Biodiversity context of selected samples from the Tara Oceans Expedition (2009-2013)

The present data set provides contextual data for samples from the Tara Oceans Expedition (2009-2013) that were selected for publication in a special issue of the SCIENCE journal (see related references below). Contextual data include various diversity indexes calculated for the sampling location using satellite and model climatologies (Darwin project, Physat) and results from the sequencing of Tara Oceans samples.

Uma proposta para o ensino das estações do ano com base em um referencial topocêntrico

Studies carried out in several countries have confirmed the students’ difficulty in explaining the causes of the seasons of the year, and most of times their learning takes place incorrectly. The seasons of the year have been generally treated in didactic books apart from people´s routine, based on the heliocentric system, what demands abstraction to understand the phenomenon. Before this difficulty, it is necessary to think about a teaching proposal which allows the students to realize the environmental characteristics and its changes over time, as well as the seasons themselves. Thus, our goal was to work from the perspective of the observer on the terrestrial surface, therefore using the topocentric system. For that, we constructed a didactic sequence, grounded in Ausubel´s meaningful learning theory (2003) and in Moreira´s critical meaningful learning theory (2010), which was applied to students in 9th grade of elementary school and in 2th grade of high school at Escola Estadual Jerônimo Arantes, in Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, owing to their previous knowledge and alternative conceptions, which were collected via interviews. Afterwards, to evaluate the applied methodology, we made new interviews, by which we realized improvement in learning in relation to the characteristics of the seasons based on Sun´s apparent path, which we attribute to reference the change of observation and the means to obtain data on the volume of rainfall and average temperature in the city throughout the year. On the other hand, there are points that were not highlighted in learning, such as the link between winter and rainy season and the causes of the seasons, points left to be discussed in future investigations.

Uma proposta para o ensino das estações do ano com base em um referencial topocêntrico

Studies carried out in several countries have confirmed the students’ difficulty in explaining the causes of the seasons of the year, and most of times their learning takes place incorrectly. The seasons of the year have been generally treated in didactic books apart from people´s routine, based on the heliocentric system, what demands abstraction to understand the phenomenon. Before this difficulty, it is necessary to think about a teaching proposal which allows the students to realize the environmental characteristics and its changes over time, as well as the seasons themselves. Thus, our goal was to work from the perspective of the observer on the terrestrial surface, therefore using the topocentric system. For that, we constructed a didactic sequence, grounded in Ausubel´s meaningful learning theory (2003) and in Moreira´s critical meaningful learning theory (2010), which was applied to students in 9th grade of elementary school and in 2th grade of high school at Escola Estadual Jerônimo Arantes, in Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, owing to their previous knowledge and alternative conceptions, which were collected via interviews. Afterwards, to evaluate the applied methodology, we made new interviews, by which we realized improvement in learning in relation to the characteristics of the seasons based on Sun´s apparent path, which we attribute to reference the change of observation and the means to obtain data on the volume of rainfall and average temperature in the city throughout the year. On the other hand, there are points that were not highlighted in learning, such as the link between winter and rainy season and the causes of the seasons, points left to be discussed in future investigations.

Accounting for residential and non-residential environments to measure contextual effects on health behavior : the case of recreational walking behavior

Thèse réalisée en cotutelle entre l'Université de Montréal et l'Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris 06, Sorbonne Universités.

Under-ice fauna, sea-ice concentration, sea-ice thickness and under-ice water parameters from the Eurasian central Arctic Ocean during POLARSTERN cruise ARK-XXVII/3 (PS80) in August-September 2012

Arctic sea-ice decline is expected to have a significant impact on Arctic marine ecosystems. Ice-associated fauna play a key role in this context because they constitute a unique part of Arctic biodiversity and transmit carbon from sea-ice algae into pelagic and benthic food webs. Our study presents the first regional-scale record of under-ice faunal distribution and the environmental characteristics of under-ice habitats throughout the Eurasian Basin. Sampling was conducted with a Surface and Under-Ice Trawl, equipped with a sensor array recording ice thickness and other physical parameters during trawling. We identified 2 environmental regimes, broadly coherent with the Nansen and Amundsen Basins. The Nansen Basin regime was distinguished from the Amundsen Basin regime by heavier sea-ice conditions, higher surface salinities and higher nitrate + nitrite concentrations. We found a diverse (28 species) under-ice community throughout the Eurasian Basin. Change in community structure reflected differences in the relative contribution of abundant species. Copepods (Calanus hyperboreus and C. glacialis) dominated in the Nansen Basin regime. In the Amundsen Basin regime, amphipods (Apherusa glacialis, Themisto libellula) dominated. Polar cod Boreogadus saida was present throughout the sampling area. Abrupt changes from a dominance of ice-associated amphipods at ice-covered stations to a dominance of pelagic amphipods (T. libellula) at nearby ice-free stations emphasised the decisive influence of sea ice on small-scale patterns in the surface-layer community. The observed response in community composition to different environmental regimes indicates potential long-term alterations in Arctic marine ecosystems as the Arctic Ocean continues to change.

Digging Deeper than Platinum: South Africa's Participation in an Emergent Fuel Cell Industry

South’s Africa’s position as global platinum supplier provides a unique opportunity for an emergent fuel cell industry. The innovative technology’s reliance on platinum has sparked interest in the mining sector, promoting the clean energy-producing devices in their own operations. This research focuses upon contemporary structures of racial oppression within the industry, to analyse how these dynamics influence the development and implementation of innovative technology. It also challenges the sustainability discourse associated with fuel cell technology in South Africa. The study follows a qualitative research approach, incorporating a political ecology focus to highlight the politicized nature of these interactions. The methodology incorporates a literature review, key informant interviews, fieldwork observations and document analysis. Findings indicate that the implementation of fuel cell technology in South Africa’s platinum mines will disproportionately burden historically disadvantaged South Africans, with the lack in technical knowledge-base considered a major challenge. Additionally, it was found that sustainability claims surrounding fuel cell technology are largely based on environmental characteristics. This has resulted in an oversimplification and a depoliticised account of the impacts of the technology. This study looked critically at the convergence of history and innovation, placing emphasis on context, power relations and knowledge to provide a more holistic account of the research problem. Opportunities exist for making a meaningful and viable contribution towards development and sustainability by means of investing in a South African fuel cell industry. The challenge will be in deliberately seeking pathways which address the more complex components of sustainability, benefitting all stakeholders and paying particular attention to the historical, political and social contexts from which the technology emerges. It is this particular context which allows for a questioning and perhaps even a re-evaluation of the sustainability narratives broadly applied to fuel cell technology.

Macroinvertebrate Community Composition and Diversity in Ephemeral and Perennial Ponds on Unregulated Floodplain Meadows in the UK

Ponds are common and abundant landscape features in temperate environments, particularly on floodplains where lateral connectivity with riverine systems persists. Despite their widespread occurrence and importance to regional diversity, research on the ecology and hydrology of temperate ephemeral and perennial floodplain ponds lags behind that of other shallow waterbodies. This study examines the aquatic macroinvertebrate diversity of 34 ponds (20 perennial and 14 ephemeral) on two unregulated riverine floodplain meadows in Leicestershire, UK. Perennial ponds supported nearly twice the diversity of ephemeral ponds. Despite frequent inundation of floodwater and connectivity with other floodplain waterbodies, ephemeral ponds supported distinct invertebrate communities when compared to perennial ponds. When the relative importance of physical and chemical, biological and spatial characteristics was examined, physical and chemical characteristics were found to account for more variation in community composition than biological or spatial variables. The results suggest that niche characteristics rather than neutral colonisation processes dominate the structure of invertebrate communities of floodplain ponds. The maintenance of pond networks with varying hydroperiod lengths and environmental characteristics should be encouraged as part of conservation management strategies to provide heterogeneous environmental conditions to support and enhance aquatic biodiversity at a landscape scale.

The Influence of Geology and Season on Macroinvertebrates in Belizean Streams: Implications for Tropical Bioassessment

Considerable attention has been paid to the potentially confounding effects of geological and seasonal variation on outputs from bioassessments in temperate streams, but our understanding about these influences is limited for many tropical systems. We explored variation in macroinvertebrate assemblage composition and the environmental characteristics of 3rd- to 5th-order streams in a geologically heterogeneous tropical landscape in the wet and dry seasons. Study streams drained catchments with land cover ranging from predominantly forested to agricultural land, but data indicated that distinct water-chemistry and substratum conditions associated with predominantly calcareous and silicate geologies were key determinants of macroinvertebrate assemblage composition. Most notably, calcareous streams were characterized by a relatively abundant noninsect fauna, particularly a pachychilid gastropod snail. The association between geological variation and assemblage composition was apparent during both seasons, but significant temporal variation in compositional characteristics was detected only in calcareous streams, possibly because of limited statistical power to detect change at silicate sites, or the limited extent of our temporal data. We discuss the implications of our findings for tropical bioassessment programs. Our key findings suggest that geology can be an important determinant of macroinvertebrate assemblages in tropical streams and that geological heterogeneity may influence the scale of temporal response in characteristic macroinvertebrate assemblages.

Proposta de uma matriz de indicadores de sustentabilidade para Estarreja

Esta dissertação centra-se na elaboração de uma proposta de matriz de indicadores de sustentabilidade a aplicar ao município de Estarreja. Apesar dos mais recentes desafios e requisitos em matéria de monitorização de planos, projectos e actividades com implicações sobre o ambiente e a sustentabilidade, o acompanhamento da evolução económica, social e ambiental, de uma forma integrada, pelo município tem sido escasso. A literatura da especialidade bem como diversas experiencias municipais nacionais e internacionais têm revelado que a adopção de sistemas de indicadores de sustentabilidade tem um grande potencial não apenas para avaliar o progresso dos municípios em direcção à sustentabilidade ambiental, mas também para induzir melhores formas de governação local. O principal objectivo desta dissertação é a construção de uma matriz de indicadores que avalie a sustentabilidade do município de Estarreja ao nível ambiental. A metodologia adoptada neste trabalho consiste em cinco fases, sendo a primeira fase, a revisão da literatura, através da análise de artigos científicos da especialidade. Na segunda fase é feito o enquadramento legislativo das responsabilidades de monitorização ambiental que cabem aos municípios portugueses. Numa terceira fase, desenvolve-se o levantamento e análise de indicadores sectoriais existentes, já recolhidos e tratados por instituições do Concelho de Estarreja. Na quarta fase procede-se à construção da matriz de indicadores de sustentabilidade, agregando os indicadores já recolhidos pelas iniciativas municipais a um novo conjunto de indicadores de sustentabilidade capazes de analisar a evolução do município no que respeita às pressões sobre o ambiente e sobre os níveis de qualidade ambiental. Na quinta fase são apresentadas as principais conclusões do trabalho e feitas recomendações para tornar exequível e eficiente a monitorização da matriz. O trabalho está organizado em cinco capítulos sendo estes coincidentes com as cinco fases da metodologia. A região de Estarreja tem implantado no seu concelho um dos maiores complexos industriais do país e, em consequência disso, tem vindo a sofrer ao longo dos anos o impacto das actividades industrial e urbana. O procedimento para a construção do sistema de indicadores, bem como a identificação dos eixos temáticos necessários para descrever o contexto que influencia a sustentabilidade do desenvolvimento local, teve por base outros sistemas de indicadores de sustentabilidade local e fornece uma ampla avaliação das características ambientais do município. As dimensões ambientais incluem água, gestão de resíduos, solos, ruído, protecção da natureza, biodiversidade, qualidade do ar, energia e espaços verdes e estão distribuídas por 60 indicadores. Entre estes, 32 já estão a ser monitorizados e 28 foram acrescentados no âmbito deste trabalho. A monitorização dos indicadores propostos não exige grande investimento em capital humano e financeiro, no entanto, constitui um desafio, uma vez que pressupõe a interacção, partilha de informação e transparência por parte das diferentes entidades e empresas municipais.

Percepção dos usuários nos espaços públicos: avaliação pós-ocupação em três praças de Natal-RN

The research investigates the acting and the importance for the users of the public squares located predominantly in residential areas. It presents the results of the posoccupation evaluations accomplished in three squares, whose physical, environmental characteristics, equipments and fumitures are different in its qualities and amounts, taking in consideration aspects related to the users' physical and psychological comfort and of the inhabitants of the I spill. The collection of data involved physical risings and of files, observations behavious, application of questionnaires and interviews, analyzed qualitative as quantitatively so much for a larger precision and validity of the investigation. The results were obtained through the relationship among the users' perception the environmental attributes and the different levels of apropriation/use of the studied places. They indicate that the aspects composicionais of physical order of the space affects the type and the intensity of use of the squares intimately, contributing positive or negatively for its valor. It is evidenced like this, that the low freqüentation of the public squares of Natal, is due mainly to referring aspects to the physical quality and the amount of the fumitures and urban equipments. It is ended that the investments and the physical planning of these public spaces should be based in the real knowledge of the aspirations of the population objective, in way to allow its largest use and valor

An exploratory study of the relationship between psychosocial hazard and ambulatory physiological response in higher education employees.

Purpose: as exposure to psychosocial hazard at work represents a substantial risk factor for employee health in many modern occupations, being able to accurately assess how employees cope with their working environment is crucial. As the workplace is generally accepted as being a dynamic environment consideration should be given to the interaction between employees and the acute environmental characteristics of their workplace. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of both acute demand and chronic work-related psychosocial hazard upon employees through ambulatory assessment of heart rate variability and blood pressure. Design: a within-subjects repeated measures design was used to investigate the relationship between exposure to work-related psychosocial hazard and ambulatory heart rate variability and blood pressure in a cohort of higher education employees. Additionally the effect of acute variation in perceived work-related demand was investigated. Results: two dimensions of the Management Standards were found to demonstrate an association with heart rate variability; more hazardous levels of “demand” and “relationships” were associated with decreased SDNN. Significant changes in blood pressure and indices of heart rate variability were observed with increased acute demand.

Modelo de ebook multimédia para divulgação cultural investigação e desenvolvimento de um protótipo no formato EPUB

Esta investigação teve por objetivo investigar as possibilidades de criação de um modelo de ebook interativo, com o título “A Lagoa de Óbidos”, no formato EPUB3, e a compreensão das vantagens e desvantagens da sua utilização sustentada num painel com 21 participantes. O formato EPUB (electronic publication) define um conjunto de características específicas para a criação e a distribuição de publicações digitais. Estas especificações têm sido desenvolvidas e implementadas pelo International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF) que, em 2011, aprovou a versão 3, designada como EPUB3. A inclusão de novas tecnologias - HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript - numa publicação digital deu origem a esta investigação, um estudo de caso que pretendia conhecer as potencialidades dessa integração em ebooks interativos e a sua possível utilização em diferentes áreas do saber. O trabalho da recolha de textos e a sua análise permitiram a criação de um protótipo de ebook interativo, cujo objetivo era a estruturação das especificações que compõem a versão EPUB3. As opiniões sobre as possibilidades que este modelo apresenta, ao nível da usabilidade e dos recursos utilizados, foram colhidas através de um “Questionário de Opinião”, onde participaram 21 voluntários. O tema escolhido para o ebook foi “A Lagoa de Óbidos” por considerarmos um lugar de memória cultural, com características paisagísticas, históricas, sociais e ambientais reconhecidas e que lhe dão uma identidade própria merecedora de ser divulgada, através de textos, imagens, vídeos, animações e jogos. A análise dos resultados obtidos no “Questionário de Opinião”, leva-nos a concluir que a maioria da amostra sentiu que a leitura do ebook foi uma experiência variada, interessante e ativa. A totalidade achou que a interatividade trouxe benefícios à compreensão dos assuntos. Em síntese, a opinião dos sujeitos em relação ao ebook “A Lagoa de Óbidos foi considerada bastante positiva. No entanto, a opinião quase uniforme dificulta a análise da relação entre as variáveis do “Questionário de Opinião” levando à necessidade de aprofundar este estudo.

Abundance of Lutzomyia longipalpis in urban households as risk factor of transmission of visceral leishmaniasis

Urban occurrence of human and canine visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is linked to households with characteristics conducive to the presence of sand flies. This study proposes an ad hoc classification of households according to the environmental characteristics of receptivity to phlebotominae and an entomological study to validate the proposal. Here we describe the phlebotominae population found in intra- and peridomiciliary environments and analyse the spatiotemporal distribution of the VL vector Lutzomyia longipalpis of households receptive to VL. In the region, 153 households were classified into levels of receptivity to VL followed by entomological surveys in 40 of those properties. Kruskal-Wallis verified the relationship between the households’ classification and sand fly abundance and Kernel analysis evaluated L. longipalpis spatial distribution: of the 740 sand flies were captured, 91% were L. longipalpis; 82% were found peridomiciliary whilst the remaining 18% were found intradomiciliary. No statistically significant association was found between sandflies and households levels. L. longipalpis counts were concentrated in areas of high vulnerability and some specific households were responsible for the persistence of the infestation. L. longipalpis prevails over other sand fly species for urban VL transmission. The entomological study may help target the surveillance and vector control strategies to domiciles initiating and/or maintaining VL outbreaks.

Percepção dos usuários nos espaços públicos: avaliação pós-ocupação em três praças de Natal-RN

The research investigates the acting and the importance for the users of the public squares located predominantly in residential areas. It presents the results of the posoccupation evaluations accomplished in three squares, whose physical, environmental characteristics, equipments and fumitures are different in its qualities and amounts, taking in consideration aspects related to the users' physical and psychological comfort and of the inhabitants of the I spill. The collection of data involved physical risings and of files, observations behavious, application of questionnaires and interviews, analyzed qualitative as quantitatively so much for a larger precision and validity of the investigation. The results were obtained through the relationship among the users' perception the environmental attributes and the different levels of apropriation/use of the studied places. They indicate that the aspects composicionais of physical order of the space affects the type and the intensity of use of the squares intimately, contributing positive or negatively for its valor. It is evidenced like this, that the low freqüentation of the public squares of Natal, is due mainly to referring aspects to the physical quality and the amount of the fumitures and urban equipments. It is ended that the investments and the physical planning of these public spaces should be based in the real knowledge of the aspirations of the population objective, in way to allow its largest use and valor

ANALYSIS OF MACROINVERTEBRATE COMMUNITIES IN SEASONAL WETLANDS THROUGH TIME, ACROSS SPACE, AND USING SPECIES TRAITS

Restoration of natural wetlands may be informed by macroinvertebrate community composition. Macroinvertebrate communities of wetlands are influenced by environmental characteristics such as vegetation, soil, hydrology, land use, and isolation. This dissertation explores multiple approaches to the assessment of wetland macroinvertebrate community composition, and demonstrates how these approaches can provide complementary insights into the community ecology of aquatic macroinvertebrates. Specifically, this work focuses on macroinvertebrates of Delmarva Bays, isolated seasonal wetlands found on Maryland’s eastern shore. A comparison of macroinvertebrate community change over a nine years in a restored wetland complex indicated that the macroinvertebrate community of a rehabilitated wetlands more rapidly approximated the community of a reference site than did a newly created wetland. The recovery of a natural macroinvertebrate community in the rehabilitated wetland indicated that wetland rehabilitation should be prioritized over wetland creation and long-term monitoring may be needed to evaluate restoration success. This study also indicated that characteristics of wetland vegetation reflected community composition. The connection between wetland vegetation and macroinvertebrate community composition led to a regional assessment of predaceous diving beetle (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae) community composition in 20 seasonal wetlands, half with and half without sphagnum moss (Sphagnum spp.). Species-level identifications indicated that wetlands with sphagnum support unique and diverse assemblages of beetles. These patterns suggest that sphagnum wetlands provide habitat that supports biodiversity on the Delmarva Peninsula. To compare traits of co-occurring beetles, mandible morphology and temporal and spatial variation were measured between three species of predaceous diving beetles. Based on mandible architecture, all species may consume similarly sized prey, but prey characteristics likely differ in terms of piercing force required for successful capture and consumption. Therefore, different assemblages of aquatic beetles may have different effects on macroinvertebrate community structure. Integrating community-level and species-level data strengthens the association between individual organisms and their ecological role. Effective restoration of imperiled wetlands benefits from this integration, as it informs the management practices that both preserve biodiversity and promote ecosystem services.