Combinatorial properties of finite geometric lattices

Let L be a finite geometric lattice of dimension n, and let w(k) denote the number of elements in L of rank k. Two theorems about the numbers w(k) are proved: first, w(k) ≥ w(1) for k = 2, 3, ..., n-1. Second, w(k) = w(1) if and only if k = n-1 and L is modular. Several corollaries concerning the "matching" of points and dual points are derived from these theorems.

Both theorems can be regarded as a generalization of a theorem of de Bruijn and Erdös concerning ʎ= 1 designs. The second can also be considered as the converse to a special case of Dilworth's theorem on finite modular lattices.

These results are related to two conjectures due to G. -C. Rota. The "unimodality" conjecture states that the w(k)'s form a unimodal sequence. The "Sperner" conjecture states that a set of non-comparable elements in L has cardinality at most max/k {w(k)}. In this thesis, a counterexample to the Sperner conjecture is exhibited.

Avaliação do processo de tratamento de chorume do aterro sanitário de Jardim Gramacho utilizando a técnica de Eletro-Fenton

Este trabalho compara a utilização do tratamento eletrolítico e do tratamento Eletro-Fenton, em corrente alternada (CA), no chorume proveniente do aterro de Gramacho, no estado do Rio de Janeiro. O tratamento eletrolítico consiste em utilizar eletrodos de Fe em contato com a eletricidade, que em pH adequado, sofrem dissolução formando o agente coagulante in situ. O tratamento Eletro-Fenton consiste na geração de um dos componentes do reagente de Fenton pelo método eletrolítico. Nesse trabalho o reagente de Fenton é formado pelos íons ferro gerados pelo tratamento eletrolítico unindo-se ao peróxido de hidrogênio 30% adicionado exteriormente. Amostras do chorume foram caracterizadas pelos parâmetros pH, condutividade, salinidade, temperatura, turbidez, sólidos totais dissolvidos (STD) e Demanda Química de Oxigênio (DQO). O uso do tratamento eletrolítico só mostrou resultados de remoção para DQO e cor. Para garantir um melhor desempenho na remoção de DQO e cor e encontrar valores de remoção para a turbidez foi necessário o uso do tratamento Eletro-Fenton. Alguns parâmetros são importantes no uso dessa técnica, tais como pH, dosagem de peróxido, intensidade de corrente e tempo reacional. Os resultados obtidos para a remoção de DQO, cor e turbidez, foram respectivamente, 74%, 95% e 95%, nas condições operacionais: pH 4, dosagem de 5 mL de peróxido de hidrogênio a 30 %, intensidade de corrente de 2A e tempo reacional de 30 minutos. O tratamento Eletro-Fenton se mostrou mais favorável, pois o tratamento eletrolítico nas mesmas condições operacionais, só apresentou resultado de remoção de DQO que foi de 56%, mesmo sendo o consumo energético idêntico para ambos os processos (0,6 k W h m-3)

Management of fishing capacity in a spiny lobster (Panulirus argus) fishery: analysis of trap performance under the Florida spiny lobster Trap Certificate Program

The spiny lobster (Panulirus argus) fishery in Florida was operationally inefficient and overcapitalized throughout the 1980s. The Trap Certificate Program initiated during the 1992–93 season was intended to increase gear efficiency by reducing the number of traps being used while maintaining the same catch level in the fishery. A depletion model was used to estimate trap fishing efficiency. The costs of fishing operations and the value of the catch were used to determine the revenues generated by the fishery under different trap levels. A negative functional relationship was found between the catchability coefficient and the number of traps, which indicated that the fewer traps operating under the trap reduction scheme were more efficient. Also, the financial analyses indicated that the higher catch efficiency resulting from fewer traps generated significantly higher revenues, despite lower stock abundances. This study indicates that the trap reduction program had improved a situation that would have been much worse.

A reassessment of equations for predicting natural mortality in Mediterranean teleosts

This brief article presents new empirical models for prediction of natural mortality (M) from growth parameters (L and K, W and K) in Mediterranean teleosts, based on 56 data sets presented in an earlier paper in the January 1993 issue of Naga, the ICLARM Quarterly in which models were presented that included temperature as a predictor variable, although its effect was nonsignificant and its partial slope had the "wrong" sign.

Is it deforestation or desertification when we do it to the ocean?

Anecdotal evidence from 60 marine species suggests a pattern of resource exhaustion rather than sustainable use. There is a reason to believe that biomass in the Atlantic Western Boundary Current Fishery-Grand Banks, Newfoundland, North Atlantic, Norwegian Sea, Barents Sea is 3-10% of what it was when fishing was started. Selective removal of large species may have caused major nutrient distribution in both rich and poor waters.

Fish surveys on the Leven and Kent estuaries

This is the Wetland resource evaluation and the NRA's role in its conservation: Resource assessment report produced by North West Water in 1982. In this report data from a variety of sources in river Leven and Leven estuary have been examined to determine if there was any objective foundation for the allegations and for the assertion that poor fish catches were related to discharges of industrial effluent to the estuary. Catches of salmon and sea trout from the Leven did not appear to have suffered any long term declines and year to year fluctuations did not appear to be any more extreme than in other North West rivers. Fish surveys did not show any marked differences in the diversity or distribution of fish between the Kent and Leven estuaries but catches of flounders were consistently lower from the Leven estuary. Analysis of fisheries statistics of landings of fish and shellfish from Morecambe Bay did not show any evidence of localised declines in catches from the Leven estuary. Results of laboratory experiments suggested that populations of bivalve molluscs might be more at risk from the effects of discharges to the Leven estuary than resident or migratory fish.

异叶苣苔属系统学和进化研究——兼论尖舌苣苔族的系统发育

异叶苣苔属(Whytockia)隶属于苦苣苔科(Gesneriaceae)、尖舌苣苔族(Klugieae)．70年代以来，该属作为Klugieae中最原始的类群才逐渐被人们所认识，并被认为是解决Klugieae系统发育问题的关键类群，但到目前为止，对该属变异式样及系统发育的认识仍然极其有限．鉴于上述原因，本文结合蜡叶标本和大量的野外观察和采集，从形态学、维管束的结构和分化，形态发生和细胞学等方面，进行异叶苣苔属的系统学和进化研究，并兼论尖舌苣苔族的系统发育． 1．通过对异叶苣苔属大量性状的仔细观察和比较，本文选择了34个性状，并分析了他们的变异式样及其形成原因，为进一步的系统学研究提供依据． 2．地上茎的形态发生研究揭示出异叶苣苔属植物的顶芽完全受到抑制，位于小型叶腋的侧芽萌发，从而替代顶芽生长，地上茎的不分枝是位于大型叶腋的腋芽受到抑制所致，该研究纠正了前人的观察错误． 3．花序及花的形态发生过程表明，异叶苣苔属的花序呈对花从花序轴内侧二列式连续发生，没有任何分枝和附属物．花各部分的发生顺序基本上呈向心式，但在花冠和雄蕊原基之间则为离心式发生．花萼和花冠原基的发生及发育顺序均呈下降式，从而使花萼和花冠在芽中呈下降覆瓦状排列，退化雄蕊是由发育停滞所致．雌蕊的两个心皮在形态发生过程中由离生到合生，该属具中轴胎座的二室子房起源于两个离生心皮的近轴面内卷式愈合，柱头从离生到合生决定于个体发育中愈合部向上推进的程度． 4．为了澄清性状演化极性这一关键问题、本文作了花部器官解剖以及心皮维管束结构及分化过程的研究，结果表明，该属花梗和花萼中均具有分泌道和雄蕊束从中柱独立分出，同独叶苣苔属(Monophyllaea)十分相似：花盘低且薄并且没有维管束，以及子房壁维管束具有不同来源而区别于尖舌苣苔族(Klugieae)中的其它类群．异叶苣苔属的心皮结合程度和胎座形态可分为三种类型，即A型：心皮结合部的中轴区膨大，但四个瓣片的上部分离、B型：除中轴区膨大外，四个瓣片也成对愈合，胎座呈锚形、C型：中轴区不膨大，四个瓣片完全分离，子房上部一室．前者保留了较多的叶性，可能是该属乃至尖舌苣苔族中最原始心皮及胎座形态．后二者代表着两个相反的演化趋势． 5．本文首次报道了异叶苣苔属的染色体数目和核型，染色体数目均为2n＝18，x＝9．核型分别是2A或3A．核型的演化趋势，即从对称到不对称和随体的丢失同外部形态的变异密切相关。 6．深入地比较和分析了异叶苣苔属和其他类群的关系以及性状的演化趋势，并运用分支分析方法，重建属的系统发育． 7．生态、地理分布和演化的研究表明：异叶苣苔属的多样化中心分别是云南东南部和滇、贵、川交界区域，起源于第三纪或更早期的古热带湿润性森林植物区系，起源地可能是两个现代多样化中心所连接的整个区域，即：滇东南至滇贵川交界区域． 8．本文对异叶苣苔属进行全面的分类学修订，包括7个种，其中一个新种，新组合1个种和一个变种、根据该属的系统发育式样，在属下新设两个组．系统排列如下： 异叶苣苔属Whytockia W. W. Smith 组1：异叶苣苔组Sect. Whytockia Y. Z. Wang sect. nov. 1．河口异叶苣苔W. hekouensis Y. Z. Wang 2．毕节异叶苣苔W. bijieensis Y. Z. Wang, sp. nov. 3．异叶苣苔W. chiritiflora (Oliv.) W.W. Smith 4．峨眉异叶苣苔W. wilsonii (A. Weber) Y. Z. Wang, stat. nov. 5．紫红异叶苣苔W. purpurascens Y. Z. Wang 组2：台湾异叶苣苔组Sect. Synstigma Y. Z. Wang, sect. nov. 6．白花异叶苣苔W. tsiangiana (Hand.-Mazz) A. Weber 7．台湾异叶苣苔W. sasakii (Hayata)B．L．Burtt. 9．在异叶苣苔属系统学和进化研究的基础上，结合前人工作，本文进一步探讨尖舌苣苔族的系统发育．大量的证据充分显示出异叶苣苔属和圆果苣苔属分别是Klugieae最原始的类群，该族中的尖舌苣苔属(Rhynchoglossum)，盾座苣苔属(Epithema)和独叶苣苔属(Mono phyllaea)，可能是从Whytockia植物的早期类群直接演化而来，十字苣苔属(Stauranthera)和Loxonia也可能直接或间接来自Gyrogyne植物的早期类群．尖舌苣苔族植物可能起源于亚洲大陆或更准确地说，中国西南部地区，在随后的演化过程中，经过分化、迁移，逐渐形成广布于南亚、东南亚及太平洋岛屿至西非、中美洲的现代地理分布式样。

Shallow-water benthic habitats of southwest Puerto Rico

This report describes the creation and assessment of benthic habitat maps for shallow-water (<30m) marine environments of the Guánica/Parguera and Finca Belvedere Natural Reserve in southwest Puerto Rico. The objective was to provide spatially-explicit information on the habitat types, biological cover and live coral cover of the region’s coral reef ecosystem. These fine-scale habitat maps, generated by interpretation of 2010 satellite imagery, provide an update to NOAA’s previous digital maps of the U.S. Caribbean (Kendall et al., 2001) for these areas. Updated shallow-water benthic habitat maps for the Guánica/Parguera region are timely in light of ongoing restoration efforts in the Guánica Bay watershed. The bay is served directly by one river, the Rio Loco, which flows intermittently and more frequently during the rainy season. The watershed has gone through a series of manipulations and alterations in past decades, mainly associated with agricultural practices, including irrigation systems, in the upper watershed. The Guánica Lagoon, previously situated to the north of the bay, was historically the largest freshwater lagoon in Puerto Rico and served as a natural filter and sediment sink prior to the discharge of the Rio Loco into the Bay. Following alterations by the Southwest Water Project in the 1950s, the Lagoon’s adjacent wetland system was ditched and drained; no longer filtering and trapping sediment from the Rio Loco. Land use in the Guánica Bay/Rio Loco watershed has also gone through several changes (CWP, 2008). Similar to much of Puerto Rico, the area was largely deforested for sugar cane cultivation in the 1800s, although reforestation of some areas occurred following the cessation of sugar cane production (Warne et al., 2005). The northern area of the watershed is generally mountainous and is characterized by a mix of forested and agricultural lands, particularly coffee plantations. Closer to the coast, the Lajas Valley Agricultural Reserve extends north of Guánica Bay to the southwest corner of the island. The land use practices and watershed changes outlined above have resulted in large amounts of sediment being distributed in the Rio Loco river valley (CWP, 2008). Storm events and seasonal flooding also transport large amounts of sediment to the coastal waters. The threats of upstream watershed practices to coral reefs and the nearshore marine environment have been gaining recognition. Guánica Bay, and the adjacent marine waters, has been identified as a “management priority area” by NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP, 2012). In a recent Guánica Bay watershed management plan, several critical issues were outlined in regards to land-based sources of pollution (LBSP; CWP, 2008). These include: upland erosion from coffee agriculture, filling of reservoirs with sediment, in-stream channel erosion, loss of historical Guánica lagoon, legacy contaminants and sewage treatment (CWP, 2008). The plan recommended several management actions that could be taken to reduce impacts of LBSP, which form the basis of Guánica watershed restoration efforts.