En Afrique de l'Ouest, la diminution brutale de la pluviométrie depuis les années 1970 s'est produite en concomitance avec une augmentation des dommages liés aux inondations. Si une accentuation de la vulnérabilité des populations est indéniable, la question d'une évolution de l'aléa pluviométrique en particulier des pluies les plus intenses reste posée - notamment dans un contexte où le réchauffement climatique devrait s'accompagner d'une intensification du cycle hydrologique globale. Cette thèse s'attache améliorer nos connaissances sur le régime de pluies extrêmes en Afrique de l'Ouest sous-documenté à l'heure actuelle dans les sciences du climat et de l'hydrologie opérationnelle. Le travail s'articule autour des trois objectifs: (i) fournir une vision régionale intégrée de l'organisation spatiale des extrêmes, (ii) étudier l'évolution du régime de précipitations extrêmes en lien avec la variabilité décennale des cumuls pluviométriques annuels, (iii) caractériser les extrêmes pluviométriques en produisant des cartes d'aléa pluviométrique et en étudiant les liens d'échelles entre les extrêmes de pluie à différents résolutions spatio-temporelles. On se base ici sur les données journalières des réseaux nationaux disponibles depuis les années 1950 sur l'Afrique de l'Ouest et actualisées sur le Sahel Central jusqu'en 2010; les données de précipitation à haute résolution disponibles depuis 1990 sur l'observatoire AMMA-CATCH Niger. Les modèles statistiques classiques issus de la théorie des valeurs extrêmes, ont été adaptés pour incorporer des covariables représentant des non-stationnarités spatiales et temporelles dans les pluies extrêmes. On montre la grande robustesse de ces modèles pour estimer les quantiles rares et détecter les tendances régionales dans les séries d'extrêmes. Le cadre théorique des fractales a été utilisé pour modéliser les relations d'échelles spatio-temporelles. On montre ainsi qu'une représentation de type "simple scaling" permet de décrire de manière très satisfaisante ces relations sur la gamme des pas de temps allant de 1 à 24 heures. Les résultats climatologiques confirment que la sécheresse de la fin du XXeme siècle a été avant tout associée à une baisse de l'occurrence des précipitations, leur intensité demeurant relativement inchangée. On note en revanche un comportement singulier sur la dernière décennie durant laquelle un déficit persistant d'occurrence est compensé par une intensification des précipitations qui explique un retour vers une meilleure pluviométrie annuelle, associée cependant à des extrêmes plus marqués et donc porteurs de risque hydrologique. / In West Africa, the sharp decrease of rainfall since the 70s has occurred concurrently with an increase of flood damage. If it is certain that the vulnerability of the population has increased, the question of the evolution of extreme rainfall remains unanswered - especially in a context where global warming should be accompanied by an intensification of the global water cycle. This thesis aims to improve our understanding of the extreme rainfall regime in West Africa. The work is based on three objectives: (i) provide an integrated regional vision of the spatial organization of extremes, (ii) study the evolution of extreme precipitation regime in connection with the decadal variability of annual rainfall (iii) characterize the extreme rainfall by producing rainfall hazard maps and IDAF (Intensity-Duration-Area-Frequency) curves. In this work, two datasets are used: (i) daily data from national networks, available since 1950 on West Africa, have been updated on the Central Sahel until 2010; (ii) precipitation data with high resolution available since 1990 from the AMMA-CATCH Niger observatory. Conventional statistical models from the extreme value theory has been adapted to incorporate covariates in order to represent spatial and temporal non-stationarity in extreme rainfall. These models show a high robustness to estimate the high quantiles and detect regional trends in the extreme series. The theoretical framework of fractals has been used to model the relationships of spatial and temporal scales. Climatological results confirm that the drought of the late 20th century was primarily associated with a decrease in the occurrence of rainfall, intensity remained relatively unchanged. We note, however, a singular behavior in the last decade: a persistent deficit of occurrence of rainfall is compensated by higher intensities which explains a return to better annual rainfall associated with more extreme rainfall.

A cadeia trófica do Pantanal foi investigada durante um ciclo hidrológico completo (1998-99) por meio da utilização do método de isótopos estáveis múltiplos (d13C e d15N), com o objetivo de identificar as fontes primárias de carbono que regem o fluxo de energia do sistema. Os produtores e consumidores primários foram amostrados em um lago marginal (baía do Castelo), representativo da planície de inundação do rio Paraguai, sendo: algas (sestônicas e epifíticas), plantas vasculares (emergentes, submersas e terrestres), invertebrados (epifíticos, planctônicos e bentônicos) e peixes detritívoros adultos. A maioria das plantas vasculares pertenceu ao grupo fisiológico de plantas C3 (d13Cmédio= -29,5‰), com espécies C4 (d13Cmédio= -12,3‰) em menor abundância. Algas e detritos presentes nas amostras de epifíton e seston foram separados para análise isotópica por gradiente de densidade por centrifugação em solução de sílica coloidal. Os valores da razão C:Clor <100 de cada fração (leve e pesada) e de cada compartimento (epifítico e sestônico), indicaram as amostras relativamente puras em algas (MOPa = alga), cuja composição isotópica variou entre -34,5 e -26,9‰ (média ± dp = -29,3 ± 1,7‰) para d13C e entre -2,1 e 6,0‰ (média= 2,1 ± 2,0‰) para d15N. Não houve diferença significativa entre os valores de d13C de alga e plantas C3. O sinal de d13C de alga apresentou-se mais enriquecido (D13C= apenas -8,3‰) do que o de outras áreas de inundação tropicais da América do Sul, o que poderia ser resultado de uma limitação da disponibilidade do CO2 ou assimilação de ambas as fontes de CID (CO2 e/ou HCO3-). Valores baixos e negativos de d15N indicaram fixação de N2 por Cyanobacteria e os valores mais altos se devem, provavelmente, a fontes mais enriquecidas, como NH4+. Um claro padrão sazonal, relacionado ao ciclo hidrológico e às variações na disponibilidade de fontes inorgânicas, foi observado para alga (para ambos os isótopos), mostrando valores mais empobrecidos durante o período de enchente-cheia e o oposto na fase de vazante-seca, e que se refletiu na variação dos sinais de zooplâncton e de outros consumidores primários e secundários. Surpreendentemente, os valores de d13C dos consumidores primários foram muito mais empobrecidos do que os valores de alga, variando de -43 a -20‰ para d13C e de -2 a 12‰ para d15N. Estes resultados somente poderiam ser possíveis se uma fonte de carbono mais negativa, possivelmente bactérias metanotróficas, estivessem envolvidas, o que é reforçado pelos valores observados para os chironomídeos bentônicos (d13C= de -62 a -49‰; d15N= -5,3 a -0,8‰). Assim, o balanço de evidências sugere uma combinação de ambas as fontes autotróficas (foto e quimioautotróficas) sustentando as cadeias alimentares do Pantanal do rio Paraguai, com o ramo metanotrófico da alça microbiana sendo provavelmente um elo de ligação alternativo entre CH4 e o ciclo do carbono orgânico, diretamente para os níveis metazoários superiores. / The food web of the Pantanal wetland in Brazil was investigated during a complete hydrologic cycle (1998-99) using a multiple stable isotope approach (d13C and d15N) with the goal of identifying the primary carbon sources, which drive the system energy flux. The sampling was done in a representative marginal lake (Baía do Castelo) of Paraguay River floodplain and the sampled primary producers and consumers were algae (sestonic and epiphytic), vascular plants (emergent, submersed and terrestrial), invertebrates (epiphytic, planktonic and benthic), and mature detritivorous fish. The majority of vascular plants belonged to the physiological group of C3 plants (d13Cmean= -29.5‰), besides C4 species (d13Cmean= -12.3‰) with lower abundance. Algae and detritus from epiphyton and seston samples were separated for isotopic analysis by density gradient centrifugation in a colloidal silica solution. C:Chlor <100 ratio values (from both epiphytic and sestonic samples, light and heavy fractions), indicated relatively pure algae (POMa = algae) with signatures of -34.5 to -26.9‰ (mean ± SD = -29.3 ± 1.7‰) for d13C and -2.1 to 6.0‰ (mean= 2.1 ± 2.0‰) for d15N. There was no significant difference between d13C from algae and C3 plants. The d13C of algae was more enriched (D13C= only -8.3‰) than other tropical South American floodplains and could be a result from limiting of CO2 availability or uptaking both DIC sources (CO2 and/or HCO3-). Low and negative values of d15N denoted N2-fixing by Cyanobacteria and higher values were probably related to more enriched DIN sources, as NH4+. Clear seasonal pattern, related to the hydrologic cycle and variations of inorganic sources availability, was observed for algae (for both isotopes), showing more depleted values during rising-flood period and the opposite in the falling-dry, that reflected in the mixing zooplankton signals as well in the other primary and secondary consumers. Surprisingly the d13C values of the primary consumers were much more depleted than the values of the algae, ranging from -43 to -20‰ for d13C and from -2 to 12‰ for d15N. These results would only be possible if a more depleted source of carbon, possibly methanotrophic bacteria, were also involved, which is strengthened by the values of benthic chironomidae (d13C range= -62.4 to -49.4‰; d15N= -5.3 to -0.8‰). Thus the balance of evidence suggests a combination of both autotrophic sources (photo and chemoautotrophic) in sustaining the food webs of Pantanal wetland (mainly Pantanal of Paraguay river), with the methanotrophic branch of microbial loop being probably an alternative link between CH4 and organic carbon cycle directly through metazoan levels.

Stable isotope ratios in rainwater and water vapor act as a tracers of the hydrological cycle. The data on stable isotopic composition in rainwater and water vapor are limited due to the lack of observational studies across the Indian subcontinent and over the ocean. These present day observations are important database to deduce the paleo-climatic condition from geological archives. In majority of the cases, isotopic records are translated into physical factors with the present background knowledge where relationships with physical variables are well established. In case of tropical region, the primary controlling factor identified behind the stable isotopic variations is the amount of rainfall. However recent observations contradict such relationships challenging the role of amount effect and identified source moisture effect on stable isotope ratios in rainwater at Indian stations. The thesis investigated the amount effect relationship of isotopes at seasonal time scales. The long period observation covering 4 years, where daily time interval rainwater samples collected were used for our study. We used two different station locations; Thiruvananthapuram and Bangalore, where monsoonal rainfall is received for Southwest and Northeast periods. The role of mesoscale and synoptic convection and rainout along the transport pathways were found responsible for the isotopic variance. The role of moisture source regions, rainout over the advection pathways, high rainfall producing systems such as depression and cyclones, and continental recycling of water on rainwater and water isotopes ratios were major findings of the thesis work which are detailed in the chapters. Upon knowing the atmospheric and oceanic condition at the moisture source region based on satellite data and reanalysis data set we modeled our observations using the governing equations of isotope fractionation and well accepted Rayliegh’s distillation model. The observations on rainwater and water vapor isotope ratios in oceanic region are extremely limited due to difficulties in conducting sampling. Water vapor and rainwater observations over the Southern Ocean during the expedition of 2013 and estimation of the moisture recycling across the latitudes over the oceanic regions is a novel work in this thesis.

Die Verdunstung ist die Klimaanlage der Erde. Sie verbindet den globalen Wasserkreislauf mit dem Energiekreislauf. Die Komponenten des Wasser- und Energiekreislaufs stehen für jeden Standort in einem dynamischen Gleichgewicht. Mit der Ausführung von Bauvorhaben wird in das Gleichgewicht eingegriffen. Entscheidend für die Beurteilung der Folgen für die Umwelt sind die langfristigen Auswirkungen. Diese können durch den Vergleich langjähriger mittlerer Jahresbilanzen vor und nach der Bebauung aufgezeigt werden. Bei der Genehmigung neuer Baugebiete müssen diese Auswirkungen ein Entscheidungskriterium werden, wenn der Eingriff in den Naturhaushalt so gering wie möglich gehalten werden soll. Nur die Betrachtung von einzelnen Starkregenereignissen ist nicht ausreichen. Von der Versiegelung der Oberflächen ist die Verdunstung in der Jahresbilanz stärker als die anderen Komponenten des Wasserkreislaufs betroffen. Trotzdem werden bisher bei der Planung neuer Baugebiete hauptsächlich der Oberflächenabfluss und in zunehmendem Maße die Versickerung untersucht. Die Reduzierung der Verdunstung wird zumeist vernachlässigt. Ursache für diese Reduzierung ist die fehlende Zwischenspeicherung des Wassers. Das wirkt sich direkt auf den Energiekreislauf aus, da die nicht für den Verdunstungsprozess benötigte Energie in den bodennahen Schichten bleibt. Im ersten Teil werden die Einflussfaktoren auf die Verdunstung erläutert und ein Überblick über die Berechnungsmethoden gegeben. Im zweiten Teil werden die Oberflächen unbebauter und bebauter Gebiete systematisiert und in Landnutzungsarten unterteilt. Für diese werden die hydrologischen und energetischen Eigenschaften und deren Auswirkungen auf den Wasser- und Energiehaushalt erläutert und die mittleren Jahresbilanzen berechnet. Die tatsächliche Verdunstung wird auf der Basis der Gras-Referenzverdunstung und der Landnutzungsart ermittelt. Ausgangswerte sind langjährige meteorologische Jahresmittelwerte. Die Verdunstung von Wasserflächen wird mit dem Temperaturgleichgewichtsverfahren berechnet. Mit den vorgestellten Verfahren können Einzugsgebiete von Bebauungsplangröße untersucht werden. Es werden Lösungen zur Beibehaltung eines möglichst hohen Verdunstungsanteils in bebauten Gebieten vorgeschlagen. Ansatzpunkt ist dabei stets die Zwi-schenspeicherung des Regenwassers. Am wirkungsvollsten sind dabei Dachbegrünungen, Wasserflächen und Bäume. Das Verfahren wird an zwei Beispielen angewandt - die Erschließung eines Industriegebietes auf einer vorher land- und forstwirtschaftlich genutzten Fläche in Treuen im Vogtland und der Neubau einer Untergrundstation im Zentrum der schwedischen Großstadt Malmö. / Evapotranspiration could be called the air-conditioner of the earth. It is connecting the water and the energy cycle. The components of the water and energy cycle are related to each other in a dynamic system. Urban development is interfering with this system. Changes of the water and energy balance resulting from construction can be calculated on the basis of long-standing annual average balances and compared with the balance in the catchment area before construction. Before granting building permission, the impacts on the water and energy balance should be evaluated in order to minimize interference with nature. Causing long-term impacts must be considered beforehand in planning. Coping only with design storm events does not suffice. Evaporation is more intensely affected by the paving of streets and squares and by constructing buildings then the other components of the water cycle. However, up to now, in the process of design and planning permission of new development areas, the focus is on runoff and, increasingly, on infiltration of rainwater. The large reduction of evaporation is mostly neglected. The reason for the reduction is the lack of buffer storage for water. Thus directly affects the energy cycle. Energy which is not used for evaporation remains in the near-ground layers. In the first part, the factors influencing evaporation are explained and an overview over the methods of calculation is given. In the second part all surfaces of urban and natural areas are systematized and subdivided into types of land use. The hydrological and energy properties as well as their effects on the water and energy balance are elucidated for this types of land use and their average annual balances are calculated. Solutions are presented for retaining in urban areas an evaporation rate as high as possible. Starting point hereby is always the buffer storage of rainwater. Most effective measures are the installation of rooftop greening, open water surfaces and trees. The calculations are performed on the basis of the FAO reference evaporation and the types of land use. Starting values are long-stand average annual meteorologic values. The evaporation of water surfaces is calculated with the temperature balance model. The method is applied to two examples showing the impacts of land use change on water and energy balance: the development of agricultural and forest land in Saxony into an industrial development site, and the impact of the construction of an underground station in the centre of the City Malmö, Sweden.

Syftet med studien var att synliggöra förskolebarns förståelse om helheten i vattnets kretslopp genom samtal utifrån en skönlitterär bok och efterföljande målaraktivitet. För att ta reda på detta användes deltagande observationer vid ett boksamtal och målaraktivitet. Empirin samlades in från två underlag, barns teckningar som analyserades deskriptivt och videoinspelning som analyserades tematiskt med utgångspunkt i fenomenografin. Tolv barn i åldern fyra till sex år från två avdelningar på samma förskola deltog i studien. Resultatet visar en rik variation av uppfattningar som barnen hade om både helheten och delar i vattnets kretslopp. Sammanfattningsvis kan variationen av uppfattningar beskrivas som en förenklad version av helheten i kretsloppet där delarna regn och moln är mest förkommande i barnens uppfattningar. Avdunstning, kondensering och uppsamling förekom i barnens uppfattningar men inte i samma utsträckning. De teman som framkom i barns uppfattningar av helheten, var att vattnet regnar och avdunstar i en ständig process. Det andra temat var att vatten används, genomgår en reningsprocess för att användas på nytt. Utifrån resultatet kan slutsatsen dras att när vattnets kretslopp undersöks med barn i förskolan, bör grundläggande begrepp introduceras och undervisningen bör fokusera på att fördjupa och nyansera barnens förståelse. / The purpose of this study was to bring preschool children’s conceptions about the entirety of the water cycle to light, through a conversation about a fictional book- and a drawing activity. The study employed a participant observation method during a book talk- and drawing activity. Data was collected from two sources, children's drawings which were analyzed descriptively and video recording which was analyzed thematically from a phenomenographical standpoint. Twelve children from two separate departments in the same preschool in the age 4-6 years participated in the study. The results of the study showed a rich variation in children’s conceptions about both the parts and the entirety of the water cycle. In summary, the variation of conceptions can be described as a simplified version of the entirety of the water cycle. Where rain and clouds, are the most prevalent parts in the children’s conceptions. Evaporation, codensation and collection appeared in children's conceptions but not to the same extent. The themes that appeared in children's conceptions of the entirety were that water rains and evaporates in a continuous process. The second theme was, that water which has been used undergoes a purification process to be used again. Based on the results the conclusion can be drawn that when studying the water cycle with preschool children, basic concepts should be introduced and the education should focus upon deepening and nuanceing the children's understanding.

No description available.

Les flux journaliers et horaires de 15 molécules pharmaceutiques à l'entrée d'une station d'épuration ont été mesurés sur 3 ans et modélisés à la fois pour un bassin urbain de 16 000 habitants et un hôpital de 450 lits. Certaines molécules ne sont jamais ou rarement quantifiées. Les flux journaliers vont de 0,6 à 564 g/jour en fonction de la molécule et de la campagne de mesure 24h. Aucune dynamique saisonnière ou hebdomadaire n’a été identifiées. La dynamique des flux horaires des médicaments se distingue des autres polluants et du débit des eaux usées. Les flux horaires mesurés sont sévèrement impactés par le comportement aléatoire des patients lorsque la masse journalière consommée est faible. Ainsi, la dynamique moyenne est difficile à identifier. L'hypothèse principale pour modéliser les flux de médicaments dans les eaux usées est qu'ils résultent des étapes suivantes: ventes ou distributions de médicaments, consommation humaine, métabolisme et excrétion. Les ventes de médicaments pour le bassin urbain et les distributions de l'hôpital ont été collectées à différentes échelles spatiales et temporelles (respectivement 1, 6 et 223 pharmacies et journalières, hebdomadaires et mensuelles). Les plus grandes échelles sont plus fiables pour estimer les niveaux de consommations mais la variabilité des plus petites est plus proche de la variabilité observée dans les mesures. Les quantités de médicaments vendus ou distribués vont de 0,4 à 1 600 patients théoriques par jour en moyenne. En associant les flux journaliers mesurés aux ventes ou aux distributions, aucune corrélation linéaire n'a été trouvée. Un modèle stochastique au pas de temps de la minute est proposé et appliqué aux deux sites. Il produit des résultats fiables et précis pour les flux quotidiens et horaires. Cependant, les résultats sont difficiles à interpréter lorsque seuls quelques patients consomment un médicament. De plus, le modèle ne reproduit pas la spécificité inhérente de l'hôpital. En outre, le modèle est également capable de prédire avec précision le débit des eaux usées domestiques d'un bassin versant urbain, tant pour les volumes quotidiens que pour leurs dynamiques. / Daily and hourly loads of 15 pharmaceutical molecules at the inlet of a wastewater treatment plant have been measured over 3 years and modelled for both an urban catchment of 16 000 inhabitants and a hospital of 450 beds. Some molecules are never or rarely quantified. Daily loads range from 0.6 to 564 g/day depending of the molecule and the 24 h measurement campaign. Seasonal or weekly patterns are not identified. Pharmaceuticals hourly loads dynamics are distinctive from one another and from wastewater flow. The measured hourly loads are severely impacted by the random behaviour of the patients when the daily mass consumed is low. Thus, the average dynamics is difficult to identify. The main hypothesis to model pharmaceuticals loads in wastewater is that they result from the following steps: pharmaceuticals sales or distributions, human consumption, metabolism and excretion. Pharmaceuticals sales for the urban catchment and distribution for the hospital have been collected at different space and timescales (respectively 1, 6 and 223 pharmacies and daily, weekly and monthly). Larger scales are more reliable for magnitude but the variability of the smaller ones is closer to the variability observed in the measurements. The quantities of pharmaceuticals sold or distributed range from 0.4 to 1 600 theoretical patients per day. Associating measured daily loads with sales or distributions, no linear correlation is found. A minute time step stochastic model is proposed and applied to both sites. It produces reliable and accurate results for both daily and hourly loads. However, results are difficult to interpret when only a few patients are consuming a pharmaceutical. Also, the model does not reproduce the inherent specificity of the hospital. In addition, the model is also able to predict the domestic wastewater flow of an urban catchment with great accuracy for both daily volumes and dynamics.

La lutte contre la destruction des écosystèmes et les efforts pour renforcer et renouveler les conditions de leur prise en charge collective reposent aujourd’hui sur trois fronts d’innovation disjoints : (1) la conception et l’utilisation de nouveaux outils d’évaluation des écosystèmes dans le champ de la conservation ; (2) le développement de nouvelles comptabilités socio-environnementales à l’échelle des organisations et (3) la mise à contribution des entreprises dans la protection du capital naturel. Cette thèse doctorale vise à les articuler en mobilisant la comptabilité comme pivot pour connecter les systèmes d’information écologique, les formes diverses d’organisation de l’action collective, et les initiatives et comptabilités des entreprises. Elle combine un travail de construction théorique et une recherche-intervention auprès d’une grande entreprise du secteur de l’environnement qui cherche à développer des activités de service dédiées à la qualité écologique des territoires. Nous proposons premièrement l’ouverture d’une nouvelle perspective d’innovation théorique et pratique, au croisement entre comptabilités et sciences de la conservation, et centrée sur la gestion collective de problèmes écologiques : le développement de « Comptabilités de Gestion pour les Ecosystèmes ». Nous montrons en quoi elles sont complémentaires de l’ensemble des autres types d’innovations comptables portant sur les écosystèmes. Nous proposons deuxièmement quatre grandes orientations organisationnelles et stratégiques pour penser et guider le développement de nouveaux modèles d’affaires de « services aux écosystèmes ». Afin de les compléter, nous ouvrons des pistes de conception de comptes et d’activités comptables pour accompagner une entreprise du secteur de l’environnement dans la négociation et la création collective de valeur écologique sur les territoires et dans la transformation de sa propre représentation et quantification de la valeur. / Current efforts to halt the destruction of the planet’s ecosystems and to reinforce and renew their collective management reside on three distinct innovation fronts: (1) the design and use of new ecosystem assessment tools by conservation scientists and practitioners; (2) the development of new social and environmental accounting frameworks and tools at the level of organization; (3) the contribution of the private sector to natural capital protection and maintenance. This doctoral thesis aims to relate these three domains of innovation to one another by mobilizing the accounting discipline as a pivot to connect ecological information systems and tools, diverse forms of collective action for ecosystem management, and private sector initiatives and accounting innovations. The thesis combines a work of theoretical construction with the results of an action-research conducted in an environmental sector company that seeks to develop new services specifically designed for the management of ecological systems. We first propose a new theoretical and practical perspective at the junction of accounting and conservation science centered on the collective management of ecological issues: the development of Management Accounting for Ecosystems. We show why and how they are complementary to all the other domains of ecosystem accounting innovation. Secondly, we introduce four organizational and strategic directions to think and guide the development of new “services to ecosystems” business models. To complement them, we suggest new accounts and accounting practices to help environmental sector companies negotiate and co-create ecological value with other stakeholders, and transform their own representation and quantification of corporate value.

The Tropical savannas of central Brazil (cerrado) and the Everglades wetland (Florida) ecosystems are ideal systems to study landscape spatial mosaics and their interactions. Both ecosystems show a variety of plant physiognomies distributed within small spatial scales and elevation gradients. Such variety of plant physiognomies provide an opportunity to investigate the roles of climate, topography, nutrient availability and water table dynamics as determinants of plant physiognomic distributions, and their role in shaping regional systems. South Florida Wetlands and the tropical savannas of central Brazil are examples of hydrologically-controlled ecosystems. In hydrologically-controlled ecosystems water sources, the availability of nutrients, and the patterns of water movement play important roles in determining vegetation structure and function. The main objective of this study was to understand ecosystem level processes that shape different physiognomies in two hydrologically-controlled ecosystems. I conducted field work at the IBGE ecological reserve, a field experimental station located in Brasilia, Brazil. I also worked at the Everglades National Park in an area located near the south entrance of the Park in Homestead, Florida. I carried out three interconnected studies investigating water and nutrient dynamics: (1) In a Brazilian savanna I manipulated levels of litter input and measured changes to soil properties, organic matter decomposition and tree growth. I found that changes in litter input affect soil physicochemical properties and soil biochemical processes. I also found that litter dynamics influence tree growth through their effects on soil physicochemical properties. (2) I also studied the effect of water table depth and its temporal variation on spatial patterns of vegetation distribution in the cerrado landscape. I monitored diurnal and seasonal changes in water table depth along two tree-density and topographic gradients. In addition, I measured woody species composition, growth rates of four tree species, litter production, soil nutrients, and nutrient resorption efficiency along those two gradients. I found that water table depth has an important role in determining the spatial distribution of cerrado physiognomies; it also affects tree growth, species composition and nutrient resorption efficiency. (3) In the Everglades I studied patterns of underground water uptake by two vegetation types. I monitored seasonal and diurnal changes in water table depth in a Hammock forest, in a stand dominated by the invasive woody species Schinus terebinthifolius, as well as the water level in an adjacent lake. I estimated stand level transpiration using two different approaches: with sap flow measurements and diurnal oscillations in water table levels. Then, I calculated the total quantity of groundwater withdrawn by evapotranspiration for the wet and dry seasons in the Hammocks and in the exotic invaded site and then compared the results. I found that water uptake by Everglades trees is well coupled to diurnal changes in water table depth and that the amount of water withdrawn from the groundwater was larger during the wet season than during the dry season. Finally, I detected hydrological feedbacks between different vegetation types and nearby bodies of water. Results of this study contributes to the current knowledge of ecosystem level processes in tropical and subtropical ecosystems where water circulation and water availability play a dominant role in shaping vegetation structure and function.

Orientador: Pedro Wagner Gonçalves / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Geociencias / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-10T13:06:06Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Ribeiro_StellaRegina_M.pdf: 5110953 bytes, checksum: a891c8396ff7e81289fa61f793407c0f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007 / Resumo: Esta pesquisa consiste em um trabalho desenvolvido em escola pública municipal da cidade de Campinas em parceria com duas professoras que ministravam as disciplinas de Geografia e Ciências no Ensino Fundamental para alunos de 5ª série. Foram realizadas atividades de formação continuada nas quais objetivo era investigar o ensino tratando questões ambientais. Houve um esforço de tratar o ciclo da água de forma sistêmica utilizando distintas fontes de informação desde científicas a populares. O ciclo da água foi tratado a partir do local (microbacia de drenagem). O pressuposto do trabalho defende integração curricular por meio de debate e pesquisa colaborativa. Mostra-se a existência de dificuldades no tratamento do ciclo da água embora notem-se avanços em relação ao ensino apoiado em modelos extremamente simplificados. Atividades de campo mostraram-se especialmente enriquecedoras para professores e alunos começarem a refletir sobre o modelo de ciclo da água / Abstract: This research consists in a work developed at a public school in Campinas, SP. There was a partnership with two teachers, one geographer and other science teacher, who teach to 11 years old kids. Activities from continuing teacher were developed and the objective was investigate the teaching of addressing environmental studies. There was an effort to treat the water cycle upon systemic approch using different sources of information (scientific and popular ideas). We defend the curricular integration by means of collaborative research. We show up that there are difficulties to understand the cycle of water though we observe advances in teaching. These advances are concerning with field trip activities / Mestrado / Mestre em Ensino e Historia de Ciencias da Terra