Pigmented Euglenophytes in a natural and shallow lake in the semiarid region of Paraíba State, Brazil

A floristic survey of the class Euglenophyceae in Panati Lake (7º11'14" S and 36º49'52" W) is presented. The samples were collected between November 2005 and April 2007 along the margins of the lake, and a total of 29 taxa were collected, described, and illustrated, comprising 11 specifics and 18 infraspecifics, with five typical and 13 non-typical varieties. The genus Trachelomonas showed the greatest richness (13 taxa), followed by the genus Lepocinclis (seven taxa). All of the 29 taxa cataloged had been previously reported for Brazil, most with wide geographical distributions, but all were new records for Paraíba State, and 25 new for northeastern Brazil - reflecting the need for more taxonomic studies of the Euglenophyceae in these locations.

Designing sustainable industrial ecosystems : the case of a biogas-for-traffic solution

This thesis focuses on the development of sustainable industrial architectures for bioenergy based on the metaphors of industrial symbiosis and industrial ecosystems, which imply exchange of material and energy side-flows of various industries in order to improve sustainability of those industries on a system level. The studies on industrial symbiosis have been criticised for staying at the level of incremental changes by striving for cycling waste and by-flows of the industries ‘as is’ and leaving the underlying industry structures intact. Moreover, there has been articulated the need for interdisciplinary research on industrial ecosystems as well as the need to extend the management and business perspectives on industrial ecology. This thesis addresses this call by applying a business ecosystem and business model perspective on industrial symbiosis in order to produce knowledge on how industrial ecosystems can be developed that are sustainable environmentally and economically. A case of biogas business is explored and described in four research papers and an extended summary that form this thesis. Since the aim of the research was to produce a normative model for developing sustainable industrial ecosystems, the methodology applied in this research can be characterised as constructive and collaborative. A constructive research mode was required in order to expand the historical knowledge on industrial symbiosis development and business ecosystem development into the knowledge of what should be done, which is crucial for sustainability and the social change it requires. A collaborative research mode was employed through participating in a series of projects devoted to the development of a biogas-for-traffic industrial ecosystem. The results of the study showed that the development of material flow interconnections within industrial symbiosis is inseparable from larger business ecosystem restructuring. This included a shift in the logic of the biogas and traffic fuel industry and a subsequent development of a business ecosystem that would entail the principles of industrial symbiosis and localised energy production and consumption. Since a company perspective has been taken in this thesis, the role of an ecosystem integrator appeared as a crucial means to achieve the required industry restructuring. This, in turn, required the development of a modular and boundary-spanning business model that had a strong focus on establishing collaboration among ecosystem stakeholders and development of multiple local industrial ecosystems as part of business growth. As a result, the designed business model of the ecosystem integrator acquired the necessary flexibility in order to adjust to local conditions, which is crucial for establishing industrial symbiosis. This thesis presents a normative model for the development of a business model required for creating sustainable industrial ecosystems, which contributes to approaches at the policy-makers’ level, proposed earlier. Therefore, this study addresses the call for more research on the business level of industrial ecosystem formation and the implications for the business models of the involved actors. Moreover, the thesis increases the understanding of system innovation and innovation in business ecosystems by explicating how business model innovation can be the trigger for achieving more sustainable industry structures, such as those relying on industrial symbiosis.

Letters from the War of Ecosystems – An Analysis of Independent Software Vendors in Mobile Application Marketplaces

The recent emergence of a new generation of mobile application marketplaces has changed the business in the mobile ecosystems. The marketplaces have gathered over a million applications by hundreds of thousands of application developers and publishers. Thus, software ecosystems—consisting of developers, consumers and the orchestrator—have emerged as a part of the mobile ecosystem. This dissertation addresses the new challenges faced by mobile application developers in the new ecosystems through empirical methods. By using the theories of two-sided markets and business ecosystems as the basis, the thesis assesses monetization and value creation in the market as well as the impact of electronic Word-of-Mouth (eWOM) and developer multihoming— i. e. contributing for more than one platform—in the ecosystems. The data for the study was collected with web crawling from the three biggest marketplaces: Apple App Store, Google Play and Windows Phone Store. The dissertation consists of six individual articles. The results of the studies show a gap in monetization among the studied applications, while a majority of applications are produced by small or micro-enterprises. The study finds only weak support for the impact of eWOM on the sales of an application in the studied ecosystem. Finally, the study reveals a clear difference in the multi-homing rates between the top application developers and the rest. This has, as discussed in the thesis, an impact on the future market analyses—it seems that the smart device market can sustain several parallel application marketplaces.

Meat quality characteristics of exotic and SPRD crossbred goats from the semiarid region

Thirty-two intact male goats from four genetic groups (eight pure-bred Boers, eight ¾ Boer + ¼ SPRD crossbreeds, eight ½ Boer + ½ SPRD crossbreeds, and eight ½ Anglo Nubian + ½ SPRD crossbreeds) were evaluated for meat quality. The goats were reared in confinement and slaughtered at the average live weight of 29 kg. Temperature and pH decrease in the longissimus dorsi muscle was determined for 24 hours, and analyses of colour, cooking loss, water-holding capacity, and sensory attributes were also performed. Genotype significantly (P < 0.05) influenced the confinement period; ½ Boer + ½ SPRD crossbreeds required the most time in confinement to reach the target weight, while the pure-bred Boers required the least time. Genotype also significantly influenced (P < 0.05) the weight loss due to cooking, shearing force, colour (intensity of yellowness and luminescence), and the sensory attributes of flavour, odour, and raw colour of the meat. The crossing of exotic Boer and Anglo Nubian breeds with the native SPRD resulted in a goat meat of high quality.

Quality of 'Delta Valencia' orange grown in semiarid climate and stored under refrigeration after coating with wax

The effects of carnauba-based wax on the quality of 'Delta Valencia' orange produced in Ceará state, Brazil, were studied. The fruits were coated with carnauba-based wax and refrigerated (7 ± 2 ºC and 85 ± 2% R.H.) for 28 days. The quality attribute parameters assessed were weight loss, peel color (brightness, hue angle, and chromaticity), peel moisture, pH, soluble solids (SS), titratable acidity (TA), SS/TA ratio, ascorbic acid, total soluble sugars, reducing sugars, yellow flavonoids, and polyphenols. The results showed that 'Delta Valencia' oranges grown in the dry climate of Ceará state has excellent quality. The coated fruits lost mass at a lower rate than the the control fruits. No significant loss of soluble solids, titratable acidity, pH, and SS/TA ratio was observed, while ascorbic acid, soluble sugars, reducing sugars, yellow flavonoids, and polyphenols increased during storage in both the coated and control fruits. Carnauba-based wax coated fruits showed no signal of dehydration keeping their shiny green peel up to the end of the storage. The use of coating was crucial for the maintenance of visual quality by reducing mass loss, as well as keeping peel moisture.

Chemical composition and bioactive compounds of grape pomace (Vitis vinifera L.), Benitaka variety, grown in the semiarid region of Northeast Brazil

Grape pomace (Vitis vinifera L.), Benitaka variety, grown in the semiarid region of Northeast Brazil was evaluated in relation to chemical composition, and content of minerals and functional properties. Its microbiological quality and toxic potential, using Artemia salina sp, were also investigated. The results showed that the flour obtained from these residues had below neutral pH (3.82), moisture (3.33g/100g), acidity of (0.64g of citric acid/100g), and ash (4.65 g/100g). The amount of total dietary fiber (46.17g/100g) stood out quantitatively compared to the content of carbohydrate (29.2g/100 g), protein (8.49g/100g), and lipids (8.16g/100g). The total energy was 224Kcal/100g. With regard to the compounds with functional properties, higher values of insoluble fiber 79% (36.4 g/100 g); vitamin C (26.25 mg of acid ascorbic/100g), and anthocyanins (131mg/100g) were found. The minerals iron, potassium, zinc, manganese, and calcium were present in higher concentrations. There were no significant copper values. The results showed that the grape residues are an important source of nutrients and compounds with functional properties suggesting that they can be incorporated as an ingredient in the diet and/or used as a dietary supplement aiming at health benefits. The residues did not show microbiological contamination and were considered nontoxic.

Dynamic ecosystems under anthropogenic stress : how does macrotidal sandy fauna respond to green tides?

Highly dynamic systems, often considered as resilient systems, are characterised by abiotic and biotic processes under continuous and strong changes in space and time. Because of this variability, the detection of overlapping anthropogenic stress is challenging. Coastal areas harbour dynamic ecosystems in the form of open sandy beaches, which cover the vast majority of the world’s ice-free coastline. These ecosystems are currently threatened by increasing human-induced pressure, among which mass-development of opportunistic macroalgae (mainly composed of Chlorophyta, so called green tides), resulting from the eutrophication of coastal waters. The ecological impact of opportunistic macroalgal blooms (green tides, and blooms formed by other opportunistic taxa), has long been evaluated within sheltered and non-tidal ecosystems. Little is known, however, on how more dynamic ecosystems, such as open macrotidal sandy beaches, respond to such stress. This thesis assesses the effects of anthropogenic stress on the structure and the functioning of highly dynamic ecosystems using sandy beaches impacted by green tides as a study case. The thesis is based on four field studies, which analyse natural sandy sediment benthic community dynamics over several temporal (from month to multi-year) and spatial (from local to regional) scales. In this thesis, I report long-lasting responses of sandy beach benthic invertebrate communities to green tides, across thousands of kilometres and over seven years; and highlight more pronounced responses of zoobenthos living in exposed sandy beaches compared to semi-exposed sands. Within exposed sandy sediments, and across a vertical scale (from inshore to nearshore sandy habitats), I also demonstrate that the effects of the presence of algal mats on intertidal benthic invertebrate communities is more pronounced than that on subtidal benthic invertebrate assemblages, but also than on flatfish communities. Focussing on small-scale variations in the most affected faunal group (i.e. benthic invertebrates living at low shore), this thesis reveals a decrease in overall beta-diversity along a eutrophication-gradient manifested in the form of green tides, as well as the increasing importance of biological variables in explaining ecological variability of sandy beach macrobenthic assemblages along the same gradient. To illustrate the processes associated with the structural shifts observed where green tides occurred, I investigated the effects of high biomasses of opportunistic macroalgae (Ulva spp.) on the trophic structure and functioning of sandy beaches. This work reveals a progressive simplification of sandy beach food web structure and a modification of energy pathways over time, through direct and indirect effects of Ulva mats on several trophic levels. Through this thesis I demonstrate that highly dynamic systems respond differently (e.g. shift in δ13C, not in δ15N) and more subtly (e.g. no mass-mortality in benthos was found) to anthropogenic stress compared to what has been previously shown within more sheltered and non-tidal systems. Obtaining these results would not have been possible without the approach used through this work; I thus present a framework coupling field investigations with analytical approaches to describe shifts in highly variable ecosystems under human-induced stress.

Introduced taxa in disturbed ecosystems

In the literature, introduced taxa are assumed to be present, more abundant, and occupy greater physical space in portions of ecosystems disturbed by human activity. This study tested this principle in two sites, Short Hills provincial Park ("SHU) and Backus Woods ("B~l"). spatial distribution of introduced taxa of vegetation, isopods, and earthworms was determined with the runs test along 300m transects encompassing gradients of anthropogenic disturbance severity. The hypothesis was that introduced taxa would be aggregated along these transects; the null hypothesis was that they would not be aggregated. The null hypothesis was rejected for the introduced taxa as a unit, and vegetation and earthworms individually. Introduced taxa were aggregated along 53.33% (N~30) and 57.14% (N~21) of the transects in SH and BW (respectively). Introduced vegetation (90.00%, N~10 and 100.00%, N~7) and earthworms (50.00%, N~10 and 50.00%, N~8) were also significantly aggregated within the sites. Introduced isopods, however, were not significantly aggregated at either place (20. 00%, N-=10 and 16. 67%, ~J~6). This study demonstrated that introduced taxa are aggregated within ecosystems disturbed by human activity. However, since introduced isopods were not significantly aggregated it was also shown that taxa respond differently.

Intervariability of Phosphorus Speciation in Selected Mangrove Ecosystems Around the Greater Cochin

Mangrove forests are best developed on tropical shorelines where there is an extensive intertidal zone, with an abundant supply of fine-grained sediment. It receives a mixture of liable and refractory organic and inorganic phosphorus compounds from the overlying water and the surrounding landmasses. Organic phosphorus is not available for mangrove plant nutrition. While inorganic phosphate represents the largest potential pool of plant-available and which are bound in the form of Ca, Fe and Al phosphate. It deals with the scientific investigations on mangrove systems in the Kerala coastline and to investigate nutrient distribution of mangrove ecosystems of greater Cochin area. It discusses the description of study areas such as Murikkumpadam-Vypeen Island and Aroor. Then it deals with the spatial and seasonal distribution of dissolved ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, inorganic phosphate, organic phosphate and the total phosphorus in surface waters of mangrove fringed creeks. Then it discusses the geochemical compositions of mangrove-fringed sediments and also the chemical speciation of phosphorus in sediment cores.

Some biogenic compounds and thier derivatives in selected mangrove ecosystems

Department of Chemical Oceanography,Cochin University of Science and Technology

Biodegradation of phenolic compounds in different ecosystems in Cochin

The purpose of this study is to determine the ability of specifically adapted bacteria to degrade phenol and to quantify the rate of biodegradation at. Different concentrations by mixed as well as individual isolates. Regular quantitative analysis of phenolics and aerobic phenololytic heterotrophs from five different ecosystems were done during 1990-1991, and the ability of microorganisms isolated from those areas, to utilize phenol, o-cresol and orcinol was also studied. In addition, data on environmental parameters like temperature, dissolved oxygen, salinity, pH, organic carbon and nutrients were also collected during the period of study The present study is one of its first kind in natural aquatic environment and has aimed to bring out some idea about the potential phenol biodegrades in such environments where the phenol concentration is beyond permitted level.

Seoimentology And Geochemistiiy Of Some Selected Mangrove Ecosystems Of Kerala, Southwest Coast Of India

As a result of the issues of care and conservation and sustainable utilisation, the proper management of mangrove forests have become more pressing than ever. Much recent ecological and toxicological debate has been centered around the question of validity of making predictions about the future of mangrove ecosystemas a result of the newly evolved environmental policy. Though muchinformation exist on the biodiversity, floristic composition and characteristics, geographical distribution and uses of mangroves, systematic documentation of the various sedimentological and geochemical phenomena in relation to the mangrove flora are scarce. Hazardous, persistent, man-made chemicals and waste produces are entering the mangrove ecosystem at from the adjacent watersheds which strengthened alarming rates the indispensible need for further researches on the environmental behaviours, fate and the effect of such products. Studies on the effect of heavy metals, pesticides and the other toxic signals through bioassay and toxicity tests on mangrove species as well as in sediments definitely will furnish ample clues to establish the actual operative mechanisms of these environments. A thorough review of literature made in this angle reveals that some attempts have already been initiated the world over the record the physico-chemical characteristics of major abiotic components such as sediments and water of many mangrove ecosystem, however, adequate information is lacking in the Indian Environmental Science scenario. The present investigation is an attempt to record the sedimentological, mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of sediments as well as the heavy metal enrichment in the various species ofmangrove flora of three important mangrove ecosystems of Kerala, located at Veli (SouthKerala), Kochi (Central Kerala) and Kannur (North Kerala). The results of the above investigation have been analysed statistically, discussed based on the available literature and presented in this thesis under seven chapters

Current status and biodiversity modification in the coastal wetland ecosystems of India with objectives for its sustainable management

The South West (S.W.) coast of India is blessed with a series of wetland systems popularly referred to as backwaters covering a total area of 46128.94 ha. These backwaters are internationally renowned for their aesthetic and scientific values including being a repository for several species fish and shell fishes. This is more significant in that three wetlands (Vembanad, Sasthamcotta and Ashtamudi) have recently been designated as Ramsar sites of international importance. Thirty major backwaters forming the crux of the coastal wetlands form an abode for over 200 resident or migratory fish and shellfish species. The fishing activities in these water bodies provide the livelihood to about 200,000 fishers and also provide full-time employment to over 50,000 fishermen. This paper describes the changes on the environmental and biodiversity status of selected wetlands, during 1994-2005 period. The pH was generally near neutral to alkaline in range. The salinity values indicated mixohaline condition ranging from 5.20-32.38 ppt. in the 12 wetlands. The productivity values were generally low in most of the wetlands during the study, where the gross production varied from 0.22 gC/m3/day in Kadinamkulam to 1.10 gC/m3/day in the Kayamkulam. The diversity of plankton and benthos was more during the pre-monsoon compared to the monsoon and post-monsoon periods in most of the wetlands. The diversity of plankton and benthos was more during the pre-monsoon compared to the monsoon and post-monsoon periods in most of the wetlands. The average fish yield per ha. varied from 246 kg. in Valapattanam to 2747.3 kg. in Azhikode wetland. Retting of coconut husk in most of the wetlands led to acidic pH conditions with anoxia resulting in the production of high amounts of sulphide, coupled with high carbon dioxide values leading to drastic reduction in the incidence and abundance of plankton, benthic fauna and the fishery resources. The major fish species recorded from the investigation were Etroplus suratensis, E. maculatus, Channa marulius, Labeo dussumieri, Puntius sp. Lutianus argentimaculatus, Mystus sp., Tachysurus sp. and Hemiramphus sp. The majority of these backwaters are highly stressed, especially during the pre monsoon period when the retting activity is at its peak. The study has clearly reflected that a more restrained and cautious approach is needed to manage and preserve the unique backwater ecosystems of South-west India

Seasonal Variability Of Dissolved Nutrients In Mangrove Ecosystems Along South West Coast Of Kerala, India

The mangroves of Kerala are fast disappearing due to developmental activities.There are very few studies conducted in the chemical aspects of these ecosystems.The main objective of this study is to assess the spatial and seasonal variation of hydrographical as well as nutrients in mangrove ecosystems along Kerala coast. Five sampling sites least intervened by industries were selected for the study. Sampling was done for a period of six months in monthly intervals. A monsoonal hike of dissolved nutrients was observed in all ecosystems except in the constructed mangrove wetland. The constructed wetland exhibited a different hydrography and nutrient level in all seasons. The mangrove forest in this area consists of the species Bruguiera gymnorrhiza which has been planted since forty years.