O Mosteiro da Luz, monumento declarado \"Patrimônio Cultural da Humanidade\" pela Organização das Nações Unidas para a Educação, a Ciência e a Cultura (UNESCO), tombado pelo Instituto do Patrimônio Histórico e Artístico Nacional (IPHAN) e pelo Conselho de Defesa do Patrimônio Histórico, Artístico e Arquitetônico do Estado de São Paulo (CONDEPHAAT), está localizado na cidade de São Paulo e abriga as monjas Concepcionistas da Imaculada Conceição, sendo uma ala ocupada pelo Museu de Arte Sacra. Este edifício apresenta área de cemitério em seu interior que tem grande importância histórica e arqueológica. Assim, as sepulturas, provavelmente com os corpos das monjas falecidas que viveram no Mosteiro na época da fundação, em 1774, constituem objetos de estudos científicos aprovados pelo IPHAN. Um amplo projeto arqueológico no Mosteiro da Luz foi realizado por uma equipe multidisciplinar do Museu de Arqueologia e Etnologia (MAE) da Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Foram escavadas 6 sepulturas de parede que apresentaram 11 indivíduos do sexo feminino, pertencentes à Ordem das Concepcionistas, com idades variadas, de origem caucasiana, falecidas entre os anos de 1774 e 1822. Dois dos indivíduos estavam mumificados, outros parcialmente mumificados e degradados com cupim e outros esqueletizados com bioturbação por cupim. Além desses resultados, o trabalho demonstrou que escavações arqueológicas em áreas urbanas requerem cuidados especiais devido a problemas decorrentes desse ambiente, que afetam, sob vários aspectos, os estudos de natureza puramente técnica, de arqueologia funerária e da edificação. Desta forma, serve como exemplo e aprendizado a futuros profissionais. / The \"Mosteiro da Luz\" (Monastery of Light) is a monument declared \"Cultural Heritage of Humanity\" by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural (UNESCO) is listed by Institute of National Historical and Artistic Heritage (IPHAN) and Council for the Defense of the Historical, Artistic and Architectural state of São Paulo (CONDEPHAAT). It is located in the city of São Paulo and it houses the Conception of the Immaculate Conception nuns. A wing is occupied by the Museum of Sacred Art. This building has an interior area of cemetery that has great historical and archaeological importance. Then, the graves probably with the bodies of deceased nuns who have lived in the monastery at the time of the founding, in 1774, are objects of scientific studies approved by IPHAN. An extensive archaeological project at the Monastery of Light was conducted by a multidisciplinary from Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology (MAE), University of São Paulo (USP). As results were excavated 6 graves wall that showed 11 females, belonging to the Order of the Conception, with varying ages of Caucasian origin, died between the years 1774 and 1822. Were excavated Two individuals were mummified, others partially mummified and degraded with termite and other skeletonized with bioturbation by termites. This work demonstrated that archaeological excavations in urban areas require special care due to problems arising from this environment, affecting in many ways, studies of a purely technical nature, of a funerary archeology and of edification. Thus, it serves as an example to learning for future professionals.

Un des avantages des lasers femtosecondes de haute puissance (TW-PW) est de pouvoir obtenir, au foyer d'une optique focalisante, des intensités très élevées atteignant jusqu'à 10^22W.cm^-2 soit un champ électrique de 2.7 PV.m^-1. Pour cela, ces chaînes lasers délivrent nécessairement des faisceaux de grands diamètres (jusqu'à 40 cm) et des impulsions très courtes (de l'ordre de la dizaine de femtosecondes). En conséquence, les propriétés spatiales et temporelles de l'impulsion ne sont généralement pas indépendantes. Ce type de dépendance, appelée couplage spatio-temporel, a pour conséquence d'augmenter la durée d'impulsion et la taille de la tache focale, ce qui peut conduire à une diminution notable de l'intensité maximale au foyer. Les dispositifs de métrologie couramment utilisés sur ces chaînes lasers femtosecondes de haute puissance ne permettent de mesurer les profils spatial et temporel de l'impulsion que de façon indépendante.L'objectif de cette thèse était de développer des techniques permettant de mesurer les couplages spatio-temporels afin de pouvoir quantifier leur effet et de les corriger dans l'optique d'obtenir l'intensité maximale au foyer. Ainsi, nous avons tout d'abord adapté une technique de caractérisation spatio-temporelle existante à la mesure de lasers TW. Afin d'éviter les contraintes induites au foyer, comme celles liées aux fluctuations de pointé, les mesures ont été réalisées sur le faisceau collimaté. Ajouter une source de référence en parallèle du dispositif initial, nous a aussi permis de prendre en compte les artéfacts de mesure dus aux variations thermiques et mécaniques affectant l'interféromètre. Grâce à cette amélioration, il est possible de reconstruire le profil spatio-temporel complet du faisceau, en particulier son front d'onde.Cependant, les limitations induites par cette technique, nous ont conduit à développer un nouveau dispositif de mesure. Basé sur une corrélation croisée, cette technique consiste à faire interférer le faisceau laser à caractériser avec une partie de ce dernier, suffisamment petite pour ne pas être distordue spatio-temporellement. Nous avons également mis en œuvre une variante de ce dispositif permettant une mesure mono-coup selon une dimension transverse de l'impulsion.A l'aide de ces différentes techniques, nous avons pu caractériser, pour la première fois, plusieurs chaînes lasers TW. Les mesures réalisées ont mis en lumière l'existence de couplages spatio-temporels résiduels conduisant à une baisse significative de l'intensité pic au foyer. Ces résultats montrent qu'il est indispensable de caractériser spatio-temporellement des chaînes lasers femtosecondes de haute puissance dans l'optique d'obtenir l'intensité maximale au foyer. / One of the advantages of high-power femtosecond lasers (TW-PW) is to obtain, at the focus of a focusing optic, very high intensities up to 10^22W.cm^-2 (i.e. an electric field of 2.7 PV.m^-1. Therefore, these lasers chains necessarily deliver beams with large diameter (up to 40 cm) and very short pulses (of the order of tens of femtoseconds). As a consequence, the spatial and temporal properties of the pulse are generally not independent. Such dependence, called spatial-temporal coupling has the effect of increasing the pulse duration and the size of the focal spot, which can lead to a significant reduction of the maximum intensity at the focus. Metrology devices commonly used on these high-power femtosecond lasers allow retriving the spatial and temporal profiles of the pulse only in an independent manner. The aim of this thesis was to develop techniques for measuring spatiotemporal couplings in order to quantify their effect and correct them in order to obtain the maximum intensity at focus. First of all, we adapted an existing technique of spatio-temporal characterization to the measurement of TW lasers. To avoid the issues induced at the focus, such as those related to jittering, measurements were performed on the collimated beam. By adding a reference source to the original device, we managed to take into account the measurement artifacts due to thermal and mechanical variations affecting the interferometer. With this improvement, it was possible to reconstruct the complete spatio-temporal profile of the beam, particularly its wavefront. However, the limitations imposed by this technique led to the development of a new measurement device. Based on a cross-correlation, this technique consists of making the laser beam to interfere with a part of itself, small enough not to be spatiotemporally distorted. We have also implemented a variant of this device for a single-shot measurement along one transverse dimension of the pulse. Using these techniques, we performed the very first characterization of several TW laser chains. The measurements have revealed the existence of residual space-time couplings leading to a significant decrease of the peak intensity at focus. These results show that it is essential to spatio-temporally characterize high power femtosecond laser chains to obtain the maximum intensity at focus.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-28T14:57:33Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Brenda Nury da Costa Nunez.pdf: 4336690 bytes, checksum: 046530796e88eee7c7743614a28a287a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-08-19 / Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior / The southern region of Piaui state is inserted in a region that since 90s, is considered one of the last agricultural frontiers of Brazil, this process has intensified through the implementation of large projects to the production of grains, with the flagship soybeans, export-oriented. In general, monocultures are always related to pests, because they increase the supply of food, benefiting some groups of organisms. The termites are considered a pest of major problem in urban, suburban and rural areas, but this status can only be used for a few species. They occur in tropical and temperate areas, and worldwide there are about 2.800 described species, and about 300 of them are distributed in Brazil in four families: Kalotermitidae, Rhinotermitidae, Termitidae and Serritermitidae. In this context, this study aimed to determine the distribution and diversity of termites in the ecotone cerrado/caatinga of the southern region of the Piaui state, Brazil, in areas of natural vegetation and areas modified by agriculture. The termites were collected actively from November, 2009 to February, 2010, throughout the transects of an area of a hectare in preserved vegetation and soybean monocultures, evaluating the architecture of epigean nests, distribution, volume, food groups, associated fauna, dominance, association with the vegetation and edaphic profile of sampled areas. In the caatting of the south of Piaui, all termites collected in the preserved vegetation area, belong to a single family (Termitidae), and 10 species were identified: Armitermes sp., Constrictotermes cyphergaster Silvestri, Inquilinitermes fur (Silvestri), Inquilinitermes microcerus (Silvestri), Labiotermes longilabius (Silvestri), Nasutitermes sp1., Nasutitemes sp2., Spinitermes sp., Syntermes wheeleri Emerson and Syntermes molestus Burmeister. C. cyphergaster (42%), Nasutitermes sp1. (30%), S. wheeleri (25%) were classified as eudominants based on the total number of nests sampled (n = 57). In the nests of S. wheeleri, it was verified the presence of five orders of arthropods (Araneae, Scorpions, Coleoptera, Orthoptera and Isoptera) associated. Nasutitermes sp1. presented nesting only in the arboreous plants: canela-de-velho (Cenostigma macrophyllum, Caesapinioideae). In the cerrado of the south of Piaui, only two termite species were found in the soybean monoculture areas: Coptotermes sp. and Cornitermes silvestrii Emerson. Coptotermes sp. was found attacking trees of Eucalyptus sp. and C. silvestrii in soybean areas. The present study demonstrates that the termite fauna in this ecotone runs risk of being reduced due to the destruction of its natural habitat after the implementation of monocultures, or of selecting more able species to become pests because of the decrease of its natural enemies and of the introduction of botanical species suitable for their establishment. Key words: Isoptera, termites, monoculture, hypoxerophytic caatinga / O sul do estado o Piau? est? inserido em uma regi?o que desde a d?cada de 1990, ? considerada uma das ?ltimas fronteiras agr?colas do Brasil, esse processo intensificou-se por meio de implementa??o de grandes projetos para a produ??o de gr?os, tendo como carro chefe a soja, voltada para a exporta??o. De um modo geral, as monoculturas est?o sempre relacionadas a pragas, pois aumentam a oferta de alimento, beneficiando alguns grupos de organismos. Os t?rmitas ou cupins s?o considerados uma das pragas de maior problema em ?reas urbanas, suburbanas e rurais, contudo este status s? pode ser empregado a poucas esp?cies. Eles ocorrem nas ?reas tropicais e temperadas, e em todo o mundo existem cerca de 2.800 esp?cies descritas, sendo destas aproximadamente 300 est?o distribu?das no Brasil em quatro fam?lias: Kalotermitidae, Rhinotermitidae, Serritermitidae e Termitidae. Dentro deste contexto, o presente estudo teve como objetivo de determinar a distribui??o e a diversidade de t?rmitas no ec?tone cerrado/caatinga na regi?o sul do estado do Piau? em ?rea de vegeta??o natural e em ?reas modificadas pela agricultura. Foi realizada no per?odo de novembro de 2009 a fevereiro de 2010, a coleta ativa de cupins em transectos de ?rea de um hectare, em ?rea de vegeta??o preservada e monoculturas de soja, avaliando-se tamb?m a arquitetura dos ninhos ep?geos, distribui??o, volume, grupos alimentares, fauna associada, domin?ncia, associa??o com a vegeta??o e o perfil ed?fico das ?reas de coleta. Na caatinga do sul do Piau?, observou-se que todos os cupins coletados na ?rea de vegeta??o preservada pertenceram a uma ?nica fam?lia (Termitidae), sendo 10 esp?cies identificadas: Armitermes sp., Constrictotermes cyphergaster Silvestri, Inquilinitermes fur (Silvestri), Inquilinitermes microcerus (Silvestri), Labiotermes longilabius (Silvestri), Nasutitermes sp1., Nasutitemes sp2., Spinitermes sp., Syntermes wheeleri Emerson e Syntermes molestus Burmeister. C. cyphergaster (42%), Nasutitermes sp1. (30%) e S. wheeleri (25%) foram classificadas como eudominantes, com base no n?mero total de ninhos amostrados (n = 57). Nos ninhos de S. wheeleri, verificou-se a presen?a de cinco ordens de artr?podes (Aranae, Escorpiones, Coleoptera, Orthoptera e Isoptera) associadas. Nasutitermes sp1. apresentou nidifica??o somente em plantas arb?reas, ou seja, na canela-de-velho (Cenostigma macrophyllum, Caesapinioideae). No cerrado do sul do Piau?, apenas duas esp?cies de cupins foram encontradas ?rea de monocultura de soja: Coptotermes sp. e Cornitermes silvestrii Emerson. Coptotermes sp. foi encontrada atacando ?rvores de Eucalyptus sp. e C. silvestrii em ?rea de plantio de soja. O presente estudo demonstra que a fauna de t?rmitas neste ec?tone corre risco de ser reduzida devido ? destrui??o de seu habitat natural decorrente da implementa??o de monoculturas, ou, de selecionar esp?cies mais aptas a ser tornarem pragas diante da diminui??o de seus inimigos naturais e da introdu??o de esp?cies bot?nicas ideais para seu estabelecimento.

A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, in fulfilment of the academic requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. August 2016, Johannesburg / Termites are widely distributed in tropical and subtropical savanna. They are recognised as major ecosystem engineers through their role in nutrient cycling, decomposition, hydrology and alteration of landscape topography with cascading effects manifesting in ecosystem heterogeneity and productivity up the food chains. In this thesis I addressed the effect of geology on termite species diversity, followed by questioning how the different geologies influence the size and spatial distribution of Macrotermes mounds. Furthermore, I explored the effect of termite mounds emanating from different geologies on herbaceous vegetation heterogeneity and finally the effect this heterogeneity has on grazing intensity. Although the diversity of termites has been explored across different environmental gradients such as rainfall, altitude and disturbance, little is known regarding variation in their diversity across landscapes of varying geology. In my quest to understand how varying geology influences the ecology of termites and their functional importance, I sampled granite and basalt for termite diversity using standard transects (100 m x 2 m). I predicted that termite diversity is higher on nutrient-rich geology following the productivity diversity hypothesis. However, both functional and taxonomic diversity were higher on nutrient-poor granite. Twelve species from three subfamilies representing two feeding groups were recorded on granite whereas on basalt only five species from two subfamilies consisting of one feeding group were recorded. Although the influence of Macrotermes mounds on ecosystem heterogeneity has been well studied, little is known on how the environment (geology) and other termite colonies influence size and distribution pattern, despite how these interactions could influence ecosystem functioning. Termite mounds were sampled in 1 km2 plots, four in each geology. Each mound location was recorded using a hand held GPS and structural variables (height and diameter) measured. The data were analysed for spatial distribution of termite mounds using the software Programita. The general distribution pattern of termite mounds (active and inactive mounds combined) was investigated using both the pair correlation function, g(r), and Ripley’s K(r) function. Termite mounds were larger and covered a significant proportion of the landscape on granite compared to basalt. Mounds were generally over-dispersed on granite and randomly distributed on basalt. Mounds covered ~ 6% of the landscape on granite compared with only ~ 0.4% on basalt. These results show that the significance of termites varies across geologies, being more important on nutrient-poor geologies because of their size and a more productive spatial pattern displayed here. The majority of studies testing mound effects on savanna vegetation spatial heterogeneity have been based on single site observations mostly comparing mounds and their paired savanna control plots. Furthermore studies did not consider the spatial effects of mounds with distance into the savanna matrix from mound edge, and this has rarely been tested across landscapes of varying geologies, as well as across mounds of different sizes. Therefore there was a need to explore this in order to broadly understand the functional importance of mounds. I sampled the herbaceous community on and off termite mounds and along distance transects from mounds on nutrient-rich and nutrient-poor geologies. Termite mounds as sources of spatial vegetation heterogeneity was more pronounced on nutrient-poor granite, with larger mounds having greater effect on vegetation composition and diversity than smaller ones. Mounds harboured compositionally different herbaceous plants compared with the savanna matrix on granite whereas there was no difference on basalt. In acknowledging the effect erosion from mounds may have on vegetation heterogeneity, termite mound effect on composition expressed at landscape level based on mound densities recorded in this study was estimated to be 19% of the landscape on granite whereas on basalt, the mounds influenced ~ 0.4% of the landscape. The choice of foraging sites by large herbivores in the landscape is influenced by food quantity, quality, inter and intra-specific competition and predation risk. Termite mounds harbour highly nutritious herbaceous plants compared to the savanna matrix, which makes them preferred foraging sites. Due to very small differences in soil nutrient content between mounds and savanna on basalt, mounds were expected to have little effect on grazing. In line with the set hypothesis termite mounds largely influenced grazing on the nutrient-poor granite and when viewed at landscape scale, based on mound densities and extent of erosion recorded, mounds influenced ~ 28% on granite and only ~ 0.8% on basalt. Overall my study has demonstrated that the significance of termites as ecosystem engineers varies across landscapes of varying geology, being more important on nutrient-poor compared with nutrient-rich geologies. / MT2017

O presente projeto é uma revisão taxonômica do gênero Dentispicotermes Emerson in Snyder, 1949 (Termitidae, Termitinae), que até o momento do início desse trabalho contava com cinco espécies, a saber: D. brevicarinatus (Emerson, 1950), D. conjunctus Araujo 1969, D. cupiporanga Bandeira & Cancello 1992, D. globicephalus (Silvestri, 1901) e D. pantanalis Mathews 1977, ocorrendo na Região Neotropical e agora, propõe-se oito novas espécies. Foram estudados cento e sessenta e duas amostras depositadas no Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo e amostras emprestadas de outras instituições. Foram descritos e fotografados os soldados, operários, alados de todas as espécies e também se descreveu e ilustrou o tubo digestório de operário que até então não havia sido estudado para o gênero. Elaborou-se uma chave dicotômica baseada na casta de soldado para a identificação de todas as espécies, mapas de distribuição geográfica e biologia do gênero. / The present project is a taxonomic revision of the genus Dentispicotermes Emerson in Snyder, 1949 (Termitidae, Termitinae), that until the beginning of this work had five species, namely: D. brevicarinatus (Emerson, 1950), D. conjunctus Araujo 1969, D. cupiporanga Bandeira & Cancello 1992, D. globicephalus (Silvestri, 1901) and D. pantanalis Mathews 1977, occurring in the Neotropical Region and now, eight new species are proposed. One hundred and sixty-two samples deposited at the Museum of Zoology of the University of São Paulo and samples borrowed from other institutions were studied. Soldiers, workers, winged of all species were described and photographed, and the worker\'s digestary tube was described and illustrated, which until today had not been studied for the genus. A dichotomous key based on the soldier\'s caste was developed for the identification of all species, geographic distribution maps, and biology of the genus.

Thirty-two privately owned structures were treated with a 0.06% exterior and interior, 0.06% exterior-only, or 0.125% exterior-only application of fipronil (Termidor SC®) in order to compare their efficacies in the post-construction control of interior populations of Reticulitermes spp. (Holmgren). The concentration of fipronil in the soils from the structures was measured pre-treatment and at 1 week, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 18 months post-treatment. Bioassays conducted with fipronil-treated soils from five locations in Texas determined the minimum effective concentration (minimum concentration necessary to stop termites from breeching a 50 mm column of treated soil) was < 1.0 ppm. Lethal concentration (LC50) values ranged from 0.19 to 0.60 ppm for Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar). All structures receiving a 0.06% fipronil exterior and interior or 0.125% exterior-only application showed full control of interior termite populations within 6 months. In contrast, 36% of the structures that received a 0.06% fipronil exterior-only application still had termites 6 months post-treatment. When taking the point of termite entry into account, it was shown that only structures treated with fipronil at the point of entry into the structure by termites showed full control within 6 months. This indicated that the placement of the termiticide at the point of subterranean termite entry, and not the rate at which it was applied, was the most important factor that predicted whether a post-construction application of fipronil provided full control of an interior infestation. Results also indicated that Termidor SC® was effective when used according to the current product label, which calls for a thorough application including exterior and interior applications for post-construction termite control. Soil monitoring data for fipronil indicated that the technical material provided by the manufacturer of Termidor SC® was labeled appropriately in terms of concentration. Tank mix samples, while variable, were between 83 - 96% of the labeled concentrations. Post-treatment soil samples and bioassays with treated soil showed that fipronil concentrations were adequate to effectively control termites through the first 18 months.

RESUME Face à une pression environnementale grandissante, il est désormais nécessaire de trouver une alternative au bois et aux panneaux à base de bois traités chimiquement. C'est dans cette optique que nous avons évalué la durabilité naturelle de contreplaqués en mélange d'essences composés de plis durables (duramen de cyprès, cèdre et châtaignier) et non durables (peuplier, hêtre, aubier de cyprès et de cèdre) face à des champignons lignivores (Coriolus versicolor et Coniophora puteana) et des termites (Reticulitermes santonensis). L'épaisseur des plis (1.3 et 2.6 mm), le pourcentage de plis durables et non durables (40% et 60%), le nombre de plis (5 et 9) et les modalités d'intégration des plis durables et non durables (11 combinaisons symétriques) dans chaque panneau ont été étudiés en tant que variables. Une méthode ultrasonore (non destructive) et d'indentation (semi-destructive) ont été mise en œuvre pour évaluer la présence et l'étendue de la dégradation biologique dans des contreplaqués purs et en mélange d'essences en tant que méthodes rapides par comparaison avec la méthode d'évaluation biologique basée sur la perte de masse (selon la norme ENV12038). Un test de cisaillement a aussi été réalisé avant et après exposition fongique afin d'évaluer la relation entre la perte de masse et la baisse de la résistance au cisaillement après dégradation biologique. Les résultats obtenus ont montré que mélanger les plis durables et non durables augmentait la durabilité naturelle des contreplaqués vis à vis des champignons. Cependant, l'essai de cisaillement après dégradation fongique révèle que la décroissance de la résistance au cisaillement des panneaux en mélange d'essence est plus proche de celle des panneaux purs non durables que des panneaux purs durables. Ces résultats signifient qu'il existe une perte de masse localisée dans les plis non durables des contreplaqués en mélange. La perte de masse des plis non durables (perte de masse localisée) des contreplaqués en mélange est plus fortement corrélée à la décroissance de la résistance au cisaillement que la perte de masse totale du contreplaqué à cette propriété mécanique. Les contreplaqués les plus résistants vis à vis des champignons ont été trouvés parmi les différents contreplaqués en mélange faits d'aubier et de duramen de cyprès, et certains modèles ont été résistants vis à vis des termites aussi. Les panneaux résistants à l'attaque de champignons et de termites possédaient des plis extérieurs durables. Les plis épais d'aubier de cyprès laissés intacts dans ces contreplaqués en mélange montre un effet protecteur (vis à vis des termites) venant des plis durables. L'essai d'indentation (mesure de l'énergie d'indentation avant et après dégradation) présente une meilleure corrélation avec la perte de masse que l'essai ultrasonore (mesure de la vitesse des ultrasons avant et après dégradation). DE plus, l'essai d'indentation peut aussi être utilisé pour déterminer le gradient de perte de masse et le seuil de rupture quand la dégradation biologique a lieu dans les plis non durables situés sous les plis durables extérieurs.

Construction usually involves careful preplanning and direct human operation of tools and material. Bringing automation to construction has the potential to improve its speed and efficiency, and to enable building in settings where it is difficult or dangerous for humans to work, e.g., in extraterrestrial environments or disaster areas. Nature provides us with impressive examples of animal construction: in particular, many species of termites build complex mounds several orders of magnitude larger than themselves. Inspired by termites and their building activities, our goal is to develop systems in which large numbers of robots collectively construct human-scale structures autonomously. In this thesis I present TERMES, a system comprised of (1) A high-level control algorithm for decentralized construction of 3D user-specified structures using stigmergy, exploiting implicit rather than explicit communication; and (2) A complete physical implementation where three robots reliably assemble such structures using only local sensing, limited locomotion, and simple control, exploiting embodied rather than explicit intelligence. A major contribution of this work is the translation from abstract models to a real robotic system. I achieved this through careful co-design of algorithms and physical systems and of robots and building material, allowing passive mechanical features to minimize control complexity. To attain reliable performance without relying on costly high-precision sensors and actuators, I put an emphasis on error-tolerant control, making robots able to autonomously detect and recover from small errors. This work advances the aim of engineering collectives of robots that achieve human-specified goals, using biologically-inspired principles for robustness and scalability. While our work is inspired by models of termite construction from the 1970s and 1980s, much is still unknown about how individual termites coordinate and respond to different environmental factors. To address this issue I developed methods and tools to enable high-resolution quantitative data collection on the behavior of individual termites engaged in collective construction in confined experimental arenas. This work advances our ability to study the termites which will hopefully lead to new insights on the design of robust autonomous systems for collective construction. / Engineering and Applied Sciences

Demographic, biological and behavioural knowledge, together with information on the ecological interactions and impact of a species is fundamental to effective management of most mammal species. In this study, these aspects were investigated for a population of feral horses in the Namib Naukluft Park of Namibia, which lies within a part of the Namib Desert. An attempt was made to evaluate the justification of the continued existence of this exotic species in a conservation area, as well as to provide baseline information and recommendations regarding management of these horses. The study investigated the botanical component and grazing capacity of the area inhabited by the horses, as well as the demography and quality of life of the horses. The study further examined the possible negative impact the horses may have on the natural biodiversity of the area. Finally, it looked at the historic, scientific, aesthetic and economic values of the horses. The collected data was then used as a technical basis for the development of a draft management plan during a stakeholder workshop. The study proposed a range of grazing capacity values related to the total rainfall of the preceding twelve months, based on grass production in response to rainfall in different plant communities. The horses, as well as the native large herbivores, utilized the study area according to the patchy rainfall patterns typically found in the Namib Desert. The population size of the horses fluctuated between 89 and 149 over a ten year period. The social structure of the population was more significantly influenced by artificial interference than natural disasters which had implications on natality, mortality and genetic viability. Termite activity, measured as utilization of grass provided in bait boxes, did not correlate with horse density and seems, instead, to be influenced by soil properties. The results of ant and tenebrionid beetle species composition surveys and analyses did not indicate a significant negative impact from the horses on the study area. No indication could be found that the horses threaten the survival of any native species in the area or that they change the vegetation structure. It appears as if the biodiversity of the area is subjected to large natural stresses due to the continued and frequent desiccation in the desert environment. The impact of the horses is therefore probably minor to that of the climatic stochasticity. It also became apparent that the horses have developed significant historical, scientific and tourism value. The general public opinion is that the horses should be managed as a wild population with minimal artificial interference. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Zoology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

This study provides one of the first accounts of the relationships between termites, termitaria and the pedolith, towards developing their application as a biogeochemical sampling medium for mineral exploration. Mapping regolith–landforms, termitaria, and the associated termitaria biogeochemistry show that termites are an integral control on the organisation of trace metals in the landscapes of northern Australia. In particular, termites are important for transporting geochemical signatures from depth, through the pedolith and to the ground surface. This occurs by way of bioturbative and constructional activities of the mound-building termites, which in this study included Nasutitermes triodiae, Amitermes vitiosus, Drepanotermes rubriceps, Tumulitermes hastilis and T. pastinator. Termitaria from these species are mappable regolith– landform attributes at the local scale; this highlights their specific preferences for colony sites, such as access to vegetation, drainage, and the availability of construction materials. The mound-building termites featured in this study are also soil modifiers, altering the pedolith terms of both structure and chemistry. Developing an understanding of these processes has helped to refine a model for pedolith development through biotic processes, which is applicable to subtropical and tropical climatic regions, where termites act as important ecosystem engineers. This research project fills a niche for new scientific investigation of deeper regolith profiles and associated terrains; it moves away from theories of shallow soil development overlying an abiotic deep regolith, towards understanding pedolith development as wholly biotically driven. For mineral explorers this means that ore-related elements, such as Au, As and Zn, are re-organised and moved towards the land surface in settings such as buried Au-deposits and mineralisation in the Tanami region, and Pine Creek Orogen. A key finding within the study of the application of this technique is that the fine, silt-clay (>79 μm) from termitaria is capable of accurately delineating the surficial expression of buried Au mineralisation. Termitaria can therefore provide an accessible surficial biogeochemical sampling media that can be used in mineral exploration programs / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1369217 / Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of Adelaide, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, 2009