Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T20:20:26Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 TeseIFL.pdf: 1653270 bytes, checksum: d6ff79040f7d64a51144d511521bb5f0 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006-06-07 / Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos / This study evaluates the levels of variability, genetic structure, and phylogeographical patterns of wild populations of Jabiru Storks (Jabiru mycteria) and Wood Storks (Mycteria americana). These species belong to the family Ciconiidae and present similar morphology, distribution, and ecological requirements. However, the Jabiru Stork is resident and Wood Stork is migratory. Sequences of 549 base pairs (bp) of the first domain of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region (CRI) and 822 bp of ND2 gene (ND2), and four heterologous microsatellite loci were used in a survey covering the entire range of Jabiru Storks (72 specimens from Central America, northern and central South America). A lack of diversity was detected in both mtDNA fragments of Central American samples analyzed. The smaller population size of Central American Jabiru Storks population and its demographic decline were potentially responsible for the lower variability observed in this area. Significant genetic differentiation was detected among locations (CRI, Фst = 0.1767; ND2, Фst = 0.4442; microsatellites, Fst = 0.1044). The recent habitat fragmentation and the limited dispersal of Jabiru Storks were likely causes of the high level of differentiation that we detected. Samples of Wood Storks collected in eight Pantanal colonies (n = 48) and eight southeast United States (US) colonies (n = 40) were analyzed using CRI sequences (464bp). A lack of differentiation was detected among colonies in the Pantanal (Fst = -0.015) and also among those sampled in the US (Fst = -0.043), suggesting high levels of gene flow among colonies, or even recent colonization followed by expansion in those areas. A further comparison between Pantanal and US samples revealed significant genetic structure (Fst = 0.059), which indicates that gene flow is limited between these population units. The phylogeographical analysis suggested a historical relationship between Pantanal and US populations. We hypothesize that during the last glaciation maximum, birds moved to more climatically stable areas near the equatorial region, where higher levels of gene flow then occurred. Demographic expansions in the Pantanal region was evidenced in the mtDNA analysis of both species, and might be associated with the recent formation of this wetland areas following increased temperatures and humidity in the Holocene. / Este estudo estimou os níveis de variabilidade e estruturação genética e os padrões filogeográficos de populações naturais de tuiuiús (Jabiru mycteria) e de cabeças-secas (Mycteria americana), no continente americano. Ambas as espécies pertencem à família Ciconiidae, apresentam distribuição geográfica, morfologia e biologia similares, porém o tuiuiú é residente, enquanto que o cabeça-seca é migratório. Seqüências do DNA mitocondrial (DNAmit) do primeiro domínio da região controladora (CRI, 549 pb) e do gene ND2 (ND2, 822 pb) e quatro locos de microssatélites heterólogos foram utilizados nas análises das amostras de tuiuiús, coletadas nas áreas de reprodução na América Central, no norte e no centro da América do Sul (n = 72). Ausência de diversidade foi detectada nos fragmentos do DNAmit estudados nas amostras de tuiuiús coletadas na América Central. O tamanho populacional menor e o declínio demográfico ocorrido na América Central foram considerados para explicar o baixo nível de diversidade observado nessa população de tuiuiús. Foi observada diferenciação genética significativa entre as localidades amostradas (CRI, Фst = 0.1767; ND2, Фst = 0.4442; microssatélites, Fst = 0.1044). A recente fragmentação do habitat e a dispersão limitada dos tuiuiús entre as áreas amostradas foram discutidas como prováveis causas da alta diferenciação genética observada. Seqüências de 464 pb do CRI foram analisadas em amostras das colônias de cabeças-secas coletadas no Pantanal (n =48) e das colônias do sudeste dos Estados Unidos (EUA) (n = 40). Não foi observada diferenciação genética significativa entre as amostras regionais (Pantanal, Fst = -0.015; EUA, Fst = -0.043), sugerindo ocorrência de fluxo gênico intenso ou recente colonização com expansão dessas populações, no Pantanal e nos EUA. Subdivisão populacional significativa foi observada, entretanto, entre as amostras do Pantanal e a do sudeste dos EUA (Fst = 0.059), indicando que o fluxo contemporâneo entre essas populações é limitado. A análise filogeográfica sugeriu ocorrência níveis intensos de fluxo gênico histórico entre as populações do Pantanal e dos EUA. Esse fluxo pode ter sido favorecido quando mudanças climáticas ocorreram no último período glacial, forçando o deslocamento dessas aves para regiões climaticamente mais estáveis e aumentando a possibilidade de trocas gênicas entre elas. Resultados indicativos de expansão demográfica recente na região do Pantanal foram evidenciados pelas análises das seqüências de DNAmit em ambas espécies e podem estar associados à recente formação desta planície alagável.

This thesis provides the measurements of 222Rn exhalation rates, 210Pb deposition rates and excess 210Pb inventories for locations in and around Ranger Uranium Mine and Jabiru located within Kakadu National Park, Australia. Radon-222 is part of the natural 238U series decay chain and the only gas to be found in the series under normal conditions. Part of the natural redistribution of 222Rn in the environment is a portion exhales from the ground and disperses into the atmosphere. Here it decays via a series of short-lived progeny, that attach themselves to aerosol particles, to the long lived isotope 210Pb (T1/2 = 22.3 y). Attached and unattached 210Pb is removed from the atmosphere through wet and dry deposition and deposited on the surface of the earth, the fraction deposited on soils is gradually transported through the soil and can create a depth profile of 210Pb. Here it decays to the stable isotope 206Pb completing the 238U series. Measurements of 222Rn exhalation rates and 210Pb deposition rates were performed over complete seasonal cycles, August 2002 - July 2003 and May 2003 - May 2004 respectively. The area is categorised as wet and dry tropics and it experiences two distinct seasonal patterns, a dry season (May-October) with little or no precipitation events and a wet season (December-March) with almost daily precipitation and monsoonal troughs. November and April are regarded as transitional months. As the natural processes of 222Rn exhalation and 210Pb deposition are heavily influenced by soil moisture and precipitation respectively, seasonal variations in the exhalation and deposition rates were expected. It was observed that 222Rn exhalation rates decreased throughout the wet season when the increase in soil moisture retarded exhalation. Lead-210 deposition peaked throughout the wet season as precipitation is the major scavenging process of this isotope from the atmosphere. Radon-222 is influenced by other parameters such as 226Ra activity concentration and distribution, soil porosity and grain size. With the removal of the influence of soil moisture during the dry season it was possible to examine the effect of these other variables in a more comprehensive manner. This resulted in categorisation of geomorphic landscapes from which the 222Rn exhalation rate to 226Ra activity concentration ratios were similar during the dry season. These results can be extended to estimate dry season 222Rn exhalation rates from tropical locations from a measurement of 226Ra activity concentration. Through modelling the 210Pb budget on local and regional scales it was observed that there is a net loss of 210Pb from the region, the majority of which occurs during the dry season. This has been attributed to the fact that 210Pb attached to aerosols is transported great distance with the prevailing trade winds created by a Hadley Circulation cell predominant during the dry season (winter) months. By including the influence of factors such as water inundation and natural 210Pb redistribution in the soil wet season budgeting of 210Pb on local and regional scales gave very good results.