<p>Coastal wetlands are hydrologically connected to their watershed and the lake. Water levels in Georgian Bay have been at a sustained low for thirteen years and thus connectivity of wetlands to the lake is being threatened as water levels decline. Decreased connectivity has likely caused changes in ecological and chemical characteristics. Future climate change models predict further water declines and potentially increasing the number of wetlands that will be hydrologically disconnected. The over-arching goal of this thesis is to investigate the role of connectivity between the lake and coastal marshes in eastern Georgian Bay on the amount of potential fish habitat, water chemistry and larval amphibian habitat.</p> <p>Bathymetric information is needed in order to estimate fish habitat and two approaches were utilized in order to collect these data. A site-specific method completed in 2009 used an intensive field survey in seven wetlands to create a digital elevation model and calculated the amount of fish habitat at 10 cm increments. A second, regional method, selected 103 sites by using a stratified random sample in 18 quaternary watersheds. In both methods, changes in water levels between 173 and 176 m asl resulted in the most drastic loss of habitat. Approximately 24% of the current fish habitat has already been lost due to low water levels.</p> <p>Water chemistry in coastal marshes is influenced by hydrologic connection. In the summers of 2010 and 2011, 35 coastal marshes were sampled, 17 of which had been impounded and disconnected by a beaver dam. Beaver-impounded marshes resulted in significantly lower pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen and sulphate concentrations, but had significantly higher soluble reactive phosphors concentrations. These conditions are indicative of the lack of connection and reduced mixing with lake water. This altered habitat was shown to support breeding area for 7 species of amphibians, the most common being green frogs and the least common being American Toads and chorus frogs.</p> / Master of Science (MSc)

Ce travail de recherche propose un modèle numérique pour simuler les procédés par infusion de résine en utilisant la méthode des éléments finis. Ce modèle permet de représenter l'écoulement d'une résine liquide dans des préformes poreuses subissant de grandes déformations. Dans cette étude, une modélisation macroscopique est utilisée. Au niveau du procédé, une zone de résine liquide est déposée sur les préformes. Ces dernières étant considérées comme un milieu poreux. Les équations de Stokes et de Darcy sont utilisées pour modéliser l'écoulement de la résine respectivement dans le drainant et dans les préformes. L'originalité du modèle réside dans le fait qu'un seul maillage est utilisé pour les deux milieux. La discrétisation est réalisée avec des éléments mixtes : dans Stokes, des éléments P1+/P1 sont utilisés et dans Darcy, des éléments P1/P1 stabilisés avec une formulation multi-échelle sont employés. Des fonctions distances signées sont utilisées pour représenter l'interface entre Stokes-Darcy et pour représenter le front de résine. Concernant la déformation des préformes, une formulation Lagrangienne réactualisée est utilisée. Dans cette formulation Lagrangienne, le comportement des préformes humides est représenté à l'aide du modèle de Terzaghi dans lequel les préformes sèches ont un comportement élastique non-linéaire. La perméabilité est reliée à la porosité via la relation de Carman-Kozeny. Celle-ci est déterminée à partir de l'équation de conservation de la masse. Ce modèle a été implémenté dans ZéBuLoN. Plusieurs simulations numériques d'infusion de résine sont présentées à la fin de ce manuscrit. / This work proposes a numerical model to simulate the manufacturing processes by resin infusion using the finite element method. This model allows to represent the resin flow into porous preforms, which are themselves subject to large deformations. In this study, a macroscopic description is used. The preforms are considered as a porous medium. The Stokes and the Darcy equations are used respectively to describe the resin flow into the liquid zone and into the preforms.The originality of the model consists in using one single unstructured mesh. The discretization is ensured by using a mixed velocity-pressure formulation. Indeed, a P1/P1 formulation is employed throughout the entire discretized domain, stabilized in the Darcy region with a multi-scale formulation and in the Stokes subdomain with a hierarchical-based bubble, i.e. a P1+/P1 finite element. Signed distance functions are used both to represent the Stokes-Darcy interface and to capture the moving flow front. Concerning the deformations of the preforms, an updated Lagrangian scheme is used. In the Lagrangian formulation, the behavior of the wet preforms is represented by using the Terzaghi model in which the dry preforms have a non-linear elastic behavior. The permeability depends on the porosity through the Carman-Kozeny relationship. This model has been implemented in Zset. Several numerical simulations of manufacturing processes by resin infusion are presented at the end of this manuscript.

The extent and quality of freshwater systems is declining globally. Combined with past drainage, straightening and flow regulation, current systems are often functional but not pristine. Conservation, creation and restoration of freshwater systems is common but requires significant planning, resources and active monitoring and may only be a short-term solution to the long-term problem of destruction and loss of riparian zones. Beavers (Castor spp.) have the ability to create physical and biological habitat heterogeneity through the construction of woody debris dams, thereby restoring lost natural discontinuities in freshwater systems. Beavers may thus offer a natural, more passive solution to the need for wetland restoration or creation and the problem of homogenisation of watercourses. As such, numerous beaver reintroductions and introductions have been undertaken based in part on restoring this lost natural heritage. However, it is crucial to be able to predict the potential effects on existing biota of physical modifications by beavers to ecosystems, especially in the light of further population expansion, whilst also disentangling these effects from other influences, namely herbivory. The impact of beavers on aquatic systems was studied using a combination of field-based surveys and experiments, using aquatic plants and macro-invertebrates as indicators of hydromorphological changes and to quantify the effects of direct foraging. The research presented in this thesis demonstrates beaver adaptive foraging behaviours between terrestrial and aquatic habitats, whilst feeding highly selectively, optimally and opportunistically, using the white water lily (Nymphaea alba) as a model species. The effects of beaver foraging on the aquatic plant resource and diversity was low over short time spans (e.g. 1 year), but when selective foraging was assessed over greater time scales (e.g. 10 years) the effects of foraging were distinct. Significant changes in aquatic plant height, biomass, richness, diversity and composition were observed over this time period due to selective grazing on large rhizomatous species (e.g. Menyanthes trifoliata). These direct effects occurred even though changes in water levels, which are commonly believed to be the main driver of beaver influence on aquatic vegetation, were negligible. In a separate study in Sweden where beavers commonly constructed dams, with ponds then forming upstream, the aquatic plant and coleoptera species richness and composition differed in comparison to adjacent non-beaver created wetlands. Therefore, having a range of wetland types in the environment increases physical and biological heterogeneity creating unique niches that are exploited by disparate taxa. The construction of a series of dams within a single reach of stream flowing through a Scottish agricultural landscape also increased physical habitat diversity. Distinctive macroinvertebrate assemblages and modified functional diversity were associated with each dominant habitat type in the stream, resulting in increased landscape scale richness. The findings of this thesis confirm that beaver engineering and foraging has the potential to create unique and highly heterogeneous wetland and stream habitats within landscapes that enhances richness and diversity for multiple species groups. This thesis also supports part of the rationale for the trial reintroduction of beaver to Scotland that beavers can restore degraded habitats.

Ce travail de recherche propose un modèle numérique pour simuler les procédés par infusion de résine en utilisant la méthode des éléments finis. Ce modèle permet de représenter l'écoulement d'une résine liquide dans des préformes poreuses subissant de grandes déformations. Dans cette étude, une modélisation macroscopique est utilisée. Au niveau du procédé, une zone de résine liquide est déposée sur les préformes. Ces dernières étant considérées comme un milieu poreux. Les équations de Stokes et de Darcy sont utilisées pour modéliser l'écoulement de la résine respectivement dans le drainant et dans les préformes. L'originalité du modèle réside dans le fait qu'un seul maillage est utilisé pour les deux milieux. La discrétisation est réalisée avec des éléments mixtes : dans Stokes, des éléments P1+/P1 sont utilisés et dans Darcy, des éléments P1/P1 stabilisés avec une formulation multi-échelle sont employés. Des fonctions distances signées sont utilisées pour représenter l'interface entre Stokes-Darcy et pour représenter le front de résine. Concernant la déformation des préformes, une formulation Lagrangienne réactualisée est utilisée. Dans cette formulation Lagrangienne, le comportement des préformes humides est représenté à l'aide du modèle de Terzaghi dans lequel les préformes sèches ont un comportement élastique non-linéaire. La perméabilité est reliée à la porosité via la relation de Carman-Kozeny. Celle-ci est déterminée à partir de l'équation de conservation de la masse. Ce modèle a été implémenté dans ZéBuLoN. Plusieurs simulations numériques d'infusion de résine sont présentées à la fin de ce manuscrit.

Thesis (M.S.)--West Virginia University, 2008. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains viii, 92 p. : ill., maps (some col.). Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 56-62).

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 2009. / Title from title page screen (viewed on Mar. 19, 2010). Thesis advisor: Qiang He. Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

This thesis deals with the controversial species of the animal, the European beaver, which is perceived very differently in the human society. In the history, this especially protected animal was extincted on the territory of the Czech Republic and actually his activites frequently come into conflicts of human interests so the comeback of beavers is not always welcome. The thesis describes the process of changing situation of the population of beavers in the Czech Republic and important aspect of their existence. The practical part of the thesis is pursued on the research, which is focused on the perception of the problematic issues of the european beaver by the experts in the Czech Republic. This research is based on seven expert interviews and also on the survey. The goal of my research was to gain comprehensive informations about the perception of experts and about their recommendations how to moderate the situation and harmonize the human - beaver relationship. The main contribution of this thesis is the cooperation all key goups of experts and primary the most important is that results from the research can be used as a material for the future expert debates. Key words: European beaver, species protection, experts, nature preservation, Czech Republic

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