential cleaning symbiotic mutualism between the turtle and minnows. I found that epizoic coverage decreases during the duration of a minnow spawning season after an initial increase with early summer warming, and my results also present unique and shared bacterial communities across three sources, the ambient environment, gut contents of minnows, and turtles. The results additionally revealed there to be bacterial communities unique between minnows and turtles that were not identified in the ambient environment. Overall, this study is first to systematically document predators of chub spawning nests and first to provide preliminary evidence of a cleaning symbiotic mutualism between a freshwater turtle and minnow species (or freshwater turtles and fish in general), which, thus far, has not been explored in freshwater ecosystems. This work demonstrates that chub spawning nests are a crucial entity of the freshwater food web structure across Nocomis' distribution range and reveals that chub spawning nests create an interconnection between a diversity of fauna in a freshwater ecosystem. / Master of Science / Ecological communities often include species that are essential in ensuring the overall stability and biodiversity of an ecosystem. These species, otherwise called keystone species, play a crucial role in facilitating interconnections within the ecosystem's food web. The bluehead chub (Nocomis leptocephalus; "chub") is an example of a keystone minnow found in North American freshwater streams. This minnow engages in a complex, distinguished act when it reproduces, making mounded, pebble nests using only its mouth. Chubs are not the only minnow species interested in this engineering complexity. Various minnow species called "nest associates" reproduce on the nests as well, providing an appearance of a mutualism: all species involved benefit from the interaction. While this interaction has been observed, there is limited research identifying predators of chub nests and if there are potential mutualisms with any of these predators. In this work, I identify predatory and mutualistic interactions between chubs, nest associates, and their predators. In Chapter 1, I identify predators of chub nests and observe variables that attract these predators to the nests. In Chapter 2, I explore a potential, mutualistic interaction between these minnows and an identified predator from this research, the common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina; "turtle"), whereby minnows feed on potentially harmful growth of algae and bacteria on turtles, while turtles benefit from the cleaning. For Chapter 1, my results revealed that a chub nest is a hotspot for predator diversity, showing 23 diverse taxa as predators, in which 14 of the identified taxa are novel for ecological literature. Additionally, variables that were observed to attract predators to chub nests were minnow activity, minnow abundance, nest size (area), and nest growth. Results for Chapter 2 demonstrated that there are unique bacterial communities between turtles and minnows that are not found in the stream environment, therefore providing preliminary evidence of mutualistic interaction between the coexisting species. Overall, this study is the first to systematically document predators of chub nests. This study is also first to investigate a mutualistic interaction between minnows and turtles in a freshwater ecosystem, an area that has not been previously explored, unlike similar interactions in marine ecosystems. Cohesively, the keystone species, the chub, and their reproductive nests, are important for the aquatic food web structure and the interconnectedness to their overall ecosystem function. This research further stewards scientific knowledge about how important Nocomis are to natural freshwater ecosystems.

Submitted by (edna.saturno@ufrpe.br) on 2017-04-27T16:45:11Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Julio Cesar Vieira de Oliveira.pdf: 395321 bytes, checksum: a34f589acec4510829a48b5feb811c24 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-04-27T16:45:11Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Julio Cesar Vieira de Oliveira.pdf: 395321 bytes, checksum: a34f589acec4510829a48b5feb811c24 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007-11-19 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / They were appraised 187 animals of Moxotó breed raised on Paraíba, Pernambuco and Mossoró-RN State, and 46 Serpentina goats in Portugal with the objective of verify the genetic relationship among Moxotó herds and those ones with the Serpentina breed. 25 microsatellit was used and, all were shown polimorphyc and good equilibrium levels once 60% of the markers are presented in equilibrium within of herd. The marker MAF209 show monomorphyc for the populations of Mossoró-RN, Taperóa-PB and Serra-Talahda-PE, and show 3 aleles in herd of Ibimirim - PE and Serpentina. Among the studied flocks, the one of the Serpentine breed was it that show larger consanguinity levels, with high value of FIS for 9 of the studied locos, soon afterwards Mossoró-RN and Ibimirim-PE, for 8 locos Taperoá-PB and Serra-Talhada-PE, for 7 of the investigated locos. The flocks of Mosoró-RN, Taperoá-PB, Ibimirim-PE and Serpentina for they presented levels signficant (p <0,05) for heterozygots deficit demonstrate for the high and positive value FIS. The Fst values confirmed a larger genetic distance among Moxotó goats on Serra-Talhada-PE and Serpentina breed from Portugal (0,275). The molecular variance analysis showed that 10,48% of the observed genetic variation is due to differences inter-groups, indicating that exist sub-division in Moxotó breed probable due to lack of gene flow in the breed. Theanimals studied were assigned probabilistically through Bayesian inference to one or more populations using the Structure program. Four populations were suggested (K=4), so that the sub division was more strong in the herds located in Mossoró-RN State. The detection of sub-division in the Moxotó breed in sub-populations shows the necessity of a conservation program to promote gene flow among them and to increase the global genetic diversity in the breed. / Foram avaliados 187 caprinos da raça Moxotó, dos estados da Paraíba, Pernambuco e Rio Grande do Norte, e 46 animais da raça Serpentina de Portugal com a finalidade de verificar a relação genética existente entre os rebanhos de cada Estado e também com a raça Serpentina. Utilizou-se 25 microssatélites e, todos mostraram-se polimórficos apresentdando bons níveis de equilíbrio, uma vez que, 60 % dos marcadores apresentaramse em equilíbrio dentro de rebanho. O marcaor MAF209 apresentou-se monomórfico para as populações de Mossoró-RN, Taperóa-PB e Serra-Talahda-PE e apresentou 3 alelos nos rebanhos de Ibimirim –PE e Serpentina-POR. Dentre os rebanhos estudados, o da raça Serpentina foi o que a presentou maiores níveis de consaguinidade, com valores elavados de FIS para 9 dos locos estudados, em seguida Mossoró-RN e Ibimirim-PE, para 8 locos Tapero´s-PB e Serra Talhada, para 7 dos locos investigados. Os rebanhos de Mosoró-RN, Taperoá-PB, Ibimirim-PE e Serpentina-POR apresentaram níveis signficativos (p<0,05) para déficite de heterozigotos indicados pelo alto e positivos valor FIS. Os Valores de Fst obtido confirmaram maior distância genética entre os caprinos Moxotó de Serra Talhada e Serpentina de Portugal (0,275). A Análise Molecular de Variância mostrou que 10,48%(P<0,001) da variação genética existente ocorre devido diferenças inter-grupos, o que indica a existência de sub-populações dentro da raça Moxotó. Os animais amostrados foram designados probabilisticamente por meio de inferência Bayesiana, a uma ou mais populações por meio do programa Structure. Quatro populações foram sugeridas (K=4), de forma que a sub divisão foi mais acentuada nos rebanhos do município de Mossoró, no Estado do Rio Grande do Norte. A detecção de divisão da raça em sub-populações demonstra a necessidade de definição de um programa de conservação para promover fluxo gênico entre elas e aumentar a diversidade genética global da raça.

The focus of this research was the spontaneous magnetic alignment responses of animals. We show that snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina) and crayfish (Cambarus sciotensis) spontaneously align their body axes relative to the magnetic field. In snapping turtles, this response is sensitive to low-level radio frequency fields, consistent with a mechanism involving a light-dependent radical pair mechanism. Findings from the turtle experiments also suggest that the Earth's magnetic field plays an important role in encoding spatial information in novel surroundings, and may help to organize multiple locales into a 'mental map' of familiar space. Given the importance of magnetic input in many aspects of spatial behavior, another important finding was that magnetic alignment of yearling turtles was disrupted by high levels of maternally transferred mercury, an industrial waste product found at high levels in some fresh water ecosystems. In crayfish, we investigated the effects of ectosymbionts (Annelida: Branchiobdellida) on magnetic alignment responses. Interestingly, the response of crayfish to magnetic cues parallels the complex symbiotic interaction between crayfish and their ectosymbiotic worms, which changes from mutualistic to parasitic with increasing worm density. Our working hypothesis was that these changes in spatial behavior may increase or decrease contact to other crayfish, and therefore increase or decrease transmission rates. Next, to address the ontogeny of the SMA, we attempted to replicate an earlier study showing a possible magnetic alignment response in chicken embryos. Although chicken embryos did show non-random alignment, we were not able to find a magnetic effect. Alignment is also an important feature of animal constructions and is very likely to have fitness consequences, which we explored in woodpecker cavity alignments in a meta-analysis of available global data. The latitudinal and continental pattern in 23 species of woodpeckers suggests that an alignment response can have the proximate function to regulate microclimate in the cavity and therefore, presumably, optimize incubation temperatures and increase hatching success. Overall, the presented findings show how experimental and observational studies of spontaneous alignment behavior can provide insight into the ecology and sensory biology of a wide range of animals. / Ph. D.

MSc (Chemistry) / Department of Chemistry / Rauvolfia caffra Sond, a species of evergreen trees and shrubs in the dogbane family, (Apocynaceae), is used as a medicinal plant among traditional communities in many countries for the treatment of malaria, diabetes, coughs, gastrointestinal disturbances, skin infections, impotence, insomnia, diarrhoea, dysentery, scabies, worm infections, and both parasitic and microbial infections. Phytochemical studies have revealed that indole alkaloids are the major constituents of the stem bark. However, there are limited studies linking the compounds with the ethnomedicinal uses. The aim of this study is to isolate and characterize bioactive compounds from Rauvolfia caffra Sond. The highest phenolic content found in a fraction was 16.06±0.125 mg GAE/g, while the highest flavonoid content measured was 9.453±0.081 mg QE/g. In the DPPH free radical scavenging activity and reducing power tests, a lowest IC50 value of 0.022±0.003 μg/mL and IC0.5 value 0.518±0.044 μg/mL, respectively, was found. Six compounds were isolated from the stem bark, including lupeol, a pentacyclic tri-terpenoid isolated for the first time from the genus Rauvolfia; raucaffricine, a rare glycoalkaloid of the monoterpenoid indole class; N-methylsarpagine, an indole alkaloid isolated for the time from R. caffra and spegatrine, an indole alkaloid isolated for the first time from R. caffra, respectively. Concerning antimicrobial activity, the highest activity of a fraction was against B. cereus with MIC values as low as 12.5 mg/mL. One fraction at the tested concentration (250 μg/mL) decreased the viability of Plasmodium falciparum (4.149±6.979 %) with an IC50 value of 6.533 μg/mL. The crude extract and some fractions affected the viability of the Trypanosomes at the tested concentration (250 μg/mL), giving -0.133 ± 0.206 %, 11.334 ± 2.692 %, 1.026 ± 0.143 % and 20.769 ± 9.054 % with IC50 values of 18.50 μg/mL, 14.15 μg/mL, 15.58 μg/mL and 34.71 μg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, the fractions did not show significant cytotoxic effects at a concentration of 50 μg/mL. / NRF

No description available.