Responsable d’un quart des accidents vasculaires cérébraux, la fibrillation auriculaire (FA) est l’arythmie cardiaque la plus répandue. La thérapie d’ablation par cathéter (CA) est de plus en plus utilisée pour traiter la FA, mais ses effets sur le substrat cardiaque ne sont pas suffisamment compris, d’où un taux de réussite très variable. L’électrocardiogramme (ECG) à 12 voies représente un outil non invasif peu coûteux pour caractériser la FA à partir de l’activité électrique du cœur. Cependant, les prédicteurs classiques de l’issue de la CA présentent plusieurs inconvénients, notamment leur calcul manuel sur une seule voie de l’ECG. Cette thèse exploite explicitement le caractère multi-capteur de l’ECG au moyen de techniques de décomposition multivariées, démontrant qu’elles peuvent améliorer la puissance prédictive de certaines propriétés de l’ECG dans le cadre de la CA. L’amplitude des ondes fibrillatoires est corrélée avec le résultat de la CA, et traitée par une méthode multi-capteur basée sur l’analyse en composantes principales (PCA). Des variantes comme la PCA pondérée (WPCA) et la factorisation en matrices non négatives (NMF) peuvent aussi quantifier la variabilité spatio-temporelle de la FA sur l’ECG. La théorie de l’information permet également d’estimer le niveau de corrélation entre les voies de l’ECG, mis en relation avec le résultat de la CA grâce à des approches multi-capteurs. Enfin, une dernière ligne de recherche concerne la réponse ventriculaire manifestée sur la variabilité cardiaque. L’approche paramétrique de processus ponctuel est capable de souligner certaines propriétés de cette variabilité, améliorant ainsi la caractérisation de la FA. / Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained arrhythmia encountered in clinical practice, and one of the main causes of stroke. Yet its thorough characterization and treatment remain an open issue. Despite the increasing popularity of the radiofrequency catheter ablation (CA) therapy, very little is known about its impact on heart substrate, leading to rather uncertain success rates. This calls for advanced signal processing tools for quantitatively assessing CA outcome. The surface 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG), a noninvasive and cost-effective cardiac activity recording modality, provides valuable information about AF. However, some issues affect most of the standard CA outcome predictors, e.g., manual computation and limited single-lead perspective. This thesis aims at explicitly exploiting the ECG’s multilead character through multivariate decomposition tools, so as to enhance the role of some ECG features as CA outcome predictors. Fibrillatory wave amplitude is correlated with CA success in a multilead framework through principal component analysis (PCA). Multivariate approaches also enhance AF spatiotemporal variability measured on the ECG (e.g., weighted PCA, nonnegative matrix factorization), evidencing that the less repetitive the AF pattern, the less likely CA success. Information theory also quantifies interlead similarity between AF patterns, and is linked with CA outcome in a multilead framework. Another perspective focuses on the ventricular response as reflected on heart rate variability (HRV). Point process modeling can highlight certain HRV properties typical of AF in a parametric probabilistic context, helping AF pattern recognition.

Les Hydrocarbures Aromatiques polycycliques (HAP) sont des polluants organiques persistants, dont la faible disponibilité dans les sols historiquement contaminés limite leur biodégradation. La capacité des plantes à favoriser l’élimination de ces polluants par l’action des microorganismes associés à leur rhizosphère a été montrée (rhizodégradation). Toutefois les résultats sont variables, suggérant la variabilité spatio-temporelle des processus. Des études à différentes échelles de temps et d’espace, utilisant des microcosmes et des dispositifs in situ ont été menées pour préciser ces phénomènes. L’étude de la variabilité spatiale des HAP et de la diversité bactérienne a été menée au sein de deux rhizosphères contrastées (ray-grass et luzerne), à l’échelle centimétrique après 37 jours de culture sur un sol de friche industrielle. Les résultats ont montré une spatialisation de la teneur en sucre et du pH, de la diversité bactérienne et de l’abondance microbienne, spécifique de l’espèce végétale, mais sans structuration de la teneur en HAP. L’étude de la variabilité temporelle de ces processus a révélé la dissipation en 6 jours des polluants biodisponibles ainsi qu’un effet positif des plantes par rapport au sol nu sur la dissipation des HAP et sur l’expression des gènes de HAP-dioxygénase. Une étude à plus long terme (6 ans) et in situ a montré que le couvert végétal ralentit la dissipation des HAP et influencent fortement la diversité microbienne, tout comme certains paramètres édaphiques. L’ensemble de ces résultats montre l’importance de la biodisponibilité des HAP qui conditionne leur dissipation, et de la dynamique des communautés microbiennes dans la rhizosphère / Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH) are persistent organic pollutants in soil, whose degradation in aged-contaminated soil is limited by their low bioavailability. The ability of plants to promote pollutant dissipation through the action of rhizosphere microorganisms has been shown (rhizodegradation). However contrasted results were obtained suggesting spatio-temporal variability of processes. Different experiments, with different time and space scales, using microcosm and field trials were achieved to precise phenomena. Study of spatial variability of PAH and bacterial diversity were done in two-contrasted rhizospheres (ryegrass and alfalfa) at centimeter scale after 37 days of plant growth, on a wasteland aged contaminated soil Results showed spatial structuration of sugar content, pH, bacterial diversity and microbial density, depending on plant species, but no vertical gradient was observed for PAH concentration. Study of temporal variability of processes showed dissipation of bioavailable fraction of pollutant in just 6 days and in comparison with bare soil, a positive impact of plant was shown on PAH dissipation and on expression of PAH dioxygenase genes. A long-term study (over 6 years) in a field trial revealed that plant cover slowed down PAH dissipation and impacted bacterial and fungal diversity as edaphic parameters. All these results underlined the importance of PAH bioavailability for the dissipation process and of spatio-temporal dynamic of microbial community, in the rhizosphere

Freshwater bodies such as lakes and streams release the greenhouse gases methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere. Global freshwater CH4 and CO2 emissions have been estimated to be of a similar magnitude to the global land or ocean carbon sink, and are thus significant components of global carbon budgets. However, the data supporting global estimates frequently lacks information regarding spatial and temporal variability and are thus highly inaccurate. In this thesis, detailed studies of the spatio-temporal variability of CH4 and CO2 fluxes were conducted in the open water areas of lakes and streams within a whole catchment in Sweden. One aim was also to evaluate the importance of spatio-temporal variability in lake and stream fluxes when making whole catchment aquatic or large scale assessments. Apart from the expected large spatio-temporal variability in lake fluxes, interactions between spatial and temporal variability in CH4 fluxes were found. Shallow lakes and shallow areas of lakes were observed to emit more CH4 as compared to their deeper counterparts. This spatial variability interacted with the temporal variability driven by an exponential temperature response of the fluxes, which meant that shallow waters were more sensitive to warming than deeper ones. Such interactions may be important for climate feedbacks. Surface water CO2 in lakes showed significant spatio-temporal variability and, when considering variability in both space and time, CO2 fluxes were largely controlled by concentrations, rather than gas transfer velocities. Stream fluxes were also highly variable in space and time and in particular, stream CH4 fluxes were surprisingly large and more variable than CO2 fluxes. Fluxes were large from stream areas with steep slopes and periods of high discharge which occupied a small fraction of the total stream area and the total measurement period, respectively, and a failure to account for these spatially distinct or episodic high fluxes could lead to underestimates. The total aquatic fluxes from the whole catchment were estimated by combining the measurements in open waters of lakes and streams. Using our data, recommendations on improved study designs for representative measurements in lakes and streams were provided for future studies. Thus, this thesis presents findings relating to flux regulation in lakes and streams, and urges forthcoming studies to better consider spatio-temporal variability so as to achieve unbiased large-scale estimates. / Sötvatten som sjöar och vattendrag är källor till växthusgaserna metan (CH4) och koldioxid (CO2) i atmosfären. De globala utsläppen av CH4 och CO2 från sötvatten har uppskattats vara av samma storleksordning som den globala land- eller havskolsänkan och är därmed viktiga delar av jordens växthusgasbudget. De globala uppskattningarna saknar ofta information om variation i tid och rum och är därmed mycket osäkra. Denna avhandling behandlar hur CH4- och CO2-flöden från öppet vatten i sjöar och vattendrag i ett avrinningsområde varierar rumsligt och tidsmässigt. Ett syfte var också att utvärdera betydelsen av dessa variationer när data extrapoleras för att göra storskaliga uppskattningar av växthusgasflöden från vattenmiljöer. Förutom de förväntade stora rumsliga och tidsmässiga variationerna i sjöars gasflöden identifierades interaktioner mellan rumsliga och tidsmässiga variation för CH4-flöden. Den rumsliga variabiliteten med högre CH4-flöden från grunda vatten interagerade med tidsvariationen, som i sin tur drevs av en exponentiell temperaturrespons av gasflödena. Det betyder att grunda vattenområden var mer känsliga för uppvärmning än djupare vatten och därmed att vattendjupet har betydelse för hur sjöars CH4-utsläpp påverkas av klimatet. Koncentrationer av CO2 i sjöars ytvatten uppvisade också en betydande rumslig och tidsmässig variation som tillsammans visar att CO2-flöden över längre perioder till stor del styrs av koncentrationer snarare än av gasutbyteshastigheter. Vattendragens gasflöden varierade också mycket i tid och rum. Detta gällde i synnerhet CH4-flödena vilka var förvånansvärt stora och mer varierande än CO2-flödena. Gasflödena var höga från områden i vattendrag med högre lutning och då det var höga vattenflöden, trots att dessa områden och tidsperioder utgjorde en bråkdel av den totala arean och mätperioden. Att inte räkna med dessa gasflöden från bäcksektioner med höga vattenhastigheter eller korta perioder med höga flöden, leder till underskattningar. De totala CH4- och CO2-flödena från öppet vatten i hela avrinningsområdet uppskattades genom att kombinera mätningar i sjöar och vattendrag. Denna avhandling visar att rumslig och tidsmässig variabilitet har stor betydelse, och den ger information om hur denna variation kan beaktas för bättre framtida mätningar och storskaliga uppskattningar av växthusgasflöden från sjöar och vattendrag.

Les zones intertropicales sont caractérisées par des précipitations très variables dans l'espace et le temps qui peuvent produire sur une même région des conditions de sécheresse prolongées entrecoupées d'événements pluviométriques intenses. Ces extrêmes secs et humides peuvent provoquer des pénuries d’eau ou des inondations, mettant en péril des populations souvent très vulnérables aux aléas climatiques. C'est particulièrement le cas de l'Afrique de l'Ouest qui, dans un contexte de conditions sèches dominantes depuis les années 1970, subit ces deux dernières décennies un nombre croissant d'inondations. Face à un réchauffement climatique déjà bien réel, mais qui va se renforcer avec des conséquences sur le cycle de l'eau encore très incertaines, il est nécessaire de mieux comprendre comment la variabilité climatique – et en l’occurrence plus spécifiquement la variabilité pluviométrique, impacte la variabilité hydrologique. On dispose pour cela de modèles numériques de surface qui représentent de façon explicite les principaux processus intervenant dans les bilans d’eau. Ils doivent être alimentés par des champs de forçage pluviométrique à des résolutions suffisamment fines pour bien représenter les variabilités de petite échelle qui caractérisent les précipitations tropicales (résolution spatiale de quelques kilomètres et pas de temps horaire ou inférieur). De telles résolutions sont la plupart du temps incompatibles avec les échelles des données issues des réseaux pluviométriques nationaux en Afrique de l'Ouest (densité moyenne de 1 pluviomètre pour 10.000 km² au pas de temps journalier). Il existe de surcroît des zones entières qui sont peu ou mal couvertes du fait de conditions climatiques difficiles ou du manque de moyens des services météorologiques nationaux. Dans ce contexte, la télédétection satellite s'avère très utile, mais elle ne permet pas encore d’atteindre les résolutions mentionnées plus haut. Compte tenu de cette situation, la question de la sensibilité des modèles hydrologiques à la résolution des champs pluviométriques utilisés pour les forcer constitue un sujet important, assez peu abordé en tant que tel dans la littérature consacrée à l’utilisation des données satellitaires pour forcer des modèles hydrologiques.Cette thèse s’attache donc à traiter séquentiellement deux questions distinctes, mais souvent confondues : i) quel est l’impact de la dégradation de la résolution spatio-temporelle des champs de forçages pluviométriques sur la réponse d’un modèle hydrologique, et ce en supposant que ces champs sont dépourvus d’erreur en moyenne ; ii) comment les champs de pluie estimés par satellite, qui présentent de façon combinée des problèmes de résolution et de biais, influencent-ils la réponse hydrologique simulée?Le jeu de données utilisé pour l’étude est celui du site soudanien de l’observatoire AMMA-CATCH au Benin (bassin de l’Ouémé, 13150 km2). Le réseau de pluviographes de cet observatoire permet de calculer des champs de référence à très fine résolution (0.05° et 30 minutes), utilisés pour forcer le modèle hydrologique DHSVM et constituer ainsi des débits simulés de référence. A partir de là il est possible de procéder à des études de sensibilité dans les deux directions mentionnées ci-dessus. / Intertropical climates are characterized by a strong space-time variability of precipitation that can produce persistent dry spells and extreme rainfall events within the same region. These extreme climatic conditions directly impact water resources and flood occurrences, threatening populations that are highly vulnerable to natural hazards. This is especially the case in West Africa, where an increasing number of flood events has been reported over the last twenty years while the dry conditions that have started in the 1970's still prevail nowadays. While a significant climate warming is already observed in this region, there is more to come, with possible changes of the patterns of rainfall variability. It is thus of primary importance to better apprehend how sensitive is the hydrological response of West African catchments to small scale rainfall variability. Numerical models explicitly simulating the hydrological processes have already been tested and calibrated to represent the rainfall-runoff relationship of these catchments. They require high resolution (typically a few kilometers in space and one hour or less in time) rainfields as inputs, so as to account properly for the small scale variability of precipitation. However, this requirement is difficult to meet in a region where operational networks have a density which often does not exceed one gauge per 10000 km² and provide daily measurements only. Satellite remote sensing is consequently seen as a remedy to the shortcomings of ground monitoring, especially as it provides a continuous monitoring in space and time, but satellite rainfall products are still far from reaching the high space-time resolution mentioned above. In such a context, the sensitivity of hydrological models to the resolution of their forcing rainfields is an important topic, rarely tackled as such in the literature dealing with hydrological modeling based on satellite data.This PHD thesis thus focus on two related questions : i) how degrading the space-time resolution of forcing rainfields is influencing the response of hydrologic models, assuming that this degradation of the resolution has no influence on the biases ? ; ii) what are the consequences of using satellite rainfall products – which combine low resolution and bias problems – for simulating the response of catchments in tropical regions?To that end the AMMA-CATCH data set of the Ouémé catchment (13150 km2) in Benin is used. The high density recording raingauge network allows the computation of fine resolution rainfields (0.05°; 30 minutes), used as inputs to the DHSVM hydrological model, providing reference series of river flows at the outlet of the catchment.

Sur le bassin méditerranéen, les projections climatiques pour la fin du siècle indiquent un assèchement des étés accompagné d'une intensification des précipitations.Dans ce contexte, la caractérisation de la pluviométrie de la région est nécessaire pour appréhender son évolution future.Les modèles climatiques régionaux (RCM) sont des outils essentiels pour la compréhension du climat régional et pour la projection de son évolution.L'objectif de cette thèse est alors de caractériser et d'évaluer la pluie simulée par les RCM dans le sud-est de la France, typique des régions méditerranéennes côtières.La description de la pluie observée aux mêmes échelles que les RCM en est un préalable.La pluie observée et simulée est caractérisée en termes de valeurs et de structure spatiale et temporelle de l'occurrence et de l'intensité.Les liens entre ces caractéristiques et les processus physiques sous-jacents sont explorés grâce à une analyse par type de temps.Dans les modèles, le volume annuel total d'eau apporté par la pluie sur l'ensemble de la région d'étude est proche des valeurs observées.Ce volume n'est toutefois pas réparti également dans le temps et dans l'espace dans les observations et dans les simulations.Parmi les multiples caractéristiques de la pluie observée et simulée, cette étude souligne l'influence des forçages du relief et des processus liés au cycle diurne de l'énergie solaire à la fois sur le déclenchement et sur l'intensité des précipitations.Ainsi, la pluie se produit préférentiellement en fin d'après-midi, en lien avec le chauffage diurne de la surface.Cependant, dans les modèles, le maximum d'occurrence est plus précoce que dans les observations, ce qui suggère une réponse trop rapide du schéma de convection au cycle diurne des flux de surface, liée à l'absence de la phase de transition entre la convection peu profonde et la convection profonde dans la majorité des schémas.Par ailleurs, au sein du domaine d'étude, l'influence du relief sur les caractéristiques de la pluie est plus marquée pour les Cévennes que pour les Préalpes.Les RCM reproduisent cette influence du relief sur les caractéristiques de pluie.Toutefois, les contrastes entre plaines et reliefs sont plus accentués dans les modèles que dans les observations, notamment lorsque le forçage de grande échelle est faible et la convection dominante dans la région d'étude.L'accentuation du contraste entre plaine et montagne dans les modèles semble donc provenir d'une trop grande sensibilité des schémas de convection au relief qui favorise la convergence et l'instabilité de la masse d'air. / Climate projections for the end of the century indicate drier summers and more intense precipitation in the Mediterranean.In this respect, the characterization of rainfall in the region is necessary to understand its future changes.Regional climate models (RCM) are essential tools to understand the regional climate and to project its future evolution.This thesis aims at characterizing and evaluating rainfall simulated by RCM in Southeast France, typical of the mediterranean coastal regions.The description of observed rainfall at the same scales as RCM is a prerequisite.Observed and simulated rainfall is described in terms of values and spatial and temporal structure of occurrence and intensity.Weather types are used to explore the relation between rainfall features and the underlying physical processes.In the RCM, the annual total volume of water precipitated over the study region is closed to the observed values.However, this total volume is not distributed the same in space and time in the RCM simulations and in the observations.Among the multiple facets of the rainfall climatology, this study highlights the influence of the relief and of the solar cycle both in the triggering and in the intensity of rain.Rain appears to occur preferentially in the late afternoon, in connection with the daytime heating of the surface.However, the maximum of rain occurrence simulated by the RCM is earlier than in the observations, suggesting a too quick response of the convection scheme to the diurnal cycle of surface fluxes, in relation to the absence of transition between shallow and deep convection in most schemes.Besides, within the study region, the orographic forcing appears to be quite different for the two ranges of the domain and is much more pronounced over the Cévennes.The RCM reproduce the influence of the topography on rainfall features.Yet, the contrast between plains and mountains is more pronounced in the models than in the observations, especially when the large-scale forcing is weak and the convection is prevailing in the study area.The contrast accentuation between plain and relief in the models seems to be due to a too high sensitivity of the convection schemes to the air mass convergence and instability favored by the relief.

Submitted by Viviane Lima da Cunha (viviane@biblioteca.ufpb.br) on 2017-07-27T12:49:58Z No. of bitstreams: 1 arquivototal.pdf: 7019018 bytes, checksum: 871823e939a6e022aaadd5b6b55b3dab (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-27T12:49:58Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 arquivototal.pdf: 7019018 bytes, checksum: 871823e939a6e022aaadd5b6b55b3dab (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-03-31 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / This Master thesis studies the spatio-temporal variability of soil moisture in the Guaraíra experimental watershed, located on the southern coast of Paraíba. As it is an experimental basin, it is of great importance to know how its variables work and interact together, in order to allow inferences in similar basins. In that case, the soil moisture play a role responsible for several factors in the watershed, like flow generation, drought development and groundwater recharge, for example. Initially, being a small watershed, (5,84 km²) it was believed that its results related to soil moisture should be very homogeneus, however, a hypothesis was made about how the different soil and vegetation cover between each station could make an influence in the results. The research had as its main objective to study the spatio-temporal variability on the soil moisture on the said study area, in order to use these information as subsidy to similar basins, even bigger ones. For this it was used data from the TDR (Time Domain Reflectometry) soil moisture probes installed at five stations and pluviographs in the study area combined with manual collection for calibration and validation of the probe’s results since april 2013 until September 2014. This way, it was possible to apply the methods used by Vachaud et al. (1985( and Mittelbach & Seneviratne (2012), with the disconnection of the resilts of soil moisture into its variable and invariable parts on time, which consist in the spatio-temporal variability of soil moisture analysis. As the TDR probes used to measure soil moisture give a temporal resolution of one hour, an analysis of temporal resolution was proceeded, allowing to use diary data in order to represent the soil moisture, without significant variation of results. The results confirmed the homogeneity of spatio-temporal variability of the soil moisture in the basin, except for the station with less vegetation cover, where the spatio-temporal variability of soil moisture differed significantly from the rest of the basin. Thus, it was perceived the similiraty between the results of soil moisture in the terms of temporal mean and anomalies, for the stations with similar vegetation cover. This way, it was concluded that the fact that the results of the station with less vegetation cover had been so different is due to its lack of vegetation cover, being very different from the rest of the basin, thus enhancing the importance of vegetacion cover as a natural controller of soil moisture. As to the temporal variability, that is more susceptible to climatic effect, like precipitation for example, while the spatial-variability is more related to the invariable terms on time. Yet, the calibration of the probes was successfully executed and they do represent well the soil moisture for that study area, allowing continuous monitoring on that experimental basin. / Este trabalho tem como objeto de estudo a variabilidade espaço-temporal da umidade do solo na bacia hidrográfica experimental do riacho Guaraíra, localizada na região litorânea sul do Estado da Paraíba. Tratando-se de uma bacia experimental, é de suma importância conhecer como funcionam e interagem entre si seus variados elementos, afim de possibilitar inferências em bacias semelhantes. Nisto, a umidade do solo é responsável por vários outros fatores na bacia hidrográfica, tais quais geração de vazão, desenvolvimento de secas e recarga de aquíferos, por exemplo. Inicialmente, por ser uma área pequena (5,84 km²), acreditava-se que os seus resultados relativos à umidade do solo seriam bastante homogêneos, entretanto, pensou-se na hipótese de os diferentes solos e vegetações de cada estação poderem influenciar no comportamento da umidade do solo. A pesquisa teve então como principal objetivo estudar a variabilidade espaço-temporal da umidade do solo na referida área de estudo, de forma a utilizar estas informações como subsídio para bacias semelhantes, podendo até serem de maior porte. Para isto, utilizaram-se dados das sondas de umidade do solo do tipo TDR (Time Domain Reflectometry) e pluviógrafos instalados em cinco locais da bacia experimental, aliados à coletas manuais para calibração e validação dos resultados destas sondas durante o período de abril de 2013 até setembro de 2014. Com isto, aplicaram-se os métodos propostos por Vachaud et al. (1985) e Mittelbach & Seneviratne (2012), que permitem a separação da umidade do solo em suas parcelas variáveis e invariáveis no tempo, que consistem na análise de variabilidade espaço-temporal da umidade do solo. Como as sondas TDR utilizadas para medição da umidade fornecem uma resolução temporal de uma hora, procedeu-se uma avaliação desta resolução temporal que permitiu utilizar dados diários para representar as umidades dos solos, sem variação significativa de resultados. Os resultados confirmaram a homogeneidade da variabilidade espaço-temporal da umidade do solo na bacia experimental, com a exceção da estação que possui menor cobertura vegetal, onde a variabilidade espaço-temporal da umidade do solo diferiu significativamente do resto da bacia. Ainda, percebeu-se a semelhança entre os resultados de umidade do solo das estações com cobertura vegetal semelhantes em termos tanto de média temporal quanto de anomalias. Desta forma, concluiu-se que, o fato de os resultados da estação com pouca cobertura vegetal terem sido tão diferentes na época chuvosa deve-se justamente à esta falta de cobertura vegetal, diferente das outras estações, reforçando a importância da cobertura vegetal como um controlador natural da umidade do solo. Quanto à variabilidade temporal, esta é mais sujeita aos efeitos climáticos, como por exemplo a precipitação, enquanto que a variabilidade espacial está mais atrelada aos termos invariáveis no tempo. Ainda, a calibração das sondas foi efetuada com sucesso e representam bem a umidade do solo para a área de estudo, tornando possível o contínuo monitoramento desta bacia experimental.

Le fonctionnement écologique des écosystèmes côtiers est soumis à l’action synergique des changements climatiques et des pressions anthropiques. Au sein du Bassin d’Arcachon, l’huître Crassostrea gigas, montre depuis quelques années une modification du cycle reproductif (i.e. faible formation des gamètes, retard de ponte), qui semble lié aux modifications globales des conditions thermiques et trophiques du milieu. L’objectif de ce travail consiste à réaliser un état des lieux de la variabilité spatio-temporelle de l’état reproductif des huîtres dans le Bassin d’Arcachon, en lien avec l’origine, la quantité et la qualité de la ressource trophique. Les résultats obtenus ont permis de révéler d’importants gradients spatiaux de variabilité du développement gonadique et du signal trophique chez C. gigas, entre les parties internes sous influences des rivières (sud-est et nord-est), et la partie externe sous influences océaniques. Deux facteurs clés se sont révélés en partie explicatifs de cette variabilité, le temps d’immersion et le temps de renouvellement océanique. Un comparatif de la gamétogenèse et du pool nutritif entre les parties sud-est et nord-est du bassin a permis de démontrer une variabilité temporelle de la composition phytoplanctonique associée à une variabilité des apports en acides gras essentiels à la formation et la maturité des gamètes. La dynamique de la mise en réserves ainsi que le déclenchement des pontes chez C. gigas se sont révélés synchrones à la variabilité saisonnière de la quantité et la qualité du pool nutritif. Ces résultats représentent une première étape vers le développement d’un modèle prédictif des besoins énergétiques de l’espèce sous l’effet des changements globaux des conditions environnementales. / The ecological functioning of coastal ecosystems is subjected to the synergistic action of climate change and anthropogenic pressures. In Arcachon Bay, the reproductive cycle of the oyster Crassostrea gigas has changed in recent years (e.g. weak gametogenesis, spawning delay). This pattern seems to be associated with global changes in thermal and trophic conditions. The aim of this work was to characterize the spatio-temporal variability in the reproductive investment of oysters in Arcachon Bay. This variability has been investigated in relation to the origin, quantity and quality of the trophic resources. The results revealed important spatial gradients of variability in gonadal development and trophic signal in C. gigas, between inner parts of the bay influenced by river inputs (south-east and north-east) and the external part of the bay, which is influenced by oceanic inputs. Two hydrodynamic factors explained most of the observed variability: immersion time and oceanic water renewal. A comparison of C. gigas gametogenesis and the nutritional value of available food sources between the south-eastern and north-eastern parts of the bay revealed temporal variability in the composition of phytoplankton. This variability was associated with variability in the amounts of essential fatty acids, necessary for gametogenesis. Changes in energy reserves and gamete release cycle were synchronized with the seasonal nutrient variability. These results constitute a first approach in the development of a model predicting the evolution of the energetic needs of C. gigas under the global change in environmental conditions.

MENVSC (Climatology) / Department of Geography and Geo-Information Sciences / Subtropical anticyclones locate and modulate weather and climate over subtropical belts for both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. This study investigates the spatio-temporal variability of the Mascarene High over the South Indian Ocean on (anomalous) weather and climate over southern Africa at intraseasonal, seasonal, interannual, multidecadal and event time-scales. The Mascarene High is located 25-35°S, 40-110°E, playing a vital role in day-to-day weather and climate patterns conditions over southern Africa. Spatio-temporal characteristics of the Mascarene High investigated in this study span the period 1985-2014 and 2071-2100, using NCEP-NCAR reanalysis datasets for present-day climate observations and the Conformal-Cubic Atmospheric Model (CCAM) for future projections. The Mascarene High is analysed using mean sea level pressure (MSLP) extracted from ECMWF ERA-interim monthly reanalysis data. The Mascarene High is also subjected to Principal Components Analysis, depicting eastern displacements of the weather system to be dominant for weather and climate fluctuations over southern Africa. The Mascarene High migrates south (north) during austral summer (winter) and is centred over the eastern Indian Ocean in summer in connection with the Indian Ocean Subtropical Dipole. Event scale analysis is also employed for investigating Mascarene High blocking and induced anomalous weather. Mascarene High blocking leads to anomalous rainfall events over southern Africa associated with tropical cyclones, cut-off lows and cloud bands. There is also a vital geographical variability of the Mascarene High development, distribution and movement in the South Indian Ocean at the different time-scales. Projections of the Mascarene High indicate a shift in mean location as a result of future expansion and intensification. This projected expansion and intensification is expected to shift tropical cyclone trajectories equatorward, with the baroclinic structure of cold fronts expected to shift poleward affecting changes in the weather and climate of southern Africa. This finding is important as it projects changes in weather and climate conditions over southern Africa in a changing climate due to increased greenhouse gas emissions.

No description available.

This thesis presents a new template for multidisciplinary habitat mapping that combines the analyses of seafloor geomorphology, oceanographic proxies and modelling of associated biologic features. High resolution swath bathymetry of the Faial and western Pico shelves is used to present the first state-of-the-art geomorphologic assessment of submerged island shelves in the Azores. Solid seafloor structures are described in previously unreported detail together with associated volcanic, tectonic and erosion processes. The large sedimentary expanses identified in the area are also investigated and the large bedforms identified are discussed in view of new data on the local hydrodynamic conditions. Coarse-sediment zones of types hitherto unreported for volcanic island shelves are described using swath data and in situ imagery together with sub-bottom profiles and grainsize information. The hydrodynamic and geological processes producing these features are discussed. New oceanographic information extracted from satellite imagery is presented including yearly and seasonal sea surface temperature and chlorophyll-a concentration fields. These are used as proxies to understand the spatio-temporal variability of water temperature and primary productivity in the immediate island vicinity. The patterns observed are discussed, including onshore-offshore gradients and the prevalence of colder/more productive waters in the Faial-Pico passage and shelf areas in general. Furthermore, oceanographic proxies for swell exposure and tidal currents are derived from GIS analyses and shallow-water hydrographic modelling. Finally, environmental variables that potentially regulate the distribution of benthic organisms (seafloor nature, depth, slope, sea surface temperature, chlorophyll-a concentration, swell exposure and maximum tidal currents) are brought together and used to develop innovative statistical models of the distribution of six macroalgae taxa dominant in the infralittoral (articulated Corallinaceae, Codium elisabethae, Dictyota spp., Halopteris filicina, Padina pavonica and Zonaria tournefortii). Predictive distributions of these macroalgae are spatialized around Faial island using ordered logistic regression equations and raster fields of the explanatory variables found to be statistically significant. This new approach represents a potentially highly significant step forward in modelling benthic communities not only in the Azores but also in other oceanic island shelves where the management of benthic species and biotopes is critical to preserve ecosystem health.