Cette thèse intitulée « Esthétique et poétique des jardins : entre art et science, parcours et discours dans la fiction sandienne» vise à étudier la place qu’occupe le jardin essentiellement dans les romans, contes et nouvelles de George Sand. L’enjeu de cette recherche est de démontrer que le jardin chez Sand ne se réduit pas à un simple arrière-plan, à un élément de fioriture, ou à une pure thématique. Il revêt au contraire chez l’auteure une ampleur considérable allant jusqu’à devenir un objet spéculatif capable de repenser tout à la fois les genres et les esthétiques et de susciter de riches réflexions en rapport avec l’art (peinture, architecture, dessins) et la science (botanique, écologie, horticulture, minéralogie) au XIXe siècle. Le jardin occupe aussi une place de choix dans l’œuvre de Sand en vertu de ses diverses fonctions diégétiques, poétiques et symboliques au sein de la diégèse, mais aussi en raison de son aptitude à être un lieu de cheminement au sein duquel le promeneur peut se promettre divers plaisirs et évolutions. Le jardin devient en ce sens un monde complet en soi, un lieu riche et influent, un véritable creuset de signes et de significations dont se sert l’auteure pour véhiculer son idéologie, ses goûts esthétiques, ses pensées intimes, son idéalisme, ainsi que sa philosophie de la vie / This thesis entitled "esthetic and poetic of gardens: between art and science, path and speech in Sandian fiction" aims to study the place of garden especially in novels, tales and short stories of George Sand. The challenge of this research is to prouve that the garden for Sand is not just a backdrop, an element of flourish, or a pure topic. In contrast, it takes on a considerable scale in the author's work, even becoming a speculative object able to rethink genres and esthetics at the same time and generating rich reflections related to art (painting, architecture, drawings) and science (botany, ecology, horticulture, mineralogy) in the 19th century. The garden occupies a prominent place in the work of Sand due to its various diegetic, poetic and symbolic functions within the diegesis, but also because of its aptitude to be a pathway within which the walker can promise himself various pleasures and evolutions. The garden becomes in that way, a complete world by itself, a rich and impactful place, a veritable crucible of signs and meanings that the author uses to convey her ideology, her esthetic preferences, her intimate thoughts, her idealism, as well as her life philosophy

O presente trabalho avaliou o desempenho de filtros de areia biológicos no tratamento da água do mar a fim de controlar a formação de biofilmes microbianos em membranas de osmose reversa, utilizadas para o processo de dessalinização, e posteriormente em tanques de cultivo de peixes. Para isto, proteínas e carboidratos (principais componentes de biofilmes) foram quantificados em corpos de prova expostos à diferentes tratamentos. A água produzida pelos tratamentos também foi avaliada por meio da quantificação de microrganismos e teor de carbono orgânico assimilável (AOC), que está associado ao potencial de crescimento microbiano (PCM). A capacidade dos filtros em reduzir turbidez e SDI a partir da água captada no mar, também constituiu um parâmetro de avaliação. A partir dos dados obtidos foi possível verificar que os sistemas de tratamento da água do mar constituídos por filtros lentos de areia são capazes de reduzir a incidência de biofilmes em membranas de osmose reversa (reduzindo em até cerca de 80% a concentração de proteínas e 88% a de carboidratos). Porém, para que se tenha uma taxa significativa de remoção do AOC e redução do PCM, esses sistemas requerem um tempo de maturação entre 50 e 60 dias. Por outro lado, em termos de redução de turbidez e SDI, esses sistemas demonstram eficiência praticamente imediata, resultando em uma água com turbidez sempre menor que 0.3 UNT e SDI sempre menor que 4. Como forma de tratamento de água do mar para sistemas de aquicultura, os filtros lentos de areia demonstraram capacidade em reduzir a formação de biofilmes e a deposição de material particulado dentro dos tanques de cultivo, sendo esta redução mais evidente no fundo dos tanques e na observação realizada após 31 dias. O uso de filtros de areia para o tratamento da água utilizada no cultivo de peixes pode contribuir para redução da frequência de manejo e limpeza de tanques. / The present work has evaluated the performance of biological sand filters in seawater treatment in order to control microbial biofilms formation in reverse osmosis membranes used for the desalination process. The same filters were also evaluated as a seawater treatment system for aquaculture, and the performance in biofilms control inside the fish tanks was verified. To evaluate the performance in terms of biofilms control, proteins and carbohydrates (main components of biofilms) were quantified in specimens exposed to different treatments. The water produced by the treatments was also evaluated by microorganisms concentration and assimilable organic carbon content, which is associated with microbial growth potential. The performance of turbidity removal and SDI reduction from raw water was also an evaluation parameter. From the data obtained, it was observed that seawater treatment systems by of slow sand filters are able to reduce reverse osmosis membranes biofilms (up to 80% proteins concentration and 88% carbohydrate concentration). However, in order to have a significant rate of AOC removal and PCM reduction, these systems need a maturation time between 50 and 60 days. On the other hand, in terms of turbidity removal and SDI reduction, these systems demonstrate immediate efficiency, resulting in water turbidity always less than 0.3 NTU and SDI always less than 4. The slow sand filters showed efficience to reduce the biofilm formation and material deposition inside the fish tanks, this reduction was more evident at the bottom of the tanks and after 31 days. The use of sand filters as a water treatment for fish farming can contribute to reduce the number of procedures for handling and cleaning tanks.

Use of geosynthetics for reinforcing soil beds supporting shallow foundations has gained tremendous popularity in recent times. In this thesis, to study and understand the behaviour of geosynthetics reinforced soil foundations, model load tests are carried out on square footings resting on sand beds reinforced with geosynthetics. The effects of various parameters like type and tensile strength of geosynthetic material, depth of reinforced zone, spacing of reinforcement layers, width of reinforcement and form of reinforcement on the performance of square footings on reinforced sand beds are studied. Results from these tests are analyzed to understand the effect of various parameters in improving the bearing capacity and reducing the settlement of footings. An equation is developed to estimate the ultimate bearing capacity of square footings resting on geosynthetic reinforced sand beds by multiple regression analysis of the experimental data. The model loading tests on reinforced soil foundations are simulated in the numerical model using the computer program FLAC3D (Fast Lagrangian Analysis of Continua in 3D). Finally parametric studies on a full scale reinforced soil foundation are conducted. From the experimental, analytical and numerical investigations carried out in this thesis, some important conclusions are drawn regarding the effective depth of reinforced zone, optimum spacing and quantity of reinforcement layers. Relative efficiency of various forms of reinforcement is discussed. Validity of the regression and numerical models developed is verified through experimental data from present study and also for data from other researchers.

Understanding sandbar dynamics and variability is integral to developing a predictive capacity for nearshore flows, sediment transport, morphological change, and ultimately for determining coastline exposure to damaging storm waves. Along the high-energy U.S. Pacific Northwest (PNW) coast, sandbars typically dominate the bathymetry of the active zone. Here we report on a nearshore bathymetric data set that covers an exceptionally long stretch of coast and crosses several littoral cell boundaries. Our study area stretches from Point Grenville, Washington to Cascade Head, Oregon, including 8 littoral cells and approximately 250 km in the alongshore. We describe and quantify the morphological variability of sandbars in the PNW over large spatial scales as well as attempt to explain the inter-littoral cell variability via trends and variability in environmental parameters. From 560 bathymetric profiles (~1000 km of measurements) we have extracted over 500 distinct subtidal sandbars. The bar zone extends to over 1km from the shoreline in the northern part of the study area, but only to about 600m in the southern part. Maximum bar crest depths are typically 7m below MLLW. Bar heights range from a step in the cross-shore profile to over 3m from crest to trough. The northernmost littoral cells typically have two or more bars per cross-shore profile whereas the littoral cells in the southern part of our study area have only one bar. The mean depths of the bars, however, are much more consistent across littoral cells. The mean depths remain consistent even while the upper shoreface slope significantly increases from north to south, requiring that the maximum bar distance from the shoreline decreases from north to south. This regional gradient in upper shoreface slope is likely a response, at least in part, to a general coarsening trend in the sediment from north to south and hence linked to variations in regional geology. / Graduation date: 2013

This study examines foredune evolution along a 2100 m section of coast adjacent to the Tugela River. The foredunes vary in both height and shape along the study area and form the southern most extension of the Tugela foredune-ridge plain. Sand accumulation and erosion was measured at regular intervals over a 30 month period by tacheometric surveys. The foredunes and beaches are comprised of over 99 % sand. The sediment was predominantly composed of quartz and feldspar with subordinate lithic fragments. The quartz grains display conchoidal fractures and mechanical v-shaped pits and curved grooves. The beach and dune sand is well sorted and slightly negatively skewed with a mean grain size of 1.62 ф. The vegetation structure and floristic composition of the foredunes are explored. A range of factors influencing foredune morphology and evolution, including canopy density, height and distribution, wind velocity and a variety of ecological and environmental processes are examined. Ridge and swale morphology as well as alongshore variation in the dunefield could not be related to biological processes. The development of a foredune-ridge topography depends on a large sediment supply from the Tugela River over the long-term. Periods of high discharge introduce a fresh source of sediment to the littoral zone. Reworking of fluvial sediment landwards results in wide beaches. Onshore winds transport the sand from the beaches to the foredunes. Scaevola thunbergii encourages rapid vertical accretion and hummock dunes are formed. Lateral extensive invasion by seedlings may result in the hummock dunes joining to form coast parallel foredunes. Under periods of reduced sediment discharge erosion of the shoreline results in steep narrow beaches. Despite a negative beach budget foredunes continue to accrete vertically. Marine erosion results in either the complete destruction of embryo foredunes or their landward shift. Natural breaks in the dune crestline were attributed to changes in the delivery of sediment to the beaches. The processes operating in the study area conform to Psuty's (1988,1989) sediment budget model of foredune development. Sediment availability to the coastline produces characteristic morphologies. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1998.

Habilitationsschrift--Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, 1980. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 247-256).

Habilitationsschrift--Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, 1980. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 247-256).

I Sverige började processen med att skydda natur redan 1909 och arbetet har fortsatt fram till idag. Även om naturskyddet ska gynna oss alla, är arbetet med det sällan problemfritt. Mitt intresse för dessa problem, hur de kan förstås och hanteras på ett konstruktivt sätt, är utgångspunkten för denna kandidatuppsats. Studien ämnar undersöka hur information och kommunikation har påverkat de närboendes upplevelse till Sand Life, i samband med utökandet och restaureringen av naturreservatet Haväng och Vitemölla strandbackar. I fallstudien undersöks delvis också den konflikt som uppstod i processen. Undersökningen möjliggjordes i tre steg: intervjuer med länsstyrelsen och Sand Lifes medarbetare; enkätundersökning och djupintervjuer med ett antal närboende i Vitemölla. Resultatet tyder på att de närboende som grupp, initialt var negativt inställda till Sand Life. Inställningen tycks bottna i att man upplevt länsstyrelsen och Sand Lifes ursprungliga planer som alltför omfattande och inte tillräckligt förankrade, utifrån ett lokalt perspektiv. Det framkom också att informationen om projektet hade varit bristfällig, vilket möjligen kan kopplas till den inställning man initialt hade. Idag pekar resultaten på att de närboende som grupp är neutrala till försiktigt positiva i sin upplevelse av Sand Life. I huvudsak verkar detta bero på att åtgärderna i naturreservatet blev tilltalande; möjligen kan inställningen också kopplas till att länsstyrelsen och Sand Life tog hänsyn och reviderade skötselplanen samt visade större öppenhet mot de närboende. Eventuellt kan proaktiv information, tydliga avsikter och viljan att utveckla olika planer och projekt i en kontinuerlig dialog med lokalbefolkningen begränsa naturskydd- och förvaltningskonflikters omfattning. / Although nature conservation is supposed to benefit all of us, the work is rarely trouble-free. My concern for these problems is the starting point for this candidacy. The study intends to investigate how information and communication has influenced the residents' attitude to Sand Life, in connection with the development of Haväng and Vitemölla nature reserve. The case study also examines the conflict that arose in the process. The investigation was made possible in three steps: interviews with the county administrative board and Sand Life staff members; questionnaire and interviews with residents around Vitemölla. The result indicates that the residents as a group initially were negative in their attitude to Sand Life. The attitude seemed to be caused by the experience that the county administrative board and Sand Lifes' original plans for the nature reserve was too extensive and not sufficiently anchored, from a local perspective. It was also found that the information about the project had been inadequate, which could possibly be linked to the initial attitude. Today the results indicate that the residents as a group are neutral to cautiously positive in their attitude to Sand Life. Possibly due to the fact that the measures taken in the nature reserve became appealing; the attitude can perhaps also be linked to the authorities revising the care plan and showing greater openness towards the residents. Proactive information, clear intentions and the willingness to develop different plans and projects in a continuous dialogue with locals, can possibly limit the extent of conflicts.

Rehabilitation is a dynamic process influenced by factors related to more than one field of ecology. It is therefore necessary to consider all these components when assessing the rehabilitation, although in the initial stages the successful revegetation of the disturbed areas is the most important criterion. Richards Bay Minerals, on whose mining site this project was carried out, is dredge mining heavy minerals on the north coast of Natal, where they have rehabilitated mined areas since 1978. This project has been carried out to establish: 1) The success of their dune forest rehabilitation using quantitative techniques. 2) The available seed bank in their rehabilitation stands. 3) The similarities in the succession taking place in rehabilitation stands compared to the revegetated stands in the vicinity of Richards Bay. 4) The best methods for creating alternative vegetation communities, especially grasslands, with a high species diversity on the mined tailings. This study reviews only the success of rehabilitation of the natural vegetation but other studies focusing on the insect, reptile, mammal and bird populations are also being undertaken by other researchers. No particular method of determining the success of vegetation rehabilitation has been chosen by restoration ecologists. Therefore in this study a broad range of quantitative techniques were used to show whether successional changes are occurring in the vegetation and physical environment. The results obtained from sampling the rehabilitated vegetation have shown that both the species richness and diversity are increasing as the returned vegetation matures. Levels of soil properties such as Sodium, Phosphate, Calcium and percentage organic matter have also risen with increasing stand age. Community complexity is also increasing with stand age, and TWINSPAN and DECORANA plots have separated out the differently aged stands based on their differences. A "pilot" study was done on the seed bank present in the rehabilitation stands. This has shown the presence of large amounts of early successional, mostly herbaceous species. Seeds of later successional and woody species were scarce which may be a result of the sampling intensity used. However seeds of late successional ground cover species were found in the older stands. Comparisons between the natural revegetation of disturbed areas in the vicinity of Richards Bay and the rehabilitation stands revealed similarities in both species composition and complexity. Species richness and diversity values are comparatively similar for the younger revegetated and older rehabilitation stands, and lWlNSPAN and DECORANA analysis techniques clustered the samples recorded from these areas in close proximity on their relative plots. The oldest revegetated sites contain a number of species found in the rehabilitated vegetation but as Acacia karroo has thinned-out in these stands many of these other species are now mature individuals. Attempts at rehabilitating an area of grassland at Richards Bay Minerals has not produced satisfactory species diversity and experimental manipulations were used to try and increase the diversity of the existing Eragrostis curvula dominated community. Of the several treatments used for the manipulation, a combination of burning and further topsoiling was the most successful in reducing Eragrostis importance and in increasing the species richness. Grassland topsoil spread directly onto the bare tailings produced an extensive vegetation covering over a short period but species richness was not significantly greater than for the existing Eragrostis dominated grassland, and further treatments and management needs to continue if this technique is to be employed. Only a limited amount of alien infestation of the rehabilitated areas was evident from the sampling undertaken during this research. As the removal of alien plants is an ongoing process and the rehabilitation stands are continuously monitored to identify any new invaders, this is not expected to become a problem. From the results of work done overseas and the rehabilitation carried out in South Africa it appears that it is possible to return natural vegetation communities on mined areas. That this is a lengthy process is to be expected but by manipulating the vegetation and continuously monitoring the process it may be possible to speed up development. Areas in need of further research have been identified based on the findings of this project. This will help to reinforce the undertaking of management proposals that will enhance the vegetation recovery and the success of the rehabilitation programme.

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