Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Biodiversity corridors'

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2015.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Habitat loss and fragmentation are major threats to global biodiversity. A cornerstone of traditional conservation involves setting aside land as formally protected areas (PAs). However, for effective biological conservation in the long term there needs to be connectivity between these PAs. When possible, improved connectivity can be achieved using natural corridors at a landscape scale. Even better is to establish a network of corridors and nodes in the form of ecological networks (ENs). ENs are currently being employed by commercial forestry companies in South Africa. While larger corridors and nodes are considered optimum, factors other than design, such as management and environmental heterogeneity, have also been found to be important for species maintenance. This study aims to explore the role of corridor width in driving the composition of invertebrate assemblages across a transformed landscape in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, and to investigate other possible environmental variables significant for species distributions. In Chapter 2, I investigated the contribution of smaller grassland corridors within a timber production matrix to overall biodiversity conservation using two important bioindicator taxa. Ants and dung beetles were sampled in grassland corridors of three size classes, plantation blocks and a nearby PA, iMpendle Nature Reserve. The two taxa showed differential responses to landscape level fragmentation. Dung beetles showed a decrease in species richness and corresponding increase in species turnover with increased fragmentation, while ants were unaffected, although counter intuitively smaller corridors even contained more unique ant species compared to larger corridors. Dung beetle assemblages also showed strong differences between the PA and grassland corridors. While the conservation effectiveness of large corridors undoubtedly exceeds that of smaller corridors, for ants it seems that smaller corridors contribute to their overall conservation within this production landscape. In Chapter 3, I explore the importance of spatial and environmental factors for species distribution across this landscape. Dung beetles were split into functional guilds according to size and nesting behaviour for analyses. Within grassland corridors, tunnelling dung beetle species richness was sensitive to landscape level fragmentation, especially for larger species, while elevation and vegetation type influenced ant species richness. Since rolling dung beetles showed a close association with the PA, the marked difference in dung beetle assemblages between these two land-uses may be due to the presence of pellet producing grazers in the protected area and their replacement by pat producing cattle in the grassland corridors. Other environmental variables that were found to be important for dung beetle species composition were elevation, vegetation type, and soil hardness. For ant species composition, only elevation was found to be important. In conclusion, as large corridors were comparable to the PA in dung beetle and ant species richness, ENs act as extensions of formally PAs, given that they are large enough. Nevertheless, smaller corridors had surprisingly high species richness. Including additional information other than species data improved our knowledge of the underlying factors that drive dung beetle species composition. Even though dung beetle and ant species responded differentially to habitat fragmentation, environmental heterogeneity seemed important for both taxa. Incorporating habitat heterogeneity into the current management scheme may improve the conservation effectiveness within this transformed landscape.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die vermindering en fragmentasie van natuurlike habitat is ‘n groot bedreiging vir globale biodiversiteit. ‘n Belangrike tradisionele benadering tot natuurbewaring behels die afbakening van land vir formele beskermde areas (BAs). Ten einde effektiewe biologiese bewaring oor die langtermyn te verseker moet daar verbinding wees tussen hierdie BAs. Indien moontlik kan verbeterde verbinding verkry word deur die gebruik van natuurlike gange op ʼn landskaps-vlak. Nog beter is om ʼn netwerk van gange en nodes in die vorm van ekologies netwerke (ENe) saam te stel. ENe word tans deur kommersiële bosboumaatskappye in Suid Afrika aangewend. Terwyl groter gange en nodes as optimaal beskou word, is ander faktore behalwe ontwerp, soos bestuur en omgewingsheterogeniteit, ook al gevind as belangrik vir die onderhouding van spesies. Hierdie studie is gemik daarop om die rol van gangwydte as dryfkrag vir die samestelling van invertebraatversamelings oor ʼn getransformeerde landskap in KwaZulu-Natal, Suid-Afrika, te ondersoek, asook ander moontlike omgewingsveranderlikes wat belangrik vir spesiesverpreidings kan wees. In Hoofstuk 2 het ek die bydrae van kleiner gange tot totale biodiversiteit-bewaring ondersoek deur twee belangrike bio-indikator taxa te bestudeer. Miere en miskruiers is versamel in grasland-gange van drie grootte-klasse, plantasie blokke en ‘n naby geleë BA, iMpendle Natuurreservaat. Die twee taxa het verskillende reaksies tot landskaps-vlak fragmentasie getoon. Miskruiers het ‘n verlaging in spesiesrykheid en ‘n gesamentlike verhoging in spesiesomset met verhoogde fragmentasie gewys, terwyl miere nie geaffekteer is nie, alhoewel kleiner gange het trouens meer unieke mierspesies bevat as groter gange. Die miskruierversamelings in die BA het ook opmerklik verskil van dié in die grasland-gange. Alhoewel die bewaringsdoeltreffendheid van groot gange beslis dié van kleiner gange oorskry, kom dit voor dat kleiner gange wel bydra tot die totale bewaring van miere binne hierdie produksielandskap. In Hoofstuk 3 het ek die belangrikheid van ruimtelike en omgewingsfaktore vir spesiesverspreiding oor hierdie landskap ondersoek. Miskruiers is ook in funksionele groepe verdeel volgens grootte en nes-gedrag vir aparte analise. Binne grasland-gange was tonnellende miskruierspesies sensitief vir landskaps-vlak fragmentasie, veral groter spesies, terwyl hoogte bo seevlak en vegetasie tipe mier spesiesrykheid beïnvloed het. Aangesien rollende miskruierspesies ‘n nabye assosiasie met die BA gewys het, mag die opmerklike verskil in miskruier versamelings tussen hierdie twee grondgebruike ʼn gevolg wees van die aanwesigheid van korrel-mis produserend beweiders in die BA en hulle vervanging deur nat-mis produserende beeste in die grasland-gange. Omgewingsveranderlikes uitsluitende ganggrootte wat belangrik gevind is vir miskruier spesiessamestelling was hoogte bo seevlak, vegetasie tipe en grond-hardheid. Vir mier spesiessamestelling was slegs hoogte bo seevlak belangrik. Om af te sluit, aangesien groot gange vergelykbaar was met die BA in miskruier en mier spesiesrykheid, tree ENe op as uitbreidings van BAs, mits hulle groot genoeg is. Desnieteenstaande het kleiner gange ‘n verbasende hoë spesiesrykheid gehad, veral onder miere. Die insluiting van addisionele inligting buiten spesiesdata het ons kennis van die onderliggende faktore wat miskruier spesiessamestelling dryf verbeter. Alhoewel miskruier- en mierspesies verskillend gereageer het op habitat fragmentasie, het dit voorgekom asof omgewingsheterogeniteit belangrik was vir die spesiesverspreiding van beide taxa. Die insluiting van habitatheterogeniteit binne die huidige bestuursplan mag die doeltreffendheid van bewaring binne hierdie getransformeerde landskap verbeter.

Existing stresses of fragmentation on plant diversity and range dynamics will be exacerbated by climatic changes that shift bioclimatic regions northward. It is often stated that connectivity-enhancement through the establishment of corridors could facilitate the movement and conservation of plants, providing a timescale of dispersal and establishment relevant to rapid bioclimatic change. We tested this hypothesis focusing on forest herbaceous species dispersing through agroecosystems in southern Quebec using regenerating hedgerow-corridors. Thirty-one of forty-two species recorded in regional forests were also found in hedgerows, though species rates of dispersal through hedgerows, recorded at less than or equal to 2.50 meters per year, indicate corridors would not benefit the dispersal of these species in rapidly changing conditions. Forest species tend to reassemble in corridors with time, but our results suggest that establishing connectivity would only conserve agroecosystem plant diversity at long timescales; dispersal limitations and possibly environmental conditions represent a severe barrier for most species.Keywords: plant diversity, ecological corridor, climate change, fragmented landscape, connectivity, dispersal, conservation.
Les tensions causées par la fragmentation sur la biodiversité et la distribution d'espèces seront exacerbées par les changements climatiques qui déplacent les régions bioclimatiques. L'amélioration de la connectivité grâce aux corridors faciliterait le mouvement et la conservation de la végétation en fournissant un délai de dispersion pertinent au changement climatique. Nous avons évalué cette hypothèse en nous concentrant sur les espèces herbacées forestières se dispersant au travers d'agroécosystèmes en utilisant des haies. Trente-et-une des quarante-deux espèces dans ces forêts ont été trouvées dans les haies, bien que les taux de dispersion au-travers des corridors, calculés sur l'année à moins de ou égal à 2.50 mètres, indiquent que les corridors ne favoriseraient pas la dispersion de ces espèces dans des conditions rapidement changeantes. Les espèces ont tendance à se rassembler dans les corridors, mais nos résultats suggèrent que la connectivité ne conserverait la diversité qu'à long-terme; les espèces sont limitées par la dispersion et possiblement par les conditions environnementales.Mots-clés: diversité végétale, corridor biologique, changements climatiques, fragmentation du paysage, connectivité, dispersion, conservation.

L'écologie urbaine, qui a émergé depuis une trentaine d'années, s'intéresse notamment à l'étude de la biodiversité et du fonctionnement des écosystèmes en ville. Ce travail de thèse porte plus particulièrement sur l'analyse de l'écosystème "corridor fluvial", et son rôle dans la dynamique des communautés végétales en fonction d'un gradient d'urbanisation. Les corridors fluviaux assurent en effet une connexion structurelle entre la ville et la campagne, et leur conservation en milieu urbain implique d'en comprendre précisément la fonctionnalité écologique. L'objectif de ce travail est donc de mettre en évidence l'effet du gradient d'urbanisation sur la composition et la structure des communautés végétales le long d'un cour d'eau et de vérifier si l'existence en ville de corridors fluviaux contribue efficacement à la dispersion et à la rapidité de colonisation des milieux adjacents. Deux cours d'eau, la Bruche et l'hydrosystème Rhin Tortu - Ziegelwasser, ont été étudiés dans leur partie aval la plus urbaine au sein de l'Eurométropole de Strasbourg. [...]
Urban ecology, which has emerged over the last thirty years, focused in particular on studying thebiodiversity and on functioning of ecosystems in cities. This work explores urban riparian corridors and their rolein the dynamic of plant communities based on a gradient of urbanization. Indeed, riparian corridors provide astructural connection between the city and the countryside, and their conservation involves preciselyunderstanding their ecological functionality. The objectives of this work are to highlight the effect of the urbanization gradient on the composition and structure of plant communities along a river to determine whether the existence of urban riparian corridors effectivelycontributes to the colonization of adjacent areas. Two rivers, the Bruche and the Rhin Tortu - Ziegelwasser, arestudied in their most urban downstream part in the metropolitan area of Strasbourg, eastern France. [...]

Mestrado em Gestão e Conservação de Recursos Naturais - Instituto Superior de Agronomia
The Atlantic Forest is one of the biomes with the highest biodiversity in the world. Included among the 25 global hotspots due to its endemism, has today, 35% of plant species in Brazil, and many of these species are threatened with extinction. Compared to other countries and even other continents will, the biodiversity of the Atlantic Forest region is of global importance, being essential to their conservation. Brazil has the greatest diversity of World monkeys (48%), and, most endemic country, 2/3 of this amount occurring in the Atlantic Forest. Due to its wild habitat, have suffered great pressure by fragmentation in Atlantic Forest region, restricting habitats of populations to small fragments. The present study consists of a survey of presence and absence of Callithrix aurita, it is a species of primate rare, vulnerable and endemic Atlantic Forest. The importance of this survey is due to the current situation of the Atlantic Forest biome, particularly in the type of vegetation in the region studied, semideciduous forest, where there are the greatest deforestation for agricultural purposes and pasture due to climate, soil type, and other anthropogenic such as property market and building industries. Another factor that was considered is the presence of invasive species as Callithrix jacchus and Callithrix penicillata. The study was conducted in the state of Rio de Janeiro, the city of Sapucaia in the district of Vila Nossa Senhora Aparecida. We evaluated 11 fragments which registered the presence of Callithrix aurita in 8 of these fragments. To assist, we used the method play-back and questionnaires with residents and local workers. The council has a large agricultural exploration, and a total lack of environmental planning by local government. With the results of this survey, along with historical data collected, it was found that the municipality has a high environmental value. Even with the vulnerable status of the species, and its rarity, it is present in 70% of the fragments studied, and no record of invasive species, becoming fundamental to implementing a conservation plan, with the support of the public and society. The objective of this survey is to assist in defining priority areas for future creation of conservation units, using Callithrix aurita as flagship species, assisting in the work of environmental education and public awareness, exploring the potential tourist, historical, religious, among others the municipality for a better environment and a better quality of life for the region's population.

Roads pose two central problems for wildlife: wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVCs) and habitat fragmentation. Wildlife exclusion fencing can reduce WVCs but can exacerbate fragmentation. In Chapter 1, I summarize the relevant studies addressing these two problems, with a focus on large mammals in North America. Chapters 2 and 3 summarize field assessments of technologies to reduce WVCs and maintain connectivity, specifically jumpout ramps and underpasses, along Highway 101 near San Luis Obispo, CA. In a fenced highway, some animals inevitably breach the fence and become trapped, which increases the risk of a wildlife-vehicle collision. Earthen escape ramps, or “jumpouts”, can allow the trapped animal to escape the highway corridor. Few studies have quantified wildlife use of jumpouts, and none for >2 years. We used wildlife cameras to quantify wildlife use of 4 jumpouts from 2012-2017. Mule deer were 88% percent of our detections and jumped out 20% of the time. After accounting for pseudoreplication, 33% of the events were independent events, and 2 groups of deer accounted for 41% of all detections at the top of the jumpout. Female deer were 86% of the detections and were much more likely than males to return to the jumpout multiple times. This is the first study to document use of jumpouts for more than 3 years, the first to account for pseudoreplication, and the first to quantify differences in jumpout use between male and female mule deer. We recommend a jumpout height between 1.75m-2m for mule deer to increase the jumpout success rate. Chapter 3 addresses factors that may affect the use of undercrossings by mule deer and other wildlife. Wildlife crossings combined with wildlife exclusion fencing have been shown to be the most effective method to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions while maintaining ecological connectivity. Although several studies have quantified wildlife use of undercrossings, very few have exceeded 24 months, and the factors affecting carnivores use of the undercrossings remain unclear. We quantified mule deer, black bear, mountain lion, and bobcat use of 11 undercrossings along Highway 101 near San Luis Obispo, California from 2012-2017. We constructed zero-inflated Poisson general linear models on the monthly activity of our focal species using underpass dimensionality, distance to cover, substrate, human activity, and location relative to the wildlife exclusion fence as predictor variables. We accounted for temporal variation, as well as spatial variation by quantifying the landscape resistance near each undercrossing. We found that deer almost exclusively used the larger underpasses whereas the carnivores were considerably less selective. Bears used undercrossings more that were within the wildlife exclusion fence, whereas mountain lion activity was higher outside the wildlife exclusion fence. Bobcat activity was highest and most widespread, and was negatively associated with distance to cover. Regional connectivity is most important for bear and mountain lion, and the surrounding habitat may be the most important predictor for their use of undercrossings. We recommend placing GPS collars on our focal species to more clearly document fine-scale habitat selection near the highway.

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2015.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The ultimate goal of conservation planning is to ensure persistence of biodiversity. Biodiversity patterns and ecological processes are important aspects in conserving biodiversity. Although most researchers in conservation planning have focused on targeting biodiversity patterns, ecological and evolutionary processes can ensure persistence of biodiversity if incorporated into conservation planning. Ecological processes are the main drivers or sustainers of biodiversity. The aim of this research was to identify and map the spatial components of ecological processes in a portion of the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area to aid in the implementation of biota movement corridors. Different methods have been used to identify suitable corridors but not much has been done on defining and mapping ecological processes that will ensure that the corridors maintain and generate biodiversity. A thorough literature survey was done to make a list of ecological processes that are important in maintaining the biodiversity in the area. Spatial components of ecological processes were mapped as surface elements aligned along linear environmental interfaces or gradients. The last part of the research was to suggest suitable movement corridors based on ecological processes. The results include five spatial components: riverine corridors, areas of high carbon sequestration, edaphic interfaces, upland-lowland interfaces and ecotones. Riverine corridors were mapped using a 1000 m buffer on either side of low lying rivers and 500 m buffer around rivers in the uplands. A map showing the carbon sequestration potential of vegetation in the study area was made using Moderate-Resolution Image Spectroradiometer (MODIS) derived NDVI data and the National Level Carbon Stock dataset done by the Woods Hole Research Center (WHRC) Pantropical. Edaphic interfaces were idenfied using by a 250 m buffer around contrasting soil types. Upland-lowland interfaces identified by a 250 m buffer along upland and lowland habitats. Classification of Landsat 8 was used to identify ecotones in the study area. The results of the spatial components were then compared with the habitat transformation map which shows populated areas.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die uiteindelike doel van bewaringsbeplanning is om voortbestaan van biodiversiteit te verseker. Biodiversiteitspatrone en ekologiese prosesse is belangrike aspekte in die bewaring van biodiversiteit. Alhoewel die meeste navorsers in bewaringsbeplanning fokus op teiken biodiversiteitspatrone, kan die voortbestaan van ekologiese en evolusionêre prosesse van biodiversiteit verseker word deur insluiting in bewaringsbeplanning. Ekologiese prosesse is die belangrikste drywers, of onderhouers, van biodiversiteit. Die doel van hierdie navorsing was dus om die ruimtelike komponente van ekologiese prosesse in 'n gedeelte van die Kavango Zambezi oorgrensbewaringsgebied te identifiseer en te karteer om te help met implementering van biota bewegingsdeurlope. Verskillende metodes is al gebruik om gepaste deurlope te identifiseer, maar min navorsing is gedoen oor definisie en kartering van ekologiese prosesse om te verseker dat die deurlope biodiversiteit sal onderhou en genereer. 'n Deeglike literatuurstudie is gedoen om 'n lys op te stel van ekologiese prosesse wat belangrik is in die handhawing van biodiversiteit in die gebied. Ruimtelike komponente van ekologiese prosesse is gekarteer as oppervlak elemente gebonde aan lineêre omgewingskoppelvlakke of gradiënte. Die laaste deel van die navorsing was om geskikte bewegingsdeurlope, gebaseer op ekologiese prosesse, voor te stel. Die resultate sluit vyf ruimtelike komponente in: rivierdeurlope, gebiede van hoë koolstofsekwestrasie, edafiese koppelvlakke, hoogland-Laeveld koppelvlakke en grensekotone. Rivierdeurlope is gekarteer met behulp van 'n 1000 meter buffer aan weerskante van laagliggende riviere en 500 meter buffer rondom riviere in die hooglande. ‘n Kaart wat die koolstofsekwestrasiepotensiaal van plantegroei in die studie area toon is gemaak met behulp van Moderate-Resolution Image Spectroradiometer (MODIS) afgeleide NDVI data en ʼn koolstofvoorraaddatastel (National Level Carbon Stock dataset) voorsien deur die Woods Hole Research Center (WHRC). Pantropiese edafiese koppelvlakke is geïdentifiseer met behulp van 'n 250 meter buffer rondom kontrasterende grondtipes. Hoogland-Laeveld koppelvlakke is geïdentifiseer deur 'n 250 meter buffer langs die berg en laagland habitatte. Klassifikasie van Landsat 8 data is gebruik om ekotone in die studie area te identifiseer. Die resultate van die ruimtelike komponente is vergelyk met die habitattransformasiekaart wat bevolkte gebiede toon.

O presente trabalho objetivou na avaliação da sustentabilidade do Plano de Gestão do Corredor Ecológico Araguaia - Bananal, inserido na região do Médio Araguaia, entre os Estados de Goiás, Mato Grosso, Pará e Tocantins, cujo cenário de atuação compreende os domínios dos biomas Cerrado e Amazônia. Como instrumentos de avaliação, foram adotados os procedimentos metodológicos da Avaliação Ambiental Estratégica (AAE) proposto pelo Ministério do Meio Ambiente, por este permitir uma análise ampla e sistêmica da ação de Políticas-Planos-Programas (PPP) sobre uma determinada região ou enfoque setorial. Suas etapas de avaliação compreendem as fases descritas a seguir: Screening (Início – Sondagem), cuja função consistiu na exposição do plano, por meio da confirmação da possibilidade e da necessidade em se aplicar a AAE ao plano de gestão do corredor ecológico, em virtude do plano estar inserido em uma, região de grande relevância a conservação da biodiversidade, e por se tratar de uma ação de significativa intervenção regional. O seu grau estratégico conferiu-se neste caso em um plano regional de gestão territorial, onde sua atuação compreende principalmente o mosaico de Unidades de Conservação e as comunidades sob a influência da região. Foram expostas as principais forças motrizes que influenciam os impactos ao ambiente, caracterizadas pelas atividades agropecuárias, pela expansão populacional dos centros urbanos decorrente da concentração fundiária e êxodo rural, dos projetos de desenvolvimento para a logística de transporte e geração energética, e a pressão exercida pela reforma agrária. A etapa seguinte consistiu na definição do escopo (Scoping), cuja função inicial correspondeu na exposição do propósito do plano de gestão do corredor ecológico Araguaia - Bananal, sequenciado pela apresentação dos seus objetivos, os quais após uma análise de compatibilidade confirmaram o seu direcionamento com os objetivos de preconizados pela AGENDA 21 brasileira. Na identificação das Políticas, Planos e Programas (PPP), foram selecionados as que exercem influência na região do corredor ecológico, cujos objetivos passaram pela avaliação de compatibilidade frente os objetivos do plano de gestão, verificando-se a existência de diversos pontos conflitantes, em especial aos que estimulam o desenvolvimento agropecuário e ao setor de infraestrutura. Foram estabelecidos os principais indicadores de sustentabilidade e produção, totalizando 40 indicadores, que auxiliaram no processo de avaliação ambiental e desenvolvimento dos cenários, apoiado pelo modelo de fluxo causal DPSIR (Driving Forces – Pressures – State – Impacts - Response), permitindo identificar simultaneamente a presença de sete forças motrizes e 71 impactos ambientais. A conclusão obtida por este estudo aponta, para um plano de gestão que apresenta objetivos e ações que poderiam ter efetividade na sua aplicação, caso os indicadores levantados e seus cenários, não apontassem para uma realidade desfavorável, expressa pelo baixo grau de desenvolvimento socioeconômico da região, e ausência de conectividade nas ações da esfera pública, ocasionando a individualização da responsabilidade na solução da problemática de desenvolvimento social e da agenda ambiental.
The present study aimed at assessing the sustainability of the Management Plan of the Ecological Corridor Araguaia - Banana plantation, inserted in the Middle Araguaia, between the states of Goiás, Mato Grosso, Pará and Tocantins, whose field of action covers the areas of the Cerrado and Amazon. Evaluation tools, we adopted the methodological procedures of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) proposed by the Ministry of the Environment, by this permit analysis of broad and systemic action policies-Plans-Programs (PPP) over a particular region or sector focus. Their evaluation stages comprise the phases described below: Screening, whose function consisted in the exhibition of the plan, through the confirmation of the possibility and necessity to apply the SEA management plan ecological corridor, under plan to be inserted into a region of great importance to biodiversity conservation, and because it is an action of significant regional intervention. The degree conferred strategy in this case in a regional plan for land management, where its operations mainly comprises the mosaic of protected areas and communities under the influence of the region. Exposed were the main driving forces that influence the impacts to the environment, characterized by agricultural activities, the expansion of the urban population due to land concentration and rural exodus, development projects for the transportation logistics and power generation, and pressure for reform agrarian. The following stage consisted of the definition of Scoping, whose initial function ended up exposing the intention of the ecological corridor management plan Araguaia-Bananal, in its goals identification, which later confirmed to be compatible with the sustainable development goals praised by the Brazilian AGENDA 21. In the politics-plans–programs (PPP) identification, those that apply influence towards performance forces in the ecological corridor region had been chosen, whose goals had passed by the compatibility evaluation with the management plan goals, verifying itself the diverse conflicting points evaluation, in special to those that stimulate the farming development and the infrastructure sector. The main indicators of sustaintability and production had been established, totalizing 40 indicators, that had assisted the ambient evaluation process, where the adopted procedure used the causal flow DPSIR model, allowing simultaneously to identify the 7 driving forces performance and 71 environment impacts. The conclusion obtained by this study indicates to a management plan that has goals and actions that would be effective in its application, if the indicators surveyed and their scenarios, it pointed to a reality unfavorable expressed by the low level of socioeconomic development of the region and lack of connectivity in the actions of the public sphere, leading to the individualization of responsibility in solving the problems of social and environmental agenda.

L’urbanisation est l’un des phénomènes majeurs qui impactent la biodiversité à l’échelle mondiale. Les nombreuses contraintes associées au milieu urbain (perte d’habitat, changement des ressources, pollutions chimique, lumineuse et sonore, etc.) modifient la diversité et la répartition des espèces animales, et peuvent avoir de lourdes conséquences à l’échelle individuelle. Or, le développement constant du milieu urbain nécessite de mettre à jour les études sur les effets de ce milieu sur les espèces animales, et en particulier sur les oiseaux, qui rendent de nombreux services écosystémiques à l’homme. Dans ce contexte, nous avons cherché à étudier les bénéfices et contraintes du milieu urbain chez les oiseaux, en se plaçant à trois échelles différentes : biodiversité, population et individu. Dans un premier temps, nous avons réalisé une étude spatiale de la biodiversité aviaire à Niort. Nous avons pu mettre en évidence l’importance de maintenir des infrastructures vertes et connectées en ville, pour favoriser la présence des espèces communes comme celles moins adaptées au milieu urbain. Dans un deuxième temps, nous avons cherché à évaluer l’état des populations de moineaux domestiques en ville, ceux-ci étant en fort déclin dans les grandes villes européennes. À l’aide d’une étude corrélative, nous avons démontré que le milieu urbain est particulièrement stressant pour les moineaux en développement. Également, l’analyse d’un stress hydrique en conditions expérimentales nous a permis de constater que les moineaux adultes sont également très sensibles aux changements des conditions de l’environnement. Dans un troisième temps, l’application d’une contrainte du milieu urbain (pollution lumineuse) sur les moineaux au cours de la reproduction a permis de mettre en évidence des changements rapides du comportement individuel en réponse à cette contrainte. Les résultats de ces différentes approches démontrent que les effets de l’urbanisation sur les oiseaux sont complexes, et que les suivis démographiques doivent être associés à des études précises de l’habitat urbain et des contraintes associées pour mieux comprendre l’évolution des populations d’oiseaux en ville
Urbanization is one of major phenomena that impact biodiversity in the world. Numerous constraints associated with urban environment (habitat loss, changes in resources, chemical, light and noise pollutions, etc.) modify wildlife diversity and species distribution, and can have detrimental consequences on individuals. However, constant development of urbanization implies to update studies on the effects of urban environment on animal species, and particularly on birds, as they fulfill numerous ecosystem services for humans. In that context, we studied the benefits and costs of urban life for birds, working at three different levels: biodiversity, population and individual. First, we realized a spatial study on avian biodiversity in Niort (France). We highlighted the need to maintain green and connected infrastructures in cities, to favor common species as less adapted species to urban environment. Second, we evaluated the population state of house sparrows in cities, as they are strongly declining in large European cities. With the use of a correlative study, we showed that urban environment is very stressful for developing sparrows. Moreover, the analysis of osmotic stress in experimental conditions allowed to find that adult sparrows are also sensitive to changes of environmental conditions. Third, the application of a constraint of urban environment (light pollution) on house sparrows during reproduction revealed rapid changes in individual behavior in response to this constraint. Finally, results of these different approaches show that the effects of urbanization on birds are complex, and that demographic surveys need to be coupled with precise studies of urban habitat and associated constraints to better understand the evolution of bird populations in cities

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T19:31:58Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 3909.pdf: 5282649 bytes, checksum: 9eefa1a2d4f5b4f7c349bf400101a0dd (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-06-09
The human pressures on natural environments generate fragmentation and loss of habitat, one of the main threats to biodiversity. Using the terrestrial mammals as indicators, it were evaluated the ecological corridor Embrapa- Fazenda Engenho Velho (Old Mill Farm) and a silvopastoral system to determine if they actually mitigate the negative impacts of local farming. Four linear transects were laid in two fragments of semideciduous forest in the ecological corridor that connects them and made 24 observations, including the branch tunnels (one with 0.9 m in diameter and another with 2.5 x2m) under the highway Guilherme Scatena (that divides the ecological corridor) and its coasting. With the data was constructed a dendrogram of similarity (Jaccard coefficient). In the silvopastoral system and conventional grazing, were placed four cages (15x15x40cm) in each and 20 observations were made. The results demonstrate the presence of 27 species in the fragments, seven of which use the corridor and only two uses the tunnel passage. The similarity between the fragments is high (65%), but decays over the corridor (44%) and the tunnel passage (19%), which shows that the ecological corridor is not fulfilling its role of facilitating the exchange of individuals among the fragments for greater genetic variability in local populations. Furthermore, the coasting had 11 species (45% similarity with fragments), but no individual was found run over, suggesting that in this case, the speed bumps installed on the highway are the most effective tools for conservation than the actual tunnel passage. The largest tunnel presented seven species, but lacks the vegetation in the surroundings unlike smaller tunnel, suggesting that for the branch tunnels, it is extremely important to their size. In the silvopastoral system were found four individuals from three genera (Calomys, Akodon and Oligorizomys) and in the common grazing, eight individuals of the genus Calomys, suggesting that silvopastoral systems are better to maintain species richness. We conclude that there are viable alternatives to improve production and maintain biodiversity, native vegetation with the best connection, but the deployments must be accomplished effectively and not only for law enforcement, without ever having a monitoring of its function, as occurs in most rural areas of the country subjected to this type of activity. Also we can t think that the mere fact of clearing vegetation and deploy these systems are solutions to the environmental crisis, but to optimize the use of land already cleared for such deployment.
As pressões antrópicas geram fragmentação nos ambientes naturais e consequente perda de habitat, uma das principais ameaças à biodiversidade. Utilizando a mastofauna terrestre como indicadores, foram avaliados o corredor ecológico Embrapa-Fazenda Engenho Velho e um sistema silvipastoril, para detectar se realmente mitigam os impactos negativos da agropecuária local. Foram dispostos quatro transectos lineares em dois fragmentos de floresta estacional semidecídua, no corredor ecológico que os conecta e feitas 24 observações, incluindo nos túneis de passagem (um de 0,9m de diâmetro e outro de 2,5x2m) sob a rodovia Guilherme Scatena (divide o corredor ecológico) e seu acostamento. Com os dados construiuse um dendrograma de similaridade (coeficiente de Jaccard). No sistema silvipastoril e em pastagem convencional foram dispostas quatro gaiolas (15x15x40cm) cada e foram feitas 20 observações. Os resultados demonstram a presença de 27 espécies nos fragmentos, das quais sete usam o corredor e somente duas o túnel de passagem. A similaridade entre os fragmentos é alta (65%), mas decai em relação os corredor (44%) e ao túnel de passagem (19%), o que demonstra que o corredor ecológico não está cumprindo seu papel de facilitar a permuta de indivíduos entre os fragmentos para que haja maior variabilidade genética nas populações locais. Além disso, o acostamento apresentou 11 espécies (45% de similaridade com os fragmentos), mas nenhum indivíduo foi encontrado atropelado, sugerindo que, neste caso, os redutores de velocidade instalados na rodovia são ferramentas mais eficazes para conservação do que o próprio túnel de passagem. O túnel maior apresentou sete espécies, mas não possui a vegetação no entorno como o túnel menor possui, sugerindo que, para túneis de passagem, é extremamente importante o seu tamanho. No sistema silvipastoril foram encontrados quatro indivíduos de três gêneros (Calomys, Akodon e Oligorizomys) e na pastagem comum, oito indivíduos do gênero Calomys, sugerindo que sistemas silvipastoris mantêm melhor a riqueza de espécies. Conclui-se que há alternativas viáveis para melhorar a produção e manter a biodiversidade, com a vegetação nativa melhor conectada, porém as implantações devem ser efetuadas de modo efetivo e não apenas para o cumprimento das leis, sem sequer haver um monitoramento de sua função, como ocorre na maioria das áreas rurais do país submetidas a esse tipo de atividade. Também não se deve pensar que o simples fato de desmatar e implantar esses sistemas são soluções para a crise ambiental, mas sim otimizar o uso de terras já desmatadas para tal implantação.

Dissertation (PhD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2006.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The central goal in macroecology is to determine species diversity patterns across ecological gradients. Altitudinal and latitudinal patterns in species richness are often assumed to be analogous. Furthermore, the primary mechanisms underlying richness patterns along these two gradients might be similar. To date, few studies have tested whether the hypotheses proposed to explain latitudinal richness variation apply to patterns across altitude. This study therefore tests several hypotheses proposed to explain patterns in species diversity (i.e. ambient energy, productivity, area and geometric constraints) and their underlying mechanisms using altitudinal gradients in epigaeic ant and beetle species richness in the Greater Cederberg Biodiversity Corridor (GCBC) (Western Cape, South Africa). The study was conducted across an altitudinal gradient that was laid out from sea level to the top of a mountain (approximately 2000 m above sea level) and down the other side thereof. First, it was determined how the ant and beetle assemblages differ between the main vegetation types included in the transect and which environmental variables might underlie these differences. Thereafter, the variation in species richness and range size patterns of the two groups was investigated across the full altitudinal gradient. This is the first study that tests the applicability of two mid-domain models across such an altitudinal gradient using both complete and partial assessments. The models explained large proportions of the variance in range sizes across three domains but the ranges could have been constrained to show peaks in the middle of the domains due to the way in which the boundaries of the domains were selected. By contrast, the mid-domain models were not important in explaining species richness patterns, which suggests that they cannot explain diversity across the gradient. The species richness patterns of the two groups did not show the predicted mid-altitudinal peak. Moreover, it was demonstrated that different processes structure ant and tenebrionid assemblages across the same altitudinal transect. Ant species diversity was highly correlated to contemporary climatic variables, while historical factors appear to play a more important role in structuring tenebrionid beetle assemblages. Furthermore, support was found for the species energy theory in the ant assemblages, as well as for two of its underlying mechanisms, namely the more individuals hypothesis and the niche position mechanism. These results suggest that there are likely to be substantial and complex changes to ant assemblages under the predicted climate change scenarios for the region. Given the crucial role played by this group in ecosystem functioning (e.g. myrmecochory) it is suggested that these responses are not likely to be a response solely to vegetation changes, but might also precipitate vegetation changes. This study also forms the basis of a long-term monitoring programme to establish baseline data for the epigaeic ants and tenebrionids and to monitor changes in these communities due to climate change.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Een van die sentrale idees in makro-ekologie is om die patrone in spesies diversiteit oor ekologiese gradiënte te ondersoek. Verder word daar aangeneem dat spesie rykheidspatrone oor hoogte- en breedtegradiënte analoog is aan mekaar en dat die primêre onderliggende meganismes van die patrone dieselfde kan wees oor hierdie twee gradiënte. Tot dusver het min studies getoets of die voorgestelde hipoteses wat breedtegradiënte in spesie rykheid verduidelik van toepassing is op hoogtegradiënte. Hierdie studie toets dus verskeie van hierdie hipoteses (aanvoelbare temperatuur, produktiwiteit, area en geometriese beperkinge) en hulle onderliggende meganismes in mier en kewer spesie rykheid in die Groter Cederberg Biodiversiteits Korridor (GCBK) (Wes Kaap, Suid Afrika). Die studie is uitgevoer oor ‘n hoogtegradiënt wat vanaf see vlak tot ongeveer 2000 meter bo seevlak en weer aan die ander kant van die berg af uitgelê is. Eerstens is daar bepaal hoe die mier en kewer diversiteit verskil tussen die hoof planttipes wat oor die hoogtegradiënt voorgekom het en watter omgewingsveranderlikes daarvoor verantwoordelik is. Daarna is die variasie in spesie rykheid en area van verspreiding van die twee groepe ondersoek oor die hele hoogtegradiënt. Hierdie is die eerste studie wat die toepaslikheid van twee mid-domein modelle oor so ‘n hoogtegradiënt toets met behulp van volledige en gedeeltelike ondersoeke. Die modelle het baie van die variasie in area van verspreiding verduidelik oor drie domeine maar die areas van verspreiding kon beperk gewees het om pieke in die middel van die domeine te vorm as gevolg van die manier waarop die grense van die domeine gekies is. In teenstelling, het die modelle nie spesie rykheid verduidelik nie en dus kan hulle nie spesie diversiteit oor hierdie gradiënt verduidelik nie. Die spesie rykheidspatrone van die twee groepe het nie die verwagte piek by midhoogte gewys nie. Verder het verskillende prosesse mier en kewer groeperings oor die hoogtegradiënt gestruktureer. Mier diversiteit was hoogs gekorroleer met kontemporêre klimaatsveranderlikes, terwyl historiese faktore belangriker was vir die kewers. Die spesie-energie teorie was ondersteun deur die data, asook die meer individue hipotese en die nis posisie meganisme. Hierdie resultaat dui daarop dat daar moontlik komplekse veranderinge in mier groeperings gaan plaasvind soos die klimaat verander. Miere vervul belangrike ekologiese prosesse in ekosisteme, wat beteken dat die laasgenoemde verandering nie bloot net gaan plaasvind as gevolg van veranderinge in die plantegroei nie, maar dat hulle self ook veranderinge kan veroorsaak. Hierdie studie vorm ook die basis van ‘n langtermyn moniteringsprogram om basislyn data vir hierdie twee ekologies belangrike groepe vas te stel en om veranderinge wat in hierdie gemeenskappe plaasvind, as gevolg van klimaatsverandering, te monitor.

Thesis (PhD (Zoology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Cape Floristic Region (CFR) is a biodiversity hotspot in South Africa, threatened by climate change and various other processes. The Greater Cederberg Biodiversity Corridor (GCBC) is a conservation area incorporating both public and private land, providing a practical and effective solution to conserve biodiversity in the CFR. This area is also home to two of the eight melanistic cordylid lizard species found in south-western South Africa. One of the herpetological conservation targets identified for the GCBC was an understanding of the ecology of melanistic cordylid populations with particular reference to global environmental change. Most melanistic cordylids occur in cool coastal and montane localities, and it was suggested that melanism has a thermoregulatory function in these species. The first aim of this study was to determine the climatic conditions with which melanistic cordylids are currently associated. Several melanistic cordylid populations showed a distinct association with a high incidence of fog and cloud cover, underscoring the thermal melanism hypothesis, which predicts that melanistic lizards should occur in cool environments. Several other populations, however, did not show such an association. The next aim was thus to compare habitat use and morphology among 10 melanistic cordylid populations. Individuals of the northern population of Pseudocordylus capensis and the Cordylus peersi population occurred in the warmest environments, used significantly higher rock formations, and had relatively longer limbs than those of other melanistic populations. Having a morphology that allows for flexibility in habitat use, may enable species such as P. capensis to overcome the constraints of melanism in warm environments. Being melanistic may result in decreased activity times in warm environments. The variation in habitat thermal quality and daily activity patterns of two melanistic cordylid species with different morphologies and habitat preferences, occurring sympatrically, was investigated. During summer, high rocks provided a better thermal quality habitat to P. capensis than small rocks, and P. capensis had a longer activity period than C. oelofseni. This suggests that the thermal opportunities provided by high rock enables P. capensis to increase its activity time. The impact of terrestrial and aerial predators can help shape body armour in lizards, with those species more exposed to aerial predators being faster and less armoured, and those more exposed to terrestrial predators being more heavily armoured. The degree of body armour in melanistic cordylids and their non-melanistic relatives was investigated. Melanistic members of the cordylus-niger-oelofseni and C. polyzonus clades had less armour than their non-melanistic relatives, supporting the prediction that melanistic cordylids basked more and were more exposed to aerial predators than non-melanistic lizards. An increase in body armour in C. peersi indicated exposure to terrestrial predators, whereas P. capensis had a reduction in body armour, indicating exposure to aerial predators. Little body armour, together with a slender morphology and long limbs, may thus enable this species to move with ease on large boulders and scale vertical surfaces to successfully avoid predators. Pseudocordylus capensis displayed much greater movement rates during activity than other cordylids. A less sedentary foraging strategy may be a prerequisite for life on large, barren rock surfaces where food availability may be low or not uniformly distributed. Both males and females of this species also had large home ranges, a unique phenomenon for cordylids. Space use of males only overlapped marginally, but extensive overlap among males and females and among females, respectively, was observed. Due to the constraining effect of climate on the distribution of most melanistic populations, melanistic cordylids should be considered as priority species for conservation. While P. capensis is pre-adapted for survival in warm climates, it is dependent on the availability of suitable habitats. The GCBC would thus play an important role in the conservation of this species’ habitat.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Kaapse Blommeryk (KBR) is ‘n “biodiversity hotspot” in Suid-Afrika wat deur klimaatsverandering en verskeie ander prosesse bedreig word. Die Groter Cederberg Biodiversiteitskorridor (GCBK) is ’n bewaringsarea wat beide openbare en privaatgrond inkorporeer, en ’n praktiese en effektiewe oplossing tot die bewaring van biodiversiteit in die KBR bied. Twee van die ag melanistiese gordelakkedisse wat in suidwestelike Suid-Afrika aangetref word, kom ook hier voor. Een van die herpetologiese bewaringsdoelwitte vir die GCBK was om insig oor die ekologie van melanistiese gordelakkedis populasies met verwysing na globale omgewingsveranderinge in te win. Die meeste melanistiese gordelakkedisse kom in koel kus- en berggebiede voor, en daar is voorgestel dat melanisme ‘n termoregulerende funksie by hierdie spesies het. Die eerste doel van die studie was om die huidige klimaatstoestande waarmee melanistiese gordelakkedisse geassosieer word, te bepaal. Verskeie melanistiese gordelakkedis-populasies het ‘n duidelike assosiasie met mis en wolkdekking getoon, wat die termiese melanisme hipotese se voorspelling dat melanistiese akkedisse in koue omgewings moet voorkom, ondersteun. Verskeie ander populasies, het egter nie so ‘n assosiasie getoon nie. Die volgende doel was om habitatgebruik en morfologie tussen 10 melanistiese gordelakkedispopulasies vergelyk. Individue van die noordelike populasie van Pseudocordylus capensis en Cordylus peersi het in die warmste omgewings voorgekom, het relatief langer ledemate gehad en beduidend hoër rotsformasies as ander melanistiese populasies benut. ’n Morfologie wat buigsame gebruik van die habitat toelaat, kan sommige spesies soos P. capensis in staat stel om die beperkinge van melanisme in ‘n warm omgewing te oorkom. In warm omgewings mag melanisme tot ’n afname in aktiwiteitstye lei. Variasie in termiese kwaliteit van die habitat en daaglikse aktiwiteitspatrone van twee melanistiese spesies, met verskillende morfologieë en habitatvoorkeure, wat simpatries voorkom is bestudeer. Gedurende somer het hoë rotse ‘n beter termiese kwaliteit habitat aan P. capensis verskaf as die klein rotse, en P. capensis het ‘n langer aktiwiteitsperiode as C. oelofseni gehad. Dit stel voor dat die termiese geleenthede wat deur hoë rotse verskaf word, P. capensis in staat stel om sy aktiwiteitsperiode te verleng. Die invloed van terrestriële en lugpredatore kan help om liggaamspantser in akkedisse te vorm. Spesies wat hoofsaaklik aan lugpredatore blootgestel is, is vinniger en het minder pantser, terwyl spesies wat hoofsaaklik aan terrestriële predatore blootgestel is, meer pantser het. Die graad van pantser in melanistiese gordelakkedisse en hulle nie-melanistiese naasverwantes is ondersoek. Melanistiese lede van die cordylus-niger-oelofseni en C. polyzonus klades het minder pantser as hulle nie-melanisties naasverwantes gehad, en ondersteun die voorspelling dat melanistiese gordelakkedisse meer in die son gebak het en meer aan lupredatore blootgestel was. ’n Toename in pantser by C. peersi dui op blootstelling aan terrestriële predatore, terwyl P. capensis die minste pantser van alle melanistiese gordelakkedisse het, wat dui op blootstelling aan lugpredatore. Min beskerming, tesame met ‘n lenige morfologie en lang ledemate, mag dus hierdie spesie toelaat om gemaklik oor groot rotse en vertikale oppervlaktes te beweeg en roofdiere suksesvol te vermy. Pseudocordylus capensis het groter bewegingstempo’s tydens aktiwiteit as ander gordelakkedisse getoon. ‘n Meer beweeglike voedingstrategie mag ook ‘n voorvereiste wees vir ‘n lewe op groot, leë klipoppervlaktes waar voedselbeskikbaarheid dalk laag kan wees en nie eweredig versprei is nie. Beide mannetjies en wyfies het ook groot tuisgebiede gehad, ’n unieke verskynsel by gordelakkedisse. Mannetjies se ruimtes het slegs marginaal oorvleuel, terwyl daar heelwat oorvleueling tussen mannetjies en wyfies se ruimtes was. As gevolg van die beperkende invloed van klimaat op die verspreiding van die meeste melanistiese populasies, moet melanistiese gordelakkedisse as prioriteitspesies vir bewaring beskou word. Terwyl P. capensis pre-aangepas is vir oorlewing in warm klimate, is hierdie spesie afhanklik van die beskikbaarheid van gepaste habitatte. Die GCBK sal dus ’n belangrike rol vervul in die bewaring van die habitat van hierdie spesie.

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2008.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Greater Cederberg Biodiversity Corridor (GCBC) is a large-scale conservation corridor situated in the south-western region of South Africa. Delineation of the GCBC was largely based on by vegetation data. The relevance of the GCBC for the conservation of the reptilian fauna in the area south of 31°S and west of 21°E is assessed in the present study. This entailed determining the GCBC’s coverage of regional reptile diversity patterns and assessing its potential conservation significance during possible climate induced changes in reptile distributions. Reptile species point distribution data from the preliminary (2007) SARCA (South African Reptile Conservation Assessment) database was used. Under-representation of the Tankwa Karoo in the dataset required a field survey of this region. Additionally, the biogeographical influence of the arid Tankwa Karoo Basin on the distribution of reptiles in the south-western districts of South Africa was investigated. Turnover across the Basin is high, species richness is lower than in surrounding mountainous areas and there are no species endemic to the area. The Tankwa Karoo Basin acts as a dispersal barrier for many reptile species occurring in the surrounding more mesic areas. At the same time, the ranges of a number of typical northern, arid adapted species extend southward along the Tankwa Plains. A number of species range extensions in the region are reported. Patterns of endemism, species richness and turnover were plotted from the point distribution data at quarter and eighth degree square resolution. Extensive sampling bias towards reserves and populated areas is apparent from the reptile species richness plots. This pattern is more pronounced for snakes than lizards. Reptile richness is particularly high along the north-south section of the Cape Fold Mountains and also relatively high along the south-western coast, peaking in the Lambert’s Bay area. The majority of the 20 reptile species endemic to the study area are associated with one of two identified centres of endemism: the Greater Cederberg area, or the narrow coastal zone stretching from the Lambert’s Bay area to the Cape Peninsula. An additional third set of endemics comprised of melanistic forms restricted to a number of different refugia, notably, Landroskop, the Cape Peninsula, Sladanha-Langebaan region, Piketberg Mountains and a confined area along the western section of the Cape Fold Mountains. Species richness and endemism patterns co-vary within the study area. Biotic regions were identified through hierarchical clustering of grid cells according to shared species occurrences. A Northern, Southern, Central and Western biotic region was identified. Classification tree methodology (CART) and Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) were used to characterise defined biotic regions in terms of selected environmental variables. Four sets of species assemblages are described on the basis of these biotic regions – two major and two minor ones. Of the major assemblages the Northern assemblage can be described as an arid zone one and the Southern assemblage as a mesic zone one. The minor Central assemblage, comprising mainly rock-dwelling forms, represent evolutionary leftovers as a result of climate change induces cycles of contraction and expansion of arid and mesic faunas. The other minor one, the West Coast assemblage could be considered a sub-assemblage of the Northern one, with particular adaptation to the coastal climate. Environmental characterisation of the biotic regions reveals that these groupings are supported by an environmental signal. The contiguity of four distinct sets of reptiles, each with its own set of environmental requirements, in this relatively small geographic area clearly indicates that the southwestern region of South Africa is biogeographically complex. The GCBC incorporates the largely coinciding centres of endemism and richness along the West Coast and the greater Cederberg area. Although the centre of endemism for melanistic reptile forms, in the Saldanha-Langebaan area, falls just south of the GCBC boundary, the Corridor fulfils the requirements for effective conservation of reptiles in the area to a large degree. The north-south dispersal pathways provided by the Corridor along the Cape Fold Mountains is believed to be adequate to buffer climate change effects, however there is concern about its ability to contribute to the persistence of the assemblage associated with the narrow coastal zone in the west.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Groter Cederberg Biodiversiteit Korridor (GCBK) is ‘n grootskaalse bewaringskorridor wat in die suid-westelike deel van Suid-Afrika geleë is. Die grense van GCBK is gebasseer op plantegroei data. In die huidige studie word die betekenis van die GCBK vir die bewaring van die reptiel fauna in die gebied suid van 31°S en wes van 21°O assesseer. Die mate waartoe die GCBK die patrone van reptieldiversiteit in die streek inkorporeer, asook die korridor se potensiaal om voorsiening te maak vir reptiel verspreidingsgebiede wat moontlik as gevolg van potensiële omgewingsverandering kan verskuif. Die beskikbare puntverspreidingsdata van die voorlopige (2007) SARCA (South African Reptile Conservation Assessment) databasis is gebruik. Swak verteenwoordiging van die Tankwa Karoo in die datastel het ‘n veldopname van die gebied genoodsaak. Verder is die biogeografiese invloed van die ariede Tankwa Karoo Kom op die verspreidingspatrone van reptiele in die suid-westelike deel van Suid-Afrika ook ondersoek. Die spesie omset van beide Noord na Suid en Wes na Oos oor die Tankwa is hoog, die spesierykheid is aansienlik laer as in die omringende bergagtige gebiede en daar is geen spesies wat endemies is tot die Tankwa Karoo nie. Die Tankwa Karoo Kom dien as ‘n barieêre teen spreiding vir sommige reptielspesies wat in die omringende gematigde gebiede voorkom. Terselfdertyd reik die verspreidings van ‘n aantal tipiese droogte aangepasde spesies vanuit die noorde suidwaarts langs die Tankwa Vlaktes. Nuwe verspredingsrekords wat ‘n paar spesies se gebiede uitbrei word ook raporteer. Die puntverspreidingsdata is geruik om die patrone van endemisme, spesierykheid en omset op kwart- en agtstegraad resolusie te plot. Spesierykheid kaarte toon ‘n duidelike neiging tot deegliker opnames in reservate en bewoonde gebiede. Hierdie patroon is meer opmerklik vir slange as akkedisse. Reptielrykheid is besonders hoog langs die noord-suid as van die Kaapse Plooiberge en ook relatief hoog langs die suid-wes kus met ‘n maksimum in die Lambertsbaai omgewing. Die meerderheid van die 20 reptielspesies wat endemies is aan die studie area is met een van twee geïdentifiseerde sentrums van endemisme geassosieer: die Groter Cederberg area óf die nou kussone wat vanaf Lambertsbaai tot Kaappunt strek. ‘n Derde stel endemiese spesies wat uit melanistiese vorme bestaan, is beperk tot ‘n aantal refugia, naamlik, Landroskop, Kaappunt, Saldanha- Langebaan omgewing, Piketberg berge en ‘n beperkte area langs die westelike dele van die Kaapse Plooiberge. Spesierykheid en endemisme patrone stem grootliks ooreen binne die studie area. Roosterselle is op grond van gedeelde spesiesamestellings met behulp van ‘n hieragiese groeperingsmetode (Incremental Sum of Squares) gegroepeer. Vier bio-areas, nl. ‘n Noordelike-, Suidelike-, Sentrale en Westelike bio-area is identifiseer. Klassifikasieboom metodologie (Classification and Regression Trees, CART) asook Kanoniese Annalises (Cannonical Correspondence Annalysis, CCA) is gebruik om hierdie geografiese areas in terme van ‘n aantal omgewingsveranderlikes te karakteriseer. Vier spesieversamelings, twee groter en twee kleiner versamelings, is in ooreenstemming met hierdie vier areas geïdentifiseer. Die Noordelike en Suidelike spesieversamelings is die groteres en kan beskryf word as die faunas van onderskeidelik ‘n ariede en gematigde sone. Die kleiner Sentrale versameling bestaan hoofsaaklik uit rots-lewende spesies en mag die evolusionêre oorblyfsels verteenwoordig van ariede en gematigde faunas waarvan die verspreidings herhaaldelik as gevolg van klimaatsveranderingsiklusse uitgebrei en gekrimp het. Die Weskus versameling is ook ‘n kleiner een en kan as ‘n sub-versameling van die Noordelike een beskou word, maar spesifiek tot die kus klimaat aangepas. Die klassifikasie van hierdie bio-areas word ondersteun deur die analiese van die omgewingsveranderlikes. Die feit dat vier kenmerkende versamelings reptiele, elk met sy besondere omgewingsvereistes, in hierdie relatief klein geografiese area ontmoet, dui daarop dat die suid-westelike deel van Suid-Afrika biogeografies kompleks is. Die GCBK inkorporeer die grootliks ooreenstemmende sentrums van endemisme en rykheid wat langs die Weskus en in die groter Cederberg area voorkom. Alhoewel die sentrum van melanistiese endemiese spesies, in die Saldanha-Langebaan omgewing, net buite die grense van die Korridor val, voldoen die GCBK grootliks aan die vereistes vir die effektiewe bewaring van reptiele in die gebied. Die voorsiening van noord-suid verspreidingsweë langs die Kaapse Plooiberge binne die Korridor word beskou as voldoende om die gevolge van klimaatsverandering te buffer. Daarinteen is daar kommer oor die vermoeë van die GCKB om ‘n doeltreffende bydrae te maak tot die voortbestaan van die spesieversameling wat met die nou kussone langs die Weskus geassosieer is.

La compréhension du fonctionnement et de l’intérêt de la biodiversité en milieu urbain est fondamentale à l’ère où les villes sont devenues les lieux de vie pour plus de la moitié des humains de la planète. L’objectif de cette thèse était de mieux comprendre le fonctionnement de la biodiversité en ville à travers l’étude des interactions ayant lieu entre le milieu urbain et les dépendances vertes ferroviaires. Nous avons donc en premier lieu étudié les effets de l’urbanisation sur la diversité taxonomique et fonctionnelle des communautés végétales et animales (orthoptères, escargots) des dépendances vertes. Nous avons ensuite étudié l’apport de ces dépendances vertes ferroviaires au fonctionnement de la biodiversité en ville. Nos résultats soulignent l’importance des filtres liés à la fragmentation et à l’environnement urbain dans l’assemblage des communautés. Ces filtres conduisent à la sélection de certains traits fonctionnels et certaines espèces « gagnantes », ce qui se traduit par une simplification non aléatoire des communautés en ville. Nous avons également mis en évidence un rôle de refuge ainsi qu’une connectivité fonctionnelle au sein des dépendances vertes ferroviaires en milieu urbain. Cette dernière participe à atténuer les effets des filtres liés à la fragmentation sur les communautés végétales mais ne semble pas pour autant favoriser les invasions végétales, qui seraient plutôt liées au déplacement de graines associé au mouvement des trains. Enfin, maintenir ou favoriser la biodiversité au sein des dépendances vertes ferroviaires en ville passe par une amélioration de la connectivité ainsi que par une gestion raisonnée et le suivi des actions menées dans l’espace et dans le temps. Cette thèse apporte un éclairage nouveau sur des espaces comme les dépendances vertes ferroviaires en ville en montrant leur importance pour la biodiversité. La compréhension de l’importance de ces espaces et de leur biodiversité pour les citadins devra être la prochaine étape
Understanding the functioning and the importance of biodiversity in urban areas is essential in an era when more than half of all humans live in cities. The goal of this thesis was to understand biodiversity dynamics in cities through the study of interactions between urban areas and railway edges. Firstly, we studied the effects of urbanisation on railway edges plant and animal (Orthoptera, snails) communities with both a taxonomic and a functional approach. Secondly, we examined the contribution of railway edges to the dynamics of biodiversity in a urban context. Our results highlight the importance of filters induced by fragmentation and urban environments on community assembly. Those filters operate a selection of species biological traits, resulting in a non-random simplification of local community compositions. Our studies also emphasize the role of railway edges as refuges and show that these areas can provide a functional connectivity in urban areas, which contribute to the attenuation of the effects of fragmentation and isolation induced by urbanisation. Despite this connectivity function, railway edges did not seem to favour invasions by plant species, which seem much more related to train movement. A connectivity improvement, an integrated management and a monitoring of actions in space and time should benefit to railway edges biodiversity in a urban context. This thesis sheds a new light on areas such as railway edges in cities and their importance to biodiversity. The next step is then to understand the importance of these areas and the biodiversity they host to city-dwellers

Les politiques de conservation de la biodiversité ne concernent plus seulement aujourd’hui des espaces protégés, mais également des réseaux où l’enjeu est de préserver et restaurer les continuités entre habitats afin de favoriser les circulations des populations animales et végétales. Ce nouveau regard élargit les territoires de la conservation aux espaces de nature ordinaire, tels que les espaces agricoles, où les processus écologiques et les activités humaines sont fortement imbriqués. Ce travail de thèse s’intéresse à la mise en œuvre, à travers une gestion du paysage en faveur du réseau écologique, d’une stratégie de conservation intégrée de la biodiversité dans les espaces agricoles. Pour cela, nous étudions les modes de gouvernance, les représentations et les pratiques de cette conservation à différentes échelles par des approches associant méthodes d’analyse qualitative et quantitative. A l’échelle nationale et régionale, nous interrogeons les évolutions des représentations sociales des relations entre agriculture et biodiversité au moyen d’une analyse de contenu de la presse quotidienne. A l’échelle régionale et territoriale, nous comparons la gouvernance et la mise en œuvre d’un outil contractuel de la politique Trame verte et bleue sur trois études de cas, à partir d’entretiens semi-directifs et d’observations participantes. A l’échelle de l’exploitation agricole, nous identifions par des entretiens semi-directifs, les modalités d’intégration de la biodiversité comme facteur de décision des pratiques des agriculteurs et leurs représentations de la biodiversité et des éléments semi-naturels arborés. Nos résultats mettent en évidence que le paysage est un outil propice à l’insertion de la biodiversité dans les espaces agricoles, et à celle des acteurs locaux dans la conservation, à condition qu’il soit considéré dans sa pluralité de conceptions et de représentations. Cependant, autour des réseaux écologiques, la notion de paysage qui fait référence reste largement celle de l’écologie et celle-ci peine à inclure la dimension agricole et les agriculteurs. Nous discutons des apports théoriques et méthodologiques de ces résultats et de leurs perspectives scientifiques et appliquées en géographie de la conservation
Biodiversity conservation no longer only concerns protected areas. It is also a matter of ecological network. Ecological corridors between habitats participate in the circulation of animal and plant populations. This new perspective extends the scope of conservation to ordinary nature and areas where ecological processes and human activities are strongly intertwined, such as agricultural areas. This study focuses on the implementation of integrated biodiversity conservation in agricultural areas through landscape management for ecological network. We study the modes of governance, representations and practices on several scales, mixing qualitative and quantitative analyses. At the national and regional scales, changes in social representations of the relationship between agriculture and biodiversity are examined with a content analysis of French media. At the regional and local scale, we compare, in three case studies, the modes of governance of a contractual tool of the French ecological network policy: the Green and Blue infrastructure ("Trame verte et bleue"). For this purpose, we use semi-structured interviews and participant observations. At farm scale, we identify with semi-structured interviews, the ways in which biodiversity can be included as a factor in decision–making practices, and we investigate the farmers’ representations of biodiversity and landscape elements. We show the importance of taking into account the diversity of conceptions and representations of landscape by farmers and all stakeholders for successful integrated biodiversity conservation. In the design and implementation of ecological network policies, the predominant conception of landscape is ecological and therefore has difficulty in including the agricultural issues and farmers’ views. Finally, we discuss the theoretical, methodological and practical implications of our results in conservation geography

La pollution lumineuse, induite par l’utilisation massive d’éclairage artificiel la nuit, est un changement global qui affecte une partie importante des écosystèmes terrestres et marins, et qui soulève de nombreuses inquiétudes quant à son influence sur la biodiversité et le fonctionnement des écosystèmes. En effet, la pollution lumineuse induit de nombreux impacts sur les rythmes circadiens et saisonniers des organismes, et affecte leurs mouvements et leurs distributions spatiales. L’accumulation de ces impacts dans le temps et dans l’espace sur les différentes espèces peut ainsi entrainer des perturbations en cascade sur les dynamiques spatiotemporelles des communautés et sur les écosystèmes.Dans ce contexte, l’objectif de cette thèse est de caractériser les impacts de l’éclairage artificiel sur les activités de chauves-souris (ordre: chiroptère) à de multiples échelles spatiales afin d’élaborer des mesures de gestion de l’éclairage public qui limitent ses impacts négatifs sur la biodiversité. Nous avons utilisé les chauves-souris comme modèle d’étude car elles sont nocturnes et directement exposées à la pollution lumineuse, et sont considérées comme des espèces bio indicatrices de la réponse des espèces aux pressions anthropiques.Dans un premier temps, nous avons caractérisé l’impact relatif de la pollution lumineuse à l’échelle du paysage par rapport aux autres pressions de changements d’usage des sols en utilisant une base de données nationale de sciences participatives. Nous avons trouvé que la pollution lumineuse avait un impact négatif sur l’activité et la probabilité de présence des espèces de chiroptères les plus communes en France, et que cet impact était significativement plus fort que celui de l’artificialisation des sols, mais moins important que celui de l’agriculture intensive. Ces résultats confirment l’importance de prendre en compte l’éclairage public dans les stratégies d’aménagement du territoire pour restaurer efficacement de l’obscurité dans les paysages anthropisés.Ainsi, nous avons élaboré une expérience in situ pour déterminer si i) restaurer de l’obscurité dans le temps en éteignant les lampadaires pour une partie de la nuit (extinction nocturne), ou ii) limiter l’étendue spatiale de l’éclairage à proximité d’éléments naturels pouvaient être des mesures efficaces pour créer des zones corridors et des zones de refuges obscurs dans les paysages anthropisés. Nos résultats ont montré que les mesures actuelles d’extinction ne limitaient pas efficacement l’impact de l’éclairage sur les espèces de chiroptères sensibles à la lumière. Par contre, nous avons déterminé que les lampadaires devraient être séparés d’au moins 50 m des corridors écologiques, et que l’intrusion de lumière dans la végétation autour des zones éclairées ne devrait pas dépasser 0.1 lux pour permettre l’utilisation de ces espaces par les espèces sensibles à la lumière.En conclusion, cette thèse a mis en lumière l’importance de traiter la question de la pollution lumineuse à de multiples échelles spatiales pour bien caractériser ses impacts sur la biodiversité. Elle a par ailleurs permis de souligner l’importance de la prise en compte de cette pollution dans l’aménagement du territoire, et de proposer des critères écologiques qui pourraient être intégrés dans les futur normes et standards européens pour l’éclairage public
Light pollution induced by the widespread use of nighttime artificial lighting is a global change affecting substantial part of terrestrial and marine ecosystems. As a result, major concerns have been raised about its hidden impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Light pollution has major impacts on the circadian and seasonal cycles of organisms, and on their movements and spatial distributions. As a whole, light pollution likely disrupts the spatiotemporal dynamics of biological communities and ecosystems. In this context, the aim of this PhD was to characterize the impacts of nighttime artificial lighting on bat activity (order: chiroptera) at multiple spatial scales in order to propose reduction measures that can effectively limit the adverse impacts of light pollution on biodiversity. We used bats as model species as they are nocturnal and directly exposed to light pollution and they are considered to be good indicators of the response of biodiversity to anthropogenic pressure.We first intended to characterize the extent of effect of light pollution at a landscape scale relative to major land-use pressures that are threatening biodiversity worldwide. Using a French national-scale citizen science database, we found that landscape-scale level of light pollution negatively affected common bat species, and that this effect was significantly stronger than the effect of impervious surfaces but weaker than the effect of intensive agriculture. This highlighted the crucial need to account for outdoor lighting in land-use planning in order to restore darkness in human-inhabited landscapes.Thus, through an in situ experiment, we investigated whether i) restoring darkness in a landscape for a part of the night through part-night lighting schemes, or ii) restraining the spatial extent of lighting at the vicinity of natural elements were effective options to enhance dark ecological corridors in human-inhabited landscapes. We found that part-night lighting schemes were unlikely to effectively mitigate the impacts of artificial lighting on light-sensitive species. However, we revealed that streetlights should be separated from ecological corridors by at least 50 m, and that the light trespass should be lower than 0.1 lux to allow their effective use by light-sensitive species.Overall, this PhD thesis revealed the major importance of addressing light pollution issues at multiple spatial scales to characterize its impacts on biodiversity. It also exposed the crucial importance of integrating outdoor lighting in land-use planning strategies and proposed to implement ecological criteria in future European standards for outdoor lighting

This dissertation explores local people's framing of externally driven biodiversity conservation approaches in the context of transfrontier conservation initiatives. It uses data from the Madimbo corridor, a specific locality within the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area, situated to the northeast of South Africa along the South Africa-Zimbabwe boundary. It shows that livelihoods, historical experiences with external interventions and exclusion from policy-making processes and programme implementation influence local strategies for engaging with external interventions. Thus, an analysis of framing of external interventions at a local level should establish the following: the role of natural resources in sustaining local livelihoods
local historical experiences with an external intervention
iii) the nature of multi-level actor interactions from local resource dependent people, to national, regional and global actors involved in or affected by an intervention. The study uses a detailed case study of Bennde Mutale village to trace local people&rsquo
s ideas, ways of speaking and actions in response to the implementation of a large-scale transfrontier conservation initiative. The study finds that local livelihoods play a central role in local responses to the changes that transfrontier conservation bring upon people's lives. Many see further exclusion, while some also see and hope for a restoration of the socio-cultural border region. The globally significant biodiversity - to be conserved for &lsquo
future generations&rsquo
&ndash
at the same time constitutes the natural resources that sustain local people&rsquo
s livelihoods. Further, local livelihoods are more diverse than is commonly acknowledged in literature advocating for transfrontier conservation. This lack of acknowledgement of local diversification contributes to the main observation made in this study: that current processes of transfrontier conservation end up replicating and re-inventing the multiple forms of exclusion that have characterised state conservation practices for over a century. While transfrontier conservation enables the freer movement of wildlife, it in fact further constrains the movements of people whose mobility within less closely controlled border regions remains centrally important to survival. At the same time, state actors come into the area with contradicting and conflicting demands ranging from the beneficial advocacy role for land rights to the enforcement of conservation through fences and game rangers, experienced as a direct infringement on livelihood possibilities. The study concludes that there is a need to rethink transfrontier conservation interventions. The diversity of local livelihood approaches needs to be considered more centrally and clearer understanding needs to be developed of how the promises of opportunities, betterment of lives and increased human mobility actually unfold in practice. In order to succeed and deliver on site - not only to high-class tourists seeking to view unique biodiversity but to local people - transfrontier conservation efforts need to engage multiple actors directly from the ground up and throughout the process of policy-making, programme conceptualisation and implementation.

Den biologiska mångfalden har det senaste seklet utarmats i Sverige. Det beror till stor del på moderniseringen av jord- och skogsbruk som medfört drastiska habitatminskningar. En av de artrikaste biotoperna är den traditionellt hävdade slåtterängen. Projektet Livslinjen har initierats för att återskapa en sammanhängande slåtteräng genom en hel kommun. Den ska vara cykelbar med pedagogiska inslag för allmänheten och samtidigt fungera som en spridningskorridor för flora och fauna. Denna studie har inventerat örtskikt och övergripande struktur längs med tänkta sträcka. Utifrån de olika områdenas förutsättningar har åtgärder för restaurering och nyetablering föreslagits för att återskapa slåtterängslika miljöer samt generellt verka för en ökad biodiversitet. Merparten av det drygt 10 km långa stråket är präglad av kvävetillförsel och igenväxning. Några områden innehåller arter som indikerar slåtterängslika förhållanden. Äldre grova träd, sandiga marker, stenmurar och andra småbiotoper har noterats. Lämpliga skötselregimer måste implementeras på de flesta områdena. Ett estetiskt förhållningssätt bör finnas med i restaureringsprocessen speciellt i de urbana områdena. De ytor som huserar populationer av ängsvegetation måste fortsätta skötas med traditionella metoder för att kunna bevaras. Att starta med informationsförmedling till allmänheten i början av projektet är viktigt för att skapa förståelse. Uppföljning och nya inventeringar för att utvärdera effekterna av åtgärder tillråds.
Over the past century biodiversity has declined in Sweden as in all other western countries. Mainly due to modernization of agriculture and forestry which has resulted in drastic habitat losses for many species when rural areas have become less diverse and more fragmented. One of the most species-rich habitat is the traditional hay meadow. The Project Livslinjen (the “Lifeline”) has been initiated to re-create a coherent meadow trough a municipality. The public should be able to bike along it the whole way and it should also feature educational elements. At the same time, it should work as a wildlife corridor. In this study an inventory of forbes and the overall structure of the area is performed. This to identify potential actions to re-create meadow-like vegetation and generally increase biodiversity along the route. The study has found that the 10 km long route passes varied grounds with a city center in the middle. Most areas are influenced by nitrogen surplus and overgrowth. Though some areas hosts species that indicates meadow like conditions. Old large trees, sandy slopes, stonewalls and other microhabitats are noted as well. The initial stage of the restoration will focus on depleting nitrogen surpluses in the ground and selectively clear trees and shrubs. Appropriate management regimes must be implemented in most areas. An esthetics eye should be involved in the restoration process since it is recommended that biodiversity should not look untidy. Landscape variation should be a keyword in the process. Gradually, different parts of the route can start to be managed with traditional methods. Then active re-establishment of desirable species can commence. The areas which still house preserved meadow vegetation must continue to be managed accordingly. It is advised to commence with information to the public already at the start of the project to create understanding for what they see. Follow-ups and new inventories to evaluate the effects of measures is advised.

Le rapide déclin actuel de la biodiversité est inquiétant et les activités humaines en sont la cause directe. De nombreuses aires protégées ont été mises en place pour contrer cette perte de biodiversité. Afin de maximiser leur efficacité, l’amélioration de la connectivité fonctionnelle entre elles est requise. Les changements climatiques perturbent actuellement les conditions environnementales de façon globale. C’est une menace pour la biodiversité qui n’a pas souvent été intégrée lors de la mise en place des aires protégées, jusqu’à récemment. Le mouvement des espèces, et donc la connectivité fonctionnelle du paysage, est impacté par les changements climatiques et des études ont montré qu’améliorer la connectivité fonctionnelle entre les aires protégées aiderait les espèces à faire face aux impacts des changements climatiques. Ma thèse présente une méthode pour concevoir des réseaux d’aires protégées tout en tenant compte des changements climatiques et de la connectivité fonctionnelle. Mon aire d’étude est la région de la Gaspésie au Québec (Canada). La population en voie de disparition de caribou de la Gaspésie-Atlantique (Rangifer tarandus caribou) a été utilisée comme espèce focale pour définir la connectivité fonctionnelle. Cette petite population subit un déclin continu dû à la prédation et la modification de son habitat, et les changements climatiques pourraient devenir une menace supplémentaire. J’ai d’abord construit un modèle individu-centré spatialement explicite pour expliquer et simuler le mouvement du caribou. J’ai utilisé les données VHF éparses de la population de caribou et une stratégie de modélisation patron-orienté pour paramétrer et sélectionner la meilleure hypothèse de mouvement. Mon meilleur modèle a reproduit la plupart des patrons de mouvement définis avec les données observées. Ce modèle fournit une meilleure compréhension des moteurs du mouvement du caribou de la Gaspésie-Atlantique, ainsi qu’une estimation spatiale de son utilisation du paysage dans la région. J’ai conclu que les données éparses étaient suffisantes pour ajuster un modèle individu-centré lorsqu’utilisé avec une modélisation patron-orienté. Ensuite, j’ai estimé l’impact des changements climatiques et de différentes actions de conservation sur le potentiel de mouvement du caribou. J’ai utilisé le modèle individu-centré pour simuler le mouvement du caribou dans des paysages hypothétiques représentant différents scénarios de changements climatiques et d’actions de conservation. Les actions de conservation représentaient la mise en place de nouvelles aires protégées en Gaspésie, comme définies par le scénario proposé par le gouvernement du Québec, ainsi que la restauration de routes secondaires à l’intérieur des aires protégées. Les impacts des changements climatiques sur la végétation, comme définis dans mes scénarios, ont réduit le potentiel de mouvement du caribou. La restauration des routes était capable d’atténuer ces effets négatifs, contrairement à la mise en place des nouvelles aires protégées. Enfin, j’ai présenté une méthode pour concevoir des réseaux d’aires protégées efficaces et j’ai proposé des nouvelles aires protégées à mettre en place en Gaspésie afin de protéger la biodiversité sur le long terme. J’ai créé de nombreux scénarios de réseaux d’aires protégées en étendant le réseau actuel pour protéger 12% du territoire. J’ai calculé la représentativité écologique et deux mesures de connectivité fonctionnelle sur le long terme pour chaque réseau. Les mesures de connectivité fonctionnelle représentaient l’accès général aux aires protégées pour le caribou de la Gaspésie-Atlantique ainsi que son potentiel de mouvement à l’intérieur. J’ai utilisé les estimations de potentiel de mouvement pour la période de temps actuelle ainsi que pour le futur sous différents scénarios de changements climatiques pour représenter la connectivité fonctionnelle sur le long terme. Le réseau d’aires protégées que j’ai proposé était le scénario qui maximisait le compromis entre les trois caractéristiques de réseau calculées. Dans cette thèse, j’ai expliqué et prédit le mouvement du caribou de la Gaspésie-Atlantique sous différentes conditions environnementales, notamment des paysages impactés par les changements climatiques. Ces résultats m’ont aidée à définir un réseau d’aires protégées à mettre en place en Gaspésie pour protéger le caribou au cours du temps. Je crois que cette thèse apporte de nouvelles connaissances sur le comportement de mouvement du caribou de la Gaspésie-Atlantique, ainsi que sur les actions de conservation qui peuvent être prises en Gaspésie afin d’améliorer la protection du caribou et de celle d’autres espèces. Je crois que la méthode présentée peut être applicable à d’autres écosystèmes aux caractéristiques et besoins similaires.
The world is facing worrisome declines in biodiversity. Species extinction rates have increased as a direct consequence of human activities. Protected areas have been implemented around the world in an effort to counter biodiversity loss. Although protected areas are part of the solution, they should be designed systematically in a way to maximize their effectiveness. Enhancing functional connectivity between protected areas is one way to increase their effectiveness. Climate change is disrupting environmental conditions globally. It is a threat to biodiversity that until recently was not often integrated into protected area design. Climate change has been shown to impact species movements, and therefore landscape functional connectivity. Some studies have suggested that enhancing functional connectivity between protected areas can also help species cope with climate change impacts. My thesis presents a methodology to design protected area networks while accounting for climate change and functional connectivity. My study area is located in the natural region of Gaspésie in Québec (Canada). The endangered Atlantic-Gaspésie population of woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) was used as the focal species to define functional connectivity. This small population is in long-term decline due to predation and habitat change, but climate change may become an additional threat. First, I built a spatially explicit individual-based model to explain and simulate caribou movement. I used sparse VHF data available at the time of the study to select and parameterize a movement model using a pattern-oriented modeling strategy. My best model reproduced most of the movement patterns defined from the observed data. This model improved the understanding of the movement drivers for the Atlantic-Gaspésie caribou. It also provided spatial estimates of caribou landscape use in the Gaspésie region. I concluded that sparse data were sufficient to fit individual-based models when coupled with a pattern-oriented modeling strategy. Second, I estimated how climate change and conservation activities may impact caribou movement potential. I used the individual-based model to simulate caribou movements in hypothetical landscapes representing the impacts of various climate change scenarios and conservation activities. Conservation activities represented the implementation of new protected areas in Gaspésie, according to the scenario developed by the government of Québec, and the restoration of secondary roads inside protected areas. Climate change impacts on vegetation, as defined in my scenarios, reduced caribou movement potential. Road restoration was able to mitigate these negative effects whereas the implementation of the new protected areas did not improve caribou movement potential. Third, I presented a methodology to design effective protected area networks and proposed new protected areas to implement in Gaspésie to conserve biodiversity in the presence of climate change. I created a large sample of protected area networks expanding the existing network to reach an areal target of 12%. I then calculated an ecological representativeness index and two measures of functional connectivity over time for each network. Functional connectivity measures represented the overall access to the protected areas and the movement potential in them for the Atlantic-Gaspésie caribou. I used movement potential estimates for the current time period and for the future under different climate change scenarios to represent functional connectivity. The protected area network I proposed maximized the trade-off between the three network features I calculated. In this thesis I examined Atlantic-Gaspésie caribou movements under different environmental conditions, including climate change impacted landscapes. These results helped define new protected areas for the Gaspésie region that will protect the caribou population over time. I believe this thesis gives new insights on the Atlantic-Gaspésie caribou movement behavior, as well as on the management actions that could be taken in Gaspésie to improve conservation of caribou and of other species. I believe this methodology could be applied to other ecosystems with similar characteristics and needs.

Submitted by Renata Lopes (renatasil82@gmail.com) on 2016-03-04T14:36:33Z No. of bitstreams: 1 camilanevessilva.pdf: 1642146 bytes, checksum: d20d26e91391fb46078507d8ecd96678 (MD5)
Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2016-04-24T01:54:32Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 camilanevessilva.pdf: 1642146 bytes, checksum: d20d26e91391fb46078507d8ecd96678 (MD5)
Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-24T01:54:32Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 camilanevessilva.pdf: 1642146 bytes, checksum: d20d26e91391fb46078507d8ecd96678 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-02-18
FAPEMIG - Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais
A Mata Atlântica é um dos ecossistemas mais ricos em biodiversidade no mundo e, embora bem representada entre os biomas do Estado de Minas Gerais, é ainda carente em estudos florísticos que documentem a riqueza de sua flora. A área do Jardim Botânico da Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora (JB-UFJF) está inserida na região da Zona da Mata de Minas Gerais, município de Juiz de Fora, que sofreu os impactos da cultura cafeeira e da criação de gado. A área encontra-se em regeneração há cerca de 70 anos, estando próxima a outros fragmentos florestais de grande relevância ambiental, integrando o Corredor Ecológico da Serra do Mar. O objetivo deste estudo foi determinar a composição florística do JB-UFJF, bem como sua similaridade com fragmentos florestais situados no Sudeste brasileiro, avaliando a importância da área de estudo para a conservação da flora do município e suas relações florísticas com outros fragmentos florestais. As coletas foram realizadas em 2011 e 2012 e o material coletado está depositado no Herbário CESJ da UFJF. A similaridade foi calculada pelo índice de Jaccard, com um dendograma baseado na média de grupo (UPGMA) entre o JB-UFJF e outros 12 levantamentos florísticos de MG, RJ e SP. Foram registradas 432 espécies distribuídas em 269 gêneros e 96 famílias. As famílias mais ricas em espécies foram Fabaceae (35 spp), Melastomataceae (27 spp), Rubiaceae (27 spp), Solanaceae (21 spp), e Asteraceae (20 spp). Os gêneros mais ricos foram Miconia (15 spp), Piper (12 spp), Psychotria (9 spp) e Solanum (8 spp). Seis espécies encontradas no JB-UFJF estão categorizadas como ameaçadas de extinção na Lista Vermelha de Minas Gerais (2000). Cyclopogon variegatus teve seu primeiro registro para Minas Gerais. A riqueza específica do hábito herbáceo foi a segunda mais alta (21,29%), seguindo o arbóreo (50,46%), o que mostra a importância do componente herbáceo em levantamentos florísticos. A similaridade do JB-UFJF com outros fragmentos de Floresta Estacional Semidecidual de Minas Gerais e o padrão observado no dendograma incluem a área na tipologia Floresta Estacional Semidecidual, como área transicional do Corredor Ecológico da Serra do Mar.
The Atlantic Forest is one of the richest ecosystems of the world and, although well represented among biomes of the state of Minas Gerais is still lacking of floristics studies that document the richness of its flora. The area of the Botanical Garden of the Federal University of Juiz de Fora (JB-UFJF) is inserted in the Zona da Mata region, in Minas Gerais, city of Juiz de Fora, which suffered the impact of coffee cultivation and cattle. The area is undergoing a process of regeneration for about 70 years, being close to other forest fragments that have great environmental relevance and integrating the ecological corridor of Serra do Mar. The aim of this study was to determine the floristic composition of the JB-UFJF as well as its similarity to forest fragments located in southeastern of Brazil, in order to evaluate the importance of the JB-UFJF to into the conservation of the flora of the city and its floristic links with other forest fragments. The collections were carried out in 2011 and 2012 and the collected material is deposited in the Herbarium CESJ of UFJF. The similarity was calculated by Jaccard index with a dendrogram based on the Unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) between the JB-UFJF and other 12 floristic surveys of MG, RJ and SP. 432 species were recorded, distributed in 269 genera and 96 families. The families with the biggest richness of species were Fabaceae (35 spp), Melastomataceae (27 spp), Rubiaceae (27 spp), Solanaceae (21 spp), and Asteraceae (20 spp). The richest genera were Miconia (15 spp), Piper (12 spp), Psychotria (9 spp) and Solanum (8 spp). Six species found in the area are endangered according to the Red List of Minas Gerais (2000). Cyclopogon variegatus had its first record for Minas Gerais. The richness of the herbaceous species was the second highest (21,29%), following the arboreal (50,46%), which shows the importance of the herbaceous stratum in floristic surveys. The similarity of the JB-UFJF with other fragments of semi-deciduous forest of Minas Gerais and the pattern observed in the dendrogram include the area in the Semideciduous Forest typology, as a transitional area of the Serra do Mar Ecological Corridor.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T19:30:05Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 6330.pdf: 2877789 bytes, checksum: ce811f76ae400bc272aa8f7850a18367 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-11-11
Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos
Studies on flora and wildlife are important to help to understand the ecological processes that occur in response to use of management strategies. Hymenoptera are a key group for setting priorities for conservation, since they represent a high proportion of diversity of insects , being easily sampled. The aim of this study was to characterize the fauna of Hymenoptera parasitoids associated with Lepidoptera larvae in agrosilvopastoral and silviagricultural systems and in reforestation area (ecological corridor) of the Fazenda Canchim (Embrapa Pecuária Sudeste), São Carlos, SP, Brazil. Lepidoptera larvae collected with beating tray were kept in the laboratory until the emergence of adults or of their parasitoids. From hosts collected in the reforestation emerged 69 parasitoids, thus identified: Chalcididae, Chalcidinae (Conura); Ichneumonidae, Pimplinae (Neotheronia) and Campopleginae (Charops and Microcharops); and Braconidae, Microgastrinae (Apanteles, Diolcogaster, Distatrix, Glyptapanteles and Protapanteles). From those collected in the agrosilvopastoral and silviagriculture systems 267 hymenopteran parasitoids emerged thus identified: Braconidae, Agathidinae (Alabagrus), Braconinae (Bracon), Microgastrinae (Cotesia, Diolcogaster, Glyptapanteles, Pholetesor and Protapanteles), and Orgilinae (Orgilus); Ichneumonidae, Campopleginae (Casinaria, Charops and Microcharops); Chalcididae, Chalcidinae (Brachymeria and Conura); and Eulophidae, Entedoninae (Horismenus) and Eulophinae (Elachertus and Euplectrus). The environments studied are home to wide variety of genera of Hymenoptera parasitoids through greater availability of food resources for them and for their hosts (immatures and adults). Reforestation practices and use of mixed systems environment should be encouraged.
Estudos da flora e fauna silvestres são importantes por contribuirem para a compreensão dos processos ecológicos que ocorrem em resposta às estratégias de manejo utilizadas. Os Hymenoptera são um grupo-chave para o estabelecimento de prioridades em conservação do ambiente, pois representam alta proporção da diversidade de insetos, sendo facilmente amostrados. O objetivo deste trabalho foi caracterizar a fauna de Hymenoptera parasitoides associada às larvas de Lepidoptera em área de reflorestamento (corredor ecológico) e nos sistemas agrossilvipastoril e silviagrícola da Fazenda Canchim (Embrapa Pecuária Sudeste), São Carlos, SP, Brasil. Larvas de Lepidoptera coletadas com guarda-chuva entomológico foram mantidas em laboratório até a emergência dos seus adultos ou de seus parasitoides. Das larvas coletadas na área de reflorestamento emergiram 69 Hymenoptera parasitoides, identificados como: Chalcididae, Chalcidinae (Conura); Ichneumonidae, Pimplinae (Neotheronia) e Campopleginae (Charops e Microcharops); e Braconidae, Microgastrinae (Apanteles, Diolcogaster, Distatrix, Glyptapanteles e Protapanteles). Das larvas coletadas nos sistemas agrossilvipastoril e silviagrícola emergiram 267 Hymenoptera parasitoides, sendo identificados como: Braconidae, Agathidinae (Alabagrus), Braconinae (Bracon), Microgastrinae (Cotesia, Diolcogaster, Glyptapanteles, Pholetesor e Protapanteles), e Orgilinae (Orgilus); Ichneumonidae, Campopleginae (Casinaria, Charops e Microcharops); Chalcididae, Chalcidinae (Brachymeria e Conura); e Eulophidae, Entedoninae (Horismenus) e Eulophinae (Elachertus e Euplectrus). Os ambientes estudados abrigam grande diversidade de gêneros de Hymenoptera parasitoides, provavelmente, devido à maior disponibilidade de recursos alimentares para os mesmos e para os seus hospedeiros (formas imaturas e adultos). Práticas de reflorestamento e a implantação de sistemas mistos de utilização do ambiente devem ser estimulados.

Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-10T14:38:29Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Liliane - corrigida.pdf: 1735621 bytes, checksum: 9e277642042840851fc3ac2d9dacd470 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-02-23
Fundação Araucária
This work aimed to evaluate the influence of the riparian vegetation of Santa Maria Biodiversity Corridor on the structure and composition of the phytoplankton community, comparing two streams with different levels of riparian preservation: Apepu stream and Tenente João Gualberto stream. Samples were monthly collected, between September 2012 and August 2013. As a result, 371 taxa were identified, mainly benthic and periphytic taxa, belonging to the Classes Diatomeae and Euglenophyceae. An increase in the features density and species richness was observed from the Apepu stream (greater riparian bank) to the Tenente João Gualberto stream (smaller riparian bank. This fact may have been influenced by the shading caused by the riparian forest of station 1, since the nutrients concentrations of both environments were practically the same. However, despite showing lower values in the ecological attributes, Apepu stream presented a greater stability in the features and structure of the phytoplanktonic community during the study period. Besides, the greater equitability and similarity found in the first station indicate a greater homogeneity, when compared to Tenente João Gualberto stream. In summary, it was possible to demonstrate the importance of the riparian vegetation of Santa Maria Biodiversity Corridor for the stability of the phytoplanktonic community.
Este trabalho objetivou avaliar a influência da vegetação ciliar do Corredor de Biodiversidade Santa Maria na composição e estrutura da comunidade fitoplanctônica, comparando-se dois riachos com diferentes níveis de preservação ciliar: riacho Apepu (25º30'40.5"S 54º20'31.9"W) e Tenente João Gualberto (25º28'36.3"S 54º19'40.9"W). Amostras foram coletadas mensalmente, entre setembro de 2012 e agosto de 2013. Foram identificados 371 táxons, principalmente táxons bentônicos e perifíticos das classes Diatomeae e Euglenophyceae. Foi observado um aumento dos atributos densidade e riqueza de espécies a partir da estação com maior margem ripária (Apepu) para a estação com menor margem ripária (Tenente João Gualberto). Este fato pode ter sido influenciado pelo sombreamento causado pela mata ciliar na primeira estação, já que as concentrações de nutrientes foram pouco diferentes entre os ambientes estudados. No entanto, apesar de apresentar menores valores nos atributos ecológicos, o riacho Apepu apresentou maior estabilidade na estrutura e atributos da comunidade fitoplanctônica durante o período de estudo. Além disto, a maior equitabilidade e semelhança observadas neste estação, indicam maior homogeneidade, quando comparada com o riacho Tenente João Gualberto. Em síntese, foi possível demonstrar a importância da vegetação ripária do Corredor de Biodiversidade Santa Maria para a estabilidade da comunidade fitoplanctônica.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-12-23T13:51:50Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao de Franciane Lousada Rubini de Oliveira Louzada.pdf: 7882995 bytes, checksum: 911090680ef129c2379670c2323285a6 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-12-05
Este trabalho teve como objetivo principal propor rotas para implantação de Corredores Ecológicos utilizando Geotecnologias. Os objetivos específicos foram: delimitar as Áreas de Preservação Permanente em faixa marginal dos cursos d água, ao redor de nascentes, nas encostas com declividade superior a 45º e no terço superior dos topos de morro e montanha; analisar as áreas de confronto de uso e cobertura da terra em APPs do entorno dos Parques Estaduais de Forno Grande e Pedra Azul - ES, sob a ótica da Legislação Ambiental; e Avaliar a predisposição dos proprietários rurais quanto a aceitação da implantação dos Corredores Ecológicos. Primeiramente foram mapeadas 14 classes de uso e cobertura da terra mediante interpretação visual, nas quais predominaram a cobertura florestal (21.349,03 ha - 41,8 %), seguidas de pastagem (14.551,35 ha - 28,4 %), agricultura (5.032,47 ha - 9,8 %) e área em regeneração (3.064,38 ha - 6,0 %). O predomínio de cobertura florestal demonstra o estado de conservação da região e a importância das zonas de amortecimentos dos Parques Estaduais. Seguindo as definições da Resolução nº 303 do CONAMA, foram delimitadas as Áreas de Preservação Permanente (APPs) que ocuparam aproximadamente 23.453,93 ha, representando 45,9 % da área total, sendo que 35,6 % destas apresentaram uso indevido, destacando-se a pastagem, a agricultura e o reflorestamento com eucalipto. Em seguida, utilizando a metodologia de distância de menor custo, foram propostas seis rotas para implantação de Corredor Ecológico, nomeados de Corredor A , B , C , D , E e F . A melhor proposta foi o Corredor A , com 15.144,76 de comprimento, 1.514,48 de largura e 2.099,57 ha, baseado nas imagens de APPs, Uso da Terra, Declividade e Confronto do Uso da terra nas APPs. Um fator relevante para escolha deste corredor foi a existência de grande área de cobertura vegetal e área em regeneração, maior área de APPs preservadas e por possuir um grande potencial turístico e agropecuário. Para avaliar a predisposição dos proprietários rurais quanto à aceitação da implantação dos Corredores Ecológicos em suas propriedades foi aplicado um questionário. Somente 21,8% souberam o que era um Corredor Ecológico e 70,9% tiveram interesse que o mesmo fosse estabelecido em suas propriedades. De acordo com os resultados, conclui-se que a metodologia adotada mostrou-se eficiente, produzindo de forma automatizada, informações precisas sobre sua dimensão e distribuição espacial na paisagem e elaboração de mapas analógicos e digitais
This work had as main objective to propose routes for Ecological Corridors implantation using Geotechnologies. The specific objectives were to define the permanent preservation areas on marginal band of water courses, around springs, on slopes with declivity higher than 45 degrees and on the upper third of the hills and mountains tops; analyze the areas of use confrontation and land cover in the APPs of the surroundings of the State Parks Forno Grande and Pedra Azul - ES, from the viewpoint of Environmental Law; and to evaluate landowners predisposition regarding the acceptance of the Ecological Corridors implantation. First, 14 use classes and land cover were mapped by visual interpretation, in which the forest cover was predominant (21,349.03 ha - 41.8%), followed by pasture (14,551.35 ha - 28.4%), agriculture ( 5,032.47 ha - 9.8%) and regenerating area (3,064.38 ha - 6.0%). The predominance of forest cover shows the conservation status of the region and the importance of buffer zones of the State Parks. Following the definitions of Resolution No. 303 of CONAMA, the Permanent Preservation Areas (PPAs) were delimited which occupied approxi ately 23,453.93 ha, representing 45.9% of total area, and 35.6% of these presented misuse, especially the pasture, agriculture and reforestation with eucalyptus. Then, using the methodology of distance of less expense, six routes were proposed for implementation of the Ecological Corridor, named as Corridor "A", "B", "C", "D", "E" and "F". The best proposal was the Corridor "A", with 15,144.76 long, 1,514.48 and 2,099.57 ha in width, based on APPs images, Land Use, Slope and Confrontation of Land Use in APPs. A significant factor for choosing this corridor was the existence of large areas of vegetation and area in regeneration, the largest area of PPAs preserved and possessing great potential for tourism and agriculture. To evaluate the predisposition of landowners in accepting the implementation of the Ecological Corridors in their properties a questionnaire was applied. Only 21.8% knew what was an ecological corridor and 70.9% were interested in its implementation on their properties. According to the results, we conclude that the methodology was efficient, producing in an automated form, accurate informations about their size and spatial distribution in the landscape and development of analog and digital maps

La politique Trame verte et bleue [TVB], instituée en 2007 en France à la suite du Grenelle de l’Environnement, a pour objectif de contribuer à la préservation de la biodiversité par le maintien et/ou la restauration des continuités écologiques, et ce au-delà des zones protégées, dans les espaces de biodiversité « ordinaire » : espaces ruraux, périurbains et urbains notamment. Ce travail questionne l’appropriation de la TVB par les acteurs locaux, et les implications de sa mise en œuvre sur les pratiques de construction des territoires par leurs acteurs. Notre démarche repose sur un travail d’enquêtes qualitatives menées auprès de structures territoriales, d’élus locaux, d’agriculteurs et de particuliers, sur trois territoires situés au sud de la Région Midi-Pyrénées. Il a été démontré que le dispositif TVB, porté par un discours homogène et très institutionnalisé aux niveaux national et régional, se décline en situations adaptatives sur les territoires. D’un autre côté, le processus de construction de la TVB sur les territoires reste cantonné aux sphères politiques et techniques de l’Etat et des collectivités territoriales : les acteurs locaux, élus mais surtout acteurs privés (agriculteurs et particuliers) y sont peu associés. Néanmoins, ces acteurs se montrent intéressés par la question de la biodiversité, moins par le biais des discours politiques ou scientifiques que par celui des rapports à la biodiversité qu’ils construisent et nourrissent au quotidien. Par ailleurs, la convergence d’objectifs paysagers, socio-économiques et écologiques autour de la TVB peut favoriser son application locale, car pour des motivations différentes, les divers acteurs partagent des volontés d’action communes. Finalement, l’étude montre l’intérêt de connaître et de prendre en considération, dans les projets de mise en œuvre de la politique TVB, les motivations, les freins et les contraintes des acteurs locaux pour l’ancrer et la pérenniser sur les territoires
The purpose of the Green and Blue Corridor (so called TVB) public policy, laid down in France at the “Grenelle de l’Environment” and established in 2007, is to contribute to the preservation of biodiversity by enhancing and/or restoring ecological continuity beyond the protected areas, in spaces of common biodiversity including rural, suburban and urban areas. This work questions the appropriation of TVB by local stakeholders and the consequences of its implementation in structuring territories. Our approach is based on qualitative surveys conducted together with territorial authorities, local elected officials, farmers and private individuals, in three zones of the southern Midi-Pyrénées Region. It has been shown that national TVB scheme, supported by an homogeneous and very institutionalized frame at national and regional levels comes in a range of adaptive situations in the territories. Moreover the construction process of TVB at the local scales remains confined to political and technical spheres of State and local authorities: local stakeholders, elected but mostly individuals (farmers and private people) are not very involved. Nevertheless these stakeholders are interested by the biodiversity matter, less through political or scientific discourses than in links with their own experience of biodiversity. Furthermore convergent aims (landscape, socio-economy and ecology) around TVB can facilitate its local setting up, because from spite of their diversity stakeholders share common action concerns, even if it is for different reasons. Finally, the study highlights the interest of knowing and considering motivations and constraints of local stakeholders in the TVB implementation plans, in order to root and perpetuate the TVB at the local level of the territories

Le maintien de la connectivité à travers les paysages urbains, par nature très fragmentés, est un enjeu majeur de conservation de la biodiversité urbaine. On observe une prise en compte croissante de la connectivité dans les politiques d’aménagement du territoire, notamment avec l’établissement de la trame verte et bleue. De multiples outils cartographiques permettent de mettre en évidence les continuités écologiques (zones de forte connectivité), mais leur validation fonctionnelle fait souvent défaut. L’objectif de cette thèse est de valider les prédictions d’un modèle de chemin de moindre coût, sur plusieurs villes et avec différents modèles biologiques. Les espèces étudiées présentent différents modes et capacités de dispersion (vol, marche, reptation) et des exigences écologiques spécifiques (préférences pour les milieux herbacés ou boisés). Des protocoles de validation basés sur l’écologie du mouvement et la génétique du paysage sont appliqués, dans un souci de réplication (au sein de plusieurs villes) et de contrôle de la variabilité inter-individuelle. Nos résultats montrent des mouvements accrus au sein des continuités écologiques comparés à ceux observés en contextes paysagers prédits comme non connectés : les hérissons transloqués s’y déplacent sur des distances plus longues, plusieurs passereaux répondent à la repasse de chant sur de plus longues distances et les papillons de nuit montrent des taux de recapture beaucoup plus élevés. Par ailleurs, les analyses indirectes réalisées sur l’escargot petit-gris montrent une relation assez faible entre la différenciation génétique des populations et les modèles de connectivité. Ce travail fournit des arguments scientifiques pour soutenir la mise en place de continuités écologiques en milieu urbain
Maintaining connectivity across urban landscape, intrinsically fragmented, is a major issue of urban biodiversity conservation. Connectivity is increasingly taken into account by policy and stakeholders, especially through the establishment of the blue-green infrastructure. Multiple mapping tools allow to detect ecological networks (highly connected areas), however their functionnal validation is often lacking. The objective of this study is to validate least cost path analysis predictions in several cities with different biological models. Studied species vary in terms of dispersal means and capacities (flight, walk, crawling) and habitat requirement (e.g. herbaceous or forested habitats). Several protocols based on movement ecology and landscape genetic are applied, focusing on replication (within and among cities) and control of inter-individual variability. Our results indicate that movement is increased in predicted ecological networks when compared with areas predicted as poorly connected: the translocated hedgehogs travelled longer distances, several passerine responded to song playback over longer distances, and moths showed increased recapture rates. Indirect analysis on the garden snail showed a weak relation between population genetic differentiation and connectivity models. This work provides scientific support for the establishment of ecological networks in urban landscapes

Thesis (Ph.D.)--York University, 2008. Graduate Programme in Political Science.
Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 347-364). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&res_dat=xri:pqdiss&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:NR51701

The Atlantic Forest of south-eastern Brazil is a hot-spot for biodiversity and should be conserved. It is also at the center of the largest municipalities in Brazil and therefore has a severely fragmented landscape. Iracambi, a working farm near the Serra do Brigadeiro state park in Minas Gerais, is working for conservation in an area of intense agricultural production and expanding forestry industry. Most households in this rural area have some amount of eucalyptus on their property and consequently the director of Iracambi is developing the preliminary foundation for a forest corridor program comprised of primarily eucalyptus with the goal of integrating native species whenever possible. In this research, an exploratory case study was conducted with the purpose of determining if an integrated forest corridor should be considered as a viable option for Iracambi in the greater Serra do Brigadeiro region (near the communities of Araponga, Ervália, Fervadouro, Miradouro, Pedra Bonita, and Sericita). The majority of the survey participants revealed interest in the proposed forest corridor program and many expressed further interest if this would help them achieve compliance with the environmental law requiring a Legal Reserve Area (ARL) on private property. There is a need and a desire for programs that would subsidize ARL adherence in this area, since many studies recognize that adherence levels are at approximately ten percent nationally. Barriers to implementation, however, include cultural barriers that would primarily require acceptance with influential community members, knowledge and cost barriers associated with proper stand management, and current economic circumstances which lack a market for sustainably produced, higher quality eucalyptus timber. Additionally, policy barriers, which do not provide sufficient incentives to comply with environmental laws, further impede implementation of an integrated forest corridor program in this area. If these key barriers to implementation could be addressed, an integrated forest corridor program could prove as a viable option for Iracambi and this area and therefore, this thesis offers some recommendations for the successful implementation of this proposed program.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 2000.
Typescript. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 293-323).

Stock routes have been a feature of the Australian landscape since the mid-1800s. Originally established to provide corridors of forage and shelter for livestock droved 'on the hoof', the vegetation within them remained standing while vast tracts in the surrounding landscape were cleared to make way for agriculture. However, livestock are now more commonly transported in trucks, so managing authorities no longer receive adequate income from droving permits to offset costs. At the commencement of this PhD it was being suggested that some stock routes would be lost to freehold tenure, in spite of the fact that many scientists believed them to be of great value for conservation. This project was structured into three distinct sections, aimed at providing evidence for the values of stock routes, and advice on how to best manage and plan for them into the future. The first section took the form of a literature review and spatial analysis, where I demonstrated that stock routes plays a considerable role in biodiversity conservation, recreation, tourism, preserving Indigenous cultural heritage, and as a stock refuge. I also found that they occupy fertile, low-lying areas of the landscape, and contain associated vegetation communities which have been preferentially cleared for agriculture and are under-represented in protected areas. In the second empirical section of the project I conducted surveys of three taxonomic groups which provide ecosystem services: woodland birds, wild bees, and insectivorous microbats. Data were collected from 32 stock routes which varied in width and vegetation condition, and in the fields adjacent to these stock routes. Statistical modelling was then used to quantify the response of each group to local and landscape variables characterising the survey sites. Although specific responses were different for each taxonomic group, there were some consistencies in my findings. Scattered trees in fields had a positive effect on all taxa, and the value of both native pastures and formal conservation areas close to the stock routes was also a recurring pattern. In the final section of my thesis I concentrated on the debate surrounding connectivity; whether it should be included as a goal in conservation planning, and whether this will result in trade-offs with habitat area and quality, or economic costs. It would seem logical to plan for connectivity if some stock routes are to be sold whilst others are retained for conservation purposes. Using them as a case study, I ran a Marxan minimum-set analysis which demonstrated that only certain connectivity approaches had effects on the costs and siting of reserves in conservation planning, and these effects were substantial only when conservation targets were set high. At the time of writing, the future of the stock route network remains as uncertain as it was in 2009. However, through this work I have been able to provide a much more solid foundation for potential conservation decisions than was previously available. I have also demonstrated that the stock route network is an indispensible environmental heritage asset, which should be retained and managed for conservation in perpetuity.-- provided by Candidate.

The biodiversity of vascular plants and invertebrates (beetles) was studied on the strips by the railway track during two years in South Bohemia. The phytocenological mapping and pitfall trapping was used for the studying of model groups. The biodiversity of both studied groups was relatively high with different ecological characteristic of its communities. The both hygrophilous and xerophilous species occur in locality. The ubiquitous eurytopic species of beetles prevail in communities, but the rare specific species were found also. The number of specimen of both invasive and rare plant species was low. The railway track play the important role of biocentrum more for invertebrates than plants.