Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Savena valley'

The rock slope failure object of this study occurred on the 12th of March, 2005, within the Scascoli Gorges in the Savena Valley, 25 km south of Bologna, in the Northern Apennines, Italy. The failure involved a volume of rock of nearly 30000 m3 that detached from an 80 m high cliff and fell on the river bed and onto the adjacent road, denoted as “Strada Provinciale – Fondovalle Savena”, damming the first and destroying the latter. The conformation of the cliff, known as “Mammellone 1”, was rather convex, overhanging and undercut at the base where in contact with the river bed. The event is the last of a series of mass movements which occurred in a 15-year span in the area. With integration of past analyses and surveys, possible causes and mechanism of failure have been investigated by means of two and three-dimensional kinematic analysis (using the software DIPS and SWEDGE by Rocscience, 2016), photogrammetry and terrestrial laser scanning comparison (Cloud Compare, Daniel Girardeau-Montaut, 2016; Autocad, Autodesk, 2016) and two-dimensional finite element numerical modelling (RS2, Rocscience, 2016). The use of a finite element method to model a predominantly blocky structure has shown to be effective and to produce good results if data integration, boundary conditions and geometry of the site are well correlated between each other to best fit the resulting scenario. The design of the numerical model considered the relative position of crown and scarp to the discontinuity families and to the geometry of the cross section, to better costrain the failure surface. Furthermore, the process of formation of the valley was taken into account in order to consider also stress-strain conditions prior to the road construction and river erosion. This was carried out by multi-staging the modelling process considering the natural erosion and the advancement of the landslide on the hydrogeological left side of the Savena steam before the last rockfall event.

This study compares the soils, floristic composition, phytosociological structure and history of seven Brazilian savannas in the Amazon basin: those at Alter do Chao, Amapa, Roraima and SE Humaita are islands in rain forest; and those at Chapada dos Parecis, Redencao, and Carolina are on the periphery (northern border) of the central Brazilian savannas (the so-called 'cerrado'). A total of 26 transects were sampled by the PCQ method (for trees with dbh greater than or equal to 5 cm) and additional tree species were recorded by 'wide patrolling'. A total of 101 species were recorded from the transects and another 43 species were recorded by 'wide patrolling'. Byrsonima crassifolia, B. coccolobifolia, Curatella americana, Salvertia convallariodora and Plathymenia reticulata occurred in most or all sites, but no species occurred in all transects. The number of species in the isolated savannas decreased with the distance from the central Brazilian core savanna area. Both cluster analysis (based on the S0rensen Similarity Index) and ordination (DCA), showed that the disjunct and non-isolated peripheral areas were in floristically distinct groups. Five surface soil samples (0 - 10 cm) were collected from each of the 26 transects. Two soil cores (up to 4 m depth), one located in the savanna and the other from the nearest forest present, were taken from each study site for carbon isotope analysis. All the sites had acidic soils (pH 4.5 - 5.2) and a wide range of concentrations of aluminium (0.12 - 1.49 meq 100g-1); most of the other soil properties varied significantly within study sites. An ordination (PCA) distinguished the soils from Amapa, Alter do Chao, Redencao and Roraima, but did not distinguish the disjunct sites from non-isolated peripheral ones. The soil delta 13C values of all the disjunct savannas indicated a vegetation change in the past from C3 to C4 plants, showing that forest (or at least a vegetation with few C4 plants) formely covered these sites. 14C dating indicated that the disjunct savannas are of relatively recent origin, e.g. Humaita was dated at about 2,000 years BP, and hence that they are not remnants of a more widespread Pleistocene savanna in the Amazon.

xii, 87 p. A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number.
Oak savanna was a dominant ecosystem of Oregon's Willamette Valley prior to Euro-American settlement but has declined precipitously due to urbanization, agriculture, and reduced fire regimes. Some areas have retained their savanna structure while others have succeeded into woodland or forest. I investigated the relationships of current community type to edaphic (bulk density, texture, carbon, nitrogen, depth, and pH) and topographic (slope and heatload) factors at seven sites using analysis of variance and principal components analysis. Results indicate that edaphic and topographic conditions strongly influence successional pathways in former oak savanna, but the specific effects depend on site location. Soil moisture was also measured seasonally at three of the sites in community types representing the current successional stages. Results indicate that dry conditions restrict succession to dense forest, and that soil depth is an important control over soil moisture within the soil profile.
Advisers: Scott Bridgham, Bart Johnson

Oak savanna was once widespread throughout the Willamette Valley, but changes in land use and disturbance regimes have degraded or destroyed most of that habitat. To identify how succession has operated in the past, I calculated tree growth rates. To assess the potential fire behavior in different successional communities, I collected data on vegetation and fuels, which I then used in a fire model. Finally, to project how succession may affect vegetation in the future and the potential for oak savanna conservation and restoration, I developed a new vegetation model that allows for projections of successional dynamics that are sensitive to change in climate, fire regimes, and human land-use and land-management decisions. Results highlight the complex and nuanced influences of environmental variables on successional trajectories and potential fire behavior. The novel vegetation model showed complex and plausible vegetation dynamics across a wide range of climate and disturbance scenarios. This dissertation includes previously published and unpublished co-authored material.

xvii, 160 p. : ill. (some col.) A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number.
Restoring oak habitats is an emerging conservation priority in Oregon's Willamette Valley. Both private and public landowners face multiple challenges to conservation and restoration of oak habitats, including a lack of knowledge about the potential tradeoffs and constraints for achieving multiple priorities on a given site. This study simulated 25 alternative oak habitat restoration scenarios to develop estimates of outcomes related to six different restoration priorities: costs, income potential, habitat value, scenic quality, fire hazard reduction potential, and time requirements. Model results indicated that initial land conditions strongly influence a landowner's ability to optimize among these different priorities. To assist landowners with decision-making, model estimates were organized into a digital decision matrix that communicates advantages and tradeoffs associated with each alternative scenario. In doing so, it aims to help landowners choose restoration goals that better meet their broader needs and objectives.
Committee in Charge: Dr. Bart Johnson, Chair; Dr. Robert Ribe

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2015.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT:The African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) is one of the most endangered large carnivores. Gonarezhou National Park (GNP) and Savè Valley Conservancy (SVC) that hold part of the few remaining viable populations report that wild dog populations continue to decline due to high rates of habitat loss and fragmentation. This leads to low pup survival rates due to predators and reduced formation of new packs as the wild dogs have become reluctant to leave the safety of their original packs in pursuit of mating partners in fragmented habitats where higher risks of danger exist. Consequently, this reduces population growth for Lycaon pictus. Therefore, the study sought to identify additional suitable habitat for wild dog outside GNP and SVC and a corridor connecting the two areas using the ecological niche theory. Wild dog satellite collar data from the African Wildlife Conservation Fund (AWCF) was used with spatial and climate data for GNP and SVC from PeaceParks and WorldClim. This data was used to firstly, identify dens using ArcGIS 10.1. Secondly, map geographic and temporal distributions using Time Local Convex Hull (T-LoCoH). Thirdly, to assess biotic and abiotic drivers of different packs and sexes movement and distribution patterns using ARCGIS 10.1 and lastly, map probability distributions (corridor and re-location sites) using Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt). Den locations are in areas away from predators and human settlements. Wild dog geographic distributions are smaller in the cold and dry seasons and differ according to sex whilst temporal distributions depend on their use of resources. The most influential biotic and abiotic variables within reserves were distance to human settlements and elevation whilst the least influential were roads and temperature. However, outside the reserves, the most influential variable was distance from reserve. Malilangwe is a potential corridor between GNP and SVC, whilst Masvingo, Beitbridge, and Mwenezi districts have suitable habitat for re-location sites.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Afrika-wildehond (Lycaon pictus) is een van die mees bedreigde groot karnivore. Gonarezhou Nationale Park (GNP) en Savè Vallei Conservancy (SVC) wat deel van die min oorblywende lewensvatbare bevolkings hou rapporteer dat wilde hond bevolkings voortgaan om te daal as gevolg van die verlies en fragmentering van habitat. Dit lei tot 'n lae pup oorlewingsyfer te danke aan predasie asook dalende vlakke van nuwe troppe. Omdat as die wilde honde het huiwerig geword om die veiligheid van hul oorspronklike troppe te verlaat in die soektog na paarmaats in gefragmenteerde habitatte waar hoër risiko van gevaar bestaan. Gevolglik verminder die bevolkingsgroei vir Lycaon pictus. Daarom onderneem die studie addisionele geskikte habitat vir wilde hond buite die GNP en SVC te vind en die stigting van 'n gang Om die twee gebiede te verbind met behulp van die ekologiese nis teorie te identifiseer. Wildehond satelliet kraag data van die African Wildlife Conservation Fund (AWCF) is gebruik met ruimtelike en klimaat data vir die GNP en SVC van PeaceParks en WorldClim. Hierdie data is gebruik om eerstens, kuile te identifiseer met behulp van ArcGIS 10.1. Tweedens, kartering van geografiese en temporale verspreiding met behulp van Time Local Convex Hull (T-LoCoH). Derdens, die ondersoek van biotiese en abioties dryfkragte van verskillende troppe pakke en geslagte bewegings en verspreidingspatrone met ArcGIS 10.1 te evalueer en laastens, kartering van waarskynlikheidsverdelings (korridor en hervestigingsgebiede) van die Maksimum Entropie (MaxEnt). Kuile is in gebiede weg van roofdiere en menslike nedersettings. Wildehond geografiese verspreiding is kleiner in die koue en droë seisoene en verskil volgens geslag, terwyl temporale verspreidings afhang van die gebruik van hulpbronne. Die mees invloedryke biotiese en abioties veranderlikes binne reserwes was die afstand vanaf menslike nedersettings en hoogte, terwyl paaie en temperatuur die laagste invloed gehad. Buite die reserwes was, die mees invloedryke veranderlike afstand vanaf reservaat. Malilangwe is 'n potensiële korridor tussen die GNP en SVC, terwyl Masvingo, Beitbridge en Mwenezi distrikte geskikte habitat bied vir hervestiging.

Master of Science
Department of Apparel, Textiles, and Interior Design
Joy Kozar
China is the world’s largest apparel producer, exporter, and maintains the largest domestic apparel market. Since economic reform in the 1980s that opened up the Chinese market for foreign investors, China’s domestic apparel market has attracted many foreign (Western) apparel brands (Shenkar, 2005). More than 10,000 different international apparel brands share China’s domestic apparel market, including brands from France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United States, Britain, and South Korea, among others. Around 2,000 Chinese domestic apparel brands have experienced difficultly surviving in China’s domestic apparel market. Besides the large number of foreign (Western) apparel brands, counterfeit apparel products have grown faster than China’s government can control. As a result, China has become the world’s largest counterfeit market. This has become a secondary threat to China’s domestic apparel market and national economy. Additionally, because of economic growth and modernization in China, Chinese consumers have accepted more Westernized values, but also retained their traditional face-saving values. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore how their attitudes toward counterfeit apparel products, China’s domestic apparel brands, and foreign (Western) apparel brands are influenced by their level of perception about knowledge and attitudes toward counterfeit apparel products, face-saving values, materialistic values, and ethical values. This study utilized a sample of males and females between the ages of 18 and 64, who reside in Guangzhou, Shanghai, Chengdu, and Wuhan, China. A questionnaire was utilized as part of this study and data was collected online by SOJUMP Survey Company. A total of 1,192 participants (736 males and 456 females) participated in this study. There are in total nine significant relationships that have been found in this study. First, the researcher found a positive relationship between Chinese consumers’ perception about knowledge of counterfeit apparel products and their attitudes about counterfeit apparel products. Second and third, the present study also discovered that Chinese consumers with favorable attitudes of foreign apparel brands or negative attitude of China’s domestic apparel brands would similarly hold positive attitudes of counterfeit apparel products. Fourth, the present scholar concluded that Chinese consumers with favorable attitudes of China’s domestic apparel brands tend to hold negative attitudes of counterfeit apparel products. Fifth and sixth, it was found that Chinese consumers with high level of face-saving values show positive attitudes of foreign (Western) apparel brands and counterfeit apparel products. Seventh, Chinese consumers with high level of face-saving values also possess strong materialistic values. Consequently Chinese consumers with strong materialistic values tend to hold positive attitudes of counterfeit apparel products and foreign (Western) apparel products, but negative attitudes of China’s domestic apparel brands. The findings of this study show that Chinese consumers have a very low level of perception about knowledge of counterfeit apparel products. It is necessary to connect educators, government, apparel industry, and brand owners to develop and enhance anti-counterfeit educational programs. These programs should clearly explain the perception about knowledge of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), trademark, and the negative causes of counterfeit products are warranted. Also, it is better for China’s domestic apparel brand companies to develop better brand images and improve product quality to meet Chinese consumers’ face-saving standards and materialistic values.

The thesis deals with energy-saving plumbing systems. It is divided into three parts: task analysis, applications theme on the building and experiment. In the first part are described the possibilities of saving water and energy in the plumbing systems. The second part contains a comparison of some variants of saving solution water supply system and sanitary drainage system at the hotel. Part of the experiment investigates the water consumption for washing hands in addiction: the pressure in the water supply system and the type of mixing valves.

Esta dissertação estima os modelos de volatilidade para a série de preços da Vale do Rio Doce, para uma série de sub-períodos de 1998 até 2004. Está organizada em quatro capítulos, icluindo a introdução e aconclusão. O primeiro capítulo, faz uma apresentação geral do trabalho. O capítulo segundo, faz um histórico da Vale do Rio Doce e discute o mercado de capitais, bem como a sua relação com o desenvolvimento econômico. O terceiro capítulo faz referência aos procedimentos empíricos que serão utilizados no último capítulo e faz uma revisão empírica para o Brasil. Por fim, no quarto e último capítulo é realizada uma análise econométrica para a ação da Vale do Rio Doce.
This work of conclusion esteem the models of volatileness for the series of prices of the Valley of the River Candy, for a series of sub-periods of 1998 up to 2004. It is organized in four chapters, having icluindo the introduction and the conclusion. The first chapter, makes a general presentation of the work. The chapter second, makes a description of the Valley of the River Candy and argues the stock market, as well as its relation with the economic development. The third chapter make reference to reference the empirical procedures that will be used in the last chapter and makes an empirical revision for Brazil. Finally, in the room and last chapter a econometrical analysis for the action of the Valley of the River is carried through Candy.

Diplomová práce je zaměřena na měření efektivnosti procesních inovací ve společnosti Red Hat Czech s.r.o. Práce je rozdělena do tří částí. První část práce se zabývá teoretickými poznatky. Ve druhé části se jedná o představení společnosti a pochopení interních procesů a systémů firmy. Poslední část obsahuje návrhy na zlepšení tohoto projektu, které vychází z analýzy současné situace společnosti.

This thesis theoretically in Part A deals with the solution in savings heating building and heating hot water. It examines the impact of austerity measures on the overall need for and consumption of heat energy and its economic impact and compared with each other in order to achieve maximum efficiency. Part B is their subsequent application to a given object - a residental building, various design alternatives and the resulting energy savings improvements. Experimental Part C deals with indirect measurement of the thermal conductivity of building materials.

Please read the abstract in section 11summary (pp 246-251) of this document
Dissertation (MSc (Wildlife Management))--University of Pretoria, 2007.
Centre for Wildlife Management
unrestricted

O consumo de energia está na origem do aquecimento global e das alterações climáticas associadas, sendo um dos principais problemas com que a humanidade se confronta. A forma como vivemos e como consumimos recursos, nomeadamente energia, depende em grande medida daquilo que valorizamos, e por isso os valores são um dos determinantes psicossociais essenciais para a explicação do comportamento pró-ambiental. O objectivo principal desta tese foi estudar como os valores altruístas e ambientais explicam o comportamento de poupança de energia, procurando identificar o papel mediador das atitudes altruístas e ambientais, e da norma moral nesse processo. Estuda-se concretamente o comportamento individual de poupança de energia em contexto experimental e organizacional, para analisar como as características desses contextos permitem explicar este tipo de comportamento. Realizaram-se três estudos cujos resultados indicam que os valores altruístas, conjuntamente com os valores ambientais, dão um contributo essencial para a explicação do comportamento de poupança de energia. A associação dos valores altruístas à norma moral salienta a relevância da componente moral neste tipo de comportamento pró-ambiental. A relação entre valores ambientais e comportamento de poupança de energia segue um padrão diferente, sendo o processo mediado pelas atitudes ambientais e pela norma moral. Os resultados indicam também que, quando o contexto tem um enquadramento ambiental, os indivíduos realizam mais comportamentos de poupança de energia (ou manifestam maior intenção). Estes resultados reforçam teoricamente o papel dos valores altruístas e ambientais na explicação do comportamento de poupança de energia, e dão pistas para intervenções de promoção deste comportamento pró-ambiental.
Energy consumption causes global warming, and the associated climate change is one of the major problems facing humanity today. The way we live and how we consume resources, particularly energy, largely depends on what we value. Values are therefore essential psychosocial determinants for the explanation of environmentally significant behaviour. The main objective of this thesis was to examine how altruistic and environmental values explain energy saving behaviour, the mediating role of altruistic and environmental attitudes, and the moral norm in this process. Specifically, we study individuals’ energy saving behaviours in experimental and organizational contexts in order to analyze how the contexts’ characteristics may explain this type of pro-environmental behaviour. The results of the three studies performed indicate that the conjunction of altruistic and environmental values provides an important contribution to explaining energy saving behaviour. The link between altruistic values and moral norm shows the relevance of the moral component of this type of pro-environmental behaviour. The relation of environmental values with energy saving intention follows a different pattern, the process being mediated by environmental attitudes and moral norms. The results also indicate that when the context is characterized by an environmental framework, people performed more energy saving behaviours, or showed a greater intention to do so. These results theoretically reinforce the role of altruistic and environmental values in the explanation of energy saving behaviour, and give some clues for promoting this type of pro-environmental behaviour.

Graduation date: 2006
Habitat loss causes a reduction in available resources for wildlife, alters the configuration of remaining habitat, and may isolate wildlife populations. White-breasted nuthatches (Sitta carolinensis) are experiencing long-term population declines in the Willamette Valley of Oregon, where they are historically associated with oak woodlands. As secondary cavity-nesters, white-breasted nuthatches may be limited by the availability of existing cavities for nesting and roosting. Oak vegetation in the Willamette Valley has changed since European-American settlement times from vast areas of open oak savanna to isolated closed-canopy stands separated by agricultural fields. We examined nuthatch density, nest cavity selection, and nest success in relation to oak woodland structure and landscape context. We conducted point transect surveys in 3 strata: woodland interiors, large woodland edges, and small woodlands. We located and monitored nuthatch nests and sampled vegetation at nest locations and matching random locations around each nest. Woodland structure and edge density were measured at a 178-m radius (home range) scale, and landscape context was measured using vegetation cover within a 1-km radius around point transects and nests. We used program DISTANCE to fit detection functions and calculate nuthatch densities. We used conditional logistic regression to compare nest locations with random locations, and analyzed nest success with Mayfield logistic regression. White-breasted nuthatch density was significantly higher in small woodlands than in edges of large woodlands, which had higher nuthatch density than woodland interiors. Density of nuthatches increased with a combination of oak cover within a 1-km radius of the point, edge density within a 178-m radius, and number of oak trees >50 cm diameter at breast height (dbh) within a 100-m radius. Nest cavities were situated in oak trees containing more cavities than random oak trees that had cavities, and oak trees used as nest trees had a larger dbh than oak trees within random plots. Local woodland structure at nest locations was characterized by larger trees, measured by greater mean dbh, canopy cover, and basal area of oaks than random locations within the home range. Nest success in natural cavities was 71% and was not predicted by attributes of nest cavities, nest trees, local woodland structure at nests, woodland structure at the home range scale, or landscape context. These results suggest that the most suitable habitat for white-breasted nuthatches in the Willamette Valley includes oak woodlands in close proximity to one another with a high proportion of edge and mature oak trees. Managers should preserve trees containing cavities and large oak trees whenever possible. Thinning of small oaks and removal of conifers in oak woodlands to create more open, savanna-like conditions may also promote the development of larger oaks with more spreading branches, providing more opportunities for cavities to form and more foraging surface area for nuthatches.