When lesbians, as women divert from social norms and reject the compulsory heterosexual norm, they are either punished through legal systems for transgressing patriarchial structures or not recognised at all. As women, lesbians suffer at the hands of a homophobic society which believs that women have stepped out of line through challenging the hegemonic discourses stipulating that they have specific and distinct roles to play - that of wives, mothers, homemakers and sexual partners to men. Because lesbians do not fit into this construct, their behaviour is socially and legally condemned for diverting from the &quot / natural order&quot / . This study aimed to identify and explore the various ways people construct and perceive lesbians and to reveal how sexuality, as a product of history and culture, determines the ways lesbians are treated in their own communities. This study attempted to explore how, despite the democratic stance of the new constitution, South African lesbians still experience discrimination on the basis of their sexual orientation.

The effects of differential irrigation treatments on the water use of broccoli (c.v. Indurance) and carrots (c.v. Stefano) were studied in the rainy, winter season from July to September 2006 and in the dry, summer period from November 2006 to March 2007, respectively. Broccoli and carrots are produced on the Swan Coastal Plain region on Grey Phase Karrakatta Sand. Such soils generally have water holding capacities as low as 10 to 13%. This soil is typical to the Swan Coastal Plain and requires irrigation to be applied at rates of up to 150% of class A pan evaporation (Epan) to optimise growth and quality. / High spatial uniformity (an average of 90%) of water distribution (DU) was achieved with the sprinkler irrigation system. The average irrigation water use efficiencies (Eu) in both the experiments were relatively high, at 78% and 95% in broccoli and carrot trials, respectively. The numerous rainy days during the winter season affected the results of water application efficiencies (Ea) of the broccoli experiment, which ranged from 35% to 43%. This contrasted with the carrot experiment where the water application efficiencies (Ea) of the 100% Epan and Crop Factor (CF) treatments were 81% and 78%, respectively. For the carrot experiment the water application efficiencies for the 100% Epan and crop factor treatments were 14% higher than the 150% Epan treatment. These results indicate that the sprinkler irrigation systems in both experiments showed good performance makes the system suitable for experimental purposes and also for vegetable production on soils of this nature. / Despite the differences in irrigation volume, soil water contents remained very high and did not differ among treatments in both the experiments. The differential soil water stress index (DSWSI) for the 100% Epan (T1) and variable water replacement (VR) (TVR) treatments ranged from 0.74 to 1.71 for both broccoli and carrot trials. There were only small soil water tension differences among all the irrigation treatments and ranged from -2.4 kPa to -7.6 kPa, which was within the range between saturation and field capacity for sandy soil (0 to -10 kPa). / In the broccoli experiment, even though the 150% Epan (T2) irrigation treatment received 46% and 61% more irrigation than the 100% Epan (T1) and variable water replacement (TVR) irrigation treatments respectively, the treatments appeared to be largely negated by the high incidence of rainfall during the growing season. For example, the total depth of water application at 150% Epan was 13.9% and 17.2% greater than 100% Epan and TVR treatments respectively. As such the yield, biomass components and nutritional value (ascorbic acid and carotenoid content) did not vary among the treatments. However, irrigation was still required based on the set scheduling parameters and when considered in isolation of rainfall the irrigation crop water use efficiency (WUEi) on T1 and TVR treatments increased by 1.6-fold compared to T2 treatment. / For the carrot experiment the total depth of water application (rainfall and irrigation) for the 150% Epan treatment was 33% and 23% greater than at 100% Epan and Crop factor (CF) treatments, respectively. The yield (carrot roots) on a fresh weight basis (FW) for plants irrigated with the 150% of Epan and Crop factor (CF) treatments were 16% and 20% higher than the yield for plants irrigated with the 100% Epan treatment. Total (root and shoot) fresh weight of carrot plants irrigated For the carrot experiment the total depth of water application (rainfall and irrigation) for the 150% Epan treatment was 33% and 23% greater than at 100% Epan and Crop factor (CF) treatments, respectively. The yield (carrot roots) on a fresh weight basis (FW) for plants irrigated with the 150% of Epan and Crop factor (CF) treatments were 16% and 20% higher than the yield for plants irrigated with the 100% Epan treatment. Total (root and shoot) fresh weight of carrot plants irrigated with the CF treatment was 17% higher than the total fresh weight of plants irrigated with the 100% Epan treatment. However, there were no significant differences between irrigation treatments for root and total (root and shoot) mass on a dry weight basis and the ratio of carrot root to shoot, on a fresh and dry weight basis. The root lengths for plants grown with the CF and 150% Epan irrigation treatments averaged 30 cm, and were 14% larger than the root lengths for the 100% Epan treatment. The plant height for plants grown with the CF irrigation treatment was 6% higher than at the 100% Epan irrigation treatment and leaf length at the CF irrigation treatment was 12% greater than at the 150% Epan irrigation treatment. The root diameter and leaf width of carrots were not significantly different for all treatments. There were no significant differences in ascorbic acid and total carotenoid content of carrot roots among the three irrigation treatments. The average values of antioxidant content from diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging, ARP (anti radical power) and total trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity were 44.83%, 0.8789 and 1.056μmol TE/g, respectively. The reduction of the irrigation level treatment from the 150% Epan water replacement to the 100% Epan water replacement increased the percentage of the DPPH scavenging by 1.55%, and total antioxidant capacity (AOC) and ARP activities by 4.19%. / On a dry weight basis, the crop water use efficiencies (WUE) (irrigation plus rain water) of carrot plants irrigated with the 100% Epan and CF treatments, were the same (0.013 g/mm). However, these were 30% greater than the WUE values of carrots irrigated with the 150% Epan treatment. On a fresh weight basis, the WUE of carrot plants irrigated with the 100% Epan and CF (0.120 and 0.132 g/mm) treatments were 14% and 26% greater than the WUE of carrot plants irrigated with the 150% Epan treatment, respectively. / An example of the diurnal trends of the carrot’s physiological responses to the irrigation treatments showed that on average, the rate of photosynthesis, stomatal conductance and intercellular CO2 for carrot plants grown with the 150% Epan treatment was higher than the rate of photosynthesis, stomatal conductance and intercellular CO2 at both the 100% Epan and CF treatments. However, not all the physiology measurements showed a significant difference among all the treatments. The variation in the physiological measurements was predominantly influenced by the change of temperature during the diurnal hours. / This study has proven the hypothesis that, on a free draining sandy soil, the irrigation treatments did not affect the growth and yield. However, there was a potential to reduce irrigation volumes from standard industry levels to maximise the WUE without decreasing the yield and crop quality, especially for broccoli and carrot, in Western Australia.

Mass, solute (chloride), isotope (deuterium) and thermal balances were completed at Perry Lakes, two semi-permanent 'water table' lakes near Perth, Western Australia. All balance components except groundwater discharge/recharge were measured independently. These difficult to measure groundwater components of lake-aquifer interaction were estimated by integrating mass, solute and chloride data in sequential 4 day balances spanning two years. Before urbanisation, such wetlands functioned predominantly as flow-through lakes. Now, large winter storm water inputs (and summer artificial level maintenance pumped locally from groundwater) dominate. In East Lake these inputs together comprise 42% of the annual water budget; groundwater discharge is reduced to just 2%. Even under flow-through conditions, these 'non natural' inputs are so large East Lake always tends towards a recharge state and commonly becomes a local groundwater mound. Flow-through is established in both lakes over winter. Initially each lake functions separately however as winter progresses shared capture and release zones are established. Maintenance of lake levels in early summer forces East Lake back to recharge status. Sediment heat flux (Qse) is significant in these very shallow lakes. Over summer Qse was negative, with a net movement of heat from the water into the sediments which act as a seasonal heat sink. In winter Qse was positive and stored summer heat was returned to the water column. This flux at times exceeded 40 W m-2. Evaporation was determined independently by floating pan, leaving Qse as the thermal balance residual. Ignoring Qse, annual evaporation determined by thermal balance was over estimated by 7%. Over and under estimates of individual 12 day balance period evaporation exceeded 50%. Monthly Class A (Perth airport) pan coefficients varied from 0.54 (January) to 0.86 (September). Ten empirical equations for evaporation were calibrated and compared with the East Lake floating pan. Best performer was the Makkink which tracked the floating pan closely throughout all seasons. Poorest were the Penman, DeBruin-Keijman, Priestly-Taylor and Brutsaert-Stricker which grossly over estimated late winter evaporation. Transpiration from Typha orientalis, estimated using hydrograph techniques was 43% of open water evaporation in summer and 28% annually. Temperature controlled evaporation pans (tracking lake temperature) experimentally determined the local deuterium content of lake evaporate ƒÔE, required for isotopic balances. Techniques employing pans evaporated to dryness and pans evaporated at constant volume were run in tandem continuously for two years. This study singularly integrates mass, solute and isotope balances thereby allowing groundwater components to be accurately quantified. The isotope balances are unique, being the only such balances incorporating experimentally derived local deuterium values of lake evaporate. This study represents the only thermal balance, the only accurate determination of pan-lake coefficients and the first calibration of commonly used empirical evaporation equations for Swan Coastal Plain wetlands. Groundwater levels in the western suburbs of Perth have declined over 40 years and a disproportionate larger decline now seriously threatens Perry Lakes. Modelling suggests regional groundwater extraction exceeds recharge. Wetland managers can no longer maintain East Lake via local groundwater extraction. Artificial recharge using imported surface and waste water are possible future management options.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1988. / Vita. Bibliography: leaves [230]-248.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--George Mason University, 2008. / Vita: p. 167. Thesis director: Menas Kafatos. Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Earth Systems an GeoInformation Sciences. Title from PDF t.p. (viewed Jan. 11, 2009). Includes bibliographical references (p. 156-166). Also issued in print.

Thesis (M.A.)--Boise State University, 2009. / Title from t.p. of PDF file (viewed Apr. 22, 2010). Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 57-60).

Com a finalidade de estudar processos de fratura em concreto simples, este trabalho propõe uma escala intermediária de análise. Sendo assim, é apresentado um modelo simplificado de duas fases, o qual representa alguns elementos da microestrutra do concreto. Uma fase representa os agregados e a outra a matriz de cimento. Os agregados são considerados elástico-lineares e são representados pelos elementos finitos. Toda a não-linearidade do concreto e do processo de fratura é considerada na matriz de cimento. Tal fase é representada por interfaces coesivas, de espessura zero, entre os elementos finitos. Enquanto o modelo considera propriedades microscópicas do concreto como entrada, tem-se o comportamento macroscópico da estrutura como saída, o que é uma grande vantagem da escala proposta. Efeitos como a relação água/cimento e a densidade de agregados são introduzidos no modelo. Os resultados mostram que o modelo é capaz de captar, pelo menos qualitativamente, efeitos os quais somente são possíveis de obter com um modelo de três fases. / An intermediate scale of analysis is proposed here in order to study the fracture of plain concrete. A simplified two phases model is proposed as a concrete microstructure. One phase is the aggregate and other is the cement matrix. Aggregate is considered elastic linear and is represented by finite elements. All the non-linearity of the concrete and the fracture process is considered in the cement matrix. This phase is represented by a zero thickness cohesive interface between finite elements. While the model considers microscopic properties of the concrete as input, it delivers the macroscopic behavior of the structure as output, which is a great advantage of the proposed scale. Effects like water-cement ratio and density of aggregates are introduced in the model. Results show the model is able to capture, at least qualitatively, effects only possible to obtain by a three phases model.

Diatomáceas do Quaternário são indicadoras úteis de alterações de habitats locais desde ambientes terrestres até ambientes marinhos profundos, produzindo conhecimento a respeito de alterações do nível da coluna d'água em lagos, mudanças do nível relativo do mar e química da água. Embora extensamente utilizadas por pesquisadores europeus e norte americanos, no Brasil, o potencial paleontológico das diatomáceas ainda é pouco explorado, haja vista o reduzido número de trabalhos publicados em que a análise deste grupo constituiu objetivo central. Para o caso da Planície Costeira do Rio Grande do Sul, o papel suplementar das diatomáceas nos estudos paleoecológicos efetivados torna-se manifesto em função do inexpressivo número de espécies citadas. Além disso, no que tange ao processamento dos dados nestes estudos, a definição de intervalos fundamentou-se em critérios subjetivos dos pesquisadores já que, exceção à parte, não são mencionados procedimentos estatísticos de exame dos resultados quantitativos. Neste contexto, executou-se pesquisa visando reconstituir os sucessivos paleoambientes do sistema lacustre Pinguela-Palmital-Malvas na porção emersa norte da Bacia de Pelotas, durante o Holoceno a partir de 89 amostras do testemunho de sondagem PM-RS-D01 com 4,87 m de profundidade total, utilizando diatomáceas como descritores. Uma maior objetividade dentro deste enfoque foi obtida pela definição de espécies indicadoras de conjuntos de unidades amostrais oriundos de níveis de particionamentos significativos em análises de agrupamento, prática importada do estudo da ecologia de espécies atuais. Desta forma, um pequeno número de espécies representativas para determinado intervalo estratigráfico atuaram como descritoras, a partir das quais inferências paleoambientais puderam ser desenvolvidas. O poço revelou as assembléias de diatomáceas fósseis mais diversificadas para estudos até então conduzidos na Planície Costeira Norte do Rio Grande do Sul. Estas refletiram essencialmente oscilações de habitats decorrentes de atores climáticos e eustáticos que marcaram de maneira evidente duas fases distintas da história evolutiva recente do Sistema Pinguela-Palmital-Malvas. Inicialmente, no período compreendido entre 4.600 +/-70 anos AP e 3.950 +/- 70 anos AP, ocorre alternância entre estratos compostos pela preponderância de tafocenoses mixohalinas e intervalos caracterizados pela supremacia de espécies dulciaqüícolas em um contexto transgressivo. Ali, os registros determinados por Actinocyclus normanii, Cyclotella striata e Diploneis smithii refletem períodos de clima mais seco, quando o volume de água doce drenado para a bacia era menor e a evaporação mais intensa. De forma inversa, Aulacoseira cf. agassizii determinou o esclarecimento de etapas de incremento do afluxo lótico por variação positiva do regime pluviométrico intensificado em decorrência do estabelecimento de condições provavelmente relacionados à vigência do fenômeno El niño. Após 3.950 +/- 70 anos AP, alterações sedimentológicas e bióticas significativas como o estabelecimento de fácies com predomínio de areias e a maior diversidade e abundância de vestígios de espécies perifíticas, caracterizam o início do processo de regressão correlacionável com o registro de diversos pesquisadores do Holoceno da Planície Costeira gaúcha. No entanto, a análise diatomológica revelou heterogeneidade ambiental inédita para o trecho, comprovando a existência de um processo constituído por, pelo menos, cinco rompimentos da tendência predominantemente regressiva bem como de momentos de russurgência de período climático úmido e seco. A manutenção da coerência das interpretações paleoambientais obtidas, quando confrontadas a estudos pregressos, e a detecção de processos originais para a região, assinalam a eficiência dos procedimentos estatísticos empregados baseados no estabelecimento de agrupamentos significativos e destaque à espécies reguladoras destes particionamentos. / Quaternary diatoms are useful indicatives of alterations occurred in local habitats, since terrestrial as well as deep marine environments, producing knowledge concerning alterations of the water column level in lakes, changes in sea level and the chemistry of the water. Although extensively utilized by European and North American researchers, the paleontologic potential of diatoms is still little explored in Brazil, taking into account the small number of papers published on the subject. In the case of the Coastal Plains of Rio Grande do Sul, the supplementary role of diatoms in paleoecological studies is expressed through the inexpressive number of species mentioned in paleolimnological publications. Furthermore, as far as data processing is concerned, the definition zones in these studies was based on subjective criteria once statistical procedures of quantitative results were not mentioned. In this context, a research was conducted aiming to reconstitute paleoenvironments of the lacustrine Pinguela-Palmital-Malvas System, on the emerged portion north of Pelotas Basin during the Holocene. This study is based on 89 subsurface samples from the PM-RSDO1 core (4,87 m of total depth), using diatoms- as descriptors. Thus, a better objectivity was obtained by defining the species indicative of sets of sampling units originated from levels of significant partitioning in grouping analyses, a practice imported from the study of actual ecology. This way, a small number of representative species of a certain stratigraphic interval acted as descriptors, from which paleonenvironmental inferences were drawn. The core revealed the most diversified assemblages of fossil diatoms for studies conducted on the Coastal Plains North of Rio Grande do Sul. Essentially, they reflected oscillations of habitats resulting from climatic and eustatic actors that clearly set two distinct phases of recent evolutionary history of the Pinguela-Palmital-Malvas System. Initially, between 4.600 +/- 70 years BP and 3.950 +/- years BP, an alternation occurred between strata constituted predominantly by mixohaline taphocenoses and intervals characterized by supremacy of freshwater species in a transgressive context. There, records of Actinocyclus normanii, Cyclotella striata and Diploneis smithili reflect periods of a drier climate as the volume of fresh water drained into the basin was smaller and evaporation was more intense. On the contrary, Aulacoseira cf. agassizii determined the clarification on stages of increment of the lotic influx through positive variation of intensive pluviometric regime due to conditions probably related to El niño phenomenon. After 3.950 +/- 70 years AP, significant sedimentological and biotic alterations, like the establishment of facies with sandy and greater diversity and abundance of signs of periphytic species characterize the beginning of the regression process likely to be correlated with the record of several researchers of the Holocene of these Coastal Plains. However, the diatomalogic analysis revealed an environmental heterogeneity unusual for that stretch, proving the existence of a process constituted of at least five ruptures on a predominantly regressive tendency, as well as moments of resurgence of a humid and dry climatic period. The maintenance of these coherent paleoenvironmental interpretations, compared with previous studies, and the discovery of original processes for the region show the efficiency of the statistical procedures here used, based on the establishment of significant groupings and the prominence of regulating species from this partitioning.

O concreto é um material de comportamento quase-frágil na ruptura, desenvolvendo uma zona de processo de fratura relativamente grande na ponta de uma fissura principal, na qual ocorrem fenômenos complexos. Modelos de fratura discretos são adequados para estudar tais fenômenos. Neste contexto, o presente trabalho estuda diferentes modelos de fratura discreta em concreto simples, em situação de modo I puro e modo misto (modo I e modo II, simultaneamente) empregando dois modelos constitutivos da zona coesiva, um acoplado e outro desacoplado. Considerando que a malha de elementos finitos não é adaptada durante a análise, fissuras não coincidem exatamente com as superfícies reais de fratura, resultando em componentes de tração e corte nas interfaces coesivas da frente de fissuração, as quais também não coincidem com os valores reais. Tais componentes devem diminuir com a abertura da fissura. Neste trabalho é demonstrado que apenas o modelo acoplado é capaz de lidar com as componentes espúrias do vetor tensões, e que a variável-chave é o potencial plástico empregado na integração deste vetor. Os modelos apresentados são comprovados por estudos experimentais, no caso de fratura em modo I puro com testes de flexão de vigas a 3 pontos e no caso do modo misto com testes em viga com 1 entalhe e dois entalhes a 4 pontos, viga com entalhe excêntrico ensaiada a 3 pontos e placa com duplo entalhe. Parâmetros do modo II podem ser alterados em uma faixa grande sem alterar visivelmente os resultados, pelo menos nos exemplos testados. Por outro lado, a lei coesiva para metodologia das interfaces coesivas necessita de uma lei de pré e pós-pico. Para o pós-pico, três leis são utilizadas, a saber: lei linear, bi-linear e exponencial. A escolha da lei interfere tanto no comportamento de pós-pico, como no valor de carga máxima a ser alcançado. A região de pré-pico define aberturas e deslizamentos elásticos fictícios, porém necessários para metodologia das interfaces coesivas. Neste trabalho, uma equação é proposta para determinar a lei constitutiva de pré-pico, que elimina efeitos de malha tornando a análise objetiva. / Plain concrete behaves as a quasi-brittle material in rupture, developing a relatively large process zone at the crack tip. Complex phenomena occur in this zone. Discrete fracture models are indicated to study such rupture process. In this context, the present work studies different plain concrete fracture models for mode I and mixed mode (coupled mode I and II) using two constitutive models for the cohesive zone: one is a coupled model and the other is uncoupled. Considering that the finite element mesh is not adapted during the analysis, cracks do not coincide exactly with the real fracture surfaces, resulting in components of the traction vector at the cohesive zone that are not coincident with the real values either. Such components must decrease with crack opening. In this work it is demonstrated that only the coupled model is able to deal with the spurious components of the traction vector and that the key variable in this regard is the plastic-potential used in the tractions integration. The presented models are verified by experimental tests. In the case of the pure mode I, threepoint beams are used and in the case of the mixed mode three-point and four-point beams as well as double-notched plates are used. Mode II parameters can be changed in a large range without a noticeable change in results, at least for the tested examples. On the other side, the cohesive law used in the methodology needs a pre-peak and a post-peak relation. For the postpeak, three different shapes are used: linear, bi-linear and exponential. The shape has influence in the overall post-peak behavior of the body, as well as in the peak loading reached. Pre-peak relation defines the fictitious elastic opening and the sliding necessary to complete the description of the cohesive interface methodology. In this work an equation is proposed for the pre-peak constitutive law that eliminates mesh effect problems, turning the analysis objective.

Análises palinológicas de depósitos quaternários utilizadas para elucidar questões paleoclimáticas, paleovegetacionais e paleoambientais, devido ao elevado potencial de preservação dos palinomorfos e à ampla variedade de hábitos e habitats nos quais eles são distribuídos. Neste contexto, este trabalho apresenta uma reconstrução paleoambiental a partir de análises palinológicas de um testemunho sedimentar com idade holocênica, perfurado na Planície Costeira de Santa Catarina, município de Garopaba, sul do Brasil. Um total de 46 amostras foi coletado ao longo dos 450 cm do testemunho (poço PCSC-3). Além disso, três datações radiocarbônicas e análises granulométricas foram realizadas. Das 46 amostras, três delas apresentaram-se escassas para as análises palinológicas e foram descartadas para as interpretações paleoambientais. Os diagramas palinológicos e a análise de agrupamento foram considerados a partir da soma total de palinomorfos (100%) O conteúdo palinológico inclui 84 táxons identificados: grãos de pólen de angiospermas (46) e gimnospermas (3), esporos de pteridófitas (16) e briófitas (2), esporos de fungos (8), cistos de algas (3), acritarcos (3), cistos de dinoflagelados (2) e palinoforaminíferos (1). Três espécimes de acritarcos são descritos e ilustrados devido à sua importância paleoambiental. A partir da análise de agrupamento, três fases palinológicas foram definidas baseadas nas mudanças nas assembleias palinológicas: Fase I, Fase II e Fase III. A Fase I é caracterizada por um paleoambiente lagunar com influência marinha desde o início de sua sedimentação (5390 anos AP), com base em ocorrências de acritarcos, cistos dinoflagelados e palinoforaminíferos. A Fase II, de 3032 anos AP até 858 anos AP, também é caracterizada por um paleoambiente lagunar; no entanto a diminuição da porcentagem de elementos marinhos e o aumento do registro de algas de água doce (Botryococcus) sugerem menor influência marinha dentro do corpo lagunar, indicando uma fase transicional entre a Fase I e Fase III. Na Fase III (últimos 856 anos) prevalece a sedimentação subaquosa, sob condições pantanosas. / Palynological analyses of Quaternary deposits are used in order to elucidate paleoclimatic, paleogeographic and paleoenvironmental issues, due to the high potential of palynomorph preservation and the wide variety of habits and habitats in which they are distributed. In this context, this study presents a paleoenvironmental reconstruction from palynological analyses of a sedimentary core of Holocene age (PCSC-3 well), drilled at the Santa Catarina Coastal Plain, municipality of Garopaba, southern Brazil. A total of 46 samples was collected for palynological analyses in the 450 cm-long core, as also three samples for radiocarbon dating and granulometric analyses. Of the 46 samples, three of them revealed scarce for palynological analysis, which were discarded for paleoenvironmental interpretations. Palynological diagrams and a clustering analysis were calculated considering the total sum of palynomorphs (100%) The palynological content includes 84 taxa related to pollen grains of angiosperm (46) and gimnosperm (3), spores of pteridophyta (16) and bryophyta (2), spores of fungi (8), algae (3), acritarchs (3), dinoflagellate cysts (2) and microforaminiferal linings (1). Three specimens of acritarchs are described and illustrated due to their paleoenvironmental importance. From the cluster analysis, three palynological phases were defined based on changes in the palynological assemblages: Phase I, Phase II and Phase III. The Phase I is characterized as a lagoonal paleoenvironment with marine influence from the beginning of the sedimentation (5390 cal yr BP), based on occurrences of acritarchs, dinoflagellate cysts and microforaminiferal linings. The Phase II (3032 yr BP until 858 cal yr BP) also is characterized by a lagoonal paleoenvironment; however the decrease in percentage of marine elements and the increase in freshwater algae record suggest less marine influence in the lagoonal body, indicating a transitional phase between the Phase I and Phase III. In Phase III (last 856 years), underwater sedimentation prevailed, under swamp-like conditions.