This thesis documents a sensor networking project with an interest in internal environment monitoring in relation to thermal comfort. As part of this project sensor nodes were designed, built and deployed. Data was collected from the nodes via a wired Ethernet network and was stored in a database. The network remains operational several years after its initial deployment. The collected data was analyzed in conjunction with data from a local meteorological station and the building's smart fiscal energy meters. The analysis suggests the possibility of automated thermal comfort classification using data from a sensor network.

O uso do gesso acartonado é uma das estratégias para a racionalização do sistema de vedação vertical, porém ainda é usado em pequena escala no Brasil, se comparado com outros países como os Estados Unidos e a Austrália. Para que cada vez mais este sistema seja implantado é necessário saber como o usuário direto final o avalia. Sendo assim, o presente trabalho visa avaliar o nível de satisfação destes usuários em unidades comercias e institucionais que utilizam este sistema na cidade de Passo Fundo. Isso será realizado através do uso de métodos e técnicas de avaliação pós-ocupação. Deste modo, apresentam-se e discutem-se os problemas e qualidades apontadas pelos clientes em relação ao gesso acartonado, analisa-se o conhecimento dos consumidores sobre o produto e relata-se o que deve ser superado em termos de conhecimento e informação por parte dos agentes envolvidos: revendedores de chapa de gesso, construtoras e empresas de projeto, para total atendimento às satisfações dos usuários. Ao final, constata-se que o sistema de vedação vertical em gesso acartonado é bem aceito pelos usuários das tipologias analisadas na cidade de Passo Fundo. Porém, algumas adaptações e melhorias devem ser realizadas. Estas devem começar pelos projetos, especificações e detalhamentos das paredes, treinamento e capacitação de mão-de-obra especializada e desenvolvimento de meios de comunicação com os usuários de maneira a sanar suas dúvidas e apresentar claramente as vantagens, características e limitações do sistema. / The use of gypsum plasterboard is one of the strategies to partition rationalization but it is still used in small scale in Brasil if compared with other countries, like United States and Australia. For a larger implantation of this system is necessary to know how the final direct user evaluates it. The present work aims to evaluate the satisfaction level of users in commercial and institutional units that use this system in Passo Fundo city. It will be performed through post-occupancy evaluation technics. The research presents and discusses the problems and qualities pointed out by the clients concerning gypsum plasterboard walls. We analyze the consumers knowledge on the product and relate what must be overcome in terms of knowledge and information by the involved agents: gypsum plasterboard resellers, building and project companies for total assistance to users satisfactions. Finally, the research verifies that gypum plasterboard wall is well accepted in Passo Fundo city. However, some adaptation and improvement must be performed. These must begin by projects, walls specification and detailment, especialized workers training and qualifying and development of communication ways with users, healing their doubts and presenting system advantages, characteristics and limits.

Ecological specialization based on co-existence patterns is new methodology used for niche breadth measurement using co-existing community with occupancy data. It results in generalist-specialist continuum according to value of speciali- zation index. The aim of this thesis was testing index stability at spatial and tem- poral scale, compare this specialization index with other specialization indices and study changes in specialization with time changes in occupancy. Specialization was quantified using data of breeding birds atlases in the Czech Republic and Europe using two selected indices Theta and Simpson. Methodology seems to be sensitive to spatial scale. Instability appears at small scale for birds, stability and correlation between indices increase with gre- ater scale. Problems with using point counts corresponds to their unsuitability encompass birds' habitats, especially for water dependent birds. Correlations be- tween different time periods are stronger at greater spatial scale. Specialization based on co-existence patterns correlates with specialization according to experts' opinions. Results from comparing changes in specialization with changes in occu- pancy suggest, that most of species tend to leave more diverse sites with occupancy decline.

In this dissertation, we examine an advection diffusion model for insects inhabiting a spatially heterogeneous environment and moving toward a more favorable environment. We first study the effects of adding a term describing drift or advection toward a favorable environment to diffusion models for population dynamics. The diffusion model is a basic linear two-dimensional diffusion equation describing local dispersal of species. The mathematical advection terms are taken to be Fickian and describe directed movement of the population toward the favorable environment. For this model, the landscape is composed of one homogeneous habitat patch embedded in a spatially heterogeneous environment and the boundary of the habitat inhabited by the population acts as a lethal edge. We also derived the mean occupancy time and the boundary flux of the habitat patch. The diffusion rate and advection parameters of the advection diffusion model are estimated based on mean occupancy time and boundary flux. We then introduce two methods for the identification of these coefficients in the model as well as the capture rate. These two new methods have some advantages over other methods of estimating those parameters, including reduced computational cost and ease of use in the field. We further examine the statistical properties of new methods through simulation, and discuss how mean occupancy time and boundary flux could be estimated in field experiments.

Wildlife in urban settings are a management challenge because wildlife populations and their habitats are often fragmented and degraded, but natural resource managers need information concerning their spatial distribution, spatial turnover, and spatial co-occurrence while accounting for imperfect detection. Based in the Chicago Metropolitan Area during 2009-2012, my study modeled 23 species across 5 wildlife taxa concerning patterns of site occupancy, spatial turnover (i.e., colonization and extinction), and/or spatial co-occurrence at 1-2 spatial scales. In detail, I investigated: (1) detection probabilities, site occupancy, and spatial turnover as affected by habitat and anthropogenic influences at 2 spatial scales for 6 species of songbirds: field sparrows (Spizella pusilla), great crested flycatchers (Myiarchus crinitus), willow flycatchers (Empidonax traillii), bobolinks (Dolichonyx oryzivorus), marsh wrens (Cistothorus palustris), and rose-breasted grosbeaks (Pheucticus ludovicianus); (2) detection probabilities, site occupancy, and spatial turnover as affected by habitat and anthropogenic influences at 2 spatial scales for 3 species of reptiles and 4 species of amphibians: common garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis), painted turtles (Chrysemys picta), snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina), blue-spotted salamanders (Ambystoma laterale), tiger salamanders (Ambystoma tigrinum), green frogs (Rana clamitans), and northern leopard frogs (Rana pipiens); (3) habitat use and landscape site occupancy and spatial turnover as affected by habitat and anthropogenic influences for 4 species of mesocarnivores: coyotes (Canis latrans), raccoons (Procyon lotor), striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis), and Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana); and (4) detection probabilities and spatial distributions as affected by local habitat, an interacting species (dominant or subordinate), or both for 6 species of small mammals: short-tailed shrews (Blarina brevicauda), meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus), white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus), gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis), masked shrews (Sorex cinereus), and eastern chipmunks (Tamias striatus). I elucidate how managers can improve or design their survey techniques that will aid their inference of the distribution of wildlife in the Midwest. This work also provides suburban natural resource managers in the Chicago Metropolitan Area with information concerning land management and land acquisition guidelines to best conserve, attract, or deter the aforementioned wildlife on their properties.

The marsh rice rat (Oryzomys palustris) is a semi-aquatic rodent classified as state-threatened in Illinois due to historical wetland loss coupled with being on the northern periphery of its range. The most recent survey for this species in Illinois occurred in 1988, and this study reassessed its status and distribution. From 2007 to 2009, I used live traps to sample for rice rats at previously occupied and random wetland-dominated sites in 5 southern Illinois watersheds. I captured 132 individual rice rats 192 times in 13,248 trap nights. Capture success was 15.10 captures/1,000 trap nights. I detected rice rats within 3 of 5 watersheds, 16 of 48 sites, and 5 new locations. Most rice rats were captured in permanent or semi-permanent emergent wetlands and rice rat occurrence was strongly related with coal mine-associated wetlands. I collected microhabitat measurements at 10% of trap locations and recorded landcover types within and around sites. I analyzed data using t-tests, logistic regression, and occupancy modeling. Percent herbaceous cover and percent visual obstruction (0.0-0.5m) positively influenced rice rat occurrence and were among the most important microhabitat models. The best model in the candidate set of landcover variables included proportion of upland grass in areas surrounding wetlands as a predictor of rice rat occurrence. I believe insufficient evidence exists to warrant removal of the threatened status of the marsh rice rat. However, current management practices, such as wetland restoration, grassland restoration, and mowing of roadside ditches, likely benefit rice rat populations. Slight modification of these management activities may facilitate the eventual delisting of marsh rice rats.

Although Panamá is an important global hotspot for biodiversity, basic information on large carnivore and prey distributions as well as habitat needs is largely unknown. Wildlife studies in Panamá have been limited to populations located in protected areas along the Panamanian Atlantic Mesoamerican Biological Corridor (PAMBC) and have not considered potentially important refuge habitats located outside the PAMBC. Further, research on human attitudes and perceptions associated with large carnivores, such as jaguars (Panthera onca), is limited in Panamá. My study was conducted in 2 disparate study areas: Cerro Hoya National Park (CHNP), an isolated remnant of tropical rainforest habitat 125 km from the PAMBC that straddles the Veraguas and Los Santos provinces on the Azuero Peninsula; and Serranía de Pirre (SP), a comparative study area in the PAMBC located in Darién National Park (DNP). I used remote cameras to investigate patterns of site occupancy and detection probabilities, as affected by habitat and anthropogenic influences, for 3 species of felids (jaguars, pumas [Puma concolor], and ocelots [Leopardus pardalis]) and 2 species of peccaries (white-lipped [Tayassu pecari] and collared [Pecari tajacu]). In addition, I assessed attitudes and perceptions of rural Panamanians about jaguars and the conservation of CHNP and DNP via oral surveys. Site occupancy did not appear to differ between study areas for any felid or peccary, but detection frequencies and detection probabilities of focal species were overall higher in SP than CHNP. For collared peccaries, probability of detection was a function of survey year, study area, and Julian date, and estimated occupancy was higher in CHNP than SP. For ocelots, probability of detection was significantly higher in SP than CHNP when an ocelot was detected in a previous occasion. For pumas, detection increased with Julian date in CHNP but was seasonally unaffected in SP. Puma occupancy was higher closer to river systems. For jaguars, detection probability decreased with Julian date, increased with number of camera days per occasion, and was higher in SP than CHNP. Jaguars were more likely to use habitat at higher elevations in both study areas. White-lipped peccaries were never detected in CHNP, which may indicate their local extirpation in this region of Panamá. Regarding surveys measuring perceptions of rural people, factors such as gender, level of education, land ownership, and number of cattle affected knowledge and attitudes towards jaguars and criticism towards park management. Additionally, there was a higher frequency of human-jaguar conflict in SP than CHNP and coyotes (Canis latrans) were the most commonly reported threat to livestock in CHNP. My research elucidates previously unknown distribution limits of jaguars and coyotes in the Azuero Peninsula, as well as providing evidence for the potential local extirpation of white lipped peccaries in CHNP. I provide wildlife managers with improvements for survey design of future occupancy studies in the Neotropics. Further, my research provides targeted areas to prioritize for future wildlife conservation efforts and mitigation efforts concerning human-jaguar conflict.

As orquídeas terrestres estão distribuídas amplamente em ambientes tropicais e temperados do mundo. O habitat terrestre, para orquídeas, engloba distintas formações vegetais, como florestas, savanas, campos e banhados. Neste estudo consideramos, para a estimativa da amplitude e da ocorrência destas plantas, nove tipos de florestas no estado do Rio Grande do Sul no sul do Brasil, localizadas totalmente em latitudes subtropicais. Revisamos amostras de espécimes depositadas em sete herbários regionais e atualizamos a identificação das espécies para as circunscrições genéricas atuais. Com base nas localizações das amostras estimamos dois parâmetros de amplitude, nomeados extensão de ocorrência e área de ocupação, objetivando determinar o estado de conservação das espécies de acordo com as categorias da IUCN. Como resultado, encontramos 22 gêneros e 50 espécies, a maioria dos gêneros (15) possui apenas uma espécie no estado. Os gêneros mais diversificados foram Cyclopogon, Aspidogyne e Malaxis, com 14, oito e quatro espécies, respectivamente. Outros quatro gêneros apresentaram três (Pelexia) ou duas (Habenaria, Prescottia, e Sarcoglottis) espécies nos ambientes florestais. As estimativas de amplitude, especialmente a área de ocupação, resultaram em um elevado número de espécies ameaçadas. Espécies criticamente ameaçadas, considerando a extensão de ocorrência, estão distribuídas em sete gêneros e 18 espécies. O tipo de floresta mais diversificado foi a floresta estacional da Serra Geral, seguido pela floresta Atlântica e pela floresta estacional do Escudo Cristalino. Um total de 19 espécies ocorreu somente em uma formação e apenas quatro espécies ocorreram em seis ou sete tipos de florestas. O número de registros neste estudo mostrou que as orquídeas terrestres em ambientes florestais são um grupo subamostrado, que possuem poucas coletas e são pouco avaliadas em estudos ecológicos com populações e comunidades de sub-bosque. Mais estudos são necessários para determinar com maior precisão a extensão de ocorrência, o tamanho das populações, e o estado real de conservação das espécies nativas. / Terrestrial orchids occur widespread in tropical and temperate environments around the world. The terrestrial habitat for orchid species comprises several distinct plant formations, like forests, woodlands, grasslands and wetlands. In this study we focused the estimation of range sizes and the occurrence of these plants in nine forest types in the South Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, located entirely in subtropical latitudes. We revised sampled specimens deposited in seven regional herbaria and updated species identifications to current generic circumscriptions. Based on sampling locations we estimated two range size parameters, namely extent of occurrence and area of occupancy, aiming to determine the conservation status according to IUCN categories. As a result we found 22 genera and 50 species, most genera (15) having of them a single species in the state. The most diversified genera were Cyclopogon, Aspidogyne and Malaxis, with 14, eight and four species, respectively. Four additional genera presented three (Pelexia) or two (Habenaria, Prescottia, and Sarcoglottis) species in forest environments. Range size estimations, especially through area of occupancy, resulted in an outstanding number of threatened species. Critically endangered species according to extent of occurrence were distributed in seven genera and 18 species. The most diversified forest types were the central Serra Geral seasonal forests, followed by the Atlantic rainforest and the southeast Crystalline Shield seasonal forests. A total of 19 species occurred in a single forest formation and only four species occurred widespread in six or seven forest types. The number of recordings in this study showed to be exponentially related to species range according to forest types. Our study showed that terrestrial orchids in forest environments are an overlooked plant group, which has been poorly sampled and poorly evaluated in ecological studies concerning understory populations and communities. Further studies are necessary to determine more precisely the extent of occurrence, the size of populations, and the real conservation status of native species.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:26:13Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2009-11-24Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:54:20Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 benini_sm_me_prud.pdf: 4272257 bytes, checksum: 6fc977e5e1e6b1d3e84f757fa5b02565 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / A presente pesquisa teve como objetivo a construção do conceito de áreas verdes públicas que servisse de subsídio à análise geográfica do espaço urbano, considerando os tipos de uso e ocupação do solo, índice áreas verdes públicas (IAVP) e a qualidade destes espaços. A pesquisa foi realizada a partir das seguintes etapas: discussão teórica sobre o conceito, características e importância das áreas verdes; construção de um conceito de áreas verdes públicas; na análise da evolução urbana da cidade de Tupã, considerando os loteamentos aprovados e implantados entre o período de 1929 a 2007; na identificação, quantificação e qualificação das áreas verdes públicas; na análise comparativa do índice de áreas verdes públicas (IAVP); no desenvolvimento metodológico para quantificar e avaliar as áreas verdes públicas da cidade de Tupã. Para o desenvolvimento desta pesquisa qualitativa, foram adotados procedimentos metodológicos que tiveram como base lógica de investigação dividida em três fases: aberta ou exploratória, coleta de dados e análise e interpretação sistemática dos dados. A pesquisa teve os seguintes resultados: a cidade de Tupã deveria apresentar um IAVP dos loteamentos aprovado de 28,00 m²/h, entretanto, durante o processo de urbanização houve uma perda real de 16,02 m²/h desses espaços por conjunturas políticas da administração municipal; o IAVP atual da cidade é de 11,98 m²/h, todavia deste valor somente 1,75 m²/h foram urbanizados e compõem o patrimônio paisagístico da cidade com 34 jardins públicos distribuídos em 20 loteamentos; a avaliação qualitativa destas 34 áreas verdes públicas demonstrou que 60% destes espaços tiveram resultados positivos, contra 25% que foram classificados como ruins; e, no tocante ao conforto ambiental... / The objective of the present research has been the concept formation of the public green areas which can be used to analyze the urban space geographically, considering the kinds of usage and occupancy of the land, public green areas rate (IAVP – Índice de Areas Verdes Publicas) as well as their quality. The research was done following these steps: a theoretical discussion about the concept; the features and the importance of the green areas; the formation of a concept of the public green areas; the analyzes of the urban development in the city of Tupã, considering the approved and implemented lots between 1929 and 2007; the identification, quantification and qualification of the public green areas; the comparative analyzes of the public green areas rate; the methodological method to quantify and to evaluate the public green areas in the city of Tupã. In order to have this qualitative research done, methodological procedures were adopted which were based in a logic investigation divided in three phases: the open or exploratory, the data collection and their systematic interpretation. The final results of this research were: the city of Tupã should present a public green area rate of the approved lot of 28,00 m²/h; however, there was a real loss of 16,02 m²/h within these areas during the urbanization process, due to the political concurrence of city management; the actual public green area rate is 11,98 m²/h, although only 1,75 m²/h of this total were urbanized and are part of the city landscape heritage, which has 34 public parks distributed among 20 lots; the qualitative evaluation of these 34 public green areas has shown that 60% of this space had a positive result, on the other hand, 25% were classified as bad ones; and, it was verified that, related to... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:33:34Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2009-11-23Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:04:40Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 bovo_mc_dr_prud.pdf: 6955522 bytes, checksum: 383406aaf2c8d6c01c9ca11c4570d7c4 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / A manutenção das áreas verdes urbanas sempre foi justificada pelo seu potencial em proporcionar qualidade ambiental à população. Essas áreas interferem diretamente na qualidade de vida por meio das funções ecológico-ambiental, estética, paisagística, climática, psicológica e também recreativa que elas exercem para amenização das consequências negativas da urbanização. Neste sentido, a presente pesquisa tem por objetivo caracterizar e analisar as áreas verdes urbanas de Maringá/PR, destacando seus aspectos paisagísticos e sua infraestrutura a fim de compreender a qualidade ambiental desses espaços públicos e propor medidas que auxiliem no seu planejamento e gerenciamento. Para tanto, foram realizadas análises investigativas das 104 praças existentes em Maringá, de 09 parques urbanos e de 01 cemitério parque. Para a análise realizou-se trabalho de campo com base em dois formulários. O primeiro deles visava à avaliação qualitativa e quantitativa da vegetação e se constituiu dos seguintes itens: nome da área verde, sua localização, sua altitude, a vegetação nela existente, o porte e a densidade da vegetação, a cobertura do solo, as condições de relevo, aspectos físicos e sanitários da vegetação, tipo de ocupação das proximidades e qualidade paisagísticas das praças, dos parques e do cemitério parque. O segundo formulário teve como objetivo fazer o levantamento dos aspectos quantitativos e qualitativos dos equipamentos e estruturas existentes em cada logradouro... / The maintenance of urban green areas has always been justified by its potential to provide quality environment for people. These areas directly affect the quality of life through ecological functions, environmental, aesthetic, landscape, climate, psychological and recreational they have for alleviating the negative consequences of urbanization. Accordingly, this research aims to characterize and analyze the areas of urban green Maringá / PR, highlighting the landscape aspects and its infrastructure in order to understand the quality of the environmental public spaces and propose measures to assist in their planning and management. This way, it was investigated for analysis of existing in Maringá, 104 squares,09 parks and 01 cemetery. For the analysis it was carried out the fieldwork in two forms. The first one aimed at qualitative and quantitative assessment of vegetation and consisted of the following: name of the green area, its location, its altitude, the vegetation in that area, the size and density of vegetation, soil cover, the conditions for relief , physical and health of vegetation, type of occupation of the nearby landscape and quality of parks, the parks and the cemetery park. The second form aimed to make the lifting of quantitative and qualitative aspects of equipment and structures in each street addresses. Accordding to the results found the lack of infrastructure and lack of criteria adopted in the spatial distribution of the squares, and the neglect of the public, about the replacement of equipment and facilities to be located in squares, whichever the greater investment in the central part and in the absence periphery. As the squares of the predominant vegetation and tree trick in 49.03%, then, the squares formed by the vegetation... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)