The extreme flooding event that occurred in 2013 in Alberta, Canada was at time the most costly natural hazard event in the nation’s history with damages exceeding $5 billion. Due to this event, an increased effort for flood mitigation strategies began and resulted in the proposal of the Springbank Off-Stream Storage Reservoir to divert and detain Elbow River flow upstream of the City of Calgary. In order to validate the design of the flow diversion structures, a large (1:16) scale physical model was constructed. The model tested among other things, the impact of large woody debris (LWD) on the flow diversion structures. The LWD modelling included a comparison of LWD manufactured from smooth cylindrical dowels versus natural tree limbs of the same dimensions. The results from the physical model led to a series of design changes for the diversion structures that likely would not have been identified without physical modelling. The LWD material comparison demonstrated significantly different behaviours between LWD types. Specifically, LWD manufactured from natural tree limbs was significantly more likely to accumulate in debris dams on the diversion structures. The impact of root wad was also investigated and proved to play a major role in the damming characteristics and blocking probability of debris. Following the physical model investigations, a numerical simulation was completed in order to examine further the hydrodynamic results obtained from the Springbank project. Using TELEMAC MASCARET’s open source free surface flow program TELEMAC 2D, a two dimensional simulation was completed using data from the physical model. Flowrates and velocities from both models were compared and discrepancies between the two are identified. Reasoning for these differences as well as future works for the numerical model are presented.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-05-14T16:53:12Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2015-01-23Bitstream added on 2015-05-14T16:59:15Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 000829636.pdf: 1079152 bytes, checksum: 3d6200cb153a36d501e804ecf12dc319 (MD5) / O cerrado abrange diversas fitofisionomias, dentre elas, o cerrado sensu stricto, que é uma formação savânica onde há a ocorrência de fogo e o solo é mais pobre em nutrientes, e a mata de galeria, que é uma formação florestal onde não ocorre o fogo e o solo é mais rico em nutrientes. Nós hipotetizamos que a casca das árvores do cerrado sensu stricto é mais larga (proteção ao fogo) e tem um maior grau de escleromorfia nas suas células (solo mais pobre). Para testar essas hipóteses nós comparamos populações de Stryphnodendron polyphyllum Mart. (Fabaceae) em cerrado sensu stricto e mata de galeria. Para tal, coletamos amostras de ramos de indivíduos adultos de S. polyphyllum, realizamos a extração e dosagem de fenóis totais da casca, confeccionamos lâminas permanentes e semipermanentes da casca, e analisamos os aspectos qualitativos e quantitativos da casca. Não houve variações nos aspectos qualitativos da casca entre as populações, podendo ser usados para fins taxonômicos. Já, os aspectos quantitativos apresentaram variações entre as populações. A população do cerrado sensu stricto apresentou valores maiores na largura e proporção do ritidoma e valores menores na largura e proporção do floema secundário condutor, nos diâmetros da fibra e do elemento de tubo crivado e na altura dos raios. Essas diferenças evidenciam as estratégias de cada população, sendo que a casca população do cerrado sensu stricto se caracteriza pela proteção contra fogo e pela segurança na condução de fotoassimilados; e a casca da população da mata de galeria se caracteriza pela eficiência na condução de fotoassimilados. Não encontramos diferenças nem quanto à largura da casca e nem quanto ao grau de escleromorfia nas células da casca entre as populações estudadas. / The cerrado covers various vegetation types, among them, the cerrado sensu stricto, which is a savanna types where has the fire occurrence, and it has poorer soil, and the gallery forest, which is a forest type where has not the fire occurence, and it has rich soil. We hypothesized that the cerrado sensu stricto trees has ticker bark (fire protection), and it has a higher degree of scleromorphism into its cells (poorer soil). To test these hypotheses we compared populations of Stryphnodendron polyphyllum Mart. (Fabaceae) in both cerrado sensu stricto and gallery forest. We collected branche samples of adult trees of S. polyphyllum, and we performed the extraction and quantification of total phenols from the bark, and we made permanent and semipermanent bark slides, and we analyze the qualitative and quantitative bark aspects. The qualitative bark aspects did not show any variation between both populations, and it can be used for taxonomic purposes. The quantitative aspects showed variations between both populations. The cerrado sensu stricto population showed higher values in the width and proportion of rhytidome; and lower values in the width and proportion of conducting secundary phloem, and in the fiber diameter, and in the sieve element diameter, and in rays height. These differences highlight the strategies of each population. The feature bark of cerrado sensu stricto population is the fire protection, and phloem conductivity safety. The feature bark of gallery forest population is the phloem conductivity efficiency. We do not found differences neither of width and proportion bark, nor of degree of scleromorphic into bark cells between the study populations.

Orientador: Carmen Regina Marcati / Banca: Silvia Rodrigues Machado / Banca: Cliavia Carolina Fiorilo Possobom / Resumo: O cerrado abrange diversas fitofisionomias, dentre elas, o cerrado sensu stricto, que é uma formação savânica onde há a ocorrência de fogo e o solo é mais pobre em nutrientes, e a mata de galeria, que é uma formação florestal onde não ocorre o fogo e o solo é mais rico em nutrientes. Nós hipotetizamos que a casca das árvores do cerrado sensu stricto é mais larga (proteção ao fogo) e tem um maior grau de escleromorfia nas suas células (solo mais pobre). Para testar essas hipóteses nós comparamos populações de Stryphnodendron polyphyllum Mart. (Fabaceae) em cerrado sensu stricto e mata de galeria. Para tal, coletamos amostras de ramos de indivíduos adultos de S. polyphyllum, realizamos a extração e dosagem de fenóis totais da casca, confeccionamos lâminas permanentes e semipermanentes da casca, e analisamos os aspectos qualitativos e quantitativos da casca. Não houve variações nos aspectos qualitativos da casca entre as populações, podendo ser usados para fins taxonômicos. Já, os aspectos quantitativos apresentaram variações entre as populações. A população do cerrado sensu stricto apresentou valores maiores na largura e proporção do ritidoma e valores menores na largura e proporção do floema secundário condutor, nos diâmetros da fibra e do elemento de tubo crivado e na altura dos raios. Essas diferenças evidenciam as estratégias de cada população, sendo que a casca população do cerrado sensu stricto se caracteriza pela proteção contra fogo e pela segurança na condução de fotoassimilados; e a casca da população da mata de galeria se caracteriza pela eficiência na condução de fotoassimilados. Não encontramos diferenças nem quanto à largura da casca e nem quanto ao grau de escleromorfia nas células da casca entre as populações estudadas. / Abstract: The cerrado covers various vegetation types, among them, the cerrado sensu stricto, which is a savanna types where has the fire occurrence, and it has poorer soil, and the gallery forest, which is a forest type where has not the fire occurence, and it has rich soil. We hypothesized that the cerrado sensu stricto trees has ticker bark (fire protection), and it has a higher degree of scleromorphism into its cells (poorer soil). To test these hypotheses we compared populations of Stryphnodendron polyphyllum Mart. (Fabaceae) in both cerrado sensu stricto and gallery forest. We collected branche samples of adult trees of S. polyphyllum, and we performed the extraction and quantification of total phenols from the bark, and we made permanent and semipermanent bark slides, and we analyze the qualitative and quantitative bark aspects. The qualitative bark aspects did not show any variation between both populations, and it can be used for taxonomic purposes. The quantitative aspects showed variations between both populations. The cerrado sensu stricto population showed higher values in the width and proportion of rhytidome; and lower values in the width and proportion of conducting secundary phloem, and in the fiber diameter, and in the sieve element diameter, and in rays height. These differences highlight the strategies of each population. The feature bark of cerrado sensu stricto population is the fire protection, and phloem conductivity safety. The feature bark of gallery forest population is the phloem conductivity efficiency. We do not found differences neither of width and proportion bark, nor of degree of scleromorphic into bark cells between the study populations. / Mestre

The thesis focuses on segmentation of images with leaves of woody species. The aim was to investigate existing image segmentation methods, choose suitable method for given data and implement it. The chosen method should segment existing datasets, photographs from cameras as well as photographs from lower-quality mobile phones. Inputs are scanned leaves and photographs of various quality. The thesis summarizes the general methods of image segmentation and describes own algorithm that gives us the best results. Based on the histogram, the algorithm decides whether the input is of sufficient quality and can be segmented by Otsu algorithm or is not and should be segmented using GrowCut algorithm. Next, the image is improved by morphological closing and holes filling. Finally, only the largest object is left. Results are illustrated using generated output images. Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)

When stimuli processing time varies in an oddball paradigm, the latency of the P300 will vary across trials. In an oddball task requiring difficult response selections, as the variation of stimuli processing time increases, so does the variation of the P300 latency, causing latency jitters in the measurement. Averaging the P300 across different trials without adjusting this latency jitter will lead to diminished P300 amplitude, resulting in inaccurate conclusions from the data. Verleger et al. (2014) reported a diminished P300 amplitude in a difficult oddball task that required subjects to make response selections among stimuli that are difficult to distinguish, but his work did not correct for any latency jitter observed within his sample. The current study replicated the easy and hard oddball tasks conducted in Verleger et al.. Raw ERPs obtained from 16 subjects indicated a successful replication of the study. An examination of the behavioral data showed that there was substantial variation in the P300 during the hard oddball tasks, and a latency jitter correction was applied in the analysis. Results indicated that there was a significant increase in the amplitude of P300 after latency jitter correction, and that this P300 amplitude did not differ significantly between easy and hard oddball tasks. These results suggest that difficult decision requirement does not reduce the amplitude of the P300, and that latency jitter should be accounted for when analyzing data from tasks involving a difficult decision requirement.

The History of the Legal Protection of Woody Plants in Czech Territory Abstract The subject of this dissertation thesis is the development of the legislation on the protection of woody plants growing outside woods in the territory of the Czech Republic. The thesis provides a comprehensive description of the subject in a broader context from the beginning of the Bohemian state up to the present. The thesis is divided into six sections focused on specific topics. Each section includes chapters and subchapters. The first section explores the earliest era from antiquity to 18th century. Unlike the other sections, it is not strictly divided into specific areas, as it describes the common ground for the remaining sections. Within this period, the main goal of woody plants protection was the protection of property, i.e. protection from theft and trespassing. The second section of the thesis describes the development of the legislation on trees planted along roads and tree alleys from 18th century up to the present. Trees planted along roads are essential not only in terms of landscape formation but also in terms of the protection of roads and road traffic. In the past, there was a large number of regulations related to the planting and protection of trees along roads. In terms of trees planted along roads, the...

Bush encroachment or the thickening of woody vegetation is a phenomenon occurring throughout savannas, which tends to be more pronounced in small protected areas. The consequences of bush encroachment are often negative for the conservation of biodiversity, for the promotion of tourism and the prevention of wildfires. Hence, effective monitoring of woody vegetation and the factors which influence its spread are essential. This is particularly the case for protected areas such as that of Bwabwata National Park (BNP) in north-east Namibia. With a complex land use history and different fire management approaches being adopted throughout the area, the effect of fire on woody vegetation in BNP is currently poorly understood. This study used a 20-year-old repeat photography monitoring project and satellite-based remote sensing products to explore woody cover dynamics in BNP. Results revealed that woody cover has increased by 13% since 1999 in BNP. Furthermore, the results show differences in the structure of woody vegetation. Repeated late dry season fires in the west of the park have driven an increasing dominance of 3m in eastern sections of the park. This influence of different fire regimes spatially across BNP, suggests that local fire management is a significant determinant of woody vegetation change. Woody vegetation change differs spatially across BNP due to frequent late dry season fires prevailing in the west and less frequent earlier season fires occurring in the east. Therefore, in order to reduce the mortality of woody species and conserve heterogenous height structure in the west, a reduction of frequent late dry season fires is required. Early dry season fires are shown to reduce the rate of increasing total woody cover change and, therefore, this fire management strategy arguably contributes towards the reduction of wildfire risk, conservation of biodiversity and promotion of tourism.

No description available.

Anthropogenic change in the Great Plains of North America within the past two centuries has facilitated extensive woody encroachment by eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana, hereafter redcedar). Conversion of grassland to redcedar woodland occurs rapidly as a result of the interaction between changing disturbance and land use patterns. In addition, redcedar encroachment causes compositional shifts in grassland floral and faunal assemblages, and may alter abiotic factors such that grassland restoration efforts are limited. The objectives of this study were to: 1) track vegetation and faunal assemblages in grasslands along a gradient of redcedar encroachment, 2) assess the capacity for experimental tree removal to promote re-colonization of grasslands by associated flora and fauna, and 3) examine the influence of scale on spatial relationships between small-mammal abundance and redcedar cover. During the first phase of my study, I examined herbaceous vegetation, woody vegetation, and small-mammal assemblages at grassland sites along a redcedar encroachment gradient in north-central Oklahoma. I noted hump-shaped trends in the capture rate, species diversity, and species evenness of small mammals along the redcedar encroachment gradient. In addition, higher levels of encroachment were associated with compositional shifts from grassland- to woodland-associated small mammals. Characteristics of the small-mammal assemblage along the gradient corresponded to increases in redcedar cover and the frequency of episodic management events within the past two decades. Experimental redcedar removal during the second phase of my study generally increased vegetation and faunal diversity in 2 years following treatment, and treatment sites having the highest pre-treatment levels of redcedar cover exhibited the greatest responses to tree removal. The results of my study suggested that within the time frame I examined, redcedar encroachment had altered the biotic characteristics of this system, but did not facilitate abiotic shifts capable of constraining rapid grassland recovery. Tree removal also appeared to modulate the effects of consecutive drought and flood years on small-mammal diversity during post-treatment. During the third phase of my study, I examined the strength of association between differences in percent redcedar cover and spatial abundance patterns of 4 common small-mammal species. I examined small-mammal abundance at three relatively small spatial scales (38, 154, and 616 m2) to determine how redcedar-mammal associations were stronger with increases in spatial scale. In addition, I determined whether the influence of spatial scale on redcedar-mammal associations varied along a gradient of redcedar encroachment. The strength of redcedar-mammal associations increased with spatial scale, but was strongest at sites having the lowest levels of encroachment. These results corresponded to variation in the spatial distribution of redcedar cover and compositional differences in the small-mammal species assemblage along the encroachment gradient. Studies examining the effects of woody encroachment will extend our understanding of successional processes and ensure that appropriate management is implemented in the conservation of these imperiled grassland ecosystems.

In 2013, the wooden breast defect in broiler breast meat was characterized by hardened and pale areas at both the caudal and cranial regions of the breast. The objective of this study was to determine the flavor differences between severe woody and normal breast meat in both breast and patties using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, gas chromatography-olfactometry, and sensory descriptive analysis. Forty-eight individual volatile flavor compounds were identified in both the ground and whole breast chicken samples including aldehydes, ketones, and other functional groups. Minimal differences existed in the volatile fraction of normal and severe woody breast meat. In contrast, woody breast patties had greater concentrations of many oxidation products, including aldehydes, alcohols, and hydrocarbons. The most intense aroma compounds were hexanal, 1-octen-3-ol, 2-pentylfuran, 2-ethylhexyl acetate, and 1-nonanol. The descriptive and volatile results indicated that in patties, woody breast meat was more susceptible to oxidation and off-flavors than normal breast meat.