Wildlife corridors have become a widely adopted management strategy for the conservation of species in fragmented habitats. Fragmentation reduces the size of habitat patches and increases the isolation of the populations within them, potentially resulting in extinction due to stochastic processes. The provision of a corridor between habitat patches is believed to increase the level of connectivity through the integration of populations into a single demographic unit, thus increasing the probability of survival. This assumption remains largely untested due to both a lack of investigation, and design limitations in some of the few studies performed. Connectivity is often assumed to occur simply from the presence of individuals within the corridor. Design criteria essential for the rigorous assessment of connectivity were identified and a landscape meeting these criteria selected. The vegetation within the corridor was found to be comparable in both structure and species composition to that of the patches that it connected. Two target species (Melomys cervinipes and Uromys caudimaculatus) were shown to occur along the corridor but not within the surrounding matrix. The combination of these factors indicated that the corridor was suitable for use as a model system and ensured that any subsequent results truly reflected the capacity of the corridor to function in the desired manner. The population structure was similar within the corridor and the connected patches for both species. Weights of individuals, sex ratios and the percentage of juveniles were consistent between the two system components, suggesting that the corridor contained breeding populations. Connectivity was therefore possible via generational gene flow for both species, while long distance movement events for U. caudimaculatus also indicated that direct movement between habitat patches may be possible for this larger species. Despite all ecological parameters indicating that connectivity was likely, genetic markers (mtDNA and nDNA) revealed significant population differentiation between the connected patches for both species. Populations linked by the corridor and those in isolated habitats were found to show the same level of genetic differentiation. Sampling at a finer spatial scale within connected patches and a continuous control habitat showed that population differentiation was common for M. cervinipes. Given the continuity of suitable vegetation, and the presence of individuals of breeding age along the corridor system, this was attributed to social structuring. U. caudimaculatus populations also showed evidence of genetic differentiation within a connected patch and along the corridor, despite panmixia within the continuous habitat. Having investigated a model system, the data from this study has implications for other wildlife corridor studies and for landscape managers. Firstly, the advantages of using an integrated ecological and genetic approach have been demonstrated. While genetic data determined the level of connectivity, the ecological data provided an understanding of the processes operating within the system. Secondly, the level of scale at which wildlife corridor studies are conducted may need addressing. Most studies currently treat a fragmented landscape in a binary manner and consider the connected patch to be the finest "grain". However, the processes responsible for the lack of connectivity were found to operate at the much finer within-patch scale. Finally, this study clearly indicated that not all wildlife corridors will provide connectivity between the connected populations and that connectivity cannot be inferred from the presence of individuals within the corridor. Given that social behaviour such as territorial defence and philopatry are common in many species, especially small mammals, a lack of connectivity via a wildlife corridor may be more common than currently assumed. The successful use of wildlife corridors as a management strategy, and the accurate assessment of their effectiveness therefore requires careful consideration of not only structural attributes of the corridor, but also behavioural, demographic and genetic parameters of the target species.

No description available.

Thesis (Ph.D.) - James Cook University, 2006. / Typescript (photocopy) Bibliography: leaves 347-371.

This thesis consists of three distinct parts of CAST, CONTRAST and ATTREX, which were aircraft and field campaigns in the West Pacific in January-March 2014. The first section comprises of ozonesonde measurements from Manus Island, Papua New Guinea. A contamination issue affected the first 14 ozonesondes, and so particular care was required to characterize the background current, and as a result, a 'hybrid' background current correction was developed, which combines a constant correction with a pressure dependent correction. Collocated measurements with the CONTRAST aircraft - the NCAR Gulfsteam V - suggests the new hybrid correction produces better ozonesonde profiles than the other corrections that are found in the literature. The results of the ozonesonde measurements revealed a low-ozone event, with minimum ozone concentrations of ~12 ppbv, which was coincident with an easterly jet, and traced back to an area of deep convection: clean marine boundary layer air was uplifted into the tropical tropopause layer (TTL) and then advected in the easterly jet across to Manus Island. The second section attempted to find more examples of low-ozone conditions in the TTL from the aircraft data. The ATTREX aircraft - the NASA Northrop Grumman Global Hawk - observed ozone concentrations of ~10 ppbv in the Southern Hemisphere in proximity of tropical storm Lusi. Whole air samples from all three aircraft suggests the low-ozone air had recently encountered the boundary layer, with enhanced concentrations of surface-generated very short lived substances (VSLSs) compared to air with higher ozone concentrations. No low-ozone events were found in the Northern Hemisphere, even in the vicinity of tropical cyclone Faxai. The third section explores the low-ozone events in the WRF-Chem (Weather Research and Forecasting - with chemistry) in order to see whether the model was capable of recreating the low-ozone event measured by the ozonesondes on 21-23 February as a case study. The WRF-Chem simulation did correctly reproduce the large convective storm in a similar area to that observed by satellites, and surface tracers were uplifted in large quantities as hypothesized. However, no evidence of injection of air into the stratosphere was found in the simulation, and, rather than uplift directly from the surface, mixing of air in the boundary layer followed by uplift into the TTL was the main mechanism for producing the low-ozone event.

Various aspects of the feeding ecology of zooplankton are described for hypertrophic Hartbeespoort Dam, where the phytoplankton is dominated by the cyanophyte Microcystis. The study considers zooplankton succession, community grazing rates, and speciesspecific filtration rates on Microaystis colonies and natural bacterioplankton. Seasonal abundance of the main herbivorous zooplankton between 1981 and 1986 is described both in respect of biomass and specific densities. In situ community grazing rates were measured from January 1983 to March 1985 using 14C-Iabelled Chlorella . Zooplankton succession and community grazing rates are examined in relation to food quantity and quality. Experiments measuring species-specific filtration rates on labelled Chlorella and Microcystis colony fractions revealed low filtration rates for small-bodied cladoceran species on cyanophyte colonies. Daphnia fed significantly on Microcystis colonies up to 60-100 ).μm but Daphnia filtration rates on Chlorella were suppressed by ~707. during the mid-summer increase in Microcystis abundance. Filtration rates of small cladoceran species were not suppressed by MicpocystisJ which was not an important food resource . Cladoceran filtration rate:body length models were developed for Chlorella and Microcystis colony fractions as food. Multiple regression models explained variance in filtration rates on these foods as a function of body length, food type and size, grazer species and temperature (in order of significance). Inclusion of food quality factors such as cyanophyte colony size seems justified in models of plankton feeding in eutrophic or hypertrophic lakes. Methods for in situ measurement of zooplankton filtration rates on 'H-thymidine-Iabelled natural bacteria were improved for use under hypertrophic conditions, and associated isotope-adsorption errors were measured. Community, species-specific and length-specific filtration rates on bacterioplankton were measured (late-spring to late-summer 1986-87) . Ceriodaphnia exhibited no preference for bacteria or Chlorella. Other cladocerans preferred the algal food . Algal/bacterial selectivity coefficients of the zooplankton community revealed an increased algal preference following the mid-summer shift to phytoplankton dominance by largely inedible Microcystis. This implies that bacterioplankton is not an important food resource for the summer cladoceran community. Estimates of the contribution of bacterial carbon to the daily zooplankton carbon requirements are low. The implications of all results are discussed in relation to seasonal succession, the clear-water phase', and biomanipulation in this hypertrophic reservoir.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:29:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2011-08-17Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:17:46Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 macedo_ccl_me_bauru.pdf: 2171350 bytes, checksum: 89a96fbf8ead4ad88ec23fb0318c4f97 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Com intuito de testar a hipótese de existência de padrão de heterogeneidade nas águas superficiais do Reservatório Paiva Castro e discutir a qualidade da água com base na resolução Conama 357/05, foram efetuadas coletas em 36 pontos em duas épocas do ano (seca e chuvosa) e mensuradas as variáveis: temperatura, condutividade elétrica, pH, oxigênio dissolvido, fósforo total, material em suspensão total, sólidos totais e clorofila a. Os dados foram analisados por meio de análise de componentes principais (ACP) e o estado trófico foi classificado a partir da média da transparência da água, clorofila a e fósforo total (IET). Com os resultados foram identificados três compartimentos no reservatório, que mudam de dimensões constantemente, aumentando ou diminuindo em tamanho: 1) próximo ao rio Juqueri em direção ao corpo central, com característica de zona fluvial a transição, apresentando os maiores valores de fósforo totais; 2) próximo a barragem do reservatório com características de zona de transição e 3) no braço secundário, com maiores valores de penetração de luz e clorofila a. Com base na resolução CONAMA 357/05, as concentrações de fósforo total e clorofila a na primeira coleta, apresentaram-se fora da meta estabelecida para corpos híbridos classe 1, na qual o reservatório está esquadrado. Dessa forma, foi detectada uma condição mais crítica da água no reservatório próximo ao rio Juqueri, salientando a necessidade de tomada de medidas que visem à redução do aporte de nutrientes. Também com o objetivo de estudar as macrófitas aquáticas no reservatório Paiva Castro, através da distribuição temporal e espacial relacionada às variáveis físico-químicas das águas superficiais, foi efetuada 3 coletas de espécies, em 8 pontos, em duas épocas do ano (seca e chuvosa). A similaridade... / In order to test the hypothesis of the existence of heterogeneity pattern of waters surface of the Paiva Castro Reservoir and to discuss water quality based on CONAMA 357/05 Resolution, collections were made in36 points in two seasons (dry and wet) and measured the variables temperatures, electrical conductivity, pH, disssolved oxygen, total phosphorus, total suspended solids, total solids and chlorophyll a. The data were analyzed using principal component analysis (PCA) and trophic state classified based ub the average of the water transparency, chlorophyll and total phosphorus (TSI). The results identified three compartmentes in the reservoir that change constantly, increasing or decreasing in size: 1) near to the river Juqueri toward the central body, with characteristic of river zone to transiton zone, with higher rates of phosphorus total and total solids, 2) near the dam of the rservoir with characteristic of transition zone and 3) in the secondary arm, with higher levels of light penetration and chlorophyll a. Based on the CONAMA 357/05. Resolution, the concentrations of total phosphorus and chlorophyll a in the first collection, presented outside the target for Class 1 water bodies, in which the reservoir is framed. Thus, it was detected a more critical condition of water in the reservoir near the river Juqueri, emphasizing the need for talking measures with the aim to reduce the nutrients supply. To with the objective was to study the aquatic macrophytes in the Paiva Castro reservoir, through the temporal and spatial distribution related to the physico-chemical properties of surface waters. Three collections were made in eight points in two seasons (dry and wet), being collected and recorded the species present and samples of surface water to perform the physical and chemical analysis. The similarity of macrophytes between points and periods was calculated from... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Orientadores: Luiza Sumiko Kinoshita, André Olmos Simões / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-25T23:46:27Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Morokawa_Rosemeri_D.pdf: 29597148 bytes, checksum: fcd5c15a946818490b706701fb5b278c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014 / Resumo: Apocynaceae é a segunda maior família de Gentianales com 366 gêneros e cerca de 5000 espécies, está dividida em cinco subfamílias. Um interessante grupo para estudar aspectos evolutivos e biogeográficos é o clado ViWiTa, que compreende as três maiores tribos (Vinceae, Willughbeieae, Tabernaemontaneae) de Rauvolfioideae, com 42 gêneros e 470 espécies distribuídas principalmente na região tropical do mundo, com exceção de Vinca em região temperada. Os objetivos do presente estudo são: reconstruir a hipótese filogenética de Willughbeieae, testar a monofilia das subtribos, elucidar as relações filogenéticas entre os gêneros e identificar sinapomorfias morfológicas para os clados maiores (Capítulo 1); realizar a datação molecular do clado ViWita, testar hipóteses biogeográficas acerca da disjunção pantropical e testar possíveis padrões vicariantes e rotas de dispersão (Capítulo 2). As análises filogenéticas foram realizadas usando cinco marcadores plastidiais (rpl16, rps16, trnK, trnS-G, matK) para 97 espécimens pertencentes aos 18 gêneros reconhecidos em Willughbeieae. A porcentagem dos representantes amostrados para cada gênero foram acima de 60% em doze gêneros, 50-59% em três gêneros e 30-49% em três gêneros. As idades moleculares do clado ViWiTa foram estimadas a partir da hipótese filogenética de Willughbeieae, aliada as hipóteses filogenéticas existentes de Vinceae e Tabernaemontaneae, usando uma abordagem Bayesiana. A abordagem usada para reconstrução de áreas ancestrais foi a de Máxima Verossimilhança, que implementa o modelo de dispersão-extinção-cladogênise. Nossos resultados corroboram a monofilia da tribo e das subtribos: Lacmelleinae, Leuconotidinae, Landolphiinae, Willughbeiinae. Seis sinapomorfias morfológicas para Willughbeieae são sugeridas: (1) hábito liana; (2) apice da cabeça do estilete indiferenciado; (3) base da cabeça do estilete indiferenciado; (4) ovário sincárpico; (5) placentação parietal; e (6) fruto baga. Os gêneros Ancylobotris, Chamaeclitandra, Clitandra, Cylindropsis, Dyctiophleba, Orthopichonia, Pacouria, Saba e Vahadenia foram sinonimizados em Landolphia. Análises de datação combinados com as análises de reconstrução de área ancestral sugerem uma provável origem do clado no início do Paleoceno na Australásia, seguida de migração via Boreotrópicos e subsequentes eventos de colonização para os neotrópicos, África e Madagascar. Multiplos eventos de dispersão à longa distância foram inferidos, como por exemplo da África para a região Neotropical em Willughbeieae, dos neotrópicos para o Havaí em Vinceae e de Madagascar para Australásia em Tabernaemontaneae / Abstract: Apocynaceae is the second largest family of Gentianles, comprises 366 genera and ca. 5000 species and is divided in five subfamilies. An interesting group to study evolution and biogeography is ViWiTa clade, that comprises representatives of the three largest tribes (Vinceae, Willughbeieae, Tabernaemontaneae) within Rauvolfioideae. ViWiTa comprises 42 genera and 470 species distributed mainly in tropical regions of the world, with only one genus, Vinca, in temperate zone. The aims of the presente study are: to reconstruct a phylogenetic hypothesis of Willughbeieae, to test the monophyly of subtribes, to elucidate the phylogenetic relationships among its constituent genera, to identify morphological synapomorphies to the major clades (Chapter 1); to present a molecular dating to ViWiTa clade, to test biogeographical hypothesis about pantropical disjunction and test possible vicariant patterns and dispersal routes (Chapter 2). We performed phylogenetic analyses using chloroplast (rpl16, rps16, trnK, trnS-G and matK) data from 97 specimens that belongs to 18 genera recognized to Willughbeieae. The percentagen of species sampled of each genus were above 60% in twelve genera, 50-59% in three genera and 30-49% in three genera. Molecular age estimates were calculated using a Bayesian approach based on 281 specimens belonging to 42 genera recognized in ViWiTa and five chloroplast markers. Ancestral areas were reconstructed using a maximum likelihood approach that implements the dispersal-extinction-cladogenesis model. Our study supports the monophyly of Willughbeieae and subtribes. We identified six possible synapomorphies to the tribe: (1) liana habit; 2) style-head body apex undifferentiated; (3) style-head body base undifferentiated; (4) syncarpous ovary; and (5) parietal placentation; and (6) baccate fruits. The genera Ancylobotris, Chamaeclitandra, Clitandra, Cylindropsis, Dyctiophleba, Orthopichonia, Pacouria, Saba and Vahadenia were reduced to Landolphia. Necessary new combinations resulting from merging Landolphiinae genera into Landolphia were made. Dating and ancestral area analyses indicate that ViWiTa clade probably originated on early Paleocene in Australasia followed by migration via the Boretropics and subsequent colonizations to the Neotropics, Africa and Madagascar. Multiple long-distance dispersal events were inferred, such as from Africa to the Neotropics in Willughbeieae, from the Neotropics to Hawaii in Vinceae, and from Madagascar to Australasia in Tabernaemontaneae / Doutorado / Biologia Vegetal / Doutora em Biologia Vegetal

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of pregnancy, breed, and hair coat on body temperature and sweating rate (SR) of hair sheep. St. Croix White (STX; = 9) and Dorper × STX (DRPX; = 9) ewes (3.6 yr of age) were evaluated over 4 d at 126 d of gestation (PREG) and over 4 d at 46 d postpartum (OPEN) in the shade and sun and in the morning (AM; 0900 to 1200 h) and afternoon (PM; 1300 to 1600 h) after a 20 min acclimation to each condition on each day. Data loggers recorded vaginal temperature (VT) at 10-min intervals for 96 h. Rectal temperature (RT) was measured using a digital veterinary thermometer, and respiration rate (RR) was measured as breaths per minute (bpm). Sweating rate was calculated from measured air properties passing over a shaved (300 cm) and unshaved area of the ewes' body using a portable calorimeter. Data were analyzed using GLM procedures of SAS (SAS Inst. Inc., Cary, NC) with breed, pregnancy status, sun exposure, and time of day as main effects. Mean temperature, relative humidity, temperature-humidity index, wind speed, and solar radiation on the days of data collection were 28.2°C, 82.8%, 80.3, 4.2 km/h, and 237.5 W/m, respectively. There was no difference ( > 0.10) in RT, RR, and SR between DRPX and STX ewes. The PREG ewes had lower RT ( < 0.007) and SR ( < 0.0001) and higher RR ( < 0.007) than OPEN ewes (38.5 ± 0.2 vs. 39.1 ± 0.2°C, 70.2 ± 3.1 vs. 88.3 ± 3.1 g⋅m⋅h, and 79.5 ± 2.2 vs. 72.1 ± 2.2 bpm, respectively). During the PM, RR, RT ( < 0.05), and SR ( < 0.006) were higher than in the AM. In the sun, RR ( < 0.001) and SR ( < 0.0001) were higher than in the shade, but there was no difference ( > 0.10) in RT. There was no difference in SR ( > 0.10) between the shaved and unshaved area of the ewe. The DRPX ewes had higher ( < 0.0001) VT than STX ewes. The PREG ewes had higher ( < 0.001) VT than OPEN ewes during the night time and lower VT than the OPEN ewes during the day time ( < 0.0001). The OPEN ewes had a greater ( < 0.009) daily range of VT than PREG ewes did (2.5 ± 0.4 vs. 1.1 ± 0.4°C, respectively), but there was no breed difference ( > 0.10). Hair coat did not have an influence on the SR of the ewes, and PREG ewes appeared to use increased respiration as opposed to sweating to help control RT. The narrower range of body temperature, measured as VT, of PREG compared to OPEN ewes may be a protective mechanism for the developing fetus.

This thesis details the ACTIVE campaign in the tropics of northern Australia during 2005-2006 (based in Darwin). The focus of the campaign was to find the influence of tropical convection on the aerosol and chemical content of the Tropical Tropopause Layer [TTL] and the cirrus cloud cover in the area, which is important for the global energy budget. This study details the background climatology of the Darwin region with statistical categorisation of the trace gases and particles. The TTL had regions of extremely high aerosol number concentration, much higher than that of the PBL. The 10 to 1000 nm particle concentrations were as high as 25,000 cm-3 and 100 to 1000 nm were as high as 1000 cm-3. High aerosol concentrations were usually found in cloud-free conditions; cloudy regions were typically low in aerosol number. Wind data and trajectories (BADC) were used to find the origin of the high particle concentrations. Aerosols were found to be nucleating in outflow regions of convective anvils. SO2 oxidation to H2SO4 is a widely accepted mechanism for nucleation. A binary mechanism (H2O-H2SO4), with SO2 as the precursor, was found to be inadequate in explaining the nucleation and growth rates -- tested using an aerosol sectional model. However, it was found, via back trajectory analysis, that the climatology of Darwin was influenced by local and long-range sources, including advection from Indonesia and the Tropical Warm Pool. These distant sources could have introduced condensable matter, with aerosol precursor properties (certain organic compounds). The aerosol model found a condensable precursor concentration of at least 300 pptv was necessary to replicate the observations.

Atmospheric aerosols affect climate directly by scattering and absorbing solar radiation, and indirectly by affecting the albedo and lifetime of clouds through their role as cloud condensation nuclei. Aerosol sources, and the processes that govern their evolution in the atmosphere are not well understood, making the aerosol effects a significant source of uncertainty in future climate predictions. The tropics experience a large solar flux meaning that any radiative forcing in this region is particularly important. Despite this, there is a paucity of data from the tropics, with the majority of previous studies performed in the northern mid-latitudes. The few in-situ studies of aerosol composition that have been performed are all in the continental settings of Amazonia or Africa. Until now the 'maritime continent' region of South East Asia has remained unstudied. Presented here are Aerosol Mass Spectrometer composition measurements from the Oxidant and Particulate Processes Above a South East Asian Rainforest project, performed from ground and airborne measurement platforms in and around the rainforest of Borneo, South-East Asia. Unlike the previous tropical studies, this allows for the characterisation of a region of mixed terrestrial and marine biogenic emissions. The region is also undergoing rapid land use change, with forest being converted for agriculture, particularly the cultivation of oil palms. This study also allows for the characterisation of a region that is beginning to undergo land use change, providing insight into emissions from different land use types, and providing a benchmark to measure the effects of land use change against in the future.Total sub-micron aerosol loadings were found to be lower than studies in the northern mid-latitudes, similar to previous tropical studies. However, aerosol composition was different to that observed in Amazonia, with much greater sulphate loadings in Borneo. A regional background of sulphate and highly oxidised organic aerosol was identified, with organic aerosol that is less oxidised originating inland. Aerosol confined to a shallow marine boundary layer upwind of Borneo is lofted higher into the troposphere as it advects across the island, with regional aerosol being removed and biogenic terrestrial aerosol added. The lofting of this aerosol is expected to extend its atmospheric lifetime and change its role in the Earth's radiative budget. A novel organic aerosol signal was identified which correlated with gas phase isoprene oxidation products, strongly suggesting that it was significant of isoprene SOA. Aerosol associated with this signal made up a substantial fraction of the organic aerosol loading. This opens up the opportunity for future studies to make isoprene SOA measurements using the Aerosol Mass Spectrometer in other studies. A substantial amount of the organic aerosol in Borneo was attributed to isoprene oxidation.