As interações entre os membros de um grupo social possuem um importante efeito sobre os padrões de competição, cooperação e acasalamento dos indivíduos, interferindo, assim, na aptidão dos mesmos. Os indivíduos podem se relacionar de maneira preferencial, estabelecendo vínculos sociais. A manutenção destes vínculos pode aumentar longevidade e também o sucesso reprodutivo. Historicamente, houve uma tendência em se investigar a formação de associações intersexuais e, consequentemente a seleção de parceiros, através do ponto de vista do macho, restando à fêmea um papel passivo neste processo. O objetivo deste trabalho foi investigar a formação de associações intra e intersexuais em cobaias (Cavia porcellus) vivendo em colônia e verificar se em ambiente controlado, onde a interferência dos machos entre si e sobre as fêmeas era limitada, as fêmeas demonstram preferência por um macho específico, dando indícios de sua participação na formação das associações intersexuais. Para isto, a estrutura social das cobaias na colônia foi definida por meio do cálculo do índice de associação entre os indivíduos e de parâmetros de redes sociais (força e centralidade). Em seguida, a preferência das fêmeas foi testada em um cercado experimental com três compartimentos, no qual dois abrigavam machos restritos a seu ambiente pelo uso de coleira e guia, e um deles permanecia vazio. As fêmeas possuíam acesso livre a todos os compartimentos por duas horas. A análise da preferência das fêmeas se deu pela comparação do tempo que permaneceram em cada um dos compartimentos (Testes de Mann-Whitney e Kruskal-Wallis, nível de significância: 5%). As cobaias formaram associações preferenciais intra e intersexuais, sendo as associações entre as fêmeas mais fortes do que aquelas entre machos ou entre fêmeas e machos quando a colônia era composta por um número maior de indivíduos. Nas relações intersexuais, as fêmeas apresentaram relações mais fortes com dois dos machos em relação aos outros da colônia. Os resultados do teste de escolha refletiram as associações na colônia: não houve diferença estatística no tempo de permanência das fêmeas com os machos que possuem relações mais fortes com as fêmeas. Um dos machos não foi preferido em nenhum dos testes e de modo geral, as fêmeas passaram mais tempo no compartimento vazio do que acompanhadas dos machos. Os resultados encontrados sobre estrutura social, com a formação de associações preferenciais e teste de escolha indicam que as fêmeas apresentam preferência por machos específicos, dando indícios de sua participação na formação das associações intersexuais, e possivelmente, na seleção de parceiros. / Interactions among members of a social group have an important consequence in competition, cooperation and mating patterns, interfering in their fitness. Animals can associate preferentially and stablish social bonds. Bond maintenance can increase lifespan and reproductive success. Historically, there is a tendency in investigating male-female relationships and, consequently, mate selection, through male view, placing females in a passive position in this process. This research aimed to investigate the formation of intra and intersexual relationships in guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) living in colony and verify if, in a controlled environment, where male interference were limited, females would prefer a specific male, indicating an active position in intersexual relationships. The guinea pig social structure was defined using the simple ratio association index and the social network analysis. Female preference was tested in a three partitions fenced , the central was empty and the laterals had a male restricted to it by guinea-pig collar. Females were free to move around all during 2 hours. Female preference analysis was made by comparisons between female time in each partition (Mann Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis, significance: 5%). Results showed that in colony females make intra and inter preferential associations, strongest among females-than among male-male or female-male in a higher number of individuals in the colony. In female-male associations, females had stronger relationship with two males from their colony. Results of preference tests reflect association preferences in colony: there were no difference in female time with the two prefered males of the colony. The third male was never chosen, and females prefered to spend more time in the empty partition. Results about social structure with association preferences, and in preference tests show the active role of females in intersexual associations and, possibly, in mate selection.

Submitted by Silvana Teresinha Dornelles Studzinski (sstudzinski) on 2016-05-18T16:45:01Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Paulo Tomasi Sarti_.pdf: 4227574 bytes, checksum: 4e92a5663649351d5cb26a94afe7ea81 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-05-18T16:45:01Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Paulo Tomasi Sarti_.pdf: 4227574 bytes, checksum: 4e92a5663649351d5cb26a94afe7ea81 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-02-26 / CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / FAPERGS - Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul / Os roedores Juliomys possuem tamanho diminuto e hábito arborícola. Desde seu estabelecimento no ano 2000, o gênero vem sendo estudado e novas informações tem sido apresentadas. Entretanto, devido ao pequeno intervalo de tempo desde então, muitas perguntas ainda esperam por respostas acerca da biologia geral, relações ecológicas, distribuição geográfica, riqueza de espécies e posição filogenética dentro dos Sigmodontinae. Especificamente, estudos morfométricos e genéticos são ferramentas importantes a serem exploradas. O objetivo geral deste estudo foi analisar a morfologia bem como os marcadores genéticos, a fim de subsidiar dados relevantes para a sistemática e biogeografia das espécies de Juliomys. Utilizamos métodos de análise morfológica, morfométrica e molecular para a definição do novo táxon, que conta com alto suporte. Produzimos mapas de potencial ocorrência das espécies de acordo com o as preferências ambientais. Testamos também o monofiletismo do gênero dentro de Sigmodontinae através do estudo de um marcador molecular. Assim, corroborando os estudos anteriores, descrevemos e propomos uma nova espécie para o gênero. Já a modelagem de distribuição das espécies revelou padrões interessantes, com distribuições desiguais ao longo do bioma Mata Atlântica. Evidenciamos ainda que Juliomys trata-se de um clado monofilético, apesar das diferenças morfológicas; dados fundamentais no embasamento de abordagens de distribuição. Ressaltamos que coleções de história natural ou coleções de Museu são fontes essenciais de informações da fauna, pois foram imprescindíveis neste estudo. A conservação da fauna toma os pressupostos da sistemática e biogeografia, como os aqui apresentados, para alicerçar suas ações. / The Juliomys are small-sized arboreal rodents. Since its establishment in 2000, the genus has been studied, and new information has been presented progressively. However, due to the short time period, many questions are still awaiting for answers related about general biology, ecological relationships, geographic distribution, species richness, and phylogenetic position within the Sigmodontinae. Morphometric and genetic studies are important tools to explore these lines. The aim of this study was to analyze the morphology and the genetic markers in order to subsidize the systematic and biogeography of Juliomys species. We use methods of morphologic, morphometric, and molecular analyses to define the new taxon. We produce maps of potential occurrence of the species according to the environmental preferences. Finally, we tested the monophyly of the genus within Sigmodontinae through the study of a molecular marker. Corroborating previous studies, we describe and propose a new species for the genus. The species distribution modeling revealed interesting patterns with unequal distributions along the Atlantic Forest biome. We endorse that Juliomys it is a monophyletic clade, despite the morphological differences. Studies grounded phylogenetically as well as monophyletic clades should be based delivery approaches. It is notorious that natural history museum collections are essential sources of wildlife information, which was crucial to this study. The conservation of fauna takes the systematic and biogeography assumptions, as those presented in this study, to underpin their actions.

A utilização de equipamentos para monitoração de parâmetros fisiológicos não é apenas crucial em pacientes que são submetidos a alguns procedimentos médicos, mas é também de extremo valor para animais em uso similar. Este projeto tem como principal objetivo o desenvolvimento de um sistema de monitoração de saturação de oxigênio e freqüência cardíaca para roedores; tal sistema é composto por um dispositivo protótipo compacto e sensor óptico. No presente trabalho, foram utilizadas as tecnologias dos microcontroladores da Microchip para realizar as diversas digitalizações; a tecnologia USB, para realizar a comunicação com computadores e o desenvolvimento da interface desenvolvida com o software disponível da National Instruments, o LabVIEW. Neste estudo, o sistema desenvolvido foi empregado em camundongos e foram realizadas diversas avaliações em laboratório e em campo para a validação do dispositivo protótipo. Os batimentos cardíacos e a saturação de oxigênio, tanto em repouso quanto em movimento, foram detectados pelo protótipo. Os valores de freqüência cardíaca variaram entre 545 e 700 bpm enquanto os valores de saturação de oxigênio variaram entre 80 a 95%. / The equipments use to monitoring physiological parameters isnt just crucial in patients who are submitted to some medical procedures but it is also of extreme value for animals in similar use. This project has as main objective the development of a monitor oxygen saturation and cardiac frequency for mice; the system is compound of a compact prototype device and optic sensor. In the present work, the Microchip microcontrollers technologies had been used, to realize many digitalization; the USB technology interface, to realize the communication with computers and the interface development developed with the available National Instruments software, the LabVIEW. In this study, the developed system was used in mice and have been realized many evaluations in laboratory and field for the prototype validation device. The cardiac beatings and oxygen saturation, as much in rest how in movement they had been detected by the prototype. The values of heart rate had varied of 545 to 700 while the values of oxygen saturation had varied of 80 to 95%.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-28T20:15:37Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 CELSO EDUARDO DE SOUZA1.pdf: 1961117 bytes, checksum: 9c58964339128b2a9f91e38568ada01c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-04-22 / Brazilian spotted fever (BSF) is an acute infectious disease and its etiologic agent Rickettsia rickettsii is a gram negative intracellular binding and transmitted through the bite of infected ticks. In the epidemiology of spotted fever, the amplifying hosts in general are wild animals. They play an important role for developing temporary rickettsemia, thus contributing to the possibility of infection of new generations of ticks. This study aims to verify the occurrence of anti rickettsiae IgG antibodies of the spotted fever group in the serum of wild rodents. The presence of rickettsiae of the brazilian spotted fever group in fragments of the spleen of wild rodents was studied by PCR and clarify the involvement of small rodents as amplifying hosts of R. rickettsii in endemic areas in the region of Campinas in S?o Paulo state. Thus, we selected the municipalities of Jaguari?na, Pedreira and Piracicaba, where human been cases were detected. Through the use of one hundred traps distributed in Sharm lines, 222 rodents were captured the following species: Akodon sp 35 (15.6%), Necromys lasiurus 61 (27,1%), Calomys tener 35 (15,6%), Mus muscullus 19 (8,4%), Nectomys squamipes 1 (0,4%), Oligoryzomys nigripes 63 (28,0%), Oxymycterus nigripes 1 (0,4%), Rattus rattus 7 (3,1%). All rodents were examined, but no tick was found. We analyzed a total of 186 serum samples for antibodies of the IgG class anti-Rickettsia rickettsii, R. parkeri, R. felis, R. amblyommii, R. rhipicephali and R. bellii. It was found that 39 (20.97%) sera were reactive to at least one Rickettsia spp. with titers ranging from 1:64 to 1:512 and 147 (79.03%) were negative. The prevalence of anti R. rickettsii spp antibodies IgG found in these mice was 9.34%. Of the 186 animals examined were positive only 17 of these, 15 animals showed evidence of 1/64 and only one animal reacted to the title of 1/512.One hundred and fifty six spleens were processed by PCR and was not detected in Rickettsia spp in any of them. Considering the results presented we can conclude that small rodents are not amplifying hosts of Rickettsia of Brazilian spotted fever group in the study area. / A febre maculosa brasileira (FMB) ? uma doen?a infecciosa aguda e tem como agente etiol?gico a Rickettsia rickettsii que ? uma bact?ria gram negativa intracelular obrigat?ria e transmitida atrav?s da picada de carrapatos infectados. Na epidemiologia da febre maculosa, os hospedeiros amplificadores em geral s?o animais silvestres, os quais exercem fun??o importante por desenvolverem rickettsemia tempor?ria. Este estudo teve como objetivos estudar a ocorr?ncia de anticorpos da classe IgG anti Rickettsia spp. do grupo da febre maculosa no soro dos pequenos roedores silvestres, detectar atrav?s da PCR a presen?a de esp?cies de Rickettsia do grupo da febre maculosa em fragmentos de ba?o dos roedores e esclarecer a participa??o destes animais como hospedeiros amplificadores de R. rickettsii em ?reas end?micas na regi?o de Campinas estado de S?o Paulo. Foram selecionados os munic?pios de Jaguari?na, Pedreira e Piracicaba por situarem-se em ?rea end?mica e com registro de casos em seres humanos. Foram utilizadas um total de cem armadilhas tipo Sharm distribu?das em linhas. Um total de 222 roedores das seguintes esp?cies foram capturadas: 35 (15,6%) Akodon sp, 61 (27,1%) Necromys lasiurus, 35 (15,6%) Calomys tener, 19 (8,4%)Mus muscullus, 1 (0,4%) Nectomys squamipes, 63 (28,0%) Oligoryzomys nigripes, 1 (0,4%) Oxymycterus nigripes e 7 (3,1%) Rattus rattus. Todos os roedores foram examinados, mas nenhum carrapato foi encontrado. Foram analisados um total de 186 soros para detec??o de anticorpos da classe IgG anti- Rickettsia rickettsii, R. parkeri, R. felis, R. amblyommii, R. rhipicephalus e R. bellii. Verificou-se que 39 (20,97%) dos soros foram reativos a pelo menos para uma das esp?cies Rickettsia com t?tulos variando de 1:64 a 1:512 e 147 (79,03%) foram negativos. A preval?ncia de anticorpos da classe IgG anti R. rickettsii encontrada nestes roedores foi de 9,34%. Dos 186 animais examinados apenas 17 foram positivos, destes, 15 animais apresentaram t?tulos de 1/64 e apenas um animal reagiu at? o t?tulo de 1/512. Foram processados 182 ba?os pela t?cnica da PCR e n?o foi detectado Rickettsia spp. em nenhum deles. Diante dos resultados apresentados podemos concluir que os pequenos roedores n?o s?o os hospedeiros amplificadores de Rickettsia do grupo da Febre Maculos na ?rea estudada.

Roedores Cricetidae e Echimyidae e marsupiais Didelphidae formam o grupo dos pequenos mamíferos não-voadores das florestas neotropicais, o qual engloba boa parte da diversidade de mamíferos do Brasil, exerce papel ecológico importante na regeneração e dinâmica das florestas, e funciona como indicador de alterações da paisagem e da estrutura local dos habitats. No entanto, a identificação das espécies do grupo é difícil já que a taxonomia é baseada principalmente em caracteres cranianos e cromossômicos, muitas espécies ainda vêm sendo descritas, e faltam listas recentes para muitos biomas e regiões brasileiras. Além disso, apesar de sua importância numérica e ecológica, existe uma carência de informações, e de sínteses e compilações, sobre a diagnose, história natural, distribuição geográfica e ameaças para as espécies deste grupo. Esta dissertação apresenta uma compilação do conhecimento atualmente existente sobre os caracteres diagnósticos, distribuição, uso de habitats e respostas às alterações humanas, dieta, uso do espaço, reprodução e ameaças das espécies de pequenos mamíferos não-voadores de uma das regiões mais ricas da Mata Atlântica, o Planalto Atlântico de São Paulo, encontro entre duas áreas de endemismo adjacentes, que abriga respectivamente cerca de 22 e 32% das espécies de roedores Cricetidae e marsupiais Didelphidae com ocorrência no Brasil. A diagnose das espécie foi baseada na comparação e descrição das mesmas características para todas as espécies, focando principalmente em caracteres externos, passíveis de serem analisadas nos animais vivos e algumas características cranianas e dentárias mais relevantes para os grupos analisados. Já a descrição de características ecológicas foi baseada em extenso banco de dados coletados em 155 sítios com 118.322 armadilhas-noite de esforço no Planalto pelos projetos do Laboratório de Diversidade e Conservação de Mamíferos do Departamento de Zoologia do Instituto de Biociências da Universidade de São Paulo, e revisão padronizada da literatura. Para cada uma das 53 espécies, são apresentadas informações sobre: 1- \"Identificação\" que inclui medidas corporais externas (mínimo, máximo e média), um texto de diagnose que descreve características morfológicas externas e cranianas ilustradas em figuras e pranchas, e cariótipo; 2- \"Distribuição\" onde é descrita a distribuição geográfica seguida por informações sobre a ocorrência em biomas e estados brasileiros, e a distribuição e abundância nas matas do Planalto Atlântico de São Paulo; 3- \"História Natural\" onde são descritas a preferência por florestas ou áreas abertas de agricultura, a resposta à fragmentação florestal e regeneração da floresta, a capacidade de ocupar diferentes tipos de ambientes alterados, dieta, hábito, reprodução, uso do espaço e outras informações importantes; e 4- \"Ameaças\" onde se ressalta a presença em listas de espécies ameaçadas estaduais, nacional e internacional e se apresenta uma consideração sobre as ameaçadas sofridas, com base nas informações detalhadas obtidas no Planalto Atlântico de São Paulo. / Rodents from the families Cricetidae and Echimyidae and Didelphidae marsupials represent the non-volant small mammals from Neotropical forests, a group that encompasses much of the diversity of mammals in Brazil, play important ecological roles in forest regeneration and dynamics, and indicates changes in both landscape and local habitat structure. However, species identification is difficult since taxonomy is mainly based on cranial and chromosomal characters, many species are still being described, and recent lists for many biomes and regions are lacking. Moreover, despite their numerical and ecological importance, there is a lack of information, syntheses and compilations on the diagnosis, natural history, distribution and threats to the species of this group. This dissertation presents a compilation of the current knowledge about the diagnostic characters, distribution, habitat use and responses to human disturbances, diet, use of space, reproduction and threats for the non-volant small mammals from one of the richest regions of the Atlantic Forest, the Atlantic Plateau of São Paulo, where two adjacent areas of endemism meet, and which harbors about 22 and 32% of Cricetidae rodents and Didelphidae marsupials occurring in Brazil. Species diagnosis were based on the comparison and description of the same characteristics for all species, focusing mainly on external characters, which can be analyzed in live animals and some dental and cranial features most relevant to the analyzed groups. The description of ecological characteristics was based on an extensive database collected at 155 sites with an effort of 118.322 traps-night by the projects of the Laboratory of Diversity and Conservation of Mammals, Department of Zoology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, and a standardized review of the literature. For each of the 53 species, I present information on: 1- \"Identification\" that includes external body measurements (minimum, maximum and mean), a text on diagnosis that describes the external morphological and cranial characteristics illustrated in figures and plates, and karyotype; 2- \"Distribution\" that describes the geographical distribution followed by information on the occurrence in Brazilian biomes and states, and the distribution and abundance in forests of the Atlantic Plateau of São Paulo; 3- \"Natural History\" where the preference for forests or open areas of agriculture, the response to forest fragmentation and regeneration, the ability to occupy different types of altered habitats, diet, habit, reproduction, use of space and other important information are described; and 4- \"Threats\" that highlights the presence in state, national and international lists of endangered species and presents a consideration of the threats, based on the detailed information obtained in the Atlantic Plateau of São Paulo.

Toxoplasma gondii est un protozoaire zoonotique ubiquiste capable d’infecter tous les homéothermes dont l’homme. Un contraste géographique marqué a été relevé à l’échelle globale concernant la diversité génétique et la pathogénicité chez l’homme des souches de ce parasite. Un nombre croissant d’études montre l’importance de considérer l’influence du facteur souche parasitaire dans l’étude de l’épidémiologie de la toxoplasmose humaine. Cependant, les données de diversité génétique demeurent très limitées pour de larges régions du monde dont l’Asie et l’Afrique. Egalement, les déterminants de la structure spatiale des populations de T. gondii dans le monde demeurent mal compris. Au cours de ce travail, nous nous sommes intéressés à l’influence des échanges humains sur l’évolution des populations du parasite en Afrique, et plus particulièrement au Sénégal. Nos résultats soutiennent un rôle important des rongeurs invasifs qui accompagnent les échanges humains dans l’introduction de souches au niveau des zones portuaires du pays par voie maritime.Nos résultats suggèrent également un rôle de la souris invasive Mus musculus domesticus dans la contre-sélection de la lignée clonale Africa 1, la lignée prédominante de T. gondii en Afrique de l’Ouest. Ces nouveaux éléments éclairent sur une partie des mécanismes qui régissent le fonctionnement des populations de T. gondii. D’autres études réalisées dans différents contextes épidémiologiques, alliées à des études expérimentales, seront nécessaires pour donner une juste mesure de l’influence de ces interactions hôtes-parasites sur l’épidémiologie de la toxoplasmose. / Toxoplasma gondii is a ubiquitous zoonotic protozoan capable of infecting all homeotherms including humans. A marked geographical contrast has been noted at the global scale concerning the genetic diversity and pathogenicity in humans of strains of this parasite. A growing number of studies show the importance of considering the influence of strain factor in the study of the epidemiology of human toxoplasmosis. However, genetic diversity data remain very limited for large regions of the world including Asia and Africa. Also, the determinants of the spatial structure of T. gondii populations worldwide remain poorly understood. During this work, we were interested in the influence of human exchanges on the evolution of parasite populations in Africa, and more particularly in Senegal. Our results support an important role of invasive rodents that accompany human exchanges in the introduction of strains at the port areas of the country through maritime trade. Our results also suggest a role of the invasive mouse Mus musculus domesticus in the counterselection of the clonal lineage Africa 1, the predominant lineage of T. gondii in West Africa. These new elements shed light on some of the mechanisms that shape T. gondii populations. Further studies in different epidemiological situations, combined with experimental studies, will be needed to accurately measure the influence of these host parasite interactions on the epidemiology of toxoplasmosis.

In mammals, before fertilisation can occur, sperm have to bind to, and penetrate, the extracellular coat of the oocyte, the zona pellucida (ZP). In the laboratory mouse, which has been used as a model system for fertilization studies, sperm-ZP binding has been found to be mediated by a region near the carboxy terminal, encoded by exon 7 of the Zp3 gene. This region shows considerable interspecific sequence diversity in North American cricetid rodents, with some evidence of adaptive evolution, suggesting that this may contribute to species specific sperm-ZP binding. However, by contrast, in a preliminary study of three species of Australian murine rodents an identical protein sequence of the region encoded by exon 7 of Zp3 was found to be present. The aim of this present study was to determine the pattern of sequence diversity of this region in the most speciose subfamily of mammals, the murine rodents, and to obtain insight into the selective pressures involved in its evolution. For this, DNA was extracted from murine rodents of Africa, Eurasia, South-east Asia, New Guinea and Australia. The nucleotide and predicted amino acid sequence of exons 6 and 7 of Zp3 in 96 murine species from 14 divisions, as recently defined by Musser and Carleton (2005), was determined and compared. Generally, it was found that closely related species shared a highly similar ZP3 sequence. Maximum likelihood analyses of codon substitution models using representatives from 14 murine divisions, suggested that positive selection had occurred within only a few lineages at several different codon sites adjacent to, or within, the putative combining-site for sperm of ZP3. Positive selection was not evident when the analysis was restricted to the Australian taxa which showed low levels of both intra- and inter-generic sequence divergence. There was no good evidence that this region contributes to species specificity of sperm-ZP binding in these species. These findings thus suggest that the selective forces acting on the Zp3 exon 7 region during the evolution of the murine rodents have varied possibly due to a range of selective pressures not necessarily restricted to the prevention of hybridization. It seems unlikely, therefore, that the amino acid sequence of the exon 7 coding region contributes to species specificity of sperm-ZP binding within most of the lineages from this most speciose subfamily of eutherian mammals. / http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1294654 / Thesis(Ph.D.)-- School of Medical Sciences, 2007

<p>The distribution of plant species and functional traits in alpine and arctic environments are determined by abiotic conditions, but also by biotic interactions. In this thesis, I investigate interactions among plants and herbivory effects on plant community composition and plant functional traits in three different regions: Swedish Lapland, Beringia (USA/Russia) and Finnmark (Norway). Reindeer grazing was found to be extensive in southern Lapland and had limited effects on plant community composition and seedling germination. However, reindeer presence was found to influence plant functional traits, particularly in the subalpine birch forest. Tall herbs were lower and had lower SLA when reindeer were present, while small herbs showed an opposite pattern. The contrasting effects on the two herb groups are probably explained by a competitive release for small herbs when the tall herbs are suppressed by reindeer. Rodents had the largest relative impact on plant community composition in southern Lapland and this is consistent with the study from Finnmark, where rodents heavily affected dwarf shrubs on predator-free islands. With no predators present, vole densities increased profoundly and almost depleted some dwarf shrub species. These results support the idea that small mammals in arctic and alpine tundra are controlled by predators (i.e. top-down). However, a decrease in the nutritional quality in a sedge after defoliation gives support for the idea that small mammals are regulated by plant quality (i.e. bottom-up). In Beringia, small and large herbivores differed in the relation to plant community composition, since large herbivores were related to species richness and small herbivores were related to plant abundance. Plant functional traits were related only to large herbivores and standing crop of vascular plants.</p>

The distribution of plant species and functional traits in alpine and arctic environments are determined by abiotic conditions, but also by biotic interactions. In this thesis, I investigate interactions among plants and herbivory effects on plant community composition and plant functional traits in three different regions: Swedish Lapland, Beringia (USA/Russia) and Finnmark (Norway). Reindeer grazing was found to be extensive in southern Lapland and had limited effects on plant community composition and seedling germination. However, reindeer presence was found to influence plant functional traits, particularly in the subalpine birch forest. Tall herbs were lower and had lower SLA when reindeer were present, while small herbs showed an opposite pattern. The contrasting effects on the two herb groups are probably explained by a competitive release for small herbs when the tall herbs are suppressed by reindeer. Rodents had the largest relative impact on plant community composition in southern Lapland and this is consistent with the study from Finnmark, where rodents heavily affected dwarf shrubs on predator-free islands. With no predators present, vole densities increased profoundly and almost depleted some dwarf shrub species. These results support the idea that small mammals in arctic and alpine tundra are controlled by predators (i.e. top-down). However, a decrease in the nutritional quality in a sedge after defoliation gives support for the idea that small mammals are regulated by plant quality (i.e. bottom-up). In Beringia, small and large herbivores differed in the relation to plant community composition, since large herbivores were related to species richness and small herbivores were related to plant abundance. Plant functional traits were related only to large herbivores and standing crop of vascular plants.

xHypoxia and repopulation of tumour clonogens are two important determinants of treatment outcome in radiotherapy. In general clinical evidence indicates that loco-regional control may be reduced with long overall treatment times and for tumours with low pre-treatment levels of oxygen. Experimental studies with normobaric carbogen and oxygen showed a two-fold enhancement of the efficacy of radiation in a mouse tumour model when combining oxygen with treatment acceleration. It was then demonstrated that substituting carbogen for oxygen and adding high-dose nicotinamide (NAM) further increased the effect. These findings became the basis for a multi-factorial approach designed to overcome the radioprotective effect of tumour repopulation and that of perfusion–limited and diffusion–limited hypoxia. The strategy, named ARCON, combines Accelerated Radiotherapy with CarbOgen and Nicotinamide. Experimental evaluation of ARCON The therapeutic potential of carbogen combined with NAM (CON) focusing on treatment schedules that use clinically relevant radiation and drug dose levels was evaluated in tumour and normal tissue animal models. Some of the conditions under which ARCON gives the largest degree of tumour radiosensitization and therapeutic benefit were identified. Specifically, NAM-dose level, pharmacokinetics and scheduling, and the effect of NAM on repair processes in vivo were also investigated. The results showed that in conventional and accelerated radiotherapy, carbogen and CON are effective and relatively non-toxic tumour sensitizers. They also demonstrated that tumour sensitization with CON was independent of time of NAM administration but that it was drug dose dependent. Some degree of normal tissue sensitization was observed but even relative to mouse skin a significant therapeutic gain was achieved. The mechanism of action for NAM sensitization originally proposed was that of repair inhibition. In the in vivo mouse models tested, namely skin and kidney, NAM did not alter the rate nor the magnitude of repair of radiation induced damage. Clinical evaluation of ARCON In the early 90s, various centres, particularly in the UK, Sweden, Holland and Switzerland, undertook clinical trials of ARCON. The protocols were designed based on detailed considerations of the rodent and human radiation and pharmacokinetic studies. This document also discusses the findings of a phase II non-randomized trial in advanced bladder cancer of accelerated radiotherapy combined with carbogen alone and ARCON. The aim of the study was to establish the feasibility of administering carbogen and NAM to patients and to determine the extent of early and late normal tissue damage. Historical comparisons suggested no overt increase in normal tissue radiosensitivity and the data indicate that ARCON could achieve a therapeutic gain in advanced bladder cancer.