Competição larval em Chrysomya megacephala (F.) (Diptera: Calliphoridae): efeitos de diferentes níveis de agregação larval sobre estimativas de peso, fecundidade e investimento reprodutivo

In insects that utilize patchy and ephemeral resources for feeding and egg laying, the outcome of larval competition for food resources depends on the amount of resources and the spatial distribution of immatures among patches of food. In the present study, the results of larval competition for food in Chrysomya megacephala, in traits such as female weight, fecundity and reproductive investment, were different in situations where the level of larval aggregation (proportion of competitors per amount of food) was the same, but with densities of competitors and amounts of food proportionally different. These results are indicative that the larval competition may depend both on the larval density and the amount of food, in different situations with the same proportion of larvae per gram of food.

Cyclic variability of the circumstellar disk of the Be star zeta Tauri I. Long-term monitoring observations

Context. Emission lines formed in decretion disks of Be stars often undergo long-term cyclic variations, especially in the violet-to-red (V/R) ratio of their primary components. The underlying structural and dynamical variations of the disks are only partly understood. From observations of the bright Be-shell star. Tau, the possibly broadest and longest data set illustrating the prototype of this behaviour was compiled from our own and archival observations. It comprises optical and infrared spectra, broad-band polarimetry, and interferometric observations. Aims. The dense, long-time monitoring permits a better separation of repetitive and ephemeral variations. The broad wavelength coverage includes lines formed under different physical conditions, i.e. different locations in the disk, so that the dynamics can be probed throughout much of the disk. Polarimetry and interferometry constrain the spatial structure. All together, the objective is a better understand the dynamics and life cycle of decretion disks. Methods. Standard methods of data acquisition, reduction, and analysis were applied. Results. From 3 V/R cycles between 1997 and 2008, a mean cycle length in Ha of 1400-1430 days was derived. After each minimum in V/R, the shell absorption weakens and splits into two components, leading to 3 emission peaks. This phase may make the strongest contribution to the variability in cycle length. There is no obvious connection between the V/R cycle and the 133-day orbital period of the not otherwise detected companion. V/R curves of different lines are shifted in phase. Lines formed on average closer to the central star are ahead of the others. The shell absorption lines fall into 2 categories differing in line width, ionization/excitation potential, and variability of the equivalent width. They seem to form in separate regions of the disk, probably crossing the line of sight at different times. The interferometry has resolved the continuum and the line emission in Br gamma and HeI 2.06. The phasing of the Br gamma emission shows that the photocenter of the line-emitting region lies within the plane of the disk but is offset from the continuum source. The plane of the disk is constant throughout the observed V/R cycles. The observations lay the foundation for the fully self-consistent, one-armed, disk-oscillation model developed in Paper II.

Runoff sources and land cover change in the Amazon: an end-member mixing analysis from small watersheds

The flowpaths by which water moves from watersheds to streams has important consequences for the runoff dynamics and biogeochemistry of surface waters in the Amazon Basin. The clearing of Amazon forest to cattle pasture has the potential to change runoff sources to streams by shifting runoff to more surficial flow pathways. We applied end-member mixing analysis (EMMA) to 10 small watersheds throughout the Amazon in which solute composition of streamwater and groundwater, overland flow, soil solution, throughfall and rainwater were measured, largely as part of the Large-Scale Biosphere-Atmosphere Experiment in Amazonia. We found a range in the extent to which streamwater samples fell within the mixing space determined by potential flowpath end-members, suggesting that some water sources to streams were not sampled. The contribution of overland flow as a source of stream flow was greater in pasture watersheds than in forest watersheds of comparable size. Increases in overland flow contribution to pasture streams ranged in some cases from 0% in forest to 27-28% in pasture and were broadly consistent with results from hydrometric sampling of Amazon forest and pasture watersheds that indicate 17- to 18-fold increase in the overland flow contribution to stream flow in pastures. In forest, overland flow was an important contribution to stream flow (45-57%) in ephemeral streams where flows were dominated by stormflow. Overland flow contribution to stream flow decreased in importance with increasing watershed area, from 21 to 57% in forest and 60-89% in pasture watersheds of less than 10 ha to 0% in forest and 27-28% in pastures in watersheds greater than 100 ha. Soil solution contributions to stream flow were similar across watershed area and groundwater inputs generally increased in proportion to decreases in overland flow. Application of EMMA across multiple watersheds indicated patterns across gradients of stream size and land cover that were consistent with patterns determined by detailed hydrometric sampling.

New status, species, distribution records and phylogeny for Australian mandibulate Chironomidae (Diptera)

All life-history stages of the Australian Podonominae (Chironomidae) genus Archaeochlus Brundin are revised, providing evidence for recognition of a separate clade, named here as Austrochlus Cranston. Based on molecular and morphological evidence, the clade contains two additional species: Austrochlus parabrundini Cranston, Edward and Cook sp. n. is described from Western Australia where its granite outcrop seepage habitat and geographical range is almost identical to that of the type species Austrochlus brundini Cranston, Edward and Colless (n. comb); Austrochlus centralaustralis Cranston, Edward and Cook sp. n. is described from ephemeral seepage/flows in the MacDonnell and James Ranges of central Australia. Molecular studies reported here confirm species distinctions, relationships to African taxa, and basal relationships within the Chironomidae. Modelled distributions provide evidence for range restriction by seasonal rainfall patterns.

Causes and consequences of long-term climatic variability on the Australian continent

1. Ice-volume forced glacial-interglacial cyclicity is the major cause of global climate variation within the late Quaternary period. Within the Australian region, this variation is expressed predominantly as oscillations in moisture availability. Glacial periods were substantially drier than today with restricted distribution of mesic plant communities, shallow or ephemeral water bodies and extensive aeolian dune activity. 2. Superimposed on this cyclicity in Australia is a trend towards drier and/or more variable climates within the last 350 000 years. This trend may have been initiated by changes in atmospheric and ocean circulation resulting from Australia's continued movement into the Southeast Asian region and involving the onset or intensification of the El Nino-Southern Oscillation system and a reduction in summer monsoon activity. 3. Increased biomass burning, stemming originally from increased climatic variability and later enhanced by activities of indigenous people, resulted in a more open and sclerophyllous vegetation, increased salinity and a further reduction in water availability. 4. Past records combined with recent observations suggest that the degree of environmental variability will increase and the drying trend will be enhanced in the foreseeable future, regardless of the extent or nature of human intervention.

Seed dormancy and germination responses of nine Australian fire ephemerals

Fire ephemerals are short-lived plants with seeds that persist in the soil and germinate after a fire or physical soil disturbance. Ex situ germination of many Australian fire ephemerals has previously been difficult. Dormancy was present in most of the nine fire ephemerals examined. Alyogyne hakeifolia (Giord.) Alef. and Alyogyne huegelii (Endl.) Fryxell (Malvaceae) seeds had physical and possibly also physiological dormancy, Actinotus leucocephalus Benth. (Apiaceae) seeds had morphophysiological dormancy, Austrostipa compressa (R.Br.) S.W.L. Jacobs & J. Everett and Austrostipa macalpinei (Reader) S.W.L. Jacobs & J. Everett (Poaceae) seeds were either non-dormant or possessed physiological dormancy, and seeds of all remaining species possessed physiological dormancy. A proportion of the Alyogyne hakeifolia, Alyogyne huegelii, Austrostipa compressa and Austrostipa macalpinei seed populations were non-dormant because some seeds could germinate at the various incubation temperatures without further treatment. At 20 degrees C, artificial methods of inducing germination such as manual or acid scarification were among the optimal treatments for Austrostipa compressa, Austrostipa macalpinei, Alyogyne huegelii, Actinotus leucocephalus and Grevillea scapigera A.S. George (Proteaceae), and gibberellic acid induced maximum germination of Tersonia cyathiflora (Fenzl) J.W. Green (Gyrostemonaceae) seeds. Heat (70 degrees C for 1 h) and smoke water was one of the most effective treatments for germinating Actinotus leucocephalus and Codonocarpus cotinifolius (Desf.) F. Muell. (Gyrostemonaceae) seeds. Germination of Grevillea scapigera, Codonocarpus cotinifolius, Gyrostemon racemiger H. Walter (Gyrostemonaceae) and Tersonia cyathiflora did not exceed 40% and may require other treatments to overcome dormancy. Although the nine fire ephemerals examined require fire to germinate under natural conditions, a range of germination responses and dormancy types was observed.

Emotions in organizations: A multi-level perspective

Recent years have seen an upsurge of interest in the study of emotions in organizations. Research, however, has been hampered by the ephemeral nature of emotions and a lack of an integrated multi-level model. This article therefore presents a five-level model of emotions in organizations. At the lowest level is within-person variation, defined in terms of affective events theory. Levels of the model then proceed through individual, dyadic relationship, group, and organization-wide perspectives. The article also outlines the neurophysiological processes that underlie the experience, perception, and communication of emotion; it concludes with a discussion of implications for research and practice.

From Christianization of Karma to Lusotropicalism and Lusosphere

The Portuguese arrival in India marked the beginning of the age of modern globalization that has been sustained until very recently in conditions that were favourable for the western domination of the globe. Adam Smith analyzed the origin of the wealth of nations in pre-Gamic and post-Gamic eras. It is presently experiencing tremors that were predicted by Andre Gunder Frank in his ReOrient, which the bulk of the western sociologists and economists sought to ignore. For Gunder Frank the past five centuries saw an ephemeral rise of the West, exploring and exploiting the pre-existent markets of China and India. He saw these making a comeback.

Reconfigurable weblabs based on the IEEE1451 Std

Technology plays a double role in Education: it can act as a facilitator in the teaching/learning process and it can be the very subject of that process in Science & Engineering courses. This is especially true when students perform laboratory activities where they interact with equipment and objects under experimentation. In this context, technology can also play a facilitator role if it allows students to perform experiments in a remote fashion, through the Internet, in a so-called weblab or remote laboratory. No doubt, the Internet has been revolutionizing the educational process in many aspects, and it can be stated that remote laboratories are just an angle of that on-going revolution. As any other educational tool or resource, the i) pedagogical approach and the ii) technology used in the development of a remote laboratory can dictate its general success or its ephemeral existence. By pedagogical approach we consider the way remote experiments address the process by which students acquire experimental skills and link experimental results to theoretical concepts. In respect to technology, we discuss different specification and implementation alternatives, to show the case where the adoption of a family of standards would positively contribute to a larger acceptance and utilization of remote laboratories, and also to a wider collaboration in their development.

Transient Spaces: unsettling boundaries and norms at the cultural event Noc Noc, Guimarães, Portugal

Cities are increasingly expected to be creative, inventive and to exhibit intense expressivity. In the past decades many cities have experienced growing pressure to produce and stage cultural events of different sorts and to develop new strategies that optimize competitive advantages, in order to promote themselves and to boost and sell their image. Often these actions have relied on heavy public investment and major private corporation sponsoring, but it is not always clear or measured how successful and reproductive these investments have been. In the context of strained public finances and profound economic crisis of European peripheral countries, events that emerge from local communities and have low budgets, which manage to create significant fluxes of visitors and visibility, assume an increased interest. In order to reflect and sketch possible answers, we look to an emerging body of literature concerning creative cities, and we focus on the organisation of a particular cultural event and its impact and assimilation into a medium size Portuguese city. This paper looks at the two editions (2011 and 2012) of one of such events – Noc Noc – organized by a local association in the city of Guimarães, Portugal. Inspired by similar events, Noc Noc is based on creating transient spaces of culture which are explored by artists and audiences, by transforming numerous homes into ephemeral convivial and playful social ‘public’ environments. The event is based on a number of cultural venues/homes scattered around the old and newer city, which allows for an informal urban exploration and an autonomous rambling and getting lost along streets. This strategy not only disrupts the cleavages between public and private space permitting for various transgressions, but it also disorders normative urban experiences and unsettles the dominant role of the city council as the culture patron of the large majority of events. Guimarães, an UNESCO World Heritage City was the European Capital of Culture in 2012, with a public investment of roughly 73 million euro. By interviewing a sample of people who have hosted these transitory art performances and exhibitions, sometimes doubling as artists, the events’ organizers and by experience both editions of the event, this paper illustrates how urban citizens’ engagement and motivations in a low budget cultural event can strengthen community ties. Furthermore, it also questions the advantages of large scale high budget events, and how this event may be seen as unconscious counter movement against a commodification of cultural events and everyday urban experience at large, engaging with the concepts of staging and authenticity.

Time – intangible tangible –

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Arte e Ciência do Vidro

On and off air: an ethnographic exploration of minority radio in Portugal

Taking a Media Anthropology’s approach to dynamics of mediated selfrepresentation in migratory contexts, this thesis starts by mapping radio initiatives produced by, for and/or with migrants in Portugal. To further explore dynamics of support of initial settlement in the country, community-making, cultural reproduction, and transnational connectivity - found both in the mapping stage and the minority media literature (e.g. Kosnick, 2007; Rigoni & Saitta, 2012; Silverstone & Georgiou, 2005) - a case study was selected: the station awarded with the first bilingual license in Portugal. The station in question caters largely to the British population presenting themselves as “expats” and residing in the Algarve. The ethnographic strategy to research it consisted of “following the radio” (Marcus, 1995) beyond the station and into the events and establishments it announces on air, so as to relate production and consumption realms. The leading research question asks how does locally produced radio play into “expats” processes of management of cultural identity – and what are the specificities of its role? Drawing on conceptualizations of lifestyle migration (Benson & O’Reilly, 2009), production of locality (Appadurai 1996) and the public sphere (Butsch, 2007; Calhoun & et al, 1992; Dahlgren, 2006), this thesis contributes to valuing radio as a productive gateway to research migrants’ construction of belonging, to inscribe a counterpoint in the field of minority media, and to debate conceptualizations of migratory categories and flows. Specifically, this thesis argues that the station fulfills similar roles to other minority radio initiatives but in ways that are specific to the population being catered to. Namely, unlike other minority stations, radio facilitates the process of transitioning between categories along on a continuum linking tourists and migrants. It also reflects and participates in strategies of reterritorialization that rest on functional and partial modes of incorporation. While contributing to sustain a translocality (Appadurai, 1996) it indexes and fosters a stance of connection that is symbolically and materially connected to the UK and other “neighborhoods” but is, simultaneously, oriented to engaging with the Algarve as “home”. Yet, besides reifying a British cultural identity, radio’s oral, repetitive and ephemeral discourse particularly trivializes the reproduction of an ambivalent stance of connection with place that is shared by other “expats”. This dynamic is related to migratory projects driven by social imaginaries fostered by international media that stimulate the search for idealized ways of living, which the radio associates with the Algarve. While recurrently localizing and validating the narrative projecting an idealized “good life”, radio amplifies dynamics among migrants that seem to reaffirm the migratory move as a good choice.

A arte efémera e a conservação: o paradigma da arte contemporânea e dos bens etnográficos

O livro reúne as comunicações apresentadas no Encontro "A Arte efémera e a conservação: o paradigma da arte contemporânea e dos bens etnográficos", realizado entre 6 a 7 de Novembro no Museu do Oriente (Lisboa).

O meu ponto de vista é um ponto de escuta. O poder do som nos filmes de Manoel de Oliveira

Tese de Doutoramento em Ciências da Comunicação - Especialidade em Comunicação Audiovisual