Estimativa da evapotranspiração espacial em uma região semiárida utilizando sensoriamento remoto

With the need to deploy management and monitoring systems of natural resources in areas susceptible to environmental degradation, as is the case of semiarid regions, several works have been developed in order to find effective models and technically and economically viable. Therefore, this study aimed to estimate the daily actual evapotranspiration (ETr) through the application of the Surface Energy Balance Algorithm for Land (SEBAL), from remote sensing products, in a semiarid region, Seridó of the Rio Grande do Norte, and do the validation of these estimates using ETr values obtained by the Penman-Monteith (standard method of the Food and Agriculture Organization-FAO). The SEBAL is based on energy balance method, which allows obtaining the vertical latent heat flux (LE) with orbital images and, consequently, of the evapotranspiration through the difference of flows, also vertical, of heat in the soil (G), sensitive heat (H) and radiation balance (Rn). The study area includes the surrounding areas of the Dourado reservoir, located in the Currais Novos/RN city. For the implementation of the algorithm were used five images TM/Landsat-5. The work was divided in three chapters in order to facilitate a better discussion of each part of the SEBAL processing, distributed as follows: first chapter addressing the spatio-temporal variability of the biophysical variables; second chapter dealing with spatio-temporal distribution of instant and daily radiation balance; and the third chapter discussing the heart of the work, the daily actual evapotranspiration estimation and the validation than to the study area

Influência dos fatores abióticos sobre a variação espaço-temporal de paralonchurus brasiliensis (Steindachner, 1875) (pisces, sciaenidae) componente da fauna acompanhante da pesca de camarões no litoral Norte de São Paulo

Knowledge of the environmental factors influence on the spatial-temporal variation of fishes is important to fisheries management and conservation. Thus, the aim of this work was to analyze the influence of the abiotical factors on the spatial-temporal distribution of Paralonchurus brasiliensis (Pisces, Sciaenidae) caught by-catch with the shrimp fishing of Ubatuba and Caraguatatuba regions, north coast of São Paulo State. The fishes were captured every month from January to December 2002. Samples were collected by otter trawl at 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35m depths. The temperatures (surface and bottom), salinities (surface and bottom), sediment features and organic matters were verified for each depth. During all period of the study 12.642 specimens of P. brasiliensis were captured at Ubatuba and 17.166 at Caraguatatuba, which totalized the biomass of 267 for the first and 339kg for the other region. The females outnumbered males in fish population. The greatest values of biomass and number of individuals were registered at the summer and autumn seasons, while the lowest values were observed at the winter and spring seasons. The greatest abundances were found from 15 to 25m depth. In this study, it was verified that P. brasiliensis is a coastal waters associate species. The spatialtemporal distribution of P. brasiliensis is affected by intrusion of SACW and depth for the coastal region and by depth and sediment in sheltered areas such as Caraguatatuba

Disponibilidade hídrica potencial em face da distribuição espaço-temporal das precipitações no Estado do Rio Grande do Norte

The state of Rio Grande do Norte, possessor of an extremely irregular regime of rains, has the necessity of enlarge and specify the researches about its own hydro-climatic conditions, to achieve trustworthy results that are able to minimize the adversities imposed by these conditions and make possible the implementation of a better planning in the economic activities and of subsistence that somehow utilize of the multiple uses of hydro resources of the State. This way, the daily values observed from the pluviometric series of 166 posts, with 45 years uninterrupted of historic data, were adjusted to the incomplete gamma function to the determination of the probability of rain in the 36 period of ten days in which the year was divided. To the attainment of the α and β parameters of this function it was applied the method of the maximum verisimilitude allowing, in the end, to analyze the temporal and spatial distribution of the rain in the level of 75% of probability. The values of potential evapo-transpiration were calculated by the Linacre method that, through the SURFER software, were confronted with the dependant rain, obtaining, in this way, the spatialization of the potential hydro availability, which the values can be known to any period of ten days of the year, city and/or region of the state of Rio Grande do Norte. With the identification of the main meteorological systems that act in the State, we sought to better comprehend how this systems interfere, in the irregular regime of rain, in the situations of several clime in the major part of Rio Grande do Norte and in the hydro regional balance. And, finally, with these data in hand and with the generated maps, we verified that space-temporal distribution of the rain and of the potential hydro availability were heterogeneous in the whole State, mainly in the West and Central regions, inserted in potiguar s semi-arid, which, after the period of the rains station, suffers with dry season and length drought during the rest of the year

Influência dos fatores abióticos sobre a variação espaço-temporal de paralonchurus brasiliensis (Steindachner, 1875) (pisces, sciaenidae) componente da fauna acompanhante da pesca de camarões no litoral Norte de São Paulo

Knowledge of the environmental factors influence on the spatial-temporal variation of fishes is important to fisheries management and conservation. Thus, the aim of this work was to analyze the influence of the abiotical factors on the spatial-temporal distribution of Paralonchurus brasiliensis (Pisces, Sciaenidae) caught by-catch with the shrimp fishing of Ubatuba and Caraguatatuba regions, north coast of São Paulo State. The fishes were captured every month from January to December 2002. Samples were collected by otter trawl at 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35m depths. The temperatures (surface and bottom), salinities (surface and bottom), sediment features and organic matters were verified for each depth. During all period of the study 12.642 specimens of P. brasiliensis were captured at Ubatuba and 17.166 at Caraguatatuba, which totalized the biomass of 267 for the first and 339kg for the other region. The females outnumbered males in fish population. The greatest values of biomass and number of individuals were registered at the summer and autumn seasons, while the lowest values were observed at the winter and spring seasons. The greatest abundances were found from 15 to 25m depth. In this study, it was verified that P. brasiliensis is a coastal waters associate species. The spatialtemporal distribution of P. brasiliensis is affected by intrusion of SACW and depth for the coastal region and by depth and sediment in sheltered areas such as Caraguatatuba

Encalhes de Cetáceos ocorridos no período de 1984 a 2005 no litoral do Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil

Strandings of live or dead aquatic mammals constitute an important instrument to provide information regarding the occurrence, biology and ecology of these species. The aim of this study was to register the stranded species of cetaceans, the frequency and the spatial-temporal distribution of theses strandings during the period of 1984 to 2005, in the coast of Rio Grande do Norte. Data was acquired through the monitoring of strandings in the north, north-west and south coast of RN, and through information obtained from institutions and newspaper archives of the State. A total of 122 strandings of cetaceans were registered along the coast of Rio Grande do Norte. Of the 14 species of cetaceans registered, four species had higher frequencies: Sotalia guianensis (n= 65), Steno bredanensis (n = 6), Globicephala macrorhynchus (n = 6) and Physeter macrocephalus (n = 7). Out of 118 strandings, 93 occurred in the south coast (78.8 %), 23 in the north coast (19.5%) and 2 (1.7%) in the north-west coast of the State. The highest frequency of strandings occurred during the months of August to March and the maximum number of strandings occurred from 2000 onwards, as a consequence of the intense monitoring of the Pequenos Cetáceos Project in Rio Grande do Norte

Investigação dos processos hidrossedimentológicos em parcela experimental no semi-árido potiguar

In northeastern semiarid, seasonality on precipitation temporal distribution, high intensity storm events and inadequate management of native vegetation can promote soil erosion. Vegetation removal causes soil surface exposure, reduces soil water storage capacity and can be the source degradation processes. In this context, this approach aims to analyze water and soil erosion processes on a 250 m2 undisturbed experimental plot with native vegetation, slope 2.5% by using 2006 and 2007 monitoring data. The site was instrumented to monitor rainfall, overland flow runoff and erosion by using a 5 m³ tank downstream the plot. Soil erosion monitoring was made by transported sediment and organic matter collection after each event. Field infiltration experiments were made at 16 points randomly distributed within the plot area by using a constant head infiltrometer during drought and rainy seasons, respectively. Infiltration data revealed high spatial and temporal variability. It was observed that during the beginning of the rainy period, 77% of the events showed runoff coefficient less than 0.05. As the rainy season began, soil water increase produced annual species germination. High intensity storms resulted in runoff coefficients varying between 0.33 and 0.42. Once the annual species was established, it was observed that approximately 39% of the events produced no runoff, which reflects an increase on soil water retention capacity caused by the vegetation. A gradual runoff reduction during the rainy season emphasizes the effect of vegetative density increase. Soil erosion observed data allowed to fit an empirical relationship involving soil loss and precipitation height, which was used to analyze the plot installation impact on soil erosion. Observed soil loss in 2006 and 2007 was 230 Kg/ha and 54 Kg/ha, respectively

Estudo comparativo da marcha de indivíduos hemiparéticos no solo e na esteira

The purpose of the study was to compare hemiparetic gait overground and on the treadmill. Seventeen chronic stroke patients were included in the study. They walked overground and on a treadmill level at the same speed. The Qualisys Medical AB motion analysis system was used to quantify the joint kinematic of the paretic lower limb and the spatio-temporal parameters on the two conditions: overground walking and treadmill walking on three samples of 5-minutes. During the first sample, the subjects walked on the treadmill with greater cadence, shorter stride length, shorter step time on the lower paretic limb, greater range of motion in the hip and knee, greater knee flexion at the initial contact, more extension of the knee and lower dorsiflexion of the ankle at the stance phase. It is important to emphasize that the maximal knee flexion and ankle dorsiflexion just occurred later on the treadmill. Comparisons between each walking sample on the treadmill hadn t revealed any changes on the gait parameters over time. Nonetheless, when analyzing the third walking sample on the treadmill and overground, some variables showed equivalence as such as the total range of motion of the hip, the knee angle at the initial contact and its maximal extension at the stance phase. In summary, walking on a treadmill, even thought having some influence on the familiarization process, haven t demonstrated a complete change in its characteristics of hemiparetic chronic patients

Influência do biofeedback no treino de marcha de sujeitos hemiparéticos: ensaio clínico randomizado

BACKGROUND: Treadmill training with partial body weight support (BWS) has shown many benefits for patients after a stroke. But their findings are not well known when combined with biofeedback. OBJETIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the immediate effects of biofeedback, visual and auditory, combined with treadmill training with BWS on on walking functions of hemiplegic subjects. METHODS: We conducted a clinical trial, randomized controlled trial with 30 subjects in the chronic stage of stroke, underwent treadmill training with BWS (control), combined with visual biofeedback, given by the monitor of the treadmill through the symbolic appearance of feet as the subject gave the step; or auditory biofeedback, using a metronome with a frequency of 115% of the cadence of the individual. The subjects were evaluated by kinematics, and the data obtained by the Motion Analysis System Qualisys. To assess differences between groups and within each group after training was applied to ANOVA 3 x 2 repeated measures. RESULTS: There were no statistical differences between groups in any variable spatio-temporal and angular motion, but within each group there was an increase in walking speed and stride length after the training. The group of visual biofeedback increased the stance period and reduced the swing period and reason of symmetry, and the group auditory biofeedback reduced the double stance period. The range of motion of the knee and ankle and the plantar flexion increased in the visual biofeedback group. CONCLUSION: There are no differences between the immediate effects of gait training on a treadmill with BWS performed with and without visual or auditory biofeedback. However, the visual biofeedback can promote changes in a larger number of variables spatiotemporal and angular gait

Influência de fotoperíodo artificial no comportamento de um primata neotropical diurno (Callithrix jacchus)

One of the main environmental cues for the adjustment of temporal organization of the animals is the light-dark cycle (LD), which undergoes changes in phase duration throughout the seasons. Photoperiod signaling by melatonin in mammals allows behavioral changes along the year, as in the activity-rest cycle, in mood states and in cognitive performance. The aim of this study was to investigate if common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) exhibits behavioral changes under short and long photoperiods in a 24h cycle, assessing their individual behaviors, vocal repertoire, exploratory activity (EA), recognition memory (RM) and the circadian rhythm of locomotor activity (CRA). Eight adult marmosets were exposed to a light-dark cycle of 12:12; LD 08:16; LD 12:12 and LD 16:08, sequentially, for four weeks in each condition. Locomotor activity was recorded 24h/day by passive infrared motion detectors above the individual cages. A video camera system was programmed to record each animal, twice a week, on the first two light hours. From the videos, frequency of behaviors was registered as anxiety-like, grooming, alert, hanging position, staying in nest box and feeding using continuous focal animal sampling method. Simultaneously, the calls emitted in the experimental room were recorded by a single microphone centrally located and categorized as affiliative (whirr, chirp), contact (phee), long distance (loud shrill), agonistic (twitter) and alarm (tsik, seep, see). EA was assessed on the third hour after lights onset on the last week of each condition. In a first session, marmosets were exposed to one unfamiliar object during 15 min and 24h later, on the second session, a novel object was added to evaluate RM. Results showed that long days caused a decreased of amplitude and period variance of the CRA, but not short days. Short days decreased the total daily activity and active phase duration. On long days, active phase duration increased due to an advance of activity onset in relation to symmetric days. However, not all subjects started the activity earlier on long days. The activity offset was similar to symmetric days for the majority of marmosets. Results of EA showed that RM was not affected by short or long days, and that the marmosets exhibited a decreased in duration of EA on long days. Frequency and type of calls and frequency of anxiety-like behaviors, staying in nest box and grooming were lower on the first two light hours on long days. Considering the whole active phase of marmosets as we elucidate the results of vocalizations and behaviors, it is possible that these changes in the first two light hours are due to the shifting of temporal distribution of marmoset activities, since some animals did not advance the activity onset on long days. Consequently, the marmosets mean decreased because the sampling was not possible. In conclusion, marmosets synchronized the CRA to the tested photoperiods and as the phase angle varied a lot among marmosets it is suggested that they can use different strategies. Also, long days had an effect on activity-rest cycle and exploratory behaviors

Sistemas computacionais espaço-temporais para toma de decisão em questões ambientais relacionadas à indústria de petróleo e gás

The area between São Bento do Norte and Macau cities, located in the northern coast of the Rio Grande do Norte State is submitted to intense and constant processes of littoral and aeolian transport, causing erosion, alterations in the sediments balance and modifications in the shoreline. Beyond these natural factors, the human interference is huge in the surroundings, composed by sensitive places, due to the existence of the Guamaré Petroliferous Pole, RN, the greater terrestrial oil producing in Brazil, besides the activities of the salt companies and shrimp farms. This socioeconomic-environmental context justifies the elaboration of strategies of environmental monitoring of that coastal area. In the environmental monitoring of coastal strips, submitted to human impacts, the use of multi-sources and multitemporal data integrated through a Spatio- Temporal Database that allows the multiuser friendly access. The objective was to use the potential of the computational systems as important tools the managers of environmental monitoring. The stored data in the form of a virtual library aid in making decisions from the related results and presented in different formats. This procedure enlarges the use of the data in the preventive attendance, in the planning of future actions and in the definition of new lines of researches on the area, in a multiscale approach. Another activity of this Thesis consisted on the development of a computational system to automate the process to elaborate Oil-Spill Environmental Sensitivity Maps, based on the temporal variations that some coastal ecosystems present in the sensibility to the oil. The maps generated in this way, based on the methodology proposed by the Ministério do Meio Ambiente, supply more updated information about the behavior of the ecosystem, as a support to the operations in case of oil spill. Some parameters, such as the hydrodynamic data, the declivity of the beach face, types of resources in risk (environmental, economical, human or cultural) and use and occupation of the area are some of the essential basic information in the elaboration of the sensitivity maps, which suffer temporal alterations.In this way, the two computational systems developed are considered support systems to the decision, because they provide operational subsidies to the environmental monitoring of the coastal areas, considering the transformations in the behavior of coastal elements resulting from temporal changes related the human and/or natural interference of the environment