Intestinal HCO3- secretion and the excretion of resultant CaCO3 precipitates have become a recognized characteristic of seawater osmoregulation in teleosts; however, this is the first report of this osmoregulatory strategy outside of teleosts and also includes evidence for its use in green turtles, Chelonia mydas. Furthermore, the effects of feeding on intestinal HCO3- secretion were newly investigated in teleosts. Intestinal base secretion via apical Cl-/HCO3- exchange was found to increase following feeding, at a magnitude sufficient to offset the "alkaline tide" commonly associated with digestion. Intestinal HCO3- secretion in marine teleosts draws HCO3- from both endogenous (via hydration of intracellular CO2) and serosal (blood) sources, of which serosal HCO3- was found to contribute a greater proportion to the elevated postprandial intestinal base secretion measured in gulf toadfish, Opsanus beta. The mechanism by which this serosal HCO3- crosses the basolateral membrane for subsequent secretion into the intestinal lumen was confirmed in toadfish to be a basolateral Na+/HCO3- co-transporter, tfNBCe1. Furthermore, the isolated intestinal tissue was found to have a high metabolic rate in both control and postprandial toadfish, with respect to that of the whole animal, and shows a considerable specific dynamic action (SDA) response to feeding. Overall, this dissertation provides evidence for the widespread use of intestinal HCO3- secretion as a strategy of marine osmoregulation across aquatic taxa, and also for its newly recognized involvement in postprandial acid-base balance.

Fluctuations in temperature and precipitation amounts due to climate change influence recharge rate of groundwater. Any variations in the amount of precipitation recharge and artificial discharge directly affect groundwater level and so the salt water intrusion rate in the aquifers, which are in contact with sea water. The purpose of this study is to determine the overall historical precipitation recharge trend in Sel&ccedil / uk sub-basin and to detect whether there is a decrease or increase in recharge amounts due to climate change since 1100 BC. Besides, it covers assessing the future position of the salt water-fresh groundwater interface as a result of possible fluctuations in climate and artificial discharge. For this purpose, numerical density dependent cross sectional groundwater flow with solute transport model was conducted using finite element approach. At first, current salt water-fresh water interface and artificial discharge related head changes in the aquifer were determined. Backward modeling was utilized to obtain concentration distribution in the year 1976 representing the last stage of the undisturbed period. Then, progradation of salt water-fresh water interface since 1100 BC to 1976 was modeled using calibrated parameters and current recharge value. As a result of sea-regression model simulations (1100 BC-1976) less degree of salt water intrusion than that of currently detected in the area was obtained. The result suggests that overall recharge amount in the last 3076 years must have been less than that of 1976. Moreover, future (2010-2099) position of the interface and head changes under the influence of both climate change and increasing water demand were determined. Future model simulations indicate that salt water-fresh water interface moves farther landward. However this movement is mostly due to increasing discharge amount rather than that of climatic changes.

Derramamento de petróleo tem sido um evento comum em atividades marítimas ao redor do mundo. O ambiente antártico, no entanto, é considerado não-poluído ou menos poluído quando comparado a outros ambientes. A fração solúvel de petróleo (FSA) é mais danosa do que o derrame por si mesmo, então o uso de biomarcadores celulares para esse tipo de poluição é extremamente útil para avaliar os efeitos de pequenos níveis de poluição por petróleo no ambiente antártico. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo estudar, com microscopia de luz e eletrônica de transmissão, biomarcadores histológicos (Índice de Alterações Histológicas de brânquias e fígado, Valor Médio de Avaliação para brânquias e fígado, teste do micronúcleo em eritrócitos e rodlet cells - células de bastonetes - como um possível biomarcador) para poluição por petróleo no peixe antártico Trematomus newnesi expostos a diferentes concentrações de FSA (0; 0,4; 0,8 ppm) por 5, 10 e 15 dias. Alterações em análises hematológicas foram observadas em 15 dias no peixe controle (0 ppm de FSA), enquanto a histologia dos órgãos e a quantidade de células de bastonetes não revelou nenhuma alteração estatisticamente significante. Esta foi a primeira vez que o efeito deste tipo de poluição foi estudado utilizando-se o peixe antártico Trematomus newnesi como um possível bioindicador. / Oil spill and other pollutants have been a common event in shipping all over the world. Antarctic environment however is known as unpolluted or less polluted when compared to others. The water soluble fraction of oil (WSF) is more dangerous for marine species than the oil spill itself, thus the use of cellular biomarkers for this type of pollution is extremely useful to evaluate the effects of small levels of oil pollution in Antarctic environment. The present work aimed to study, with light microscopy and electronic transmission microscopy, histologic biomarkers (Histologic Alterations Index for gills and liver, Average Evaluation Value for both gills and liver, micronucleous test in erythrocytes, besides rodlet cells for a possible biomarker) for oil pollution in the Antarctic fish Trematomus newnesi exposed to different concentrations of WSF (0; 0.4; 0.8 ppm) for 5, 10 and 15 days. Alterations in hematological analysis was observed in 15 days control fish (0 ppm of WSF), whereas the organs histology and RC amount did not reveal any significant statistical alterations. This was the very first time that the effect of oil pollution was studied using the Antarctic fish Trematomus newnesi as a possible biomarker.

No description available.

Tidal freshwater marshes (TFMs) are unique ecosystems that bridge the gap between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and are important in the sequestration of soil organic carbon. With the ever changing global climate, TFMs are left vulnerable to downstream effects of rising sea level and salt water intrusion due to increases in flooding by saline waters. These changes often act over large spatial and temporal scales resulting in significant impacts to local and regional environments. This multidisciplinary study assessed the amount and lability of desorbed organic carbon in tidal freshwater marsh soils from the Waccamaw River Marsh, South Carolina and Sweet Hall, a marsh on the Pamunkey River, Virginia. Soils from each marsh were extracted at 0-35 practical salinity units (psu) and the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration, and carbon lability of the leachates were measured. At increasing levels of salinity, soil desorption amounts were higher in the Waccamaw River marsh interior and similar between the Waccamaw River creekbank and Sweet Hall levee. A larger fraction of desorbed DOC was consumed in the more organic soils from the Waccamaw River marsh in comparison to the more mineral soil from Sweet Hall Marsh. Finally, the rate of decay of the desorbed carbon was highest in the Sweet Hall levee soils, indicating more labile desorbed carbon, while the Waccamaw River Marsh soils had lower decay rates indicating less labile desorbed carbon. By understanding how salt water intrusion affects desorption and lability of soil organic carbon, in coastal marshes, we may be able to better understand how increasing sea levels may affect carbon storage in coastal ecosystems.

The effect of retrogression and reaging heat treatment on corrosion fatigue crack growth behavior on AA7050 T73651 aluminum alloy is investigated. CT (Compact Tension) specimens are prepared in LS direction for fatigue crack growth tests . Samples are solution heat treated at 477 &deg / C and aged at 120 &deg / C for 24 h (T6 condition). After that, samples are retrogressed at 200 &deg / C for times of 1, 5, 30, 55 and 80 minutes in a circulating oil bath. Then, samples are re-aged at 120 &deg / C for 24 h (T6 condition). Hardness measurements are taken at different retrogression times and at the end of the heat treatment. Fatigue crack growth tests are performed at as received condition and at different retrogression times with sinusoidal loading of R=0.1 and f=1 in both laboratory air and corrosive environment of 3.5% NaCl solution. The highest fatigue crack growth resistance is observed for 30 min. and 5 min. retrogression for laboratory air and corrosive environment respectively. It is concluded that RRA can successfully be used to improve fatigue performance of this alloy.

A quantitative understanding of ground water flow characteristics in unconfined aquifers is important because of the prevalence of abstraction from, and pollution of these systems. The current understanding of ground water flow in unconfined aquifers is limited because of the dominance of horizontal flow modelling strategies used to represent unconfined flow processes. The application of horizontal flow principles leads to an ignorance of seepage-face formation and can not predict the complicated three-dimensional nature of the ground water flow that dominates at the ground water-surface water interface. This study aims to address some of these deficiencies by exploring the true three-dimensional nature of ground water flow including the formation of seepage faces at the ground water-surface water interface using numerical and laboratory techniques. A finite element model for simulating two-dimensional (vertical) variably saturated flow is developed and benchmarked against standard laboratory and field-scale solutions. The numerical features of the finite element model are explored and compared to a simple finite difference formulation. The comparison demonstrates how finite element formulations lead to a broader spatial averaging of material properties and a different method for the representation of specified flux boundaries. A detailed comparison analysis indicates that these differences in the finite element solution lead to an improved approximation to the partial differential equation governing two-dimensional (vertical) variably saturated flow. A laboratory analysis of unconfined ground water flow and associated solute transport characteristics was performed. The analysis focused upon unconfined flow towards a pumping well. The laboratory observations were reliably reproduced using a three-dimensional (axi-symmetric), variably saturated ground water flow model. The model was benchmarked against the ground water flow characteristics such as the seepage-face height and total flow rate. In addition, the model was shown to reliably reproduce the solute transport features such as travel times and streamline distributions. This is the first time that a numerical model has been used to reliably reproduce the solute transport characteristics near a seepage-face boundary where the three-dimensional flow effects are prevalent. The ability to reliably predict solute transport patterns in the seepage-face zone is important since this region is known to support vital microbially facilitated reactions that control nutrient cycling and contaminant attenuation. The three-dimensional travel time distribution near the seepage-face was compared to that predicted using a horizontal flow modelling approach derived from the basic Dupuit-Forchheimer equations. The Dupuit-Forchheimer based model indicated that horizontal flow modelling would under-estimate the total residence time near a seepage-face boundary, thereby introducing a considerable source of error in a solute transport analysis. For this analysis, a new analytical solution for the steady travel time distribution in an unconfined aquifer subject to a single pumping well was derived. The analytical model has identified, for the first time in the hydrogeology literature, the use of the imaginary error function. The imaginary error function is a standard transcendental function and an infinite series approach to evaluate the function was successfully proposed. The two-dimensional (vertical) ground water flow model was extended to handle the case where the flow is driven by density gradients near the ground water-surface water interface. The unsteady, two-dimensional, Galerkin finite element model of density-dependent ground water flow in variably saturated porous media is rigorously presented and partially benchmarked under fully saturated (confined) conditions. The partial benchmarking involved reproducing solutions to the standard Henry salt-water intrusion and the Elder salt-convection problems. The model was used in a standard density-coupled and a new density-uncoupled mode to elucidate the worthiness of the Henry and Elder problems as benchmark standards. A comparison of the coupled and uncoupled solutions indicates that the Henry salt-water intrusion problem has limited worthiness as a benchmark as the patterns of ground water flow are relatively insensitive to density-coupled effects. Alternatively, the Elder problem is completely dependent upon a correct representation of the density-coupled flow and solute transport processes. The coupled versus uncoupled comparison is proposed as a new test of the worthiness of benchmark standards. The Henry salt-water intrusion problem was further analysed in an attempt to alleviate some of the difficulties associated with this benchmark problem. The numerical model was tested against a re-evaluated version of Henry's semi-analytical solution for the coupled solute concentration distribution. The numerical model was used to propose a modified version of the Henry problem where the importance of density-coupled processes was increased. The modified problem was shown to have an improved worthiness as compared to the standard solution. The numerical model results were benchmarked against a new set of semi-analytical results for the modified problem. Certain advantages in using the modified problem as a test case for benchmarking the results of a numerical model of density-dependent ground water flow are identified. A numerical investigation of the patterns of density-driven ground water flow at the ground water-surface water interface was undertaken. The numerical model is shown to produce grid-independent results for a finely discretised domain. The pattern of discharge is controlled, in part, by two parameters. One describes the recharge applied to the aquifer, and the second describes the magnitude of the density differences between the fresh recharging fluid and the saline receiving fluid. The influence of dense intrusions upon the formation of seepage-face boundaries at the ground water-surface water interface under steady-state conditions was also investigated. Dense intrusions are shown to dominate the pattern of ground water flow only under mild recharge conditions, while seepage faces dominate the outflow pattern under strong recharge conditions. Therefore, the formation of seepage-face boundaries and dense intrusions are unlikely to coincide under the conditions examined in this study.

Submitted by Deyse Queiroz (deysequeirozz@hotmail.com) on 2018-05-23T12:48:29Z No. of bitstreams: 1 DANIEL SOARES DE ABRANTES - DISSERTAÇÃO PPGSA PROFISSIONAL 2015..pdf: 4362123 bytes, checksum: 252907e323bf8081a6d7afc2b1361702 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-05-23T12:48:29Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 DANIEL SOARES DE ABRANTES - DISSERTAÇÃO PPGSA PROFISSIONAL 2015..pdf: 4362123 bytes, checksum: 252907e323bf8081a6d7afc2b1361702 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015 / O cultivo da goiabeira mostra-se como atividade econômica e social importante, visto ser uma das frutas tropicais de maior aceitação no Brasil, entretanto, a disponibilidade de água para a irrigação tem se tornado cada vez mais escassa, tanto em termos de quantidade como de qualidade especialmente, em regiões áridas e semiáridas onde a evaporação é maior que a precipitação. Nesse contexto, o uso de águas salinas na agricultura deve ser considerado como alternativa importante, pois muitas vezes, é a única água disponível ao agricultor. Neste sentido, objetivou-se com esta pesquisa, avaliar a produção de mudas enxertadas de goiabeira irrigadas com águas de distintos níveis salinos e sob doses de adubação nitrogenada. Instalou-se dois experimentos usando em um o porta-enxerto de goiabeira Crioula e no outro o porta enxerto Paluma e, tendo como enxerto, a cv. de goiabeira Paluma. Os distintos experimentos foram instalados em condição de casa de vegetação, do Centro de Ciências e Tecnologia Agroalimentar da Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, Campus de Pombal-PB, usandose o delineamento experimental de blocos casualizados, cujos tratamentos foram distribuídos em esquema fatorial 5 x 4 e quatro repetições, sendo cada parcela constituída por três plantas. Os tratamentos resultaram da combinação entre dois fatores: salinidade da água de irrigação (CEa) em cinco níveis sendo eles S1-0,3; S2-1,1; S3-1,9; S4-2,7 e S5-3,5 dS m-1 preparados mediante adição de cloreto de Na, Ca e Mg, mantendo-se uma proporção equivalente igual a 7:2:1, respectivamente, e quatro doses de nitrogênio N1 - 70%, N2 - 100%, N3 -130% e N4 - 160% da dose padrão (552 mg de N dm-3 ). O aumento da CEa, a partir de 0,3 dS m-1 afeta negativamente as variáveis de crescimento bem como a qualidade das mudas de goiabeira Paluma enxertadas sob os porta-enxertos Paluma e Crioula. Houve interação entre a salinidade da água de irrigação e doses de nitrogênio para o diâmetro do enxerto de goiabeira Paluma, sendo que a dose de 100% de N reduziu o efeito da salinidade da água de irrigação aos 70 DAT. Para as mudas de goiabeira Paluma tendo como porta-enxerto a cv. Crioula, a adubação nitrogenada nas doses 100% e 130% para o IQD, atenuaram os efeitos do estresse salino, obtendo-se os maiores valores sob o nível de CEa de 0,8 e 1,4 dS m-1 respectivamente. As mudas irrigadas com águas de CEa de até 1,9 dS m-1 atenderam os critérios para produção de muda padrão de goiabeira. A utilização de águas com CEa de até 2,2 e 2,0 dS m-1 , na irrigação de mudas de goiabeiras Paluma tendo como porta enxerto a cv. Crioula e cv. Paluma, respectivamente, promovem redução aceitável no crescimento das plantas de 10%. / The cultivation of guava shows up as an important economic and social activity, since it is one of largest acceptance of tropical fruits in Brazil, however, the availability of water for irrigation has become increasingly scarce, both in terms of quantity and quality especially in arid and semi-arid regions where evaporation is greater than precipitation. In this context, the use of saline water in agriculture should be considered as an important alternative because it is often the only water available to the farming community. In this sense, the aim of this research was to evaluate the production of grafted guava plants irrigated with differing levels of saline water and under nitrogen fertilization. He settled on a two experiments using the rootstock of guava Crioula and the other of rootstock and Paluma with the graft, the cv. And Paluma guava. The different experiments were conducted in greenhouse conditions, the Center for Science and Agrifood Technology, Federal University of Campina Grande, Campus de Pombal-PB, using the experimental randomized block design and treatments were distributed in factorial 5 x 4, is 4 replicates, each plot had three plants. The treatments resulted from the combination of two factors: irrigation water salinity (ECw) in five levels S1-0,3; S2- 1,1; S3-1,9; S4-2,7 and S5-3,5 dS m-1 prepared by adding chloride Na, Ca and Mg, maintaining an equivalent ratio equal to 7: 2: 1, respectively, and four nitrogen levels N1 - 70%, N2 - 100%, N3 -130% and N4 - 160% of standard dose (552 mg N dm-3 ). The increase in CEa, from 0,3 dS m-1 negatively affects the growth variables and the quality of Paluma guava plants grafted on rootstocks Paluma and Crioula. There was interaction between water salinity irrigation and nitrogen levels to the diameter of the graft paluma guava, wherein the dose of 100% N reduced the effect of salinity irrigation water at 70 DAT. For guava plants cv Paluma acting as rootstock. Crioula, nitrogen fertilization in doses 100% and 130% for IQD, mitigated the effects of salt stress, obtaining the highest values under ECw level of 0,8 and 1,4 dS m-1 respectively. The seedlings irrigated with ECw of water up to 1,9 dS m-1 met the criteria for the production of standard guava changes. The use of water with supper to 2,2 and 2,0 dS m-1 in irrigation guava seedlings Paluma acting as door graft for cv. Crioula and cv. Paluma respectively, promote acceptable reduction in growth of the plants 10%

Internal gravity waves play a fundamental role in the dynamics of stably stratified regions of the atmosphere and ocean. In addition to the radiation of momentum and energy remote from generation sites, internal waves drive vertical transport of heat and mass through the ocean by wave breaking and the mixing subsequently produced. Identifying regions where internal gravity waves contribute to ocean mixing and quantifying this mixing are therefore important for accurate climate and weather predictions. Field studies report significantly enhanced measurements of turbulence near 'rough' ocean topography compared with those recorded in the ocean interior or near more gradually varying topography (e.g. Toole et al. 1997, J. Geophys. Res. 102). Such observations suggest that interaction of waves with rough topography may act to skew wave energy spectra to high wavenumbers and hence promote wave breaking and fluid mixing. This thesis examines the high wavenumber scatter and spatial partitioning of wave energy at 'rough' topography containing features that are of similar scales to those characterising incident waves. The research presented here includes laboratory experiments using synthetic schlieren and PIV to visualise two-dimensional wavefields produced by small amplitude oscillations of cylinders within linear salt-water stratifications. Interactions of wavefields with planar slopes and smoothly varying sinusoidal topography are compared with those with square-wave, sawtooth and pseudo knife-edge profiles, which have discontinuous slopes. Far-field structures of scattered wavefields are compared with linear analytical models. Scatter to high wavenumbers is found to be controlled predominantly by the relative slopes and characterising length scales of the incident wavefield and topography, as well as the shape and aspect ratio of the topographic profile. Wave energy becomes highly focused and the spectra skewed to higher wavenumbers by 'critical' regions, where the topographic slope is comparable with the slope of the incident wave energy vector, and at sharp corners, where topographic slope is not defined. Contrary to linear geometric ray tracing predictions (Longuet-Higgins 1969, J. Fluid Mech. 37), a significant back-scattered field can be achieved in near-critical conditions as well as a forward scattered wavefield in supercritical conditions, where the slope of the boundary is steeper than that of the incident wave. Results suggest that interaction with rough benthic topography could efficiently convert wave energy to higher wavenumbers and promote fluid mixing in such ocean regions.

L'étude des milieux hétérogènes carbonatés et karstifiés trouve aujourd'hui de nombreuses applications dans les problématiques environnementales, comme la description fine de la structure d'un réservoir côtier, support d'un aquifère affecté par une intrusion d'eau salée. Au sud de l'ile de Majorque (Baléares, Espagne), la plate-forme carbonatée de Llucmajor représente un site privilégié pour ce type d'étude.La caractérisation des hétérogénéités ne peut être réalisée sans une description préalable des propriétés des réservoirs carbonatés et des facteurs modifiant la structure du réservoir. Un des paramètres clés définissant la structure hétérogène est la porosité. Au regard de la large gamme de tailles d'hétérogénéités allant du micromètre à la centaine de mètre, l'utilisation de méthodes multi-échelles est nécessaire.Ce travail de thèse a porté sur la détermination multi-échelles de la porosité, allant de la microporosité à la porosité karstique, et l'établissement de relations entre les changements d'échelles d'observation de ces propriétés. Dans un premier temps, l'application de la microtomographie à rayons X extrait la microporosité et la connectivité des réseaux microporeux. Puis, la tomographie a été utilisée avec une résolution plus faible afin d'étudier le réseau micro- et macroporeux à l'échelle de la carotte. A l'échelle du puits, les images de paroi de puits permettent de déterminer la porosité allant des macropores centimétriques aux karsts. Enfin, la géophysique de surface a permis d'observer l'extension des karsts et hétérogénéités dans une grande partie du site.Ainsi, la structure poreuse du site étudié a été intégrée dans la géologie régionale de la plate-forme. L'observatoire installé sur le site pour surveiller la propagation de l'eau salée dans l'aquifère peut être replacé dans son contexte géologique et pétrophysique, afin d'affiner l'interprétation de ses mesures de variations de salinité. / The study of heterogeneous and karstified carbonates is important in many environmental issues, like the detailed description of a coastal reservoir structure containing an aquifer affected by saline intrusion. At the south of the island of Mallorca (Spain), the Llucmajor carbonate platform represents a typical site for such researches. Characterization of heterogeneities requires a better knowledge of the carbonate reservoir properties and the various factors affecting the structure. One of the key parameters defining the heterogeneous structure is the porosity. According to the wide range of heterogeneity sizes from micrometer to hundreds of meters, the use of multiscale methods is required.This thesis focused on the determination of multiscale porosities from the microporosity to karstic porosity, and of relationships between observation scale changes of these properties. Firstly, the application of X-ray microtomography allows to extract the microporosity and the microporous network connectivity. Then, X-ray tomography was used with a lower resolution to study the micro- and macro-porous network at the core scale. At the borehole scale, the borehole wall images are used to determinate macrostructures from centimeter pores to karsts. Finally, surface geophysics allows to observe the extension of karst and heterogeneities at the site scale.Finally, the porous structure of the study site is integrated into the regional geology of the platform. A hydrogeophysical observatory was installed on site to monitor the spreading of salt water in the aquifer. The interpretation of its salinity measurements can take into account the geological and petrophysical context.