Thesis (MScEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Water flows required for fire protection (fire flows) from water distribution systems (WDS) in rural towns in the Western Cape Province, South Africa, were evaluated as part of this research project. The fire flow requirements specified in different South African guidelines, as well as a number of international standards, were compared. Various guidelines and codes used in South Africa, including the South African National Standards, specify fire flow requirements according to the risk category of the area concerned. Alternative methods of firefighting and new firefighting technologies that can reduce the reliance on potable water resources for firefighting were evaluated. The traditional method of designing a WDS to provide potable water for firefighting, commonly employed in South African municipal areas formed the focus of the study. The potential fire risk costs (potential costs of damages if a fire was to occur) should also be considered, in addition to the network construction costs, when designing a WDS, in order to determine the most economically feasible option. Data obtained from the fire departments of three municipalities in rural towns of the Western Cape, was analysed to determine the actual flow rates that were required to extinguish fires in these towns. The records considered covered approximately one year in each case and included a total of 564 fire incident reports suitable for this study. According to the data, a small fraction (11%) of the fires was extinguished using water from the WDS by connecting firefighting equipment directly to a fire hydrant. The majority of the fires were extinguished by means of water ejected from a firefighting vehicle. This method implies the use of water drawn from the potable network at a certain location; the water is shuttled by firefighting vehicles, from either the fire station or from a central abstraction point in the WDS. The location of the said abstraction point was found to have a notable impact on the WDS and this received attention in this study. The data showed that 99.8% of the flows required in rural towns were lower than the flows recommended for moderate risk areas in typical South African guidelines. Hydraulic modelling of a hypothetical WDS model was conducted to illustrate that the provision of fire flows according to commonly used South African fire flow standards leads to higher costs. The latter hypothetical case study illustrates that designing a network to provide fire flows according to the referred standards resulted in 15% higher costs, compared to designing a network that would have provided for the actual recorded fire flows according to the data set obtained from the selected rural towns compiled for this study. The hypothetical case study also showed that the cost for a WDS, where sufficient pressure is required at all hydrants during peak fire flows, is 2.4% higher than the cost for a distribution system where water is supplied via predetermined hydrants for refilling firefighting vehicles. A WDS with central, predetermined abstraction points for refilling firefighting vehicles offers a solution to providing fire flows in areas where the distribution systems may be inadequate. The revision of the current fire flow standards of South Africa would, therefore, be a logical next step along with the reassessment of methods used for supplying fire flows. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Water vloei vir brandbestryding (brandvloei) uit waterverspreidingstelsels (WVS) in plattelandse dorpe in die Wes-Kaap, Suid Afrika, is as deel van hierdie navorsingsprojek geëvalueer. Die brandvloei soos gespesifiseer in verskillende Suid-Afrikaanse riglyne, asook ʼn aantal internasionale standaarde is vergelyk. Verskeie riglyne en kodes wat in Suid-Afrika gebruik word, insluitende die Suid-Afrikaanse Nasionale Standaarde, spesifiseer brandvloei-vereistes op grond van die risiko-kategorie van ʼn spesifieke gebied. ʼn Verskeidenheid alternatiewe metodes vir brandbestryding en nuwe brandbestrydings-tegnologieë is ondersoek, om sodoende die afhanklikheid van ons beperkte drinkbare waterbronne vir brandbestryding te verminder. Die tradisionele metode om water aan munisipale areas te voorsien, die gebruik van ʼn WVS, is ook geassesseer. Hierdie metodes dui daarop dat die potensiële brandgevaar-kostes (potensiële koste van skade indien ʼn brand sou plaas vind) ook in ag geneem moet word, tesame met die konstruksie kostes van ʼn WVS, om sodoende die mees ekonomies haalbare netwerk te bepaal. Data wat verkry is vanaf die brandweer departement van drie plattelandse munisipaliteite in die Wes-Kaap is ontleed om die werklike vloei-tempos vas te stel wat nodig was om brande te blus in hierdie dorpe. Die data is verkry vir ʼn tydperk van een jaar en 564 brandverslae was bruikbaar vir die doeleindes van hierdie studie. Volgens die data was ʼn lae aantal (11%) van die brande geblus vanuit die WVS deur die koppeling van brandbestrydingstoerusting direk aan ʼn brandkraan. Die meeste van die brande is geblus met behulp van water wat voorsien is deur ʼn brandbestrydingsvoertuig. Met hierdie metode word water deur die brandbestrydings-voertuie aangery vanaf die brandweerstasie of onttrek vanuit ʼn sentrale ontrekkingspunt in die WVS. Daar is gevind dat die ligging van laasgenoemde ontrekkingspunt ʼn beduidende impak op die WVS het – hierdie aspek is daarom verder ondersoek. Die data het getoon dat 99.8% van die vloei-tempo’s wat nodig is om brande te blus in plattelandse dorpe, laer is as die brandvloei riglyne vir matige risiko-areas volgens tipes Suid-Afrikaanse standaarde. Hidrouliese modellering van ʼn hipotetiese WVS is uitgevoer om te illustreer dat die verskaffing van brandvloei volgens die standaarde wat algemeen gebruik word, hoër kostes tot gevolg het. Die laasgenoemde hipotetiese gevallestudie illustreer dat ʼn netwerk ontwerp om brandvloei te verskaf volgens die huidige standaarde 15% duurder is as vir netwerke wat ontwerp is om die werklike aangetekende brandvloei te voorsien soos getoon deur die veld-data wat vir hierdie studie verkry is. Die hipotetiese gevallestudie het ook getoon dat die koste vir ʼn WVS, waar voldoende drukke gehandhaaf moet word by alle brandkrane terwyl piek brand vloeie voorsien word, 2.4% duurder is as vir ʼn WVS waar die brandvloei verskaf word by voorafbepaalde brandkrane vir die hervulling van brandbestrydingsvoertuie. ʼn WVS met sentrale onttrekkingspunte vir die hervulling van brandbestrydingsvoertuie, bied ʼn metode om brandvloei te voorsien in gebiede waar die WVS onvoldoende is, bv. informele nedersettings. Die hersiening van die huidige brandvloei standaarde van Suid Afrika sou dus ʼn logiese volgende stap wees, tesame met die herevaluering van die metodes wat gebruik word vir die verskaffing van brandvloei.

Biodiversity conservation requires a framework for prioritising limited resources to the many endangered species. One such framework that has seen much attention and is considered extensively in this thesis, is the Noah's Ark Problem (NAP). The NAP combines a biodiversity measure (Phylogenetic Diversity; PD) with species survival probabilities and conservation costs. The aim of the NAP is to allocate the limited conservation resources such that the future expected PD is maximised. Obtaining optimal solutions to the NAP is a computationally complex problem to which several efficient algorithms are provided here. An extension to the NAP is also developed which allows uncertainty about the survival probability estimates to be included. Using this extension we show that the NAP is robust to uncertainty in these parameters and that even very poor estimates are beneficial. To justify using or promoting PD, it must produce a significant increase in the amount of biodiversity that is preserved. We show that the increase attainable from the NAP is typically around 20% but may be as high as 150%. An alternative approach to PD and the NAP is to prioritise species using simple species specific indices. The benefit of these indices is that they are easy to calculate, explain and integrate into existing management frameworks. Here we investigate the use of such indices and show that they provide between 60% and 80% of the gains obtainable using PD. To explore the expected behaviours of conservation methods (such as the NAP) a distribution of phylogenetics trees is required. Evolutionary models describe the diversification process by which a single species gives rise to multiple species. Such models induce a probability distribution on trees and can therefore be used to investigate the expected behaviour of conservation methods. Even simple and widely used models, such as the Yule model, remain poorly understood. In this thesis we present some new analytic results and methods for sampling trees from a broad range of evolutionary models. Lastly we introduce a new model that provides a simple biological explanation for a long standing discrepancy between models and trees derived from real data -- the tree balance distribution.

This work is focused on characterising and evaluating the intensity and selectivity of the marine fauna during the Tr/J mass extinction and recovery of the ecosystem in different localities throughout Pangaea. To address this, four localities were studied: St. Audrie’s Bay, Larne and Pinhay Bay in the UK, and Portezuelo Providencia in Chile. From each locality, samples were taken at approximately 1m intervals throughout the Tr/J sections. Species abundance per sample was estimated and each species was classified according to autoecological information derived from the literature. In order to assess changes in the structure and composition of the assemblages, NMDS and beta diversity index were performed, dominance and richness were estimated and the data were tested against five rank abundance (RAD) models. Ecospace modelling was used to estimate the loss in ecological diversity. Measures of the body size of bivalves and ichno-parameters were recorded on each section. Through the UK sections, the richness, dominance and the composition rate shifted abruptly during the extinction event. A geometric model shows the best fit during extinction events and, in contrast, a log-normal model best fits the pre-extinction and recovery event. The body size of the bivalves did not decrease during the Tr/J, while the coverage, richness and body size of ichnofossils increased during the recovery. The Chile Tr/J section records low richness, but the ecological complexity and richness decreases through the interval and composition records high turnover, while the dominance increases. The results indicate that the Tr/J disruption changed species composition in a relatively short time period, which decreased the ecological functionality of the invertebrate marine assemblage. In spatial terms, the UK fauna show a clear response to the extinction effect, but the diversity response of the Chilean assemblage is not clear at all, which may be related to taphonomical bias. Alternatively, this work analysed stage-by-stage occupation of ecospace of 3181 genera recorded from Sepkoski`s compendium for the marine fauna from the Late Permian to Early Jurassic. The ecospace can be represented as a combination of the three axes of tiering, motility and feeding, each divided into six subcategories. From the Cambrian to Recent, ecospace utilisation has tripled, however the trend through the Phanerozoic remains unclear. This result indicates that from the Guadalupian to Sinemurian the number of modes of life did not increase significantly, but the ecospace packing does. There was a significant positive correlation between abundance of predators and both infaunalisation and motility. However, the ecospace utilisation decreased 35% and 16% at the end of Permian and Triassic, respectively. During the extinction events, non-motile animals, organisms with little physiological control of biocalcification and the epifaunal forms, were heavily affected. This indicates that the mass extinction had a particular ecological effect on the biota and is an important episode of ecological changes due to ecological selectivity. Parallel, the appearance of adaptations to new trophic niches during the Triassic, like durophagy, presumably increased predation pressure and drove the increase in benthic infaunalisation. This series of adaptation could be potentially associated with the Marine Mesozoic Revolution.

Genetic deletion or pharmacological blockade of the CB1 receptor has been reported to impair extinction learning in aversive conditioning (i.e., conditioned fear and Morris water maze) paradigms, but not in operant procedures in which food reinforcement is earned. It is difficult to discern whether the differential effects caused by CB1 receptor disruption on extinction result from the hedonics (i.e., aversive vs. appetitive) or is related to the required responses associated with these disparate tasks. In order to evaluate whether the hedonics is the determining factor, we used either aversive (i.e., escape from bright lights and air turbulence) or appetitive (i.e., to gain access to water) motivators in the Barnes maze task, a model in which mice are required to enter a hidden goal box. Administration of the CB1 receptor antagonist, rimonabant, disrupted extinction learning under aversive conditions, but not under appetitive conditions. This is the first study to show a differential effect of rimonabant on extinction in a task that required identical motor behaviors, but only differed in hedonic nature of the reinforcer. In addition, genetic ablation of CB1 receptor signaling impaired acquisition of the task under both aversive and appetitive conditioning procedures. Conversely, enhancing endocannabinoid signaling, via genetic deletion of the FAAH enzyme, accelerated acquisition of the task under aversive, but not appetitive, conditioning procedures. Accordingly, these data strongly support the hypothesis that the endogenous cannabinoid system plays a necessary role in the extinction of aversively motivated behaviors, but is expendable in appetitively motivated behaviors. While these findings underscore concerns over potential side effects associated with CB1 receptor antagonists, they also suggest that stimulating the endogenous cannabinoid system may be a promising pharmacological approach to treat maladaptive behaviors that arise from stress or trauma.

1 Title: Manifestation of cerebellar dominance in the form of extinction physiological syndrome on upper and lower limbs and its relationship to human laterality. Objectives: The aim of this diploma thesis is to determinate size of relationship between manifestation of cerebellar dominance in the form of extinction physiological syndrome and preference of limbs. Methods: A total of 27 individuals (male and female students of UK FTVS) were involved in the current quantitative research. We used indicators which were selected from Musalek's test battery (2013) to assess limb preferences. The evaluation of joint passivity asymmetry was based on angle and time parameters during walk and during controlled falls of forearm and shank on a constructed fall-machine. The movement was registered in real time by Qualisys Motion Capture System. For data analysis, descriptive statistics methods, paired t-test, level of statistical and substantive significance (Cohen's d) and tetrachoric coefficient of correlation were used. Results: Our research suggests that there is no significant difference in joint passivity when comparing preferred and non preferred limbs. Though it is necessary to take into consideration specifics and the size of research sample in which everybody was an active athlete. The result of tetrachoric...

La présence de poussières au sein des plasmas est rencontrée dans de multiples environnements tels que les plasmas de laboratoires ou les plasmas de fusion. Les processus conduisant à leur formation constituent un vaste champ d'études depuis plusieurs années. Ce travail de thèse a pour objectif d'étudier un nouveau mécanisme de croissance des poussières dans un plasma radiofréquence capacitif en mélange argon/acétylène. Dans certaines conditions, il a été observé que des ondes de densité de poussières apparaissaient spontanément au sein des nuages de poussières. Elles peuvent grandement favoriser l'agglomération des particules grâce à l'importante énergie cinétique qu'elles leur transfèrent. Pour réaliser cette étude, différents outils diagnostics ont été développés. Pour sonder les populations de poussières nanométriques, un premier diagnostic basé sur des mesures d'extinction dans le domaine visible associé à une méthode inverse a été mis au point. Un second diagnostic permettant l'étude des populations d'agglomérats supra-microniques a été utilisé. Il est basé sur l'utilisation de l'imagerie rapide et l'analyse automatique des films à l'aide d'un algorithme adapté (TRACE). Enfin, une méthode d'extraction des poussières en vue d'analyses ex-situ et utilisant la force de thermophorèse a été développée.Ces diagnostics ont ensuite été appliqués à l'étude des ondes de poussières et des processus d'agglomération. Nous avons montré que des agglomérats de plusieurs centaines de microns pouvaient être formés en quelques dizaines de secondes. L'influence des conditions expérimentales sur les caractéristiques des ondes et des agglomérats formés a également été étudiée / The dust particle growth in plasmas is of major concern for safety issues in fusion reactors, and conversely has important industrial impacts. Dusty plasmas produced in laboratory, fusion, and in astrophysical environments have been therefore widely studied for many years to better understand the involved physical phenomena. In this thesis work, we have investigated a new dust-growing mechanism in a capacitive radio-frequency plasma of argon/acetylene mixture, with developing necessary diagnostic tools. The population of nano-particles was probed using visible-wavelength range extinction measurements combined with an inverse method. The motions and the collisions in enlarging agglomerates were followed through a fast-imaging device and the images were then analyzed using a compatible algorithm (TRACE). Ex-situ studies were also carried out on dust particles collected with an extraction technique based on the thermophoresis force. These diagnostic tools allowed us to observe a spontaneous emergence of dust density waves (DDWs) under specific experimental conditions. These waves impart substantial kinetic energy to the dust particles and thus enhance their agglomeration rate. Large agglomerates up to several hundreds of microns may thus be produced in a few tens of seconds. We have also studied the influence of experimental conditions (power, pressure) on the waves and the agglomerate characteristics

O objetivo geral desta dissertação é testar hipóteses relacionadas à duração das linhagens (i.e. o intervalo de tempo definido pela origem e extinção das diferentes linhagens) e à dinâmica da diversificação dos ruminantes. Para isso, nós usamos compilações públicas de dados fósseis e modelos probabilísticos. Como a literatura macroevolutiva se aproveita das múltiplas escalas taxonômicas onde é possível estudar a mudança da biodiversidade no tempo, os dois capítulos desta dissertação testam suas hipóteses no níveis de espécie e gênero na tentativa de iluminar o papel da escala na manifestação dos padrões macroevolutivos. No primeiro capítulo, nós investigamos se tratamentos taxonômicos distintos aplicados aos dados brutos alteram os resultados obtidos por um método macroevolutivo. Nossos resultados sugerem que os dados, mesmo após passar por diferentes tratamentos, indicam similares dinâmicas de diversificação tanto no nível taxonômico dos gêneros quanto no nível das espécies. Por outro lado, as comparações entre dois conjuntos de dados inicialmente distintos podem gerar diferenças consideráveis na dinâmica da diversificação e inclusive indicar diferenças entre escalas taxonômicas. Esses resultados são robustos mesmo que as imperfeições do registro fóssil sejam consideradas de diferentes maneiras pelo método usado. No segundo capítulo, nós usamos modelos probabilísticos para testar uma importante hipótese macroevolutiva que é também considerada uma premissa para vários estudos da área: a de que a probabilidade de extinção de qualquer linhagem é independente da sua longevidade, ou seja, do intervalo de tempo que a linhagem já viveu. Nossos resultados sugerem um padrão consistente de diminuição na probabilidade de extinção conforme as espécies vivem por mais tempo, enquanto que o padrão observado do no nível dos gêneros é menos claro. Este resultado não só enriquece o nosso conhecimento a respeito da dinâmica da extinção de linhagens, como sugere que a premissa de independência de idade na probabilidade de extinção (importante para vários estudos macroevolutivos) pode não ser válida, pelo menos para Ruminantia. Nós esperamos que os dados e ideias aqui expostos interajam com novas ideias e dados do leitor, estimulando o desenvolvimento da macroevolução / The main goal of this dissertation is to test hypotheses related to the duration of the lineages (i.e. the time interval between the origin and extinction of each lineage) and to the diversification dynamics of the ruminants. To achieve this goal, we used public compilations of fossil data and probabilistic models. As the macroevolutionary literature take advantage of multiple taxonomic scales in which is possible to study biodiversity changes through time, the two chapters of this dissertation tested different hypotheses in both the species and genus levels, as na attempt to shed some light on the role of scale influencing the macroevolutionary phenomena. In the first chapter, we investigated if different taxonomic treatments applied over the raw data significantly change the results obtained from a macroevolutionary method. Our results suggest that the same data, even passing through different data curations, indicate similar diversification dynamics in species and genus taxonomic levels. On the other hand, data that comes from different sources may present considerable differences in the diversification dynamics, and even indicate differences between taxonomic scales. These results are robust to different considerations of the preservation biases of the fossil record by the method. In the second chapter, we used probabilistic models to test an importante macroevolutionary hypothesis that is also considered a premise of several macroevolutionary studies: that the probability of extinction of any lineage is independent of its longevity (the time span determined by the origination and extinction of each lineage). Our results suggest a consistent pattern of decreasing extinction probability as species live for longs periods of time, but the pattern presented by the genera is less clear. These results not only enhance our knowledge about extinction dynamics, but it also suggests that the premise of age independence in the extinction probability (important for several macroevolutionary studies) might not be valid, at least for Ruminatia. We hope our data and ideas interact with new ideas and data from the reader to stimulate the development of the macroevolutionary field

The Brazilian transmission system covers a large area, with a high concentration of consumer centres in the Southeast region and abundant hydro generation in the North. To connect these regions, some of the transmission lines might reach 2500 km length, creating a challenging situation. In this context, system planners have been defining the use of HVDC systems as the most feasible choice of transmission investment. It is so, recognized that the connections of power plants in the Northern region to the load centres in the Southeast will require a significant number of bipoles and, until the present moment, all the operational and planned HVDC lines are based on the converter technology known as LCC (Line Commutated Converter) and consequently subject to commutation failure. Currently, the Brazilian system has four LCC bipoles, with two other bipoles under construction. Although the Southeast grid is strong, the connection of two additional bipoles is a concern as the interaction between these inverters may cause strong effects on one another, a phenomenon known as multi-infeed interaction. In such a situation, the assessment of the system operation, possible outages and possible mitigation methods are of paramount importance. This document presents a different methodology for the analysis of the multi-infeed system mentioned and focuses on its validation by analysing operation under normal conditions and with the implementation of established mitigation methods. The investigation was carried out with EMT, power flow, short-circuit and electromechanical softwares in a very large AC system composed by 100 buses on EMT and full Brazilian system on the rest. The effects of faults were analysed and the areas containing the buses where a fault leads to multiple commutation failures were identified. / O sistema de brasileiro de transmissão abrange uma área ampla, com uma alta concentração de consumo na região Sudeste e abundante geração hidrelétrica no Norte. Para conectar essas regiões, algumas das linhas de transmissão podem alcançar comprimentos de 2500 km, criando uma situação desafiadora. Neste contexto, os planejadores de sistemas têm definido o uso de sistemas HVDC como a escolha mais viável de investimento em transmissão. É então reconhecido que as conexões de usinas na região Norte aos centros consumidores no Sudeste exigirão um número significativo de bipolos e, até o momento presente, todas as linhas HVDC operacionais e planejadas são baseadas na tecnologia de conversão conhecida como LCC (Line Commutated Converter) e consequentemente sujeito a falha de comutação. Atualmente, o sistema brasileiro tem quatro bipolos LCC, com outros dois bipolos em construção. Embora a rede do Sudeste seja considerada forte, a conexão de dois bipolos adicionais é uma preocupação, pois a interação entre esses inversores pode causar efeitos danosos uns sobre os outros, um fenômeno conhecido como interação multi-infeed. Em tal situação, a avaliação da operação do sistema, possíveis interrupções e possíveis métodos de mitigação são de suma importância. Este documento apresenta uma metodologia diferente para a análise do sistema multi-infeed mencionado e foca em sua validação, analisando a operação em condições normais e com a implementação de métodos de mitigação conhecidos. A investigação foi realizada com softwares EMT, de curto circuito, fluxo de potência e estabilidade eletromecância em um sistema CA muito grande composto por 100 barras em EMT e sistema brasileiro completo no resto. Os efeitos das falhas foram analisados e as áreas que contêm as barras onde uma falha leva a múltiplas falhas de comutação foram identificadas.

A cana-de-açúcar é uma das principais culturas do sistema agrícola brasileiro, e apresenta-se atualmente em plena expansão. Porém o uso do solo e a implementação de diferentes tecnologias de manejo têm originado alterações no equilíbrio ambiental, onde importantes interações microbianas ocorrem de forma essencial para o desenvolvimento vegetal. Dentre a vasta diversidade de microrganismos do solo, destacam-se os fungos micorrízicos, organismos intimamente associados as raízes das plantas, auxiliando a mesma, dentre outras formas, na obtenção de água e nutrientes. Estes fungos, no entanto, interagem também com outros organismos do solo, como por exemplo, com a comunidade bacteriana presente neste ambiente. Desta forma, o presente trabalho buscou estudar a dinâmica de interação entre cana-de-açúcar e o fungo micorrízico arbuscular (FMA) G.clarum em solos com diferentes composições da comunidade bacteriana. A metodologia utilizada foi a \'diluição para extinção\', onde diluições seriadas (10-1; 10-3; 10-6 e 10-9) de um solo natural foram usadas para inocular o solo estéril. Sobre esta base, foi monitorada pelo período de 60 dias, a colonização da planta pelo FMA e a estruturação das comunidades bacterianas. Como resultado, foi observada uma maior colonização das raízes de cana-de-açúcar para os tratamentos inoculada com menores diluições da comunidade original (solo natural e diluições 10-1 e 10-3), sendo da mesma forma observada uma distinção entre as comunidades bacterianas destes tratamentos para os demais. Estabelecendo correlações entre os grupos microbianos e as taxas de colonização micorrízica, foi possível nomear, com base no sequenciamento massivo da região V6 do gene ribossomal 16S DNAr, a alteração conjunta da micorrização com mudanças nos grupos de Actinobacteria,Bacteriodetes,Firmicutes,Proteobacteria,Verrucomicrobiae Acidobacteria. Concluindo, este trabalho demonstra a dependência que um processo importante, como a micorrização, possui da comunidade bacteriana do solo, e indica que em áreas degradadas, com menores níveis de diversidade bacteriana, tal processo pode ocorrer com menor eficiência. / Sugarcane is an important Brazilian agricultural system crop and presents currently booming. Nevertheless, land use, and implementation of different management technologies have originated changes in environmental balance, where important microbial interactions occur as essential for plant development. Among the wide diversity of soil microorganisms, the mycorrhizal fungi is highilighted as organisms closely associated with plant roots, helping plants, in any way, to obtain water and nutrients. These fungi however, also interact with other soil organisms, such as for example, bacterial community in these environments. Thus, the present work aimed to study the dynamics of interaction between sugarcane and arbuscularmycorrhizal fungi (AMF) Glomusclarum in soils with different compositions of the bacterial community. The methodology used was \"dilution to extinction\", where serial dilutions (10-1, 10-3, 10-6 and 10-9) of a natural soil were used to inoculate a sterile soil. On this basis, were monitored along a period of 60 days, plant colonization by AMF, and structure of bacterial communities. As a result, we observed a higher colonization of roots of cane sugar for treatments inoculated with lower dilutions of the original community (natural soil and dilutions 10-1 and 10-3), and likewise observed a distinction between these bacterial communities treatments to others. Establishing correlations between microbial groups with observed rates of colonization, it was possible to name, based on the massive sequencing of the region V6 ribosomal gene 16S rDNA, the joint amendment of mycorrhiza with changes in groups of Actinobacteria; Bacteriodetes; Firmicutes, Proteobacteria; Verrucomicrobia and Acidobacteria. In conclusion, this work demonstrates the dependence of an important process, as the AMF, has tosoil bacterial community, and indicates that degraded areas, with lower levels of bacterial diversity, such a process can occur with lower efficiency.

O objetivo desse trabalho foi (1) comparar a variação comportamental controlada por duas diferentes contingências de reforçamento positivo (LAG e RDF), (2) observar se a ordem de exposição a essas contingências interfere na instalação e na manutenção da variabilidade, e (3) verificar como a extinção interfere no padrão de variabilidade e sua reinstalação Treze ratos foram divididos em dois grupos, que diferiam entre si devido à ordem de exposição a duas contingências (LAG 5 e RDF), em um procedimento ABACA, onde A foi a primeira contingência de reforçamento em vigor, B a segunda e C extinção. A variabilidade foi analisada sobre seqüências de quatro respostas de pressão a duas barras. Os resultados mostraram que ambas as contingências produziram variabilidade comportamental, sendo os maiores níveis de variação obtidos em RDF, independente da ordem de exposição. A extinção produziu níveis de variabilidade diferentes de acordo com a história de reforçamento dos sujeitos, com um pequeno aumento da variabilidade nos sujeitos expostos a LAG 5. O padrão na fase final não foi afetado pela extinção, sendo típico da contingência em vigor. Esses resultados indicam uma fina sensibilidade aos graus de exigência de variação das contingências, sem interferência da ordem de exposição ou da extinção, quando há uma contingência estabelecida, porém na ausência de contingência (extinção) há um maior controle da história previa de reforçamento nos sujeitos. / The purpose of the present work was to (1) compare the behavioral variability controlled by two different contingencies of positive reinforcement (LAG and RDF), (2) examine whether the order of these contingencies interferes on variability acquisition and maintenance, and (3) establish how extinction intervenes in the pattern of variability and its reacquisition. Thirteen rats were divided into two groups that differed from each other in relation to the order of exposure to two contingencies (LAG 5 and RDF) in an ABACA procedure, where A stood for the first contingency of reinforcement in effect, B for the second and C for the extinction. The variability was evaluated over sequences of four press responses on two levers. The results reveal that both contingencies produced behavioral variability, with the highest levels of variation detected in RDF, whichever the order of exposure. The extinction generated different levels of variability according to the subjects\' reinforcement history, with a small increase in variability in subjects exposed to LAG 5. The pattern in the latest phase was not affected by extinction, being typical of the contingency in effect. These results suggest an acute sensitivity to the variability requirement levels of contingencies, without interference of exposure order or extinction when there is a contingency established. However, in the absence of contingency (extinction) there is a highest control by its previous reinforcement history.