Thesis (M.S.)--South Dakota State University, 1990. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 47-51).

Classified as critically endangered since 1994, the Trinidad Piping guan (Pipile pipile) is an endemic species estimated to number less than 200 individuals. Known to locals of Trinidad as the ‘Pawi’ this bird has been the subject of substantial hunting pressures and much of the species habitat has been destroyed through deforestation. Although officially protected since 1958, occasional recreational hunting of this elusive species still occurs. Due to difficulties locating and capturing the species, no genetic research has previously been performed using samples obtained from Trinidad. All previous research studies have been conducted using biological materials obtained from captive birds outside Trinidad and island data has never been obtained or compared. The genetic diversity of the remaining population was therefore examined through the investigation of mitochondrial haplotypes, pairwise comparison and SNP analysis. With the intention of assisting the protection of this endangered species by the location of remaining areas of habitation, methods of genetic identification were established for the Trinidad Piping guan utilising non-invasive feather samples. Species specific primers were created in the regions of the ND2 and cyt b genes of the mitochondrial genome to identify Pipile pipile. Species detection was further verified with the use of PCR-RFLP of the same gene regions digested with BsaXI, EcoRV and BsrDI. This combined approach allowed the separation of closely related taxa based on single inter-species SNPs. Confirmation of species identification was subsequently performed through the use of forensically informative nucleotide sequencing. The established methodologies were used in the current study to correct the classification of a UK breeding population of Piping guans thought to be Pipile pipile and to identify Trinidad field samples. These detection methods have implications for ecological studies through the location of populations from trace evidence collected in the field. In addition this method could be used to assist Trinidadian police forces in the identification of bushmeats or simply act as a deterrent to hunters. The sequence data obtained in the present study were also used to re-assess the phylogeny of Piping guans. As genetic sequence from a true island bird was previously unstudied, differences between phylogenies created using non-island and island bird data sets were examined. Combined analysis was performed on 1884bp of the ND2 and cyt b genes and placement of Trinidad Piping guan was found to differ from that which has been previously published.

eBird, a citizen-science program developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon, allows users to enter bird sightings from around the world in order to develop a large scale data set for research. This study seeks to analyze eBird data and methods in order to determine if the data collected is robust enough to be usable as a basis for habitat management and, if so, to what extent. This is accomplished through a comparison of Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) (a threatened shorebird of management concern) counts, trends, and methodologies made through a survey following a strict protocol versus data collected by eBird in three different areas (Bolivar Flats, Apfel Park, and San Luis Pass). Using descriptive statistics such as mean counts, counts adjusted for effort, and frequency, and confirming with Kruskal-Wallis tests, variation was found between eBird and survey data. eBird contained lower counts of Piping Plovers and a lower sighting frequency than survey data. When adjusting counts as a function of effort, similar results were found. Piping Plovers were found not to occur frequently at Bolivar Flats (9 birds over 2 surveys), while Apfel Park and San Luis Pass showed similar but inconclusive results. This study ultimately determined that, while of great use on large scales, use of eBird data on the local level, should be used with caution. Further study should be done to investigate sources of variation and methods to increase the effectiveness of eBird on small scales.

The Manitoba Piping Plover Stewardship Project was initiated in 2002 to determine the status of Piping Plovers (Charadrius melodus) in Manitoba and to develop a provincial management strategy that outlined provincial management goals and necessary stewardship actions. In 2002 and 2003, intensive surveys of historical and potential sites across Manitoba were conducted and measures taken to protect eggs and chicks from predation and human disturbance. With the use of fencing, signs, predator exclosures and guardian volunteers, predation and recreational disturbance were minimized sufficiently at most sites to allow for increased nest success and fledging rates. An overall apparent nest success rate of 62% and an apparent fledge rate of 1.16 fledglings/pair was achieved during this study. The study concluded that Piping Plover nest success and productivity at the majority of historical nesting sites in Manitoba is being limited by habitat availability, medium to high predation rates and recreational pressures. / October 2006

The Manitoba Piping Plover Stewardship Project was initiated in 2002 to determine the status of Piping Plovers (Charadrius melodus) in Manitoba and to develop a provincial management strategy that outlined provincial management goals and necessary stewardship actions. In 2002 and 2003, intensive surveys of historical and potential sites across Manitoba were conducted and measures taken to protect eggs and chicks from predation and human disturbance. With the use of fencing, signs, predator exclosures and guardian volunteers, predation and recreational disturbance were minimized sufficiently at most sites to allow for increased nest success and fledging rates. An overall apparent nest success rate of 62% and an apparent fledge rate of 1.16 fledglings/pair was achieved during this study. The study concluded that Piping Plover nest success and productivity at the majority of historical nesting sites in Manitoba is being limited by habitat availability, medium to high predation rates and recreational pressures.

The Manitoba Piping Plover Stewardship Project was initiated in 2002 to determine the status of Piping Plovers (Charadrius melodus) in Manitoba and to develop a provincial management strategy that outlined provincial management goals and necessary stewardship actions. In 2002 and 2003, intensive surveys of historical and potential sites across Manitoba were conducted and measures taken to protect eggs and chicks from predation and human disturbance. With the use of fencing, signs, predator exclosures and guardian volunteers, predation and recreational disturbance were minimized sufficiently at most sites to allow for increased nest success and fledging rates. An overall apparent nest success rate of 62% and an apparent fledge rate of 1.16 fledglings/pair was achieved during this study. The study concluded that Piping Plover nest success and productivity at the majority of historical nesting sites in Manitoba is being limited by habitat availability, medium to high predation rates and recreational pressures.

Thesis (M.S.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1992. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 119-131). Also available via the Internet.

Laboratory tests were conducted to determine the head losses in wyes and manifolds of conventional type, both with and without an internal tie-rod at the theoretical centre of the wye. These wyes and manifolds, having 45°, 60° and 90° subtending angles of the wyes, were symmetrical about the longitudinal axis of the main pipe. The apparatus and method of testing used in the tests are described. The experiment spans a range of Reynold's numbers from 85,000 to 420,000 in the influent main pipe. The analysis of experimental data is based on the energy equation of Bernoulli for the one-dimensional condition. The results of the tests are given in both tabular and graphical form. It appears that the coefficient of the form loss (the ratio of the form loss of a wye or manifold to the velocity head in the main pipe) is a function of the proportional flow of water through the branches, the size of the tie-rod used and the subtending angle of the wye. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Civil Engineering, Department of / Graduate

At present the majority of wood-stave pipelines are supported on rigid cradles which bear on the lower 45% of the pipe circumference. The accepted method of analysis, developed by Regnell, completely ignores the stress concentrations induced in the staves just above the cradle tips. In this work, a full ring is proposed to distribute the support reaction to all staves and minimize deflections from a circular profile. From a consideration of equilibrium and stress-displacement relations for a stave element two fourth-order partial differential equations in terms of the radial and tangential displacements of the element are developed. Trigonometric series are applied to their solution. The support ring displacements are similarly described in series form. A study of the compatibility of ring and stave deflections removes the indeterminacy and all stress resultants, as functions of the ring or stave deflections, are then available from back-substitution. The formulas established are sufficiently complex that access to an electronic computer is a great practical advantage. In a numerical example, the effects of modifying the ring stiffness, hydraulic head, and the circumferential stiffness of the stave cylinder are investigated. The non-linear influence of ring and band tensions on the deformed shape of the structure is included. Design considerations are briefly discussed. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Civil Engineering, Department of / Graduate

South Africa is a water scarce country where a large number of people still are not provided with adequate water. This project will help to manage water resources in a sustainable manner that will benefit the country as a whole. This study concentrated on the behaviour of pipe materials with leak openings under different pressure conditions. The stress distribution throughout a pipe is known due to the pressures within the pipe i.e. the longitudinal and circumferential stresses as well as the working pressure of the pipe, however when a leak opening such as a hole or crack appears in the pipe the stress distribution around these openings change. It is the effect of this stress distribution that this study addressed. The effect of stresses around these leak openings may provide some knowledge as to how and when the pipes will fail completely as well as help in explaining the leakage exponents within pipes. Using the method of Finite Element Analysis (FEA) the project aimed to find the relationship between the pressure in the pipe and the behaviour of the leak openings for different leak types. The different leak openings investigated were: a circular hole, a longitudinal crack and a circumferential crack. This study used finite element analysis to understand what happens to a pipe when pressure is applied within the pipe and the pipe has a leak opening e.g. a small hole, a longitudinal crack or a circumferential crack in it. The materials studied were uPVC, steel, cast iron and fibre-cement. The main conclusions drawn from this study were that when a pipe has a circular hole in it the leakage exponent does not differ from the theoretical value of 0.5. With the longitudinal cracks it was found that regardless of whether there are longitudinal stresses in the pipe or not the leakage exponent is the same: and these exponents vary significantly from the theoretical value of 0.5 and can be in the order of 0.87, 0.82, 0.75, 0.55 for a 60 mm long crack in an uPVC, steel, cast iron and fibre-cement pipe respectively. With the circumferential cracks however, there were significant differences in exponents due to the longitudinal and lack of longitudinal stress. For the case when the pipe has the longitudinal stresses the exponents were significantly larger than 0.5. The exponents were in the order of 1.15, 1.02, 0.95, and 0.64 for a 150 mm long crack of uPVC, steel, cast iron and fibre-cement respectively. If there is no longitudinal stress then the exponents were smaller than 0.5 and tended to close the crack along the circumference. The exponents were 0.45, 0.47, 0.46, and 0.49 for a 150 mm crack of uPVC, steel, cast iron and fibre-cement respectively. / Prof. J.E. van Zyl