Thesis (Ph. D.)--Texas State University-San Marcos, 2006. / Vita. Appendix: leaves 192-193. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 194-213).

This thesis was focused on studying diatoms (Bacillariophyceae) from Acadia National Park, Maine, USA. First, the park is introduced and the preliminary study of freshwater algae, including diatoms, is presented. Extraordinary species richness of algae was discovered, especially in the group of diatoms, which is documented by a complete list of 674 diatom taxa in 92 genera encountered in the freshwater and brackish habitats within the park. Of those a considerable number of species unfortunately remained unidentified, as they did not conform to any described taxon in the available scientific literature. Therefore, several of those unnamed taxa were studied in close detail using light and scanning electron microscopes, exhaustive literature and herbaria search, and yielded description of three new species from genus Eunotia, and rediscovery of two rare and almost forgotten Surirella species.

Various dendrochronological methods for avalanche reconstructions was applied on tree-ring records of dominant Norway spruce (Picea abies) in the Giant Mountains National Park. The individual growth chronologies from studied avalanche paths (Pramenný důl, Navorská jáma, Pančavská stěna, Velká Studniční jáma and Úpská jáma) proved that climate is the main driving factor of intra-annual variation of tree growth. Traumatic resin ducts are formed with delay up to 5 years. Combination of two and more tree-ring characteristics is suitable for reconstruction of avalanche events. I achieved to reconstruct undocumented avalanches. I conclude that dendrochronology is suitable tool for avalanche reconstruction; however, high pollutant emission highly reduced the potential of gained results.

abstract: Livestock-grazing, in particular cattle grazing, is a common use of public and private lands in western North America. As a result, the effects of grazing on both plants and animals are widely studied. Few studies, however, look directly at the long-term effects that cattle grazing may have on a particular species. The goal of this experiment was to continue research begun in 1988, to determine if the effects of cattle grazing are still seen in the age structure of two populations of saguaros (Carnegiea gigantea [Engelm.] Britton & Rose) at Saguaro National Park - Rincon Mountain District (SNP-RMD). The null hypothesis stated that enough time has elapsed since the cessation of grazing, and there is no difference in the age distribution of the saguaros of the two populations. The study area was comprised of a former fence line where grazing ceased on the western side of the fence in 1958 and the eastern side in 1978. Belt transects were laid on each side of the fence line and height was measured for each saguaro encountered in a transect. Approximate age of the individual was then calculated using an age-height correlation for SNP-RMD. Individuals were then placed into age classes of 10 year increments and a Log-Likelihood test was performed. The resulting calculated P value of 0.12 meant the null hypothesis was not rejected and there was no statistical difference between the age structure of the two populations. After 34 and 54 years rest from grazing, the negative effects of cattle grazing on the retention and recruitment of saguaro seedlings have ended, and replenishment of the populations is now dependent upon factors such as temperature and precipitation. Other factors such as climate change, increasing fire frequency, encroachment by invasive species, and poaching are sources of concern and increased mortality for these and other saguaros. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S. Applied Biological Sciences 2013

FundaÃÃo de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Cearà / A dissertaÃÃo tem como objetivo de estudo a analise dos reflexos dos fluxos de veiculos no Parque Nacional de Jericoacoara , situado no litoral oeste do Estado do Ceara. Este contempla os desdobramentos socioambientais ocasionados pelo intenso fluxo de visitantes, moradores e prestadores de serviÃos veiculados que trafegam no parque em diraÃao a vila de Jericoacoara, principal destino turistico da localidade, pois , para se ter acesso a esta e a outras areas do entorno, à preciso atravessar o Parque. As prÃticas marÃtmas modernas agregradas a atividade turistica tornaram-se mote para a busca de novos espaÃos. Nutrida pela atividade de lazer (sol e mar) e prÃticas nÃuticas (kite, windsurf e surf), a vila de Jericoacoara se tornou em pouco tempo um dos locais mais procurados pelos turistas nacionais e internacionais. Com efeito essas praticas, as dinamicas da atividade turistica e da comunidade conduziram a criaÃao de equipamentos publicos e privados, que , por conseguencia, acarretaram o extrapolamento dos limites da Vila. Outros reflexos deste intenso fluxo incidiram negativamente na formaÃao de trilhas desordenadas que contribuiram sobremaneira para o soterramento de casas e migraÃao do campo de dunas. Para analise destes fatos constatados na pesquisa, trabalhou-se o teÃrico empirico com visitas in loco, reunioes com as comunidades da regiao, orgaos gestores da UC, do municipio e agentes que fazem o turismo acontecer. Outro dado relevante que contribuiu para a composiÃÃo deste trabalho foi a participaÃÃo como membro da equipe do Projeto Zoneamento Geoambiental e Socioeconomico - Plano de uso publico das trilhas de acesso do parque nacional de Jericoacoara, instrumento ulilizado para o reordenamento do fluxo de veÃculos e mitigaÃÃo os impacitos causados poir estes. O Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e Recurso Renovaveis (IBAMA) procurou atenuar os efeitos do fluxo turistico no parque nacional com a tomada de medidas educativas e restritivas. Com base no projeto de zoneamento realizado em parceria com a Universidade Federal do Cearà UFC e Agencia Espanhola de Cooperativa Internacional - AECI, foram delimitadas trÃs trilhas fixas de acesso ao parque, alÃm de se colocar guaritas nos principais portÃes de acesso, a fim de quantificar e informar os turistas sobre a conduta dentro do parque. O resultado da pesquisa constatou que o maior impeto neste momento sÃo os fluxos de veÃculos que atendem comercialmente a vila. Por fim a analise procura delimitar atà que ponto o acesso realizado pelo Parque Nacional à viÃvel e quais as soluÃÃes possÃveis para mitigar a problemÃtica. / The dissertaÃÃo has as objective of it analyzes it to study of the consequences of the flows of vehicles in the National Park of Jericoacoara, situated in the coastal west of the State of the Ceara. This contemplates the socioambientais unfoldings caused by the intense flow of visitors, inhabitants and rendering of propagated services that pass through in the park in diraÃao the village of Jericoacoara, main tourist destination of the locality, therefore, to have access to this and other areas of entorno, is necessary to cross the Park. Practical marÃtmas modern agregradas the tourist activity had become mote for the search of new spaces. Nourished for the activity of leisure (sun and sea) and practical nautical (kite, windsurf and surf), the village of Jericoacoara if became more in little time one of the places looked by the national and international tourists. With effect these you practise, the dynamic of the tourist activity and of the community they had lead the public equipment creation and private, that, for conseguencia, had caused the extrapolamento of the limits of the Village. Other consequences of this intense flow had happened negative in the formation of disordered tracks that excessively contribuiram for the burial of houses and migration of the dune field. For it analyzes of these facts evidenced in the research, worked the empirical theoretician with visits in I lease, meetings with the communities of the region, managing agencies of the UC, the city and agents who make the tourism to happen. Another excellent data that contributed for the composition of this work were the participation as member of the team of the Project Zoning Geoambiental and Socioeconomico - Plan of use I publish of the tracks of access of the national park of Jericoacoara, instrument ulilizado for the reordenamento of the flow of vehicles and mitigaÃÃo the caused impacitos to poir these. The Brazilian Institute of the Environment and Recurso Renovaveis (IBAMA) looked for to attenuate the effect of the tourist flow in the national park with the taking of educative and restrictive measures. On the basis of the project of zoning carried through in partnership with the Federal University of Cearà UFC and Spanish Agency of International Cooperative - AECI, had been delimited three fixed tracks of access to the park, beyond if placing sentry boxes in the main gates of access, in order to inside quantify and to inform the tourists on the behavior of the park. The result of the research evidenced that the biggest impetus at this moment is the flows of vehicles that take care of the village commercially. Finally it analyzes it search to delimit until point the access carried through for the National Park is viable and which the possible solutions to mitigate the problematic one.

Background : The recorded history of veld burning in the Kruger National Park (KNP) started with the appointment of Colonel James Stevenson-Hamilton as warden of the Park (then the Sabie Game Reserve) in July 1912 and can be divided into five periods: From 1912 to 1926, a haphazard, and indecisive burning policy was practiced, mainly due to the perception that fire was unfavourable for the environment and because the means to combat veld fires were very meagre. From 1926 to 1948, in which period it was realized that fire was not only unavoidable over a large area such as the KNP, but also actually desirable, necessary and beneficial when applied with circumspection. During this period the capability to successfully introduce and apply a definite fire policy did not exist. From 1948 to 1956, prescribed burning was not practiced, but a network of graded firebreaks was being established (to create burning blocks), and wild fires were actively combated. From 1957 to 1993, during which period a definite prescribed burning policy was practiced, amended several times, but basically consisting of a triennial rotational system where blocks were burned by management. All fires of non-management ignition sources were combated. From 1993 to the present, when a policy of allowing lightning-ignited fires to burn freely was introduced, and fires of human origin were suppressed. The shift away from a rigid prescribed burning programme was because of the concern that the dominance of grass species characteristic of over utilised veld was a result of too frequent burning (Potgieter, 2001). Lightning fires probably played just as an important role in shaping African savanna in pre-industrial times as anthropogenic fires caused by preindustrial man. The role of post-industrial man as far as its influence on the creation of savanna is concerned is probably negligible, but significantly important in the role of maintaining savanna, although probably not more so than that of lighting fires. Fires caused by postindustrial man becomes suspect as far as the creation of savanna is concerned, because instead of the mere burning of the veld for the pure reasons of survival as practiced by pre-industrial man, a measure of commercialism crept in (Potgieter, 2001). Fire management of the KNP in pre-industrial times can be regarded in the same light as that of post-industrial times. Although the motive for burning the veld in the KNP was beyond reproach, the underlying reasoning was not. Managers’ thinking was geared towards preventing so called “devastating fires”, laying to waste large areas of the Park, not realising that this was in actual fact nature going about its business in this ecosystem. They therefore devised a system of firebreak roads, which was gradually extended to the extent that we now have more than 4000 km roads that must be maintained. This was all in the cause of preventing or managing lightning and arson fires. Given the above, a revision of the veld fire policy was extremely necessary. The mission statement hammered out during the revising process in 1993 underscored and supported the proposal put forward in 1992, that lightning fires should be recognised as a legitimate and completely natural phenomenon in the Lowveld ecosystem. This had to be weighed against the prevailing practice of combating all fires caused by lightning and non-management anthropogenic sources of fire. The essence of this policy would therefore be to allow lightning-fires to burn to their full extent i.e. if vegetation conditions (available biomass) are such that large areas will burn, then such burns will be permitted to proceed to their full extent with the provision that no more than 50% of the management unit will be allowed to burn out (no matter what the ignition source) in a specific fire season (Potgieter, 2001).

Masters of Science / Understanding the hydrogeology of fractured or crystalline rocks is complicated because of complex structure and a porosity that is almost exclusively secondary. These types of geologies exhibit strong heterogeneities and irregularities contrasted in hydraulic properties, spacing and flow direction within fractured rock aquifers. Therefore it is important to develop a conceptual model based on site specific data such as the hydraulic roles between groundwater and nearby hillslope/surface water bodies in order to understand its movement within the environment. Therefore this study intends to develop a hydrogeological conceptual model associated with the dominant groundwater flow processes at a 3rd order scale within the Kruger National Park (KNP).

No abstract available / Dissertation (ML (Prof))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Architecture / unrestricted

The structuring of ant assemblages in a Southern African savanna was investigated using data from the only long-term, large-scale savanna fire experiment in Africa. A comprehensive survey of three habitats in the Kruger National Park (KNP) revealed a total of 169 ant species from 41 genera. The sampling efficiency and consistency of pitfall traps and Winkler samples for inventory, bioindicator and ecological studies in savanna habitats was compared using ants. Pitfall traps were more efficient and productive than Winkler sampling for epigaiec ants, with a greater total species richness and higher abundance of ants recorded. Suggestions were made to improve Winkler sampling output, and to allow quantitative data to be collected. With the structuring of local assemblages, competition was the most significant local factor tested. The relationship between ant dominance and ant species richness was consistent across three continents. A model developed to test mechanisms that could be responsible for the form of this relationship supported the hypothesis that competitive exclusion by dominant ants at least partially reduces species richness. Stress was only partially responsible for low dominance and low species richness, while scatter in the data points is related to patchiness of ants at baits. These findings contrast strongly with previous claims regarding the relationship between richness and dominance. Habitat complexity was not found to play an important role in determining ant assemblage body size in this savanna system. The size-grain hypothesis (Kaspari&Weiser 1999) which predicts that environmental rugosity results in positive allometric scaling of leg length on body length because of changes in locomotion costs, was tested by comparing the body sizes of ants from areas of contrasting habitat complexity. No support for the hypothesis was found. Phylogenetic independent contrast methods did however support the allometric relationship found by Kaspari and Weiser (1999). Ant assemblages in KNP exhibited a remarkable degree of resistance, and in some cases resilience, to burning. Species richness or abundance did not vary with different burning treatments, although ant assemblage composition was sensitive to burning treatment. This difference, however, was only pronounced between burnt and unburnt plots, not between burning treatments. The degree of response of ant assemblages is likely to be related to two main contributory factors: mean annual rainfall and changes in vegetation structure with burning, and the assemblage's history of association with fire. An overview of published research on the effects of fire on fauna in Southern Africa was undertaken. Few studies have examined the effects of fire on amphibians or reptiles and few experimental studies have been undertaken using an experimental fire regime applied over appropriately long time intervals. Most studies provided no information on the scale of the study. Replication was often not reported, and was generally inadequate. Information on the effects of fire on fauna in Southern Africa is fragmentary, and consequently informed management decisions regarding the consequences of burning policies on the conservation of biodiversity both within and outside protected areas are problematic. Recommendations and suggestions for improving fire research are given. / Thesis (DPhil (Zoology))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Zoology and Entomology / unrestricted

The chief objective of the study was to investigate the population dynamics of the hyrax in the Mountain Zebra National Park (MZNP). To realise this objective information on growth, age determination, reproduction, habitat utilization, behaviour, parasites and mortality had to be gathered. The growth of hyrax in relation to age is described by means of Stevens asymptotic regression equations. Near asymptotic measurements are attained first in hind foot length (at 30-33 months of age), head/body length (at 37-39 months of age), girth (at 41-48 months of age) and body mass (at 68-70 months of age). Allometric growth of the various body measurements was investigated and useful predictive relationships for mass are presented. Age determination of hyrax was studied in detail. Cementum annuli counts provided reliable estimates of age. One primary cementum line is formed annually. The dried eye lens mass was an accurate means of age determination up to c. 72 months of age. A summary of findings which will facilitate age determination of dead animals or skulls, and live animals, is provided. Reproduction in the hyrax was studied with emphasis on breeding season, age-specific litter sizes, prenatal mortality and lactation. Male hyrax attained puberty at 15-17 months of age or one year later. Females generally attained puberty at 15-17 months of age. One female (1,4% of total shot sample for the specific age group) attained puberty at 4-5 months of age. Middle-aged hyrax had significantly larger litter sizes than younger animals. Hyrax in the MZNP feed on at least 80 different plant species belonging to 33 plant families. Crude protein of stomach contents and faecal samples showed little seasonal fluctuation implying that hyrax in the MZNP were on a stable quality diet. Female hyrax enjoyed a significantly better quality diet than males for the four month period prior to parturition and during the first two months of lactation. The crude protein values of faecal and stomach samples had a significant correlation. Body fat of male and female hyrax showed seasonal variation related to physiologically stressful periods. Seasonal differences in activity patterns were demonstrated. The basic structure of hyrax social organization is the multi-female kinship group that is matrilocal. Territorial dominant males maintain harems and exclude all other adult males. Peripheral males occupy areas on the periphery of the activity areas of other members of the hyrax colony. Peripheral males do not form bachelor groups and are normally younger than territorial males. It is suggested that territorial males are able to monopolize between 3-17 females in a successful and energetic manner. Both natal and breeding dispersal occurred, the former being considerably more extensive than the latter. The ecto- and endoparasites of hyrax were identified and their burdens quantified over a 13 month period. Juveniles had significantly larger burdens of ectoparasites than did adults. Information on age-specific mortality was obtained from skulls collected in the field and at black eagles' nests. Losses that occurred in the study population due to caracal and black eagle predation were quantified. Evidence is supplied which indicates that juvenile mortality may fluctuate markedly. The population dynamics of the hyrax population in the MZNP was studied by the use of time specific life-tables, models on population growth rates, population simulation models and sensitivity analysis. Sensitivity coefficients were used as a predictor of population regulation. Female juvenile mortality was considered to be the main regulating factor. Changes in fecundity schedule are important compensatory mechanisms and also play an important role in the regulation of a hyrax population. Predation, particularly by caracal, is thought to dampen population fluctuations.