Tree Islands in Everglades Landscapes: Current Status, Historical Changes, and Hydrologic Impacts on Population Dynamics and Moisture Relations, First Annual Report

In 2005 we initiated a project designed to better understand tree island structure and function in the Everglades and the wetlands bordering it. Focus was on the raised portions at the upstream end of the islands, where tropical hardwood species adapted to well-drained conditions usually are the most prominent component of the vegetation. The study design is hierarchical, with four levels; in general, a large number of sites is to be surveyed once for a limited set of parameters, and increasingly small sets of islands are to be sampled more intensively, more frequently, and for more aspects of ecosystem function. During the first year of the 3-year study, we completed surveys of 41 Level 1 (i.e., the least intensive level) islands, and established permanent plots in two and three islands of Levels 2 and 4 intensity, respectively. Tree species richness and structural complexity was highest in Shark Slough “hammocks”, while islands in Northeast Shark Slough and Water Conservation Area 3B, which receive heavy human use, were simpler, more park-like communities. Initial monitoring of soil moisture in Level 4 hammocks indicated considerable local variation, presumably associated with antecedent rainfall and current water levels in the adjacent marsh. Tree islands throughout the study area were impacted significantly by Hurricanes Katrina and Wilma in 2005, but appear to be recovering rapidly. As the project continues to include more islands and repeated measurements, we expect to develop a better grasp of tree island dynamics across the Everglades ecosystem, especially with respect to moisture relations and water levels in the adjacent marsh. The detailed progress report which follows is also available online at http://www.fiu.edu/~serp1/projects/treeislands/tree_islands_2005_annual_report.pd

Application of biomarkers and compound specific stable isotopes for the assessment of hydrology as a driver of organic matter dynamics in the Everglades ecosystem

The Everglades is a sub-tropical coastal wetland characterized among others by its hydrological features and deposits of peat. Formation and preservation of organic matter in soils and sediments in this wetland ecosystem is critical for its sustainability and hydrological processes are important divers in the origin, transport and fate of organic matter. With this in mind, organic matter dynamics in the greater Florida Everglades was studied though various organic geochemistry techniques, especially biomarkers, bulk and compound specific δ13C and δD isotope analysis. The main objectives were focused on how different hydrological regimes in this ecosystem control organic matter dynamics, such as the mobilization of particulate organic matter (POM) in freshwater marshes and estuaries, and how organic geochemistry techniques can be applied to reconstruct Everglades paleo-hydrology. For this purpose organic matter in typical vegetation, floc, surface soils, soil cores, and estuarine suspended particulates were characterized in samples selected along hydrological gradients in the Water Conservation Area 3, Shark River Slough and Taylor Slough. ^ This research focused on three general themes: (1) Assessment of the environmental dynamics and source-specific particulate organic carbon export in a mangrove-dominated estuary. (2) Assessment of the origin, transport and fate of organic matter in freshwater marsh. (3) Assessment of historical changes in hydrological conditions in the Everglades (paleo-hydrology) though biomarkes and compound specific isotope analyses. This study reports the first estimate of particulate organic carbon loss from mangrove ecosystems in the Everglades, provides evidence for particulate organic matter transport with regards to the formation of ridge and slough landscapes in the Everglades, and demonstrates the applicability of the combined biomarker and compound-specific stable isotope approach as a means to generate paleohydrological data in wetlands. The data suggests that: (1) Carbon loss from mangrove estuaries is roughly split 50/50 between dissolved and particulate carbon; (2) hydrological remobilization of particulate organic matter from slough to ridge environments may play an important role in the maintenance of the Everglades freshwater landscape; and (3) Historical changes in hydrology have resulted in significant vegetation shifts from historical slough type vegetation to present ridge type vegetation. ^

Depth-related variations of trace metal abundances in south Florida sediments

Variations in trace element abundances with depth in soils and sediments may be due to natural processes or reflect anthropogenic influences. The depth related variations of five major elements (Fe, Si, Al, Ca and Mg), seventeen trace elements (Mn, Cr, Ti, P, Ni, Ba, Sc, Sr, Sb, Zn, Pb, Cd, Co, V, Be, Cu and Y) and volatile loss patterns were examined for sediment cores from five sites in South Florida (Lake Okeechobee, SFWMD Water Conservation area 3B, F.I.U., the Everglades and Chekika State Recreation Area). Principal component analysis of the chemical data combined with microscopic examination of the soils reveal that depth-related variations can be explained by varying proportions of three natural soil constituents and one anthropogenic component. The results can be used as a geochemical baseline for human influence on South Florida soils.

Sustentabilidade de destinos turísticos em unidades de conservação: o caso da Praia de Jenipabu

Environmental Sustainability is a very important factor for the Tourist Development of the localities, which should be protected and preserved so many other generations goers enjoy the experiences in their paradisiacal landscapes. The objective of the present study is to analyze the sustainability of the tourist destination of Jenipabu Beach, situated in a conservation area on the northern coast of Rio Grande do Norte state, in the city of Extremoz, 20 km from the center of the Capital Natal, being of great state tourist importance for having the most famous Dunes park in the region. There are several regulars and their proper groups in a tourist area, and the differences in these perceptions about the relationship of certain factors occurring on site, can determine how sustainable the same or its sustainability index is. This research used an Ecotourism Sustainability Indicator System (SEIS) to Tsaur, et al (2006), to assist in the verification of this index, in use methods of exploratory and descriptive research, where the data were collected through a questionnaire applied close to 151 attendees divided among residents, traders and visitors, directly by the author in Jenipabu in August and September 2015. The tabulation, analysis and interpretation of data were taken from the assistance of the technical factor analysis of statistics and ONEWAY ANOVA, which conducted by IBM SPSS software STATISTICS 20. The main findings were, identifying 14 relevant sustainability factors, of which 6 coincide with the indicator model used and 8 are new, as well as verification that Jenipabu is a destination with strong economic dependence of the Tourism, with various impacts of this community, which does not recognize the benefits that the Environmental Protection Area (APA) can bring to this and to the locality tourism. In conclusion on differences in perceptions of the regulars that the studied region Beach has low Sustainability and requires the development of various projects and actions for improvement.

Estratégias distribuídas para a coexistência de redes de banda larga sem fio em bandas não-licensiadas

The increasing demand for Internet data traffic in wireless broadband access networks requires both the development of efficient, novel wireless broadband access technologies and the allocation of new spectrum bands for that purpose. The introduction of a great number of small cells in cellular networks allied to the complimentary adoption of Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) technologies in unlicensed spectrum is one of the most promising concepts to attend this demand. One alternative is the aggregation of Industrial, Science and Medical (ISM) unlicensed spectrum to licensed bands, using wireless networks defined by Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). While IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi) networks are aggregated to Long Term Evolution (LTE) small cells via LTE / WLAN Aggregation (LWA), in proposals like Unlicensed LTE (LTE-U) and LWA the LTE air interface itself is used for transmission on the unlicensed band. Wi-Fi technology is widespread and operates in the same 5 GHz ISM spectrum bands as the LTE proposals, which may bring performance decrease due to the coexistence of both technologies in the same spectrum bands. Besides, there is the need to improve Wi-Fi operation to support scenarios with a large number of neighbor Overlapping Basic Subscriber Set (OBSS) networks, with a large number of Wi-Fi nodes (i.e. dense deployments). It is long known that the overall Wi-Fi performance falls sharply with the increase of Wi-Fi nodes sharing the channel, therefore there is the need for introducing mechanisms to increase its spectral efficiency. This work is dedicated to the study of coexistence between different wireless broadband access systems operating in the same unlicensed spectrum bands, and how to solve the coexistence problems via distributed coordination mechanisms. The problem of coexistence between different networks (i.e. LTE and Wi-Fi) and the problem of coexistence between different networks of the same technology (i.e. multiple Wi-Fi OBSSs) is analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively via system-level simulations, and the main issues to be faced are identified from these results. From that, distributed coordination mechanisms are proposed and evaluated via system-level simulations, both for the inter-technology coexistence problem and intra-technology coexistence problem. Results indicate that the proposed solutions provide significant gains when compare to the situation without distributed coordination.

Estimating density of a rare and cryptic high-mountain Galliform species, the Buff-throated Partridge Tetraophasis szechenyii

Estimates of abundance or density are essential for wildlife management and conservation. There are few effective density estimates for the Buff-throated Partridge Tetraophasis szechenyii, a rare and elusive high-mountain Galliform species endemic to western China. In this study, we used the temporary emigration N-mixture model to estimate density of this species, with data acquired from playback point count surveys around a sacred area based on indigenous Tibetan culture of protection of wildlife, in Yajiang County, Sichuan, China, during April–June 2009. Within 84 125-m radius points, we recorded 53 partridge groups during three repeats. The best model indicated that detection probability was described by covariates of vegetation cover type, week of visit, time of day, and weather with weak effects, and a partridge group was present during a sampling period with a constant probability. The abundance component was accounted for by vegetation association. Abundance was substantially higher in rhododendron shrubs, fir-larch forests, mixed spruce-larch-birch forests, and especially oak thickets than in pine forests. The model predicted a density of 5.14 groups/km², which is similar to an estimate of 4.7 – 5.3 groups/km² quantified via an intensive spot-mapping effort. The post-hoc estimate of individual density was 14.44 individuals/km², based on the estimated mean group size of 2.81. We suggest that the method we employed is applicable to estimate densities of Buff-throated Partridges in large areas. Given importance of a mosaic habitat for this species, local logging should be regulated. Despite no effect of the conservation area (sacred) on the abundance of Buff-throated Partridges, we suggest regulations linking the sacred mountain conservation area with the official conservation system because of strong local participation facilitated by sacred mountains in land conservation.

Valuation of Ecosystem Services for Environmental Decision Making in South Florida

The Greater Everglades system imparts vital ecosystem services (ES) to South Florida residents including high quality drinking water supplies and a habitat for threatened and endangered species. As a result of the altered Everglades system and regional dynamics, restoration may either improve the provision of these services or impose a tradeoff between enhanced environmental goods and services and competing societal demands. The current study aims at understanding public preferences for restoration and generating willingness to pay (WTP) values for restored ES through the implementation of a discrete choice experiment. A previous study (Milon et al., 1999) generated WTP values amongst Floridians of up to $3.42 -$4.07 billion for full restoration over a 10-year period. We have collected data from 2,905 respondents taken from two samples who participated in an online survey designed to elicit the WTP values for selected ecological and social attributes included in the earlier study (Milon et al. 1999). We estimate that the Florida general public is willing to pay up to $854.1- $954.1 million over 10 years to avoid restrictions on their water usage and up to $90.8- $183.7 million over 10 years to restore the hydrological flow within the Water Conservation Area.

Street lighting mesh network protocol

The digital revolution of the 21st century contributed to stem the Internet of Things (IoT). Trillions of embedded devices using the Internet Protocol (IP), also called smart objects, will be an integral part of the Internet. In order to support such an extremely large address space, a new Internet Protocol, called Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6) is being adopted. The IPv6 over Low Power Wireless Personal Area Networks (6LoWPAN) has accelerated the integration of WSNs into the Internet. At the same time, the Constrained Application Protocol (CoAP) has made it possible to provide resource constrained devices with RESTful Web services functionalities. This work builds upon previous experience in street lighting networks, for which a proprietary protocol, devised by the Lighting Living Lab, was implemented and used for several years. The proprietary protocol runs on a broad range of lighting control boards. In order to support heterogeneous applications with more demanding communication requirements and to improve the application development process, it was decided to port the Contiki OS to the four channel LED driver (4LD) board from Globaltronic. This thesis describes the work done to adapt the Contiki OS to support the Microchip TM PIC24FJ128GA308 microprocessor and presents an IP based solution to integrate sensors and actuators in smart lighting applications. Besides detailing the system’s architecture and implementation, this thesis presents multiple results showing that the performance of CoAP based resource retrievals in constrained nodes is adequate for supporting networking services in street lighting networks.

“He who plants a tree – Plants a hope.” Reforestation possibilities in Tingana, Peru

Tropical forests have decreased drastically especially in the Peruvian Amazon. In Peru deforestation is caused especially by migrant people; building of houses and infrastructure, clearing land for agricultural purposes and illegal logging and mining. Deforestation results in hindering ecosystem vitality, boosting climate change and decreasing livelihood possibilities. As a counterpoint to cutting down trees there is reforestation, which refers to re-establishment of forest cover. Deforestation and reforestation can be analysed in the light of Forest Transition theory. According to it, due to economic growth, the amount forest cover first diminishes but then starts to increase as the economy in general strengthens. Thus, the research framework is set to this theory. In this study the focus is on analysing socioeconomically sustainable reforestation possibilities in the community of Tingana, Peru. It is situated in a municipal conservation area around which deforestation has been heavy. Land cover change is analysed from LandsatTM satellite images covering a 15 year time period, 1995–2010, in the surroundings of the study area. Semi-structured interviews have been done with a sample size of 25 people and shed light on the perspectives on forests, reforestation and economical activities. The synthesis created from the two methods gives information about the possibilities to enforce reforestation in Tingana and the phase of forest transition in the area. The results show that forest cover has decreased around the surroundings of Tingana leaving the conservation area isolated from larger forest areas. Knowing that forest cover has also decreased inside the conservation area due to agricultural expansion it is certain that fragmentation harms biodiversity causing changes in local climate, which can have knock-on effects for farming and local livelihoods. Therefore reforestation is welcomed when it ensures both conservation and financial benefits and when carried out on locals’ terms. Regarding conservation and incomes the best option would be to plant native timber species together with fruit production species to create agroforestry systems. Economically the community should aim towards an economy that relies on ecotourism as it already practiced in the area. Reforestation could increase ecotourism, which then could in turn increase reforestation via revenues. Regarding forest transition it is likely that forest re-establishment will occur if reforestation along with ecotourism is implemented on long time scale.

Mushroom growing as a livelihood option to fishing among Lake Edward fisher communities

Fisheries activities are the main source of livelihood for the communities that live at Lake Edward fish landing sites. The landing sites include: Kazinga, Katwe, Kayanja, Kishenyi Rwenshama and Katunguru and are located within Queen Elizabeth Conservation Area (QECA). In spite of being the main source of livelihood, 74% of the respondents in a 2013 survey reported that catches for the main targeted fish species namely: Bagrus docmak (Semutundu), Oreochromis niloticus (Tilapia) and Protopterus aethiopicus (Mamba) were declining due to overfishing and catching of immature fish by the rapidly increasing population. Lake Edward Frame surveys had shown that the number of fishing crafts increased from 302 in 2008 to 330 in 2011, while the number of fishers increased from 355 to 600 during the same period. Between 2008 and 2010, catch per boat, for Bagrus docmak (Semutundu) declined from 5.25 kg to 4.04 kg and for Protopterus aethiopicus (Mamba) from 2.63 kg to 1.03kg. It has been suggested that reducing pressure on the lake should be handled using different approaches, one of which is introduction of programs for enhancing livelihood options which do not conflict with conservation of Queen Elizabeth Conservation Area (QECA). The main goal of this study was therefore to identify, prioritize and pilot livelihood options at selected landing sites of Lakes Edward and George.

Influência da participação social na conservação da biodiversidade em unidades de conservação brasileiras

Tese (doutorado)—Universidade de Brasília, Centro de Desenvolvimento Sustentável, 2016.

Optical Wireless Communication for Mobile Platforms

The past few decades have witnessed the widespread adaptation of wireless devices such as cellular phones and Wifi-connected laptops, and demand for wireless communication is expected to continue to increase. Though radio frequency (RF) communication has traditionally dominated in this application space, recent decades have seen an increasing interest in the use of optical wireless (OW) communication to supplement RF communications. In contrast to RF communication technology, OW systems offer the use of largely unregulated electromagnetic spectrum and large bandwidths for communication. They also offer the potential to be highly secure against jamming and eavesdropping. Interest in OW has become especially keen in light of the maturation of light-emitting diode (LED) technology. This maturation, and the consequent emerging ubiquity of LED technology in lighting systems, has motivated the exploration of LEDs for wireless communication purposes in a wide variety of applications. Recent interest in this field has largely focused on the potential for indoor local area networks (LANs) to be realized with increasingly common LED-based lighting systems. We envision the use of LED-based OW to serve as a supplement to RF technology in communication between mobile platforms, which may include automobiles, robots, or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). OW technology may be especially useful in what are known as RF-denied environments, in which RF communication may be prohibited or undesirable. The use of OW in these settings presents major challenges. In contrast to many RF systems, OWsystems that operate at ranges beyond a few meters typically require relatively precise alignment. For example, some laser-based optical wireless communication systems require alignment precision to within small fractions of a degree. This level of alignment precision can be difficult to maintain between mobile platforms. Additionally, the use of OW systems in outdoor settings presents the challenge of interference from ambient light, which can be much brighter than any LED transmitter. This thesis addresses these challenges to the use of LED-based communication between mobile platforms. We propose and analyze a dual-link LED-based system that uses one link with a wide transmission beam and relaxed alignment constraints to support a more narrow, precisely aligned, higher-data-rate link. The use of an optical link with relaxed alignment constraints to support the alignment of a more precisely aligned link motivates our exploration of a panoramic imaging receiver for estimating the range and bearing of neighboring nodes. The precision of such a system is analyzed and an experimental system is realized. Finally, we present an experimental prototype of a self-aligning LED-based link.

VALORACIÓN ECONÓMICA DE LOS RECURSOS HÍDRICOS EN LAS CUENCAS DE LOS RÍOS BANANO Y BANANITO

Entre los meses de marzo y setiembre del 2004, el Centro Internacional en Política Económica para el Desarrollo Sostenible de la Universidad Nacional (CINPE-UNA) elaboró el estudio Valoración económica de los recursos hI’dricos en las cuencas de los rfos Banano y Bananito3 . El objetivo general de éste responde a “estimar el valor del recurso hídrico en las cuencas de los ríos Banano y Bananito, en función de los usos prioritarios, para la recomendación de mecanismos efectivos para la sostenibilidad de un sistema de compensación por los servicios hidrológicos”. Para cumplir con este objetivo se plantean los siguientes objetivos específicos: (1) identificar el método de valoración económica para el recurso hídrico más apropiado dadas las condiciones de la zona, (2) cuantificar los servicios hidrológicos en las cuencas de los ríos Banano y Bananito en función de los principales usos, y (3) recomendar un mecanismo de pago voluntario por el servicio ambiental hídrico, basado en los resultados del estudio, que provea al Área de Conservación La Amistad Caribe (ACLA-C) los elementos para el desarrollo de una experiencia concreta.Producto de una exhaustiva revisión bibliográfica y dados los objetivos del estudio se seleccionó el Análisis de Múltiples Criterios (AMC), como la metodología marco para la valoración económica. Esto implica la aplicación de un método no tradicional, que permite combinar variables cuantitativas y cualitativas. A este respecto, el uso de una metodología participativa y multisectorial hizo posible la participación de los principales grupos de actores usuarios del agua. que se clasificaron en cinco grupos: (1) Asociaciones Administradoras de Acueductos Rurales (ASADAS) y acueductos rurales, (2) ONG’s y organizaciones comunales, (3) sociedad civil, (4) empresa privada y (5) sector público.Luego de sistematizar la información recabada durante las 23 sesiones de consulta participativa. se procede al análisis de los datos, que sirven de insumos para realizar la valoración económica y, finalmente, el diseño de la propuesta de mecanismos de cobro por grupo de usuarios para el pago por servicios ambientales. Los resultados finales se presentan mediante el uso de matrices y gráficos de telaraña.Este informe presenta los avances correspondientes al primer objetivo específico. Asimismo, incluye los comentarios y las sugerencias realizadas durante y posterior al taller de discusión con representantes de PROARCA-APM, TNC y ACLA-C. El documento contiene la caracterización económica y social del área en estudio, una revisión de estudios de valoración, y métodos, así como el método de valoración seleccionado y su forma de aplicación.A bstract:Between March and September 2004, the International Center of Economic Policy for Sustainable Development of the National University (CINPE.IJNA) elaborated the study Economic Valuation of ihe Water Resources in ihe Basins of ihe rivers Banano and Bananito4. The general objcctive of it answers to “estimate the value of the water resource in the basin of the rivers Banano and Bananito, depending on the prior uses, for the recommendation of effective mechanisms for the sustainability of a system of compensation for the hydrological serv ices”.The following specific objectives appear to reach the general objective: (1) To identify the most appropriate method of economic valuation for water resource given (he conditions of the zone. (2) To quantify the hydrological services in the basins of the rivers Banano and Bananito depending on (he principal uses. And (3) to recommend a mechanism of voluntary payment for the environmental water service based on the results of the study, which provides to La Amistad Caribe Conservation Area (ACLA-C), the elements for the development of a concrete experience.Product and given of an exhaustive bibliographical review, the Analysis of Multiple Criteria (AMC) is selected as (he methodology for the economic valuation. It implies (he application of a not traditional method, which allows combining quantitative and qualitative variables. In this regard, the use of a participatory methodoiogy there made possible the participation of the principal groups of actors users of the water, who quatified ¡n five groups to knowing, (1) administrative associations of rural aqueducts (ASADAS), (2) ONG and communal organizations, (3) civil society, (4) private sector and (5) public sector.After systematizing the information obtained during 23 meetings of participatory consultation. one proceeds to the analysis of the information, which use as ¡nputs to realize the economic valuation. Finally, the design of the offer of collection mechanisms for user group for the payment for environmental services is presented. The final results appear by means of the use of counterfoils and spider web graphs.This repon includes the commentaries and suggestions realized during and later to ihe workshop of discussion with representatives of PROARCA-APM, TNC and ACLA-C. The document also contains the economic and social characterization of the area under study, a review of studies of valuation, and methods. as well as the method of valuation selected and its form of application.

Technologies for urban and rural internet of things

Nowadays, application domains such as smart cities, agriculture or intelligent transportation, require communication technologies that combine long transmission ranges and energy efficiency to fulfill a set of capabilities and constraints to rely on. In addition, in recent years, the interest in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) providing wireless connectivity in such scenarios is substantially increased thanks to their flexible deployment. The first chapters of this thesis deal with LoRaWAN and Narrowband-IoT (NB-IoT), which recent trends identify as the most promising Low Power Wide Area Networks technologies. While LoRaWAN is an open protocol that has gained a lot of interest thanks to its simplicity and energy efficiency, NB-IoT has been introduced from 3GPP as a radio access technology for massive machine-type communications inheriting legacy LTE characteristics. This thesis offers an overview of the two, comparing them in terms of selected performance indicators. In particular, LoRaWAN technology is assessed both via simulations and experiments, considering different network architectures and solutions to improve its performance (e.g., a new Adaptive Data Rate algorithm). NB-IoT is then introduced to identify which technology is more suitable depending on the application considered. The second part of the thesis introduces the use of UAVs as flying Base Stations, denoted as Unmanned Aerial Base Stations, (UABSs), which are considered as one of the key pillars of 6G to offer service for a number of applications. To this end, the performance of an NB-IoT network are assessed considering a UABS following predefined trajectories. Then, machine learning algorithms based on reinforcement learning and meta-learning are considered to optimize the trajectory as well as the radio resource management techniques the UABS may rely on in order to provide service considering both static (IoT sensors) and dynamic (vehicles) users. Finally, some experimental projects based on the technologies mentioned so far are presented.

Random Access Procedures in 5G IoT via NTN: System level performances

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a critical pillar in the digital transformation because it enables interaction with the physical world through remote sensing and actuation. Owing to the advancements in wireless technology, we now have the opportunity of using their features to the best of our abilities and improve over the current situation. Indeed, the Internet of Things market is expanding at an exponential rate, with devices such as alarms and detectors, smart metres, trackers, and wearables being used on a global scale for automotive and agriculture, environment monitoring, infrastructure surveillance and management, healthcare, energy and utilities, logistics, good tracking, and so on. The Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) acknowledged the importance of IoT by introducing new features to support it. In particular, in Rel.13, the 3GPP introduced the so-called IoT to support Low Power Wide Area Networks (LPWAN).As these devices will be distributed in areas where terrestrial networks are not feasible or commercially viable, satellite networks will play a complementary role due to their ability to provide global connectivity via their large footprint size and short service deployment time. In this context, the goal of this thesis is to investigate the viability of integrating IoT technology with satellite communication (SatCom) systems, with a focus on the Random Access(RA) Procedure. Indeed, the RA is the most critical procedure because it allows the UE to achieve uplink synchronisation, obtain the permanent ID, and obtain uplink transmission resources. The goal of this thesis is to evaluate preamble detection in the SatCom environment.