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Acacia species producing gum Arabic are of great (socio)-economic, and ecological importance in Sudan. Insect attacks are one of the main causal agents in the decline in the gum Arabic yielding trees. Infested trees are almost totally damaged if the infestation is left untreated. The beetle family Cerambycidae is one of the largest groups of insects. Commonly referred to as long-horned beetles, these pests destroy host trees, having a great affect during times of drought. Many studies have been completed about the effect of long-horned beetles in various global settings. However, in Sudan, there is limited information about the insects’ ecological, biological, and even basic, profile. Thus, in this dissertation I study the spectrum, relative abundance, and phenology of the long-horned beetle species that are infesting Acacia species in Kordofan region (Sudan). Seven species were recorded using interception traps. These included Anthracocentrus arabicus (Thomson, 1877), Crossotus strigifrons (Fairmaire, 1886), Crossotus subocellatus subocellatus (Fairmaire, 1886), Doesus telephoroides Pascoe, 1862, Gasponia gaurani Fairmaire, 1892, Titoceres jaspideus (Serville, 1835) and Tithoes sp.. Two species were recorded using ground - photoeclectors: Crossotus albicollis (Guérin, 1844) and Coelodon servum White, 1853. Most of the species are known from other Arabian and African countries. However Coelodon servum White, 1853, Doesus telephoroides Pascoe, 1862, and Gasponia gaurani Fairmaire, 1892 were recorded in this study for the first time in Sudan. Results from flight interception traps indicated peak activity density of long-horned beetles during the rainy season (June – September), with maximum occurrence in June and peak occurrence in August. All study sites showed infestations of long-horned beetles, but the level of infestation varied between sites and Acacia species. The El Demokeya reserve forest indicated the highest percentage of infestation out of all the sites surveyed in this study. The infestation ranged between 57.1% and 100.0% for Acacia senegal, between 5.9% and 26.7% for Acacia mellifera, and 0% to 23.1% for Acacia seyal study sites. Acacia species differed also with respect to the spatial infestation pattern. Results indicated the maximum (95.5%) presence of holes of infestation in the branches of A. senegal when compared to the trunk. Holes of infestation were recorded in all directions, with a minimal occurrence on the south side (18.2%). Opposite results were obtained for A. mellifera with the maximum number of holes in the trunks (46.2%), while branches were less affected. In addition results obtained showed no presence of holes in the branches of A. seyal. Moreover, this study focuses on the assessment of tree characteristics that may trigger the infestation. Logistic regression indicated that tree age was the only predictor for the infestation with long-horned beetles – at least for Acacia senegal. A significance difference was obtained for the stand height curve between non-infested and infested trees of Acacia species, except A. senegal stands at El Demokeya. The study was supplemented by qualitative data, produced from a survey of gum landowners. This questionnaire indicated the level of awareness that gum landowners had with regard to long-horned beetles and their infestations. The results of this survey denoted that 95.0% of gum farmers were aware of the long-horned beetles, while 49.2% indicated an awareness about infestations, mentioning the emergence holes as damage characteristics.

Acacia species producing gum Arabic are of great (socio)-economic, and ecological importance in Sudan. Insect attacks are one of the main causal agents in the decline in the gum Arabic yielding trees. Infested trees are almost totally damaged if the infestation is left untreated. The beetle family Cerambycidae is one of the largest groups of insects. Commonly referred to as long-horned beetles, these pests destroy host trees, having a great affect during times of drought. Many studies have been completed about the effect of long-horned beetles in various global settings. However, in Sudan, there is limited information about the insects’ ecological, biological, and even basic, profile. Thus, in this dissertation I study the spectrum, relative abundance, and phenology of the long-horned beetle species that are infesting Acacia species in Kordofan region (Sudan). Seven species were recorded using interception traps. These included Anthracocentrus arabicus (Thomson, 1877), Crossotus strigifrons (Fairmaire, 1886), Crossotus subocellatus subocellatus (Fairmaire, 1886), Doesus telephoroides Pascoe, 1862, Gasponia gaurani Fairmaire, 1892, Titoceres jaspideus (Serville, 1835) and Tithoes sp.. Two species were recorded using ground - photoeclectors: Crossotus albicollis (Guérin, 1844) and Coelodon servum White, 1853. Most of the species are known from other Arabian and African countries. However Coelodon servum White, 1853, Doesus telephoroides Pascoe, 1862, and Gasponia gaurani Fairmaire, 1892 were recorded in this study for the first time in Sudan. Results from flight interception traps indicated peak activity density of long-horned beetles during the rainy season (June – September), with maximum occurrence in June and peak occurrence in August. All study sites showed infestations of long-horned beetles, but the level of infestation varied between sites and Acacia species. The El Demokeya reserve forest indicated the highest percentage of infestation out of all the sites surveyed in this study. The infestation ranged between 57.1% and 100.0% for Acacia senegal, between 5.9% and 26.7% for Acacia mellifera, and 0% to 23.1% for Acacia seyal study sites. Acacia species differed also with respect to the spatial infestation pattern. Results indicated the maximum (95.5%) presence of holes of infestation in the branches of A. senegal when compared to the trunk. Holes of infestation were recorded in all directions, with a minimal occurrence on the south side (18.2%). Opposite results were obtained for A. mellifera with the maximum number of holes in the trunks (46.2%), while branches were less affected. In addition results obtained showed no presence of holes in the branches of A. seyal. Moreover, this study focuses on the assessment of tree characteristics that may trigger the infestation. Logistic regression indicated that tree age was the only predictor for the infestation with long-horned beetles – at least for Acacia senegal. A significance difference was obtained for the stand height curve between non-infested and infested trees of Acacia species, except A. senegal stands at El Demokeya. The study was supplemented by qualitative data, produced from a survey of gum landowners. This questionnaire indicated the level of awareness that gum landowners had with regard to long-horned beetles and their infestations. The results of this survey denoted that 95.0% of gum farmers were aware of the long-horned beetles, while 49.2% indicated an awareness about infestations, mentioning the emergence holes as damage characteristics.

L'ochratoxine A (OTA), principalement produite dans le café par les moisissures A. ochraceus et A. westerdijkiae, suscite une attention particulière pour ses effets néphrotoxiques, immunotoxiques, tératogènes et cancérigènes. La présence d'OTA dans les fèves de café peut être mise en relation avec les conditions de récolte, les conditions de traitement post-récolte et les conditions de stockage et de transport. Dans certains pays producteurs, les dommages causés sur les grains de café par des espèces fongiques sont liés à des teneurs élevées en OTA. La dynamique et la biodiversité des populations microbiennes (bactéries, levures, moisissures) lors des traitements post-récolte du café a été étudiée par une méthode d'analyse moléculaire globale des flores, la PCR-DGGE. Il a été observé une évolution et une diversité des flores microbiennes en fonction du type et des étapes des traitements utilisés, spécifiques des lieux de production. La région génomique ciblée et la proximité phylogénétique sont un obstacle à l'identification des souches ochratoxinogènes par l'approche globale utilisée. De plus, une méthode simple et rapide de différenciation moléculaire d'Aspergillus westerdijkiae et d'Aspergillus ochraceus a été mise au point et couplée avec l'analyse d'image pour permettre la « quantification » d'Aspergillus westerdijkiae. Des phénomènes de compétition/inhibition de la croissance et production d'OTA (supérieurs à 90%) ont été mis en évidence pour des souches d'Aspergillus niger et d'Aspergillus ochraceus faiblement productrices d'OTA vis-à-vis d'Aspergillus westerdijkiae qui est l'une des espèces les plus fortement productrices de la mycotoxine sur café. Les résultats obtenus au cours de ce travail sont importants pour l'amélioration des connaissances sur la dynamique des populations microbiennes au cours des procédés de transformation du café ainsi que pour de possibles applications en prévention et maîtrise de la contamination du café par l'OTA. / Ochratoxin A (OTA) is mainly produced on coffee beans by fungal species Aspergillus ochraceus and Aspergillus westerdijkiae, and is known for its impact on human health through nephrotoxic, immunotox, teratogenic and oncogenic effects.The OTA content in coffee was shown to be closely linked to harvesting conditions, post-harvest processing conditions and especially dry processing, storage and transportation conditions. In some producing countries, damaged caused on beans by fungal communities undoubtedly lead to high OTA contents in coffee. In order to understand the OTA contamination process, the dynamics and biodiversity of microbial populations (bacteria, yeast and moulds) was analyzed during post-harvest treatment by use of a global microbial ecology approach at the molecular level, so-called PCR-DGGE. Specific variations in evolution and diversity of microbial flora were observed as a function of the step and type of treatment, which were specific of the location of production. The genomic region targeted by the global approach and the genetic proximity of ochratoxigenic fungal strains made their study and identification difficult using the the global approach. In addition, a simple and rapid method for the molecular differentiation of A. westerdijkiae and A. ochraceus was established and, coupled with image analysis, allowed the quantification of A. westerdijkiae.Moreover, competition and inhibition effects on growth and OTA production (>90%) could be observed for low OTA producers A. niger and A. ochraceus species towards the high OTA producer A. westerdijkiae species. Results obtained during this study are of importance for understanding microbial population dynamics during coffee transformation processes. Moreover, it provides possible clues for prevention and control of coffee contamination by OTA.

Vervet Monkeys (Chlorocebus aethiops) are versatile primates of the suborder HAPLORHINI, family CERCOPITHECIDAE, subfamily CERCOPITHECINAE, and genus Chlorocebus (Skinner & Smithers, 1990). They are a widely distributed species that adapt easily to a variety of environments, occurring throughout the Northern and Southern Savanna, from Senegal to Sudan and south to the tip of Southern Africa (Estes, 1992). According to Estes (1992), vervets are opportunistic omnivores. being predominantly vegetarians that live on wild fruits, flowers, leaves, buds, seeds, pods, sap, roots and tubers. Occasionally they will feed on invertebrates (grubs, termites, grasshoppers) and vertebrates (bird and reptile eggs and chicks) (Skinner & Smithers, 1990). Not much ecological research has been done on vervets outside the tropics to date, and it was thus considered necessary to determine how vervets cope with the effects of temperate area seasonality. The aim of this study was to describe the habitat structure of a vervet monkey troop's territory and then to investigate the effects of seasonality on differences in their diet (both overall and with respect to sex differences). activity patterns and habitat utilisation. / Agriculture Animal Health and Human Ecology / M.Tech. (Nature Conservation)

L’urbanisation aboutit à une grande diversité environnementale, paysagère, historique des espaces verts en ville, avec également des pratiques de gestion très variées, qui, peuvent affecter la biodiversité qu’ils abritent. Or, la composante du sol reste très peu étudiée et les communautés de Collemboles présentes dans les parcs urbains constitue une thématique de recherche jusqu’à présent relativement ignorée. Si ces Arthropodes sont de petite taille (de l’ordre du millimètre), ils sont en effet très nombreux dans les sols et aujourd’hui reconnus comme de bons indicateurs pour le monitoring des sols.Les effets de différents filtres abiotiques ont été testés en appliquant à la fois une approche taxonomique et fonctionnelle des communautés de Collemboles dans les parcs urbains de Naples et de Montpellier. La thèse se développe alors en trois axes correspondant à l’étude des effets:- de la composition et fragmentation de la mosaïque urbaine proche- des dynamiques temporelles propres aux parcs- des pratiques de gestion courantesL’analyse conduite à Montpellier a permis de mettre en évidence l’existence de plusieurs groupes homogènes de paysages auxquels étaient associées des structures de communautés différentes. En effet, les paysages urbains les plus hétérogènes favorisent le développement et le maintien de communautés mieux structurées et plus riches en espèces.Par ailleurs, l’étude menée à Naples a montré que le maintien d’un couvert végétal spécifique et principalement boisé, conjointement à la présence de litière au sol, apparaissent comme les facteurs les plus importants pour permettre l’établissement de communautés mieux structurées et plus riches en espèces. Dans une moindre mesure, l’âge des parcs et le précédant usage du sol étaient également déterminants.Enfin, une analyse fonctionnelle (étude de traits morphologiques et préférences de microhabitats) a été envisagée pour évaluer l’intensification de la gestion du sous-bois au sein des habitats boisés des parcs des deux villes. Un gradient abiotique clair a été observé. En revanche, contrairement aux hypothèses énoncées et à la littérature récente sur le sujet, les communautés de Collemboles étaient mieux discriminées du point de vue taxonomique que du point de vue fonctionnel. Il semblerait donc que l’intensification de la gestion du sous-bois ne soit pas un filtre environnemental imposant des changements dans les patterns de traits des espèces présentes.Si d’un côté les études développées dans cette thèse apportent des connaissances fondamentales sur l’écologie des Collemboles présents dans les parcs urbains, de l’autre elle vise à intégrer ces résultats pour un développement plus durable en termes d’aménagement et de gestion des espaces verts urbains. / Urbanization causes a huge diversity in landscapes, environmental conditions and green spaces history. This phenomena also induces different vegetation management practices, which may affect urban fauna. However, scarce attention has been paid to belowground communities in cities and Collembola hosted by soils of urban parks represent a neglected research topic. These taxa are very common in most soils and have been recognized as proper indicators for soil monitoring programs.The effects of diverse abiotic filters on Collembola in Naples and Montpellier public parks has been studied from both taxonomic and functional points of view. In particular, the PhD work was developed based on three principal axes, aiming to test the effects of:- the neighboring landscape context,- the park historical dynamics,- the current park management.The analyses carried out in Montpellier showed different neighboring landscape patterns to which belonged diverse species communities. Indeed, more heterogeneous landscape patterns guarantee the richest and most structured species communities.The study conducted in Naples highlighted that maintaining a specific land cover, especially a canopy cover, jointly to a litter layer on soils are the main factors assuring more structured species communities. To a less extent, park age and the previous land use of the area were also important drivers in modelling species assemblages.Finally, a functional analysis (i.e. morphological traits and microhabitat preferences) was applied to evaluate the brushwood management intensification in woody areas of both cities parks. A clear abiotic gradient was observed. By contrast, functional responses of Collembola communities to brushwood management intensification contradicted our research hypothesis based on the recent literature. Thus, it seems that brushwood removal does not cause shifts in species trait patterns in urban parks.This PhD work increased fundamental knowledge on urban park Collembola ecology, and it strives to integrate these findings in a more suitable landscaping and management of urban green spaces.

Vervet Monkeys (Chlorocebus aethiops) are versatile primates of the suborder HAPLORHINI, family CERCOPITHECIDAE, subfamily CERCOPITHECINAE, and genus Chlorocebus (Skinner & Smithers, 1990). They are a widely distributed species that adapt easily to a variety of environments, occurring throughout the Northern and Southern Savanna, from Senegal to Sudan and south to the tip of Southern Africa (Estes, 1992). According to Estes (1992), vervets are opportunistic omnivores. being predominantly vegetarians that live on wild fruits, flowers, leaves, buds, seeds, pods, sap, roots and tubers. Occasionally they will feed on invertebrates (grubs, termites, grasshoppers) and vertebrates (bird and reptile eggs and chicks) (Skinner & Smithers, 1990). Not much ecological research has been done on vervets outside the tropics to date, and it was thus considered necessary to determine how vervets cope with the effects of temperate area seasonality. The aim of this study was to describe the habitat structure of a vervet monkey troop's territory and then to investigate the effects of seasonality on differences in their diet (both overall and with respect to sex differences). activity patterns and habitat utilisation. / Agriculture Animal Health and Human Ecology / M.Tech. (Nature Conservation)