Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Rota Island'

Rota Island, the southernmost island in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in the western Pacific, has the types of caves previously documented on the other limestone mantled islands in the Mariana Arc that have been investigated for caves: Aguijan, Guam, Tinian and Saipan. Caves developed at the edge of the fresh-water lens by zones of enhanced carbonate dissolution produced by fresh-water/salt-water mixing are most common. Among these mixing zone caves, flank margin caves dominate. Flank margin caves were found singly and in extensive horizons representing significant sea-level still stands. However, another type of mixing zone cave was found on Rota in numbers not documented on neighboring islands. Mixing zone fracture caves, apparently formed as zones of enhanced dissolution, produced fresh-water discharging from the lens along fractures, migrated vertically as sea-level changed. Some mixing zone fracture caves on Rota are developed in clusters from two to four caves. The mixing zone caves of Rota reflect the interaction of eogenetic limestone, glacioeustasy, local tectonics and enhanced carbonate dissolution via mixing of disparate waters. The development of mixing zone caves on Rota is in agreement with the Carbonate Island Karst Model (CIKM). Rota has a few caves developed along the contact between limestone and the insoluble volcanic rock that makes up the core of the island. The most important of these is Water Cave, a large spring that is the source for most of the municipal water on Rota. Rota also two extensive zones of vertical fissures developed along bedrock fractures; Fissure City and As Mundo Fissure Zone. In addition, Rota has one cave apparently developed along a fault; Gagani Cave. Some of the caves documented on Rota are difficult to classify and warrant further investigation.

Aquaponics has recently emerged on the global scene as a viable form of alternative agriculture. A combination of practices, such as growing and harvesting fish (aquaculture) along with "hydroponically" grown fruits and vegetables, aquaponics integrates traditional agriculture practices with twenty-first century scientific food producing methods. In this thesis, I analyze the literature on aquaponics and connect it firmly within the current social and environmental discussions of the food security discourse among Pacific Island Countries and Territories in order to provide a context of geographical relevance of fish and vegetable producing systems. I also provide data from the Northern Mariana Island of Rota to showcase why and how aquaponics may be a viable option for improving food security within such a context. I then argue that the aquaponic project on the island of Rota helps serve as one potential pathway to improving food security.
2015-07-14

Island foxes (Urocyon littoralis) are currently listed as federally endangered on four of the six Channel Islands to which they are endemic. The Santa Rosa Island (SRI) population declined by 99% during the 1990’s due to non-native golden eagle (Aguila chrysaetos) predation and is currently the lowest fox population (~280) and density (0.86 foxes/km2) of any of the Channel Islands. The goals of this study were to assess new miniaturized GPS technology and to quantify home range and habitat use of the SRI population. This is only the second use of Global Positioning System (GPS) collars on Channel Island foxes and provides essential baseline data for the recovering population. These results can be used to guide management decisions and future habitat restoration efforts after the recent removal of non-native ungulates. In fall 2009, 14 GPS collars were deployed on male foxes on the east side of SRI. Nine collars and three remote download datasets were recovered in 2010. The collars’ battery life was 40% lower than expected at an average (±SE) of 16.5 ± 1.7 weeks but had high performance in precision and fix rate. Collars yielded an average of 347 ± 33 locations with a fix rate of 82.3% ± 2.1% and 88% of locations categorized as high precision. From these data, 95% minimum convex polygon (MCP) home ranges and 95% kernel density isopleth (KDI) home ranges were created. The average 95% MCP home range size was 3.39 ± 0.59km2 and the area of overlap with adjacent home ranges had a median of 5.3%. The average 95% KDI home range size was 3.82 ± 0.68km2 with a median overlap of 6.0%. These home range sizes are almost triple the size reported in other island fox studies, likely due to the low fox densities in the recovering SRI population. Habitat analysis was performed using KDI home ranges and a Euclidian distance analysis (EDA) method to assess habitat selection within the study area, the home range and the core area. Results showed selection for lupine within the study area, which no previous studies have documented. There was no significant habitat selection within the home ranges or core areas. Foxes selected for valley bottom topography and for bare and grassland habitat at night. One shortcoming of EDA is that its reliance on random points for determining second order selection can lead to unused areas being identified as selected habitat. The lack of significant selection within home ranges and core areas may be attributed to small sample sizes, use of male foxes only and the timing of the study in relation to fox reproductive biology. I recommend further investigation in the use of lupine habitat and associated resources through prey inventory studies to further assess these findings. When densities reach historic levels of 4 foxes/km2, follow up studies should be conducted to reassess home range size, overlap and habitat use to determine if home range sizes have decreased and overlap has increased. Future studies should incorporate spring and summer seasons and females to determine if foxes select a particular habitat within the core area during denning and pupping periods.

The Rota bridled white-eye (Zosterops rotensis)(Aves, Passeriformes) has experienced a severe population decline and range restriction over the last four decades. Little is known about this species and factors involved in the decline and range restriction are unclear. This study examined the potential roles of habitat alteration, introduced black drongos (Dicrurus macrocercus), and introduced rats in the decline and gathered more information on the behavior and breeding biology of this species. New life history data were collected and Rota and Saipan bridled white-eyes were found to differ in nest site characteristics and some behaviors. The importance of habitat alteration was assessed by examining Rota bridled white-eye habitat relationships at the microhabitat, within-range, Sabana-wide, and island-wide levels. Rota bridled white-eyes show a preference for high elevation wet forest but what drives their distribution within their current range was unclear. However, the alteration of this forest type by supertyphoon Roy in 1988 was probably the major factor in the decline of Rota BWEs between 1982 and 1996. Black drongo and Rota bridled white-eye relationships were addressed using current and historical survey data. Black drongos were found to prey on Rota bridled white-eyes but they probably only played at most a partial role in the decline of the Rota bridled white-eye. Introduced rats densities were assessed in Rota bridled white-eye areas and on other areas of the island and no evidence for rat numbers limiting Rota bridled white-eyes to their current range was found.
Master of Science

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CAPES
Tendo em vista a importância cultural do samba de roda da Bahia, esta dissertação analisa questões referentes à sua configuração e sua dinâmica, com foco nas relações materiais que interligam o samba a outras práticas do cotidiano dos sambadores, e que se refletem na sua estrutura. Para isto, realiza um estudo de caso sobre a ocorrência do samba de roda na Ilha de Itaparica (BA), região metropolitana de Salvador. O estudo mostra encaixes estruturais entre o samba de roda e a pesca da baleia e os cultos às entidades mestiças do candomblé, como caboclos, marujos e boiadeiros. Esses encaixes se evidenciam nas performances corporais dos sambadores, desde qualidades de movimento até a geração de novos códigos para a dança. A análise sugere a intercomunicação entre as formas de ocorrência do samba de roda na Ilha, que incluem festejos religiosos, festas familiares, apresentações organizadas e serestas. Ao contrário de estudos anteriores que defendem uma origem africana do samba de roda, este estudo reforça a importância das demais contribuições culturais, como a ibero-mourisca e as indígenas, bem como a importância das relações atuais do samba com outros textos da cultura. Reafirmam, ainda, o papel das situações informais para a continuidade do samba. Os aspectos observados podem contribuir para o entendimento das culturas híbridas, bem como, mais especificamente, para a compreensão dos hibridismos na dança.

Acquiring GPR data at multiple frequencies is useful because higher-frequency profiles have better spatial resolution, although they suffer from reduced depth penetration. Lower-frequencies can generally resolve to greater depths, but at the cost of spatial resolution. For concise presentation of GPR data, it would be useful to combine the best features of each profile into a composite radargram. This study explores effective ways to present GPR data acquired at multiple frequencies. An example is shown from a survey of hurricane overwash deposits from Santa Rosa Island, Florida. The methodology used to create a composite radargram is dependent on which of two goals the composite radargram is designed to achieve. These goals are broadening the spectral bandwidth of GPR data to increase the effectiveness of deconvolution and enhancing the resolution and depth of GPR data by plotting high-frequency data at early two-way travel times, low-frequency data at late two-way travel times, and using filters to smoothly transition from high-frequency to lower-frequency data. The steps towards creating a composite radargram include: 1) applying standard processing to nominal frequency data sets, 2) creating spatially coincident data sets, 3) equalizing the amplitude spectra among each nominal frequency data set, and 4) summing nominal frequency data sets together. Spectral bandwidth broadening is achieved by applying optical spectral whitening and summing nominal frequency data sets using a single ramped. Deconvolving this composite radargram did not show the same success observed by Booth et al. (2009). Enhancing the resolution and depth of GPR data can be achieved by applying amplitude envelope equalization (AEE) and summation using double ramped filters. AEE calculates the coefficients required to make equivalent average amplitude envelopes for GPR data that has been gained with automatic gain control . Double ramped filters suppress low-frequency energy for two-way travel times when a higher-frequency data set has adequate signal strength and higher frequency energy for two-way travel times when higher- frequency energy exhibits significant attenuation. A composite radargram built with AEE and double ramped filters achieves the goal enhancing resolution and depth of GPR data. Shallow reflections are interpreted as dune and hurricane overwash stratigraphy.

Memoria (arquitecto)
No autorizada por el autor para ser publicada a texto completo
La educación es esencial para generar una serie de cambios. En el caso de Isla de Pascua, además de potenciar directamente la cultura Rapanui, hay formas indirectas para poner en valor esta misma, ya que puede permitir la disminución de la dependencia del continente, teniendo personas calificadas en la isla para hacer las tareas de la isla, lo que significa importar menos mano de obra del continente por ejemplo, lo que permitiría un cierto grado de protección para la isla, puesto que hoy con las migraciones tanto de turistas como de trabajadores se ha generado un choque cultural, además de no dar abasto con la población migrante. Este proyecto viene a ser la primera etapa de un proyecto educacional para Rapa Nui, complementando la ya existente Aldea Educativa (liceo técnico-profesional y humanista-científico municipal). Entonces el fin último del proyecto es generar un proyecto educacional que contemple los lineamientos de la reforma educacional chilena (1997) con los ojos de la cultura Rapanui.

The main premise of this thesis is to demonstrate how the Gypsies, (Roma)---both Muslim and Christian, both settled and nomadic---were marginalized by the Ottoman State and society in Rumelia (Rumili) and Istanbul during the "Classical Age" of this tri-continental Islamic Empire.
The Ottoman state and the society's attitudes towards this marginal group are analyzed through the examination of the Muhimme Registers of the second half the sixteenth century and four major Kanunnames concerning the Gypsies issued in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Travelers' accounts and Turkish oral traditions have also been used to explore the social status of the Gypsies in Ottoman society, as well as their image in Ottoman popular culture.
The history of people who were marginal and voiceless in their societies is not just important for its own sake but for what it reveals about the nature of the societies in which they lived. Thus, this present work not only sheds light upon the history of the Gypsies but also attempts to open new grounds for further discussions on the functioning of the "Plural Society" of the Ottoman Empire.

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Esta dissertação de mestrado tem como objetivo apresentar aos leitores e pesquisadores brasileiros os romances O ano da seca (1997) e Terramores (2008), assim como a obra poética Altamarinas (1997b), todas de autoria do escritor canário Víctor álamo de la Rosa. Do mesmo modo, objetiva-se demonstrar que o universo fictício criado por La Rosa – a Isla Menor – edifica-se sob os paradoxos da insularidade canária já que a ínsula, em seu dinamismo retrátil, volta-se para si mesma e, em seu movimento expansível, alonga-se para a linha atlântica. A partir dos elos metafóricos das contrações islenhas, busca-se compreender o encadeamento proxêmico de Maffesoli (1988), tendo em vista que o ethos das Ilhas Canárias, arquitetado nas obras em tela, ora edifica-se nas profundezas das cavernas vulcânicas, ora constrói-se nas travessias atlânticas dos barcos migrantes. Portanto, observa-se que o arquipélago canário e o continente americano permanecem atados pelo continuum multiterritorial, conceito desenvolvido por Haesbaert (2007) e reconhecido por Ramos (1996) como comarca atlântica. Além disso, examina-se na ilha de Víctor Álamo de la Rosa os sentimentos antagônicos de aconchego e encarceramento da “casa” de Bachelard (1957). Igualmente, a imagem do horizonte atlanticista e a ideia da casa onírica (a América) fundam nos personagens migrantes pensamentos devaneadores que os levam a almejar a casa sonhada em portos distantes. Ironicamente, instaurados no outro lado da orilha atlântica, os protagonistas dedicam à Isla Menor os mistérios da casa natal bacheleriana. Finalmente, através da prática devaneadora de Bachelard (1960), a ilha de La Rosa atua como um ponto mágico no oceano e, comprimindo o tempo em espaço, retrata o estado de alma de muitos povos que foram transplantados de seus lares no caminhar das centúrias.
La tesis presenta a los lectores e investigadores brasileños las novelas O ano da seca (1997) y Terramores (2008), así como la recopilación poética Altamarinas (1997b) del escritor canario Víctor Álamo de la Rosa. De modo igual, se demuestra que el universo ficcional creado por La Rosa, la Isla Menor, se construye a partir de los paradojos de la insularidad canaria una vez que la ínsula, en su dinamismo retráctil, se vuelve a uno mismo y en su movimiento expansible se alarga hacia la línea atlántica. A partir de los acercamientos metafóricos de las contracciones isleñas, se busca comprender el encadenamiento proxémico de Maffesoli (1998), teniendo en cuenta que el ethos de las Islas Canarias, dibujado en las obras estudiadas, se edifica en las cuevas volcánicas y en la travesía de los barcos migrantes. Por lo tanto, se observa que el archipiélago canario y el continente americano permanecen unidos por el continuum multiterritorial, concepto desarrollado por Haesbaert (2007), también reconocido por Ramos (1996) como comarca atlántica. A parte de eso, se examina en la isla de La Rosa los sentimientos antagónicos de abrigo y cárcel de la “casa” de Bachelard (1957). Igualmente, la imagen del horizonte atlanticista y la idea de la casa onírica (América) fundan pensamientos devaneadores en los personajes migrantes, llevándoles a buscar la casa deseada en las orillas distantes. Irónicamente, instaurados en el otro lado de la margen atlántica, los protagonistas dedican a la Isla Menor los misterios de la casa natal bacheleriana. Finalmente, a través de la práctica devaneadora de Bachelard (1960), la isla de la La Rosa actúa como si fuera un punto mágico en el océano y, condensando el tiempo en espacio, retracta el estado de alma de muchos pueblos que fueron trasplantados de sus lares en el desarrollar de las centurias.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of West Florida, 2009.
Submitted to the Dept. of Anthropology. Title from title page of source document. Document formatted into pages; contains 313 pages. Includes bibliographical references.

Isla de Pascua es hoy escenario de una serie de problemas que amenazan el frágil y particular ecosistema de la Isla, incluso algunos que aceleran el deterioro del extenso patrimonio arqueológico, de incalculable valor cultural y social, únicos elementos físicos que dan cuenta de un particular mundo ancestral cuya presencia en tal territorio es aún un enigma. Frente a estas problemáticas en materia de desarrollo urbano, energéticas, medioambientales, económicas y sociales, es necesario que las viviendas que se desarrollen en estas nuevas áreas de desarrollo urbano de la comuna de Isla de Pascua, sean coherentes con un desarrollo armónico y sostenible, el cual en la actualidad por diversas razones no se está generando. Actualmente se desarrolla una tipología de vivienda unifamiliar mediante subsidio, de realidad ajena a Rapa Nui, con deficiencias constructivas, de acondicionamiento fisico ambiental, de materialidad que nada tiene que ver con el lugar, que no reconoce las formas de vida ni los modos de habitar tradicionales. Se imponen lotes unifamiliares con viviendas uninucleares, la realidad propone lotes en comunidad, con equipamientos compartidos, tomar este modo de agrupación espontánea mediante clanes familiares.

Hybridization, the process of interbreeding between individuals of different species, is one method by which plants and animals adapt to a changing environment. One example of such adaptation through hybridization may be occurring on the California Channel Islands with two species of Castilleja. While United State Geological Survey (USGS) researchers have been studying the populations of Castilleja affinis and Castilleja mollis to determine if hybridization is occurring on Santa Rosa Island since the early 1990s, up until this point primarily overt phenotypic characteristics have been used to differentiate between the two species. Genetic methods of differentiation were adopted to confirm that hybridization is in fact occurring on the island, possibly in response to climate change. Hybrids may be expanding into areas once occupied by pure C. mollis, because they might carry some of C. affinis’ traits like an ability to survive warmer, drier climates as parts of the island are starting to become warmer and drier. In this study, I have developed a cleaved amplified polymorphic sequences (CAPS) marker based on internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions to differentiate between the two species and hybrids and have applied these CAPS markers to genotype DNA samples isolated from 132 individuals. This protocol was used to determine the extent of hybridization on Santa Rosa Island in conjunction with ongoing surveys conducted by the USGS. Work focused on genotyping previously collected samples from two main sites on the island, which allowed confirmation that patterns observed based on phenotype in the field are supported by genetic data. In the future, findings will link genetic type with survivorship and growth data, to test whether hybrids perform differently than pure C. mollis. Broadly, this will determine if the two species are in fact hybridizing as a method for adapting to climate change, the most severe threat to Channel Island biodiversity.

En Tenerife, al igual que en el resto de las islas del Archipiélago Canario, los recursos hídricos superficiales son prácticamente inexistentes, siendo las aguas subterráneas las que aportan más del 90 % de los recursos hídricos que se consumen. En este contexto, el acuífero de Las Cañadas del Teide es, según el Plan Hidrológico Insular de Tenerife de 1996, la principal reserva de aguas subterráneas de la isla. Además, el acuífero de Las Cañadas posee una estrecha interacción con el sistema volcánico-hidrotermal del volcán Teide, que lo convierte en un potencial "trazador" de la actividad sismo-volcánica de la zona
El objetivo general de esta tesis es la elaboración de un Modelo Hidrogeoquímico del acuífero de Las Cañadas que permita entender la evolución y comportamiento del acuífero, los procesos y condiciones que determinan las características físico-químicas e isotópicas finales de las aguas subterráneas y su interacción con el sistema volcánico-hidrotermal del Teide. Para la elaboración del Modelo Hidrogeoquímico ha sido necesario aplicar diversas metodologías geoquímicas, en las que cada una de las cuales no puede explicar por sí sola el funcionamiento físico y químico del sistema y producir un modelo conceptual, por lo que ha sido necesario la integración de todos los resultados para una mejor interpretación.
Se ha elaborado un modelo físico del acuífero de Las Cañadas que también ha permitido realizar una primera aproximación de la geometría de la zona saturada, aportando nueva información al debate sobre el origen de la Caldera de Las Cañadas. Esta geometría se ha obtenido considerando los diferentes estudios geofísicos y geológicos realizados en años recientes en Las Cañadas, y la información litológica de las galerías, pozos y sondeos de la zona.
Se ha realizado un estudio de las características químicas e isotópicas de la recarga a través del muestreo y análisis del agua de lluvia durante 18 meses a lo largo de un perfil N-S de Tenerife, que atraviesa el acuífero de Las Cañadas desde el nivel del mar hasta la Caldera de Las Cañadas, siendo los datos más completos, hasta la fecha, por su representatividad espacial y temporal.
Debido a la complejidad del acuífero de Las Cañadas y de la cuantiosa información disponible desde el punto de vista hidroquímico, en la presente tesis se optó por no estudiar las variaciones temporales de las características hidrogeoquímicas del mismo, centrándose casi exclusivamente en describir la situación actual y usando principalmente los datos recopilados durante el desarrollo de la tesis en dos campañas de campo realizadas en los años 2004 y 2006. También se ha creado una Base de Datos Hidroquímica de Las Cañadas (BDHLC) que por primera vez integra y unifica gran parte de la información disponible, no sólo de las características físico-químicas e isotópicas de las aguas subterráneas del acuífero de Las Cañadas sino de todo Tenerife.
El estudio de los procesos de interacción agua-roca-gases en el acuífero ha sido el centro de atención en gran parte de la presente tesis a través de estudios geotermométricos, diagramas de estabilidad mineral y de equilibrio químico y un modelado hidrogeoquímico. Los estudios de isótopos estables de oxígeno, hidrógeno y carbono han permitido determinar la principal área de recarga, así como el origen de las aguas subterráneas y del dióxido de carbono (CO2) disuelto en las mismas. Por último, también se ha cuantificado la aportación endógena y atmosférica de CO2 y de cloruros (Cl) a las aguas subterráneas, y se ha realizado un balance de masa de los mismos para el acuífero.
En este trabajo también se ha llevado a cabo un estudio sobre el origen, características y distribución espacial de los gases disueltos en las aguas subterráneas del acuífero de Las Cañadas. Dicho estudio ha permitido comprobar que el control espacial de los mismos puede resultar una herramienta muy útil para la comprensión de la circulación del agua subterránea en dicho acuífero y para identificar las zonas de mayor conexión con el sistema volcánico-hidrotermal del Teide.
Considerando los principales resultados de la geoquímica de las aguas subterráneas y de los gases disueltos en la presente tesis, el modelo propuesto del funcionamiento del sistema es que las aguas subterráneas de la zona de Las Cañadas están recibiendo un aporte directo de CO2 que disminuye el pH y favorece los procesos de interacción agua-roca, aumentando considerablemente su contenido salino, especialmente de Na y HCO3; las aguas antes de llegar a la zona de descarga del Valle de salida de Icod-La Guancha donde son captadas por las galerías y pozos, se alejan de las zonas con aporte de CO2, por lo que rápidamente aumentan su pH debido a procesos de desgasificación y/o consumo de CO2 en las reacciones de interacción agua-roca.
A través de un balance de masas de cloruros en el acuífero se ha podido estimar en la Caldera de Las Cañadas un coeficiente de recarga medio de 0,75 (con una incertidumbre notable, aún no estimada), muy similar al valor de 0,69 obtenido por el Consejo Insular de Aguas de Tenerife en la misma región.
Por último, esta tesis, además de presentar un modelo del funcionamiento del acuífero desde el punto de vista geoquímico, también provee de nuevos y cuantiosos datos para futuros estudios, relacionados directa e indirectamente con la hidrogeología (geotermia, vigilancia volcánica, etc.).
Surficial water resources are absent in Tenerife Island as they are in the other islands of the Canary Islands. For that reason, groundwaters represent more than 90% of the resources for water consumption. Within this picture, the Hydrologic Plan for Tenerife Island of 1996 considers the aquifer within Las Cañadas del Teide caldera as the main reserve of groundwater for the island. In addition, Las Cañadas aquifer has a close interaction with the volcanic-hydrothermal system of Teide volcano, making possible to use its chemical properties as potential "tracers" of the seismic-volcanic activity of the region.
The general objective of this dissertation is to elaborate a Hydrogeochemical Model of Las Cañadas aquifer that explains the evolution and behavior of the aquifer, its processes and the conditions that determine the final physical-chemical and isotopic characteristics of the groundwater, and its interaction with the volcanic-hydrothermal system of Teide volcano. For the elaboration of this model, it was necessary to apply diverse geochemical methodologies. Each one of these methodologies cannot explain by themselves how the physical and chemical work the system to produce a conceptual model. For that reason, an integration of all the studies and results was done in order to get a better interpretation.
The construction of the physical model of Las Cañadas aquifer has allowed the identification of the geometry of the saturated zone, which gives an important contribution to the debate about the origin of the Las Cañadas Caldera. This geometry was obtained throughout the study of the different geophysical and geologic studies at Las Cañadas Caldera that have been carried out in recent years, and the lithologic information of galleries, wells, and boreholes in the region.
The chemical and isotopic characteristics of the water recharge have been studied throughout the sampling and analysis of rainfall during 18 months and along a profile N-S of Tenerife Island. This profile intercepts Las Cañadas from sea level to the North, crosses Las Cañadas Caldera, and then to the southern shore. This data is the most complete to date, due to its spatial and temporal coverage.
Due to the complexity of Las Cañadas aquifer and the amount of information available from the hydrochemical point of view, in this dissertation, the transient variations of the hydrochemical properties of the aquifer are not studied. Instead, this dissertation is centered almost exclusively in describing the present day situation or snapshot of the aquifer. To achieve that, we are using mainly the data collected during the development of this dissertation in two field seasons during 2004 and 2006. A Hydrochemical Data Base for Las Cañadas Aquifer has been created unifying a large proportion of the available information, not only about the physical-chemical and isotopic characteristics of the groundwaters of Las Cañadas but also of the entire Tenerife Island.
A large proportion of this dissertation is centered in studying the water-rock-gas interaction processes using geothermometric studies, mineral stability diagrams, chemical equilibrium, and hydrogeochemical modeling. The stable isotopes of oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon have allowed the identification of the recharge areas as well as the origin of the groundwaters and the dissolved carbon dioxide (CO2). Finally, the endogenic and atmospheric contributions of CO2 and chloride (Cl) to groundwater have been quantified, and mass balance of these components for the aquifer have been made.
The origin, characteristics, and spatial distribution of dissolved gases in the groundwaters of Las Cañadas aquifer have been assessed in this work. This study has shown that the spatial distribution of these gases can be an important tool for the understanding of the circulation of groundwater in this aquifer and for the identification of zones of greater connection with the volcanic-hydrothermal system of Teide volcano.
Taking into account the results of the groundwater geochemistry and the dissolved gases, the proposed model for Las Cañadas aquifer is as follows: 1) the groundwaters within the zone of Las Cañadas is getting a direct input of CO2 that decreases the pH and favors the water-rock interactions, increasing its salinity, especially the concentration of Na and HCO3; 2) the waters leave the high CO2 recharge zone before they reach the discharge zone at the output valley of Icod-La Guancha (where the water is tapped by several galleries), increasing the pH fast due to degasification processes and the consumption of CO2 in water-rock reactions.
Using the chloride mass balance for the aquifer, it has been possible to determine a mean recharge coefficient equal to 0.75 (with a non-determined large uncertainty), similar to the 0.69 value obtained by the Insular Water Council of Tenerife for the same region.
Finally, in addition to present a model for the functioning of the aquifer from the geochemical point of view, this dissertation provides new and many data for future studies that are related directly of indirectly with hydrogeology (geothermics, volcanic monitoring, etc.).

L'île tibérine est l'île fluviale se trouvant sur le Tibre, à hauteur de Rome. sa première occupation connue remonte au iiie siècle av. j.-c., lors de l'installation d'un culte en l'honneur d'Esculape. Ll'île est également au centre d'un noeud de communication entre les deux rives du fleuve. L'objectif du travail sera d'étudier la place de l'île dans la ville de Rome, de retracer son évolution, déterminer ses fonctions ainsi que ses liens et interractions avec les quartiers mitoyens : le trastevere ou le forum boarium, par exemple. L'étude s'ouvrira donc aux ponts de Rome et à certaines zones riveraines de l'île.l'étude sera réalisée en reprennant les textes des historiens et géographes antiques, les inscriptions, les vestiges archéologiques et les récits des voyageurs modernes. Cette disposition topographique de Rome, au bord d'un fleuve, à proximité d'un îlot central, se retrouve dans d'autres villes antiques. Il sera intéressant, après avoir développé l'étude de l'île, de comparer la situation avec celle d'autres villes qui présentent les mêmes caractéristiques, comme Paris ou Antioche par exemple
Tiber Island, between Vrbs and Trastevere, is one of the topographical characteristic of the site ofRome. Its history and fame begun with the arrival of Asclepius, the Greek god of medicine brought fromEpidauros. No study went thoroughly back over the history and topography of this significant component ofroman scenery since the monograph written by M. Besnier in the early years of the 20th century. Nowadayscurrent developments in archeological research and new perspectives in roman topography throw new light onmany issues. This thesis aims to go back over the development, the town-planning but also the place the Tiberislet occupied in town. In this perspective, this is not just about grasping the island as a place but also as acomponent of roman landscape and urban development. Indeed Tiber island can only be apprehended at firstwithin its natural surroundings then its urban one. The island shows a high concentration of cults, which begunwith the advent of Aesculapius, who made it the “sacred island” thus permanently marking its topography.However, studying its planning and administration reveals it was real district too, with all the features as regardsarrangements and activities. At first on the fringe of the city, its integration to the city begun in the 2nd centuryBC until it was established as uicus Censori by the augustean reform. During the Imperial period, the island isalready seen as an old-settled part of the city, which will only know new changes with the banning ofpolytheistic cult
L’isola Tiberina, tra l’Vrbs e il Trastevere, costitui una delle particolarità topograficedel sito di Roma. La sua storia, ma supratutto la sua notorietà, comincia quando arriveEsculapio, il dio greco della medicina, importato da Epidauro. Dalla monografia di M.Besnier, pubblicata all’inizio del XX secolo, nessuna studia è tronata su questo soggetto inmodo approfondito. Ora, l’attualità della ricerca archeologica e le nuovi approci in topografiaromana getteno nuova luce su molte problematice. Duncque, questo lavoro propone diriesaminare l’evoluzione, gli insediamenti ma anche il ruolo dell’isola nella città. Inquest’ottica, non si considera solo l’isola in quanto luogo ma come elemento del paesaggio etdel urbanismo romani. Perché si posse capire l’isola Tiberina unicamente nel suo ambiante,innazi tutto naturale, poi urbano. L’isola si define soprattuto per la concentrazione di culti sulsuo territorio, iniziata dall’arrivo di Esculapio che l’insedia nel suo ruolo d’ « isola sacra » emarca definitavamente la sua topografia. Tuttavia, la studia del suo spazio et della suaamministrazione mostra che era anche un vero quartiere, di cui aveva tutti gli attributi inmateria di strutture ed attività. Inizialmente fuori dalla città, la sua intergrazione nelfunzionamento della città comincia dal II secolo a.C. fino alla riforma di Auguto che laistituisce uicus Censori. All’epoca imperiale, l’isola ostituisce già parte integrante della cittàda molto tempo, che conoscerà nuove trasformazioni col divieto del culto politeisti.Parole chiavi

The diploma thesis analyses the role of Iran in contemporary relations. It discuss its position by means of its historic background, its religious beliefs, its economic situation, the monetary aspects and its inner politic situation. The main attention is focused on its relations with the United States of America, particularly on economic ties, petrodollar policy and on the Iranian nuclear program threat. It also pays attention to the context of oil importance in the Middle East and to the Israeli foreign policy.

This diploma thesis deals with the issue of the main conflicts in the Republic of Sudan. In the first part the author describes the historical development of Sudan with focus on the period from 1956 till today. The main attention in this section is devoted to the political and economical development as well as to foreign policy. The second part concentrates on the conflict between the northern and the southern part of the country. The author analyses the ethnical and religious background, the development of the civil war and the principles of the 2005 peace agreement with the view to the future of the separated states. Then, the author describes in detail the issue of the rebellion in the western province of Darfur, tries to elaborate on the reasons for the rebellion, the influence of foreign countries and the current state of negotiations between the Government of Sudan and the rebels from Darfur.The third part focuses on the foreign policy of The United States of America, the European Union, China and Egypt. The author selected these countries as having the major impact on the development of Sudan and the both conflicts. Last chapter of the thesis looks at the challenges that Sudan and South Sudan will have to face in the near future. Finally, the author elaborates on the impact of these issues on international policy and the space for possible external policies in Sudan and Southern Sudan.

Cette étude s’attache à analyser neuf œuvres (romans et contes) de la littérature hispano-américaine, écrites dans la seconde moitié du XXème siècle. Nous avons retenu quatre images fondamentales qui correspondent aux quatre chapitres de ce travail : 1. Le voyage. Il comprend : La isla de Robinsón (A. Uslar Pietri), El hablador (M. Varges Llosa), El naranjo (C. Fuentes) et Vigilia del Almirante (A. Roa Bastos). 2. Le sacrifice. On y trouve « La noche boca arriba » de Final del juego (J. Cortazar), « El hombre », « No oyes ladrar los perros » et « Luvina » de El Llano en Llamas (J. Rulfo), Del amor y otros demonios (G. Garcia Marquez) et « El immortal » de El Aleph (Jorge Luis Borges). 3. Le châtiment et la purification. Il porte sur « Los advertidos » et « Viaje a la semilla » de Guerra del tiempo y otros relatos (A. Carpentier), « Es que somos muy pobres » et « El Llano en llamas » de El Lano en llamas. 4. Le monde imaginaire comme objectif du voyage. On y accède à travers le jeu, la musique, le rêve/la rêverie et la parole/l’écriture. Y sont analysés « Final del juego » et « Las Ménades » de Final del juego, « La casa de Asterion » et « La Escritura del Dios » de El Aleph. Le repérage puis la classification des images fondamentales nous conduira à interpréter la littérature hispano-américaine à travers son Imaginaire, nous révélant ainsi l’expression profonde de ses mythes
This thesis analyzes nine works of Spanish American literature (novels and short stories) written during the second half of the 20th century (1949-1994) by nine major author. We divided our research in four chapters. Each chapter is devoted to the study of a distinct fundamental image : 1. The journey. We study La isla de Robinsón (A. Uslar Pietri), El hablador (M. Varges Llosa), El naranjo (C. Fuentes) and Vigilia del Almirante (A. Roa Bastos). 2. Sacrifice. We study « La noche boca arriba » from Final del juego (J. Cortazar), « El hombre », « No oyes ladrar los perros » and « Luvina » from El Llano en Llamas (J. Rulfo), Del amor y otros demonios (G. Garcia Marquez) and « El immortal » from El Aleph (Jorge Luis Borges). 3. Punishment and purification. These are experienced through three of the four primordial elements : water, earth, mud – a mixture of the two previous one – and fire. We study « Los advertidos » and « Viaje a la semilla » from Guerra del tiempo y otros relatos (A. Carpentier), « Es que somos muy pobres » and « El Llano en llamas » from El Lano en llamas. 4. The imaginary world as the final detsination, of the journey. It can be reaches trhough games, music, dreams/daydreaming and through the act of writing/telling. We study « Final del juego » and « Las Ménades » de Final del juego, « La casa de Asterion » and « La Escritura del Dios » from El Aleph. The identification and classification of these fundamental images will finally lead us to an interpretation of Spanish-American literature trough its imaginary,thus revealing the deeper meaning of its myths

CHINA IN GLOBAL AND REGIONAL POLITICS IN THE 21ST CENTURY - GEOPOLITICAL CLASH WITH JAPAN, INDIA, USA, RUSSIA AND EUROPE Mgr. Martin Petrtýl Supervisor: Doc. Dr. Bořivoj Hnízdo, PhD. Institute of Political Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences This dissertation discusses the current and future role of China in the 21st century. I worked with the idea to prepare a systematically detailed analytical study of the country in relation to its surroundings as well as its internal environment for more than 8 years, including many interruptions. I, above all, contemplated about the way how to truly scientifically, i.e. credibly, it means in the maximum possible the limits of verifiability, develop a full work that could hold up to the colleagues from the scientific community and myself. It is logical it was and is my attempt to allow minimal possibility of any criticism of this work for its formal, content, or other deficiencies. First, I decided to analyse in some detail the currently known theoretical approaches and methods of study, not only in political sciences, especially those used by political geographers, but also in other related fields, especially in the field of study of international relations, sociology, political science or general security studies. I did not want to study the issue is the...