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Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Entomology / James F. Campbell / James R. Nechols / Theoretical and empirical ecological research has emphasized the need for understanding how animals perceive and respond to landscape structure and the importance of integrating both behavioral and landscape approaches when studying movement behavior. Knowledge of insect movement behavior is essential for understanding and modeling dispersal and population structure and developing biologically-based integrated pest management programs. My dissertation research addresses questions concerning how insects respond to landscape structure by examining movement behavior of an important stored-product pest, red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum), in experimental landscapes. Results show that beetles modify movement behavior depending on landscape structure. Edge effects and interpatch distances may influence landscape viscosity, or the degree to which landscape structure facilitates or impedes movement, resulting in significant differences in velocity and tortuosity (amount of turning) of movement pathways, as well as retention time in landscapes with different levels of habitat abundance and aggregation. Perceptual range, or the distance from which habitat is detected, appears to be limited while beetles are moving in a landscape as they did not respond to a flour resource before physical encounter. Beetles showed differential responses to patches with various characteristics, entering covered patches more quickly than uncovered patches with more resource or the same amount of resource. Permeability of patches changed with subsequent encounters suggesting that full evaluation of patch quality may only occur after entering a patch. Beetles responded to landscape structure differently depending on the activity in which they were engaged. Distribution of movement pathways was similar to that of the habitat, but distribution of oviposition sites were significantly more aggregated than pathways and habitat. Oviposition site choice may be influenced by a complex set of factors which include previous visitation, amount of resource, travel costs, and edge effects. Insights were gained concerning how red flour beetle perceives resources, modifies search strategies, responds to boundaries, and chooses reproductive sites in patchy landscapes. This research provides new information regarding how red flour beetle interacts with landscape structure that has implications in the areas of behavioral and landscape ecology and applications in stored-product insect ecology.

This thesis focuses on the impact of spatially heterogeneous environments on the spatio-temporal behavior of planktonic systems. Specific emphasis placed is on the influence of spatial variations in the strength of random or chaotic movements (diffusion) of the organisms. Interaction between different species is described by ordinary differential equations. In order to describe movements in space, reaction–diffusion or advection–reaction–diffusion systems are studied. Examples are given for different approaches of diffusive motion as well as for the possible effects on the localized biological system. The results are discussed based on their biological and physical meanings. In doing so, different mechanisms are shown which are able to explain events of fast plankton growth near turbulent flows. In general, it is shown that local variation in the strength of vertical mixing can have global effects on the biological system, such as changing the stability of dynamical solutions and generating new spatiotemporal behavior. The thesis consists of five chapters. Three of them have been published in international peer-reviewed scientific journals. Chapter 1. Introduction: This chapter gives a general introduction to the history of plankton modeling and introduces basic ideas and concepts which are used in the following chapters. Chapter 2. Fokker-Planck law of diffusion: The influence of spatially in- homogeneous diffusion on several common ecological problems is analyzed. Dif- fusion is modeled with Fick’s law and the Fokker–Planck law of diffusion. A discussion is given about the differences between the two formalisms and when to use the one or the other. To do this, the discussion starts with a pure diffusion equation, then it turns to a reaction–diffusion system with one logistically growing component which invades the spatial domain. This chapter also provides a look at systems of two reacting components, namely a trimolecular oscillating chemical model system and an excitable predator–prey model. Contrary to Fickian diffusion, spatial inhomogeneities promote spatial and spatiotemporal pattern formation in the case of Fokker–Planck diffusion. A slightly modified version of this chapter has been published in the Journal of Mathematical Biology (Bengfort et al., 2016). Chapter 3. Plankton blooms and patchiness: Microscopic turbulent motions of water have been shown to influence the dynamics of microscopic species. Therefore, the number, stability, and excitability of stationary states in a predator– prey model of plankton species can change when the strength of turbulent motions varies. In a spatial system these microscopic turbulent motions are naturally of different strength and form a heterogeneous physical environment. Spatially neighboring plankton communities with different physical conditions can impact each other due to diffusive coupling. It is shown that local variations in the physical conditions can influence the global system in the form of propagating pulses of high population densities. For this, three local predator–prey models with different local responses to variation in the physical environment are considered. The degree of spatial heterogeneity can, depending on the model, promote or reduce the number of propagating pulses, which can be interpreted as patchy plankton distributions and recurrent blooms. This chapter has been published in the Journal Ecological Complexity (Bengfort et al., 2014). Chapter 4. Advection–reaction–diffusion model: Here, some of the models introduced in chapter 1 and 2 are modified to perform two dimensional spatial simulations including advection, reaction and diffusion. These models include assumptions about turbulent flows introduced in chapter 1. Chapter 5. Competition: Some plankton species, such as cyanobacteria, have an advantage in competition for light compared to other species because of their buoyancy. This advantage can be diminished by vertical mixing in the surround- ing water column. A non–spatial model, based on ordinary differential equations, which accounts for this effect is introduced. The main aim is to show that vertical mixing influences the outcome of competition between different species. Hystersis is possible for a certain range of parameters. Introducing a grazing predator, the system exhibits different dynamics depending on the strength of mixing. In a diffusively coupled horizontal spatial model, local vertical mixing can also have a global effect on the biological system, for instance, destabilization of a locally stable solution, or the generation of new spatiotemporal behavior. This chapter has been published in the Journal Ecological Modelling (Bengfort and Malchow, 2016).

Title: The impact of elementary schools orientation on leisure time activities structure and physical fitness at child population, age 9- 14, in Litomerice town Objectives: The aim of the thesis was to determine, if different conceptual orientation of selected elementary schools (aesthetic-music- oriented, sports-oriented) has a significant influence on the structure of leisure time activities and the level of physical fitness of children aged 9-14 years. Methods: The study presents empirical quantitative research, which consists of sample of 202 students selected from two elementary schools in Litomerice town. Level of physical fitness was determined using standardized test battery UNIFITTEST (6-60) and the structure of leisure time activities were detected by sociological questionnaire COMPASS II. For the analysis of the data obtained we used descriptive statistical methods, t-test, analysis of variance ANOVA, chi-square test and coefficient of effect size Cohen d, z-test, Hays omega and effect size etha - η2 . Results: Significant impact of the different conceptual orientation was reflected in the only one of the monitored fields, in the level of physical fitness, but not in the structure of leisure time activities. Sports-oriented school reached significantly better results p < 0,05 and Cohen d...

Eine der großen Fragestellungen der Psychologie beschäftigt sich mit der Suche nach Determinanten unseres Verhaltens. Dabei finden wir in der psychologischen Literatur verschiedene Theorien, die der Nähe zwischen Personen Bedeutung verleihen. Die Arbeiten von Kurt Lewin (1935) beschreiben positive und negative Valenzen, Konflikte, Hindernisse und Bedürfnisse als Determinanten unseres Verhaltens. Auch soziometrische Untersuchungen fokussieren die Anziehung und Abstoßung als elementare Gruppenkräfte, welche sich anhand sozialer Distanzen und Beliebtheit in Gruppen widerspiegeln (Moreno, 1941; 1996). Auf dieser Grundlage ist es uns möglich, Vorhersagen über eine Hinwendung zu und eine Abwendung von Personen zu treffen. Neben qualitativen Beobachtungen (vgl. Coie, Dodge, & Kupersmidt, 1990) bedienen sich bisherige Untersuchungsmethoden technischer Geräte, wie u.a. Beschleunigungsmessern und Schrittzähler (Cervantes & Porretta, 2010; Godfrey, Conway, Meagher, & ÓLaighin, 2008; Trost, 2001; Welk, Corbin, & Dale, 2000; Yang & Hsu, 2010), um Aussagen über das Bewegungsverhalten von Personen treffen zu können. Hierbei werden allerdings die Beziehungen und Dynamiken zwischen den Personen sowie das daraus resultierende Distanzverhalten völlig unbeachtet gelassen. Mit Hilfe neuester Technologien ist es nun möglich, räumliches Bewegungsverhalten in Form von x-, y-, z- Koordinaten zu erfassen. Das Ziel meiner Arbeit liegt in der Erhebung und Auswertung der Bewegungsdaten von Kindern, welche mit einer automatisierten Echtzeit-Ortungs-Methode (Real Time Location System = RTLS) erfasst wurden. Bis zum jetzigen Zeitpunkt wurde das Bewegungsverhalten von 114 Kinder aus sieben Gruppen von vier unterschiedlichen Kindergärten, von sechs Kindern einer Schule für Blinde und Sehbehinderte sowie von 24 Schülern aus zwei Klassen einer Schule mit einem Förderschwerpunkt für geistige Entwicklung erhoben. Die in diese Arbeit einfließenden Studien bieten einen ersten Einblick in die Erhebungs- und Auswertungsmöglichkeiten von räumlichen Bewegungsdaten und beleuchten den aktuellen Stand dieser Forschung.:DANKSAGUNG II PREFACE VI ZUSAMMENFASSUNG VII LIST OF CONTENTS XII LIST OF TABLES XIV LIST OF FIGURES XV CHAPTER I 1 1. AN INTRODUCTION INTO MOTIVATIONAL CONCEPTS, BEHAVIORAL RESEARCH, AND METHODOLOGICAL CHALLENGES 1 WHAT DRIVES US? A PIONEERING MOTIVATIONAL CONCEPT WITH REGARD TO MOVEMENT BEHAVIOR 2 METHODOLOGICAL BACKGROUND 3 METHODOLOGICAL CHALLENGES 4 AIMS AND SCOPES 5 OVERVIEW OF MANUSCRIPTS INCLUDED IN THIS MONOGRAPH 6 CHAPTER II 10 2. CHILDREN AT PLAY – TOWARD AN AUTOMATED MEASUREMENT OF CHILD BEHAVIOR 11 INTRODUCTION 12 METHODS AND MATERIALS 14 RESULTS 18 DISCUSSION 28 CHAPTER III 33 3. CONTINUOUS MEASUREMENT OF DYNAMIC CLASSROOM SOCIAL INTERACTION 33 INTRODUCTION 35 METHODS AND MATERIALS 38 RESULTS 40 DISCUSSION 49 CHAPTER IV 54 List of Contents 4. LEARNING, MOVING, INTERACTING – MOVEMENT ASSESSMENT OF VISUALLY IMPAIRED CHILDREN DURING A SCHOOL LESSON 55 INTRODUCTION 56 METHODS AND MATERIALS 59 RESULTS 63 DISCUSSION 71 CHAPTER V 76 5. APPROACH – AN ANALYSIS OF CHILDREN’S INTERACTIONS DURING A FREE PLAY SITUATION 77 INTRODUCTION 78 METHOD 80 RESULTS 89 DISCUSSION 92 CHAPTER VI 96 6. SUMMARY, IMPLICATIONS, AND FUTURE ASPECTS OF RESEARCH 97 SUMMARY OF THE STUDIES OF CHILDREN’S MOVEMENT BEHAVIOR 97 IMPLICATION AND FUTURE ASPECTS OF RESEARCH 100 7. REFERENCES 103 8. APPENDIX 119 9. CURRICULUM VITAE 121 10. LIST OF PUBLICATIONS 123 11. EIDESSTATTLICHE ERKLÄRUNG 124

The Spanish slug (Arion vulgaris) is one of the most problematic invasive species in Europe and a serious pest species in agriculture and gardens, and it can have negative effects on native slug species. In this study, we used passively intergraded transponder (PIT) telemetry to determine the movement behavior of 57 Spanish slugs during autumn in two different habitats: a private garden and a deciduous forest, located in Karlstad municipality, Sweden. The slugs generally moved within relatively small areas. There was a difference between the movements between the two habitats, with slugs moving longer distances per day (2.0 m day‑1) and over larger areas in the forest than in the garden (1.1 m day-1). Local control measures are therefore potentially effective in gardens and in agricultural landscapes, since the Spanish slug there concentrate within patches of habitat. To develop control methods to mitigate the impact of this problematic slug, we need more basic ecological knowledge, and this study provides such knowledge. / Den spanska skogssnigeln (Arion vulgaris) är en av Europas mest problematiska invasiva arter och ett allvarligt skadedjur för jordbruk och trädgårdar. Den kan också ha negativa effekter på inhemska snigelarter. I den här studien använde vi telemetri baserat på passivt integrerade transpondrar (PIT) för att bestämma rörelsemönstret hos 57 spanska skogssniglar under hösten i två olika habitat: en villaträdgård och en lövskog, i Karlstads kommun, Sverige. Sniglarna rörde sig inom små områden. Det var en skillnad mellan rörelserna i de två habitaten, sniglarna förflyttade sig längre distanser per dag (2,0 m dag-1) och över större områden i skogen än i trädgården (1,1 m day-1). Lokala kontrollåtgärder är därför potentiellt effektiva i trädgårdar och jordbrukslandskap, då den spanska skogssnigeln där koncentrerar sig inom fläckar av habitat. För att utveckla kontrollmetoder för att minska påverkan av den här problematiska snigeln, så behöver vi mer grundläggande ekologisk kunskap, och den här studien förser oss med sådan kunskap.