This dissertation is an empirical modeling investigation of the impact of forest harvesting, climate change and topography on stream nitrate fluxes in the Turkey Lakes Watershed (TLW), Ontario, Canada. Data used for this study include topography (DEM), climate (mean monthly temperature and total monthly precipitation), wet nitrogen deposition (total monthly nitrate-N and ammonium-N), nitrate water samples and streamflow in 13 headwater catchments within the TLW. First, a paired-watershed approach was used to examine the impact of forest harvesting intensity on stream water nitrate fluxes by developing transfer function noise (TFN) models that related monthly stream water nitrate fluxes of three treatment catchments to those of one control catchment. Second, TFN models were also developed to relate monthly stream nitrate fluxes in 13 catchments to the temperature, precipitation and wet nitrogen deposition to examine the spatially varying responses of stream nitrate fluxes to changes in climate and bulk deposition. Third, geographically weighted regression (GWR) was introduced to model the spatial and temporal relationships between topography and stream nitrate fluxes in 13 headwater catchments. The results showed that there existed a new phenomenon of clustered wave-up and wave-down of the stream nitrate increases caused by clearcut and selectioncut at the monthly scale, respectively. This phenomenon was never reported by previous studies because it was not possible to be identified with ordinary least squares (OLS) regression at an annual scale. There also existed significant responses of stream nitrate fluxes to wet nitrogen deposition in all catchments at the monthly scale over a long-term record between 1982 and 2003. These responses were previously thought to be lower and masked by the impact of climate variations. There further existed significant spatial and seasonal variability of the relationships between topography and stream nitrate fluxes across space and over time. This variability was largely ignored in previous studies with possibly misleading interpretation on the empirical relations. / Thesis (Ph.D, Geography) -- Queen's University, 2012-12-31 22:37:39.137

Bumble bees (bombus spp.) are significant pollinators of many plants, and are particularly attracted to mass-flowering crops such as Oilseed Rape (Brassica Napus), which they cross-pollinate. B. napus is both wind and insect-pollinated, and whilst it has been found that wind is its most significant pollen vector, the influence of bumble bee pollination could be non-trivial when bee densities are large. Therefore, the assessment of pollinator-mediated cross-pollination events could be important when considering containment strategies of genetically modified (GM) crops, such as GM varieties of B. napus, but requires a landscape-scale understanding of pollinator movements, which is currently unknown for bumble bees. I developed an in silico model, entitled HARVEST, which simulates the foraging and consequential inter-patch movements of bumble bees. The model is based on principles from Reinforcement Learning and Individual Based Modelling, and uses a Linear Operator Learning Rule to guide agent learning. The model incoproates one or more agents, or bees, that learn by ‘trial-and-error’, with a gradual preference shown for patch choice actions that provide increased rewards. To validate the model, I verified its ability to replicate certain iconic patterns of bee-mediated gene flow, and assessed its accuracy in predicting the flower visits and inter-patch movement frequencies of real bees in a small-scale system. The model successfully replicated the iconic patterns, but failed to accurately predict outputs from the real system. It did, however, qualitatively replicate the high levels of inter-patch traffic found in the real small-scale system, and its quantitative discrepancies could likely be explained by inaccurate parameterisations. I also found that HARVEST bees are extremely efficient foragers, which agrees with evidence of powerful learning capabilities and risk-aversion in real bumble bees. When applying the model to the landscape-scale, HARVEST predicts that overall levels of bee-mediated gene flow are extremely low. Nonetheless, I identified an effective containment strategy in which a ‘shield’ comprised of sacrificed crops is placed between GM and conventional crop populations. This strategy could be useful for scenarios in which the tolerance for GM seed set is exceptionally low.

The hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA, Adelges tsugae Annand) is an invasive insect that threatens to eradicate native eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carr.) across the eastern United States. In southern New England and southern Appalachian forests, HWA-induced hemlock mortality has impacted carbon (C) flux by altering stand age, litter composition, species composition, and coarse woody debris levels. However, no one has examined how total C storage and sequestration may be impacted by these changes. Further, while projections are that HWA will ultimately infest hemlock across its entire geographic range, the majority of studies have been limited to southern New England and Appalachian forests where HWA infestation has been ongoing. To address these gaps, we examined how HWA might alter C dynamics in northern New England forests using the Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVS) and Forest Inventory Analysis (FIA) data to model C storage and successional pathways under three different scenarios: preemptive harvesting of hemlock, HWA-induced hemlock mortality, and a control mimicking natural stand development absent of disturbance. Our 150 year simulation showed that, while all treatments differed significantly in C storage in the short term, there was no significant difference in total C stocks between HWA infestation and presalvage treatments by the 75th year. Compared to the control, both simulated treatments resulted in a significant decrease in total C storage, with greater impacts on stands with higher hemlock densities. However, net C losses over the 150 year simulation were significantly higher for the presalvage scenario, indicating that allowing HWA infestation to progress naturally through a stand may result in the least impact to long-term C sequestration for the region's forests.

The long-term success of wildlife conservation depends on maximizing the benefits of limited funds and data in pursuit of population and habitat objectives. The ultimate currency for wildlife management is progress toward long-term preservation of ample, wild, free wildlife populations and to this end, funds must be wisely spent and maximal use made from limited data. Through simulation-based analyses, I evaluated the efficacy of various models for estimating population abundance from harvest data. Because managers have different estimators to choose from and can also elect to collect additional data, I compared the statistical performance of different estimation strategies (estimator + dataset) relative to the financial cost of data collection. I also performed a value of information analysis to measure the impact that different strategies have on a representative harvest management decision. The latter analysis is not based on the cost of data, but rather on the management benefit derived from basing decisions on different datasets. Finally, I developed a hybrid modeling framework for mapping habitat quality or suitability. This framework makes efficient use of expert opinion and empirical validation data in a single, updatable statistical structure. I illustrate this method by applying it across an entire state.

This is a study of the effect of harvesting on a system with two competing species. The system is a Ricker-type model that extends the work done by Luis, Elaydi, and Oliveira to include the effect of harvesting on the system. We look at the uniform bound of the system as well as the isoclines and perform a stability analysis of the equilibrium points. We also look at the effects of harvesting on the stability of the system by looking at the bifurcation of the system with respect to harvesting.

The aim of this thesis is to introduce hops harvest phenomena as a special kind of agriculture aid in socialist Czechoslovakia. The aid consisted of secondary school students in the 1960s. The thesis describes organization of hops harvest, process of harvesting work and after-work activities of temporary staff. This thesis contains occurrences of August 1968 in Czechoslovakia. The harvesting work was complicated by raid of Soviet Army in this year.

A jaboticaba é uma fruta tipicamente brasileira, pertencente à família Myrtaceae, com grande potencial comercial. Este trabalho teve dois objetivos: (1) entre cinco espécies (Rajada, Coroa, Açu, Sabará e Paulista), quais seriam mais adequadas para consumo in natura, ou para utilização industrial. Para isso, foram avaliadas os aspectos de composição alimentar, sensoriais e pós-colheita dos frutos das cinco espécies, submetidas a armazenamento em diferentes temperaturas (20°C, 12°C 6°C). Num segundo experimento, a espécie Sabará, largamente cultivada, foi submetida aos tratamentos de raleamento de flores, frutos, de flores & frutos e controle (sem raleamento). Os frutos resultantes dos tratamentos, tiveram suas características físicas, químicas e sensoriais avaliadas tanto no fruto recém colhido quanto após armazenamento a 6°C. Durante o período de avaliação da vida-de-prateleira, parte dos frutos foi descascada e a polpa, sem sementes, foi congelada em nitrogênio líquido e armazenadas a -80ºC, para as análises de umidade, de carboidratos e de ácidos orgânicos. Os resultados mostram a superioridade dos atributos das espécies Paulista, e Sabará quanto aos açúcares e ácidos e conservação da qualidade durante o armazenamento, o que indica que são as mais adequadas para consumo in natura. Os teores de fibra alimentar indicam as espécies Rajada, Coroa, Paulista e Sabará como alimentos-fonte de fibra. O armazenamento dos frutos a baixa temperatura estendeu a vida-de-prateleira, sendo a temperaturas 6 °C a mais indicada na conservação dos atributos físico-químicos da jaboticaba. O segundo experimento mostrou que as frutas que sofreram tratamento do raleio tiveram o dobro da vida-de-prateleira em relação ao controle. As frutas que sofreram o raleio de \"flores & frutos\", tiveram os melhores resultados quanto a perda de massa fresca, quanto aos teores de ácidos orgânicos, açúcares solúveis e análise sensorial ao final do armazenamento. A prática do raleio combinada ao armazenamento a baixas temperaturas, propiciou a melhor vida-de-prateleira entre as condições experimentadas. Na avaliação sensorial, a amostra T3 também teve maior aceitabilidade entre os provadores. / Jaboticaba is a typical brazilian fruit that belongs to Myrtaceae family with a high trade potential. This work aimed two purpouses: (1) choose among five species (Rajada, Coroa, Açu, Sabará and Paulista) which of them could be the most appropriated to in natura consumption or which are most appropriated to industrial processing. Hence, fruits of these five species submitted to different temperatures (20°C, 12°C e 6°C) were evaluated about their nourishing, sensorial and postharvest composition. In a second experiment, the widely cultivated Sabará specie, was submitted to flower trimming, fruit trimming, flower & fruit trimming and control (without trimming). The recently harvested fruits obtained from those treatments were evaluated to their physical, chemical, and sensorial characteristics as well as the fruits stored at 6°C. During shelf-life evaluation period, part of the fruits were peeled. The pulps without seeds were frozen using Iiquid nitrogen and stored -80°C and analyzed subsequently to moisture, carbohydrate and organic acid contents. Results show the highest attributes of Paulista and Sabará species in terms of sugar and organic acid contents as well as storage quality, showing that they are most indicated to in natura consumption. Dietary fiber contents of Rajada, Coroa, Paulista and Sabará species indicated that they are good fiber sources. Low temperatures of storage extended fruits shelf-life, being 6°C the storage temperature most indicated to the conservation of jaboticaba physical-chemical attributes. The second experiment showed that fruits which were submitted to trimming treatment had shelflives two times longer than controls. Fruits that were submitted to \"flowers & fruits\" trimming had the best results about fresh mass loss, organic acids content, soluble sugar content and sensorial analysis at the end of storage. The trimming practice along with low temperatures of storage rendered the Best shelf-life among ali storage conditions tested. Sample T3 also showed the best acceptance among the testers.

Produtores de pêssegos e nectarinas utilizam mudas cujos porta-enxertos são provenientes de sementes, gerando desuniformidade entre as plantas e nenhum aproveitamento das vantagens trazidas por porta-enxertos clonais, de aspectos genéticos conhecidos. O presente estudo objetivou avaliar o desempenho inicial de nectarineiras Sunraycer de 1-2 anos de idade autoenraizadas e sobre treze porta-enxertos clonais nas condições edafoclimáticas de Piracicaba, SP, durante os anos de 2015 e 2016. No primeiro capítulo dessa dissertação, apresentaram-se os resultados relacionados à ocorrência das fases de florescimento, brotação e colheita, volume de copa, massa de ramos retirada nas podas, massa de fruto, número de frutos e produção por planta, eficiência produtiva, produtividade e diâmetro transversal dos frutos. O intervalo entre o final do florescimento e o fim da colheita foi de 78 dias para a copa de \'Sunraycer\' sobre os porta-enxertos \'G x N.9\' e \'Santa Rosa\' e de 64 dias sobre \'Ishtara\', períodos menores que os relacionados aos demais materiais genéticos. \'Flordaguard\' e \'Ishtara\' induziram maior e menor vigor à copa de \'Sunraycer\', respectivamente, enquanto a maior produção ocorreu sobre o porta-enxerto \'Flordaguard\'. A copa de \'Sunraycer\' é influenciada negativamente pelo porta-enxerto \'Cadaman\' quanto a variáveis de produção. Frutos de maior massa são obtidos em plantas de \'Sunraycer\' autoenraizadas. O tradicional \'Okinawa\' não se destaca como porta-enxerto para \'Sunraycer\'. É possível colher nectarinas \'Sunraycer\' entre 03/10 e 18/10 em Piracicaba, SP, período este de pouca oferta. No segundo capítulo, objetivou-se determinar os teores de macro e micronutrientes (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn e B) presentes em folhas de nectarineiras Sunraycer, treze semanas após o florescimento, visando a avaliar, interpretar e determinar o estado nutricional das mesmas, identificando possíveis materiais genéticos mais eficientes em absorver/translocar tais elementos. Observa-se distinta composição nutricional das folhas de \'Sunraycer\' em plantas autoenraizadas e sobre porta-enxertos clonais. \'Ishtara\', \'Tsukuba-3\', \'Barrier\' e \'Flordaguard\' são porta-enxertos eficientes na absorção da maioria dos nutrientes sob nectarineiras Sunraycer. Mais casos de deficiência nutricional são observados em plantas de \'Sunraycer\' sobre o porta-enxerto \'Santa Rosa\', para nitrogênio, potássio, cálcio, enxofre, ferro e zinco. / Peach and nectarine producers employ scions grafted in seedling rootstocks, resulting in unevenness between plants and disregarding advantages brought by clonal rootstocks, with known genetic aspects. The present study aimed to evaluate the initial performance of 1-2-year-old Sunraycer nectarine trees on their own roots and grafted on thirteen clonal rootstocks in the edaphoclimatic conditions of Piracicaba city, São Paulo State, Brazil, in the years of 2015 and 2016. Results related to the occurrence of flowering, budding and harvest phases, the canopy volume, pruning fresh weight, fruit mass, number of fruits and production per plant, productive efficiency, yield and fruit transverse diameter are presented in the first chapter of this dissertation. The interval between the end of flowering and the end of the harvest period was 78 days to \'Sunraycer\' grafted onto \'G x N.9\' and \'Santa Rosa\' rootstocks and 64 days to this scion onto \'Ishtara\', shorter periods than those related to other rootstocks. \'Flordaguard\' and \'Ishtara\' induced higher and lower vigor to \'Sunraycer\', respectively, whereas \'Flordaguard\' enabled greater production to \'Sunraycer\'. The \'Sunraycer\' scion is negatively influenced by \'Cadaman\' rootstock in terms of production variables. Heavier fruits are provided by self-rooted plants. The traditional \'Okinawa\' does not stand out as a rootstock for \'Sunraycer\'. It is possible to harvest \'Sunraycer\' nectarines between 03/10 and 18/10 in Piracicaba, SP, which is a period of low supply. In the second chapter, the objective was to determine the foliar levels of macro and micronutrients (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn and B) in Sunraycer nectarine trees, thirteen weeks after flowering to evaluate, interpret and determine their nutritional status, identifying some possible more efficient genetic materials in absorbing / translocating such elements. It was verified that clonal rootstocks and self-rooted plants provide a distinct nutritional composition to \'Sunraycer\' leaves. \'Ishtara\', \'Tsukuba-3\', \'Barrier\' and \'Flordaguard\' are efficient rootstocks to the absorption of most of the nutrients under Sunraycer nectarine trees. \'Santa Rosa\' allows more nutritional deficiencies to \'Sunraycer\' plants, as of nitrogen, potassium, calcium, sulfur, iron and zinc.

Em função de pressões ambientais e, consequente proibição da queima, escassez de mão de obra e necessidade de redução de custos, a colheita mecanizada de cana-de-açúcar vem aumentando consideravelmente nos últimos anos. Diversos são os aspectos que podem influenciar na capacidade operacional de colhedoras, podendo ser eles de ordem de campo, ou seja, condições de trabalho em nível de lavoura, administrativa, que diz respeito a aspectos gerenciais e de planejamento e, por fim, da máquina, que tratam de questões relacionadas às características construtivas da colhedora. Nas ultimas safras, dado a diversos aspectos, a produtividade agrícola vem apresentando amplitudes consideráveis e, com tendência de queda, impactando, diretamente nos custos por tonelada colhida. Dessa forma, o objetivo do trabalho foi de verificar o comportamento dos custos da colheita mecanizada de cana-de-açúcar em três faixas de produtividade agrícola. O desenvolvimento do trabalho tomou como referência a base de dados da safra 2010/2011 da Companhia Agrícola São João, fornecedora de cana-de-açúcar para a Usina Barra Grande (Lençóis Paulista/SP). Para avaliação da influência da produtividade agrícola nos custos de colheita, foram pré-selecionadas áreas da companhia cujas produções estimadas figuravam nas seguintes faixas de produtividade (tratamentos): T1 - 35 a 70 t ha-1; T2 - 71 a 100 t ha-1 e T3 - 101 a 135 t.ha-1. No total foram consideradas 6 áreas (repetições) por tratamento. A demonstração geral do comportamento dos dados foi feita a partir da análise estatística descritiva e para análise estatística foi utilizado o delineamento experimental inteiramente casualizado, aplicando-se o teste F ao nível de 5% de probabilidade, e o Teste de Tukey, para as comparações de probabilidade no caso de eventuais diferenças entre médias. Foi constatado que os valores de capacidade de colheita tendem a ser maiores quando a máquina está operando em condições de maior produtividade agrícola, refletindo, consequentemente, na redução de custos por tonelada colhida. Tal relação se mostrou mais sensível a menores valores de produção, sendo que se recomenda, portanto, que sejam realizadas reformas dos canaviais de baixas produtividades (< 50 t ha-1), de modo a não comprometer ainda mais os custos de produção da cana-de-açúcar. / In function of the increasing environmental pressures and, the prohibition of sugarcane burning, as well as a lack of labor force and the necessity of cost reduction, the mechanized harvest of the sugarcane has been growing considerably in the past few years. There are many aspects that can affect the operational capacity of a harvester machine, they might be field related, as in the work at a crop level, of administrative order, regarding the managerial and planning aspects, and finally, the machine itself, dealing with matters related to the constructive characteristics of the harvester. In the last harvests, thanks to a diversity of aspects, the agricultural productivity has been showing considerable variations, with a decline tendency, thus, affecting directly the cost by harvested ton. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the behavior of mechanized harvesting costs in three distinct intervals of agricultural productivity. The development of this work used as a reference the sugarcane harvest database entries for 2010/2011 from \"Agrícola São João\", a company with its production committed to the Barra Grande sugar-ethanol mill (Lençóis Paulistas/SP). To evaluate the influence of the agricultural productivity on the harvest costs, three company areas were preselected, with productivity intervals (treatments) estimated in: T1 - 35 to 70 t ha-1; T2 - 71 to 100 t ha-1 and T3 - 101 to 135 t ha-1. In a total of 6 areas (repetitions) for each treatment. The general presentation of the data behavior was made using descriptive statistical analysis and, for the statistical analysis a completely randomized design was used, applying the Ftest at a likelihood level of 5%, as well as a Tukey Test for the comparison of probabilities in case of eventual differences between the means. It was observed that the value for harvesting capacity tends to be higher when the machine is operating under conditions of high agricultural productivity. Such relation has showed to be more sensitive to lower values of production, thus, it is usually recommended that the sugarcane crop should undergo a reform when productivity levels are low (< 50 t ha- 1), in a such a way that does not compromises even more the sugarcane production costs.

A mandioca (Manihot esculenta Crantz) é uma raiz originária e cultivada na América do Sul, com alta perecibilidade no período pós-colheita. Seus principais processos de deterioração envolvem reações enzimáticas, oxidativas e microbiológicas. Neste trabalho foram estudadas raízes de mandioca da variedade Zolhudinha catalogada pela EMBRAPA como IM-158, provenientes da região amazônica, que se destacam pela alta atividade amilolítica. Foram analisadas as condições físico-químicas junto com o isolamento e purificação da &#945;-amilase da raiz e a possível participação desta enzima no processo deteriorativo pós-colheita. Por ser uma variedade de mandioca não comercial, o tempo de cocção foi em média de 4,30 h, teor de umidade em tomo de 64 % e porcentagem de amido de cerca de 30 %. A atividade amilásica decai em 1/3 de sua intensidade no quinto dia pós-colheita, em contraponto a formação de açúcares redutores, cuja concentração aumenta cinco vezes. A purificação foi obtida com duas etapas cromatográficas, com DEAE-celulose e Sephacryl S-200, revelando duas isoenzimas de &#945;-amilase treze vezes mais purificadas, com recuperação protéica de 7,5 % e com pesos moleculares entre 14 e 19 kDa. / Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is a root from a native plant, cultivated in South América, that is hightly perish on the post-harvest time. The mechanisms of the root deterioration are due to enzymatic and oxidative reactions as well as the microbiological attack. In this work were studied roots of Zolhudinha variety, EMBRAPA - IM 158, cultivated in Amazonian area, which distinguishes from others varieties by its higher amylase activity. Physicochemical properties were analyzed during the post-harvest time, the purification of &#945;-amylase were performed to establish a possible involvement on the deteriorative process. As a non-commercial variety, the cooking time of the roots was 4.30 hours on average, with 64 % of water content and 30 % of starch. The amylase activity during the post-harvest decrease 1/3 from the original at the day 5, that matches with the reducing sugar in roots by increase of five times. The purification was achieved by two chromatography steps on DEAE-cellulose and Sephacryl S-200, providing two isozymes of &#945;-amylase, thirteen times more purified with a recovery of 7.5 % of the protein fraction, the estimated molecular weights were between 14 and 19 kDa.