Дисертації з теми "Sentinels species"

L’impact du changement climatique sur la glace de mer et les écosystèmes polaires qui en dépendent est reconnu depuis plusieurs décennies. Cependant, ces milieux sont généralement difficiles à étudier en raison de leur climat extrême, de leur isolement et des difficultés logistiques associées. Le manque de connaissances concernant les mécanismes reliant les traits d’histoire de vie des organismes polaires et la variation de la glace de mer est particulièrement préjudiciable à notre compréhension des conséquences du changement climatique sur les espèces longévives comme les oiseaux marins polaires. Ces derniers, généralement situés au sommet des réseaux trophiques, pourraient cependant constituer des espèces sentinelles des écosystèmes liés à la glace de mer. L’objectif de cette thèse est d’améliorer les connaissances sur les processus impliqués dans les réponses des populations de prédateurs marins polaires aux variations environnementales, et principalement les mécanismes liés à la glace de mer. Pour répondre à cet objectif nous nous sommes basés sur le suivi individuel à long terme de deux espèces d’oiseaux marins polaires, le pétrel des neiges (Pagodroma nivea) et le damier du Cap (Daption capense). Les deux espèces se reproduisent en milieu polaire. L’une est particulièrement dépendante de la glace de mer pour s’alimenter (le pétrel des neiges) tandis que l’autre préfère un habitat libre de glace (le damier du Cap). Au cours de ce travail, nous avons estimé l’influence de facteurs extrinsèques (forçages ascendants, descendants, météorologie locale) et intrinsèques (âge, expérience de reproduction, sexe, colonie) sur les réponses démographiques des espèces à l’aide de modèles multi-états de capture-marquage-recapture. Nous avons également testé l’influence des facteurs environnementaux sur les traits phénotypiques (condition corporelle et phénologie de reproduction) du pétrel des neiges. Chez les damiers du Cap nous montrons une diminution du succès reproducteur ainsi que l’influence de plusieurs paramètres extrinsèques (température de surface de l’eau de mer, prédation, météorologie locale) sur celui-ci. En parallèle nous montrons une augmentation de la survie des adultes et une corrélation de celle-ci avec l’oscillation Antarctique. Chez le pétrel des neiges, nous avons mis en évidence l’influence de la glace de mer et d’autres facteurs extrinsèques (prédation, oscillation Antarctique, météorologie locale) et intrinsèques (sexe, colonie, expérience de reproduction) sur de multiples traits démographiques. Nous avons également montré un décalage (retard) dans la phénologie de reproduction des pétrels des neiges en réponse à des changements environnementaux (concentration de glace de mer, vents) et nous avons constaté que la reproduction retardée avait un impact négatif sur la probabilité d'envol des poussins. Enfin nous avons aussi montré que la concentration de glace de mer et l’oscillation Antarctique ont une influence négative sur la survie et la condition corporelle des juvéniles de pétrel des neiges. Cette thèse permet d’apporter de nouvelles connaissances sur les liens entre glace de mer et les traits d’histoire de vie d’une espèce pagophilique, le pétrel des neiges et d’une espèce moins associée à la glace, le damier du Cap. Ces connaissances permettent de mieux appréhender les conséquences du changement climatique sur les oiseaux marins polaires et les écosystèmes polaires en général, et apporte une contribution à la compréhension de la dynamique des populations concernant les variations démographiques intra spécifiques à fine échelle spatiale
The impact of climate change on sea ice and polar ecosystems has been well recognized. However, these environments are generally difficult to study because of their extreme climate, isolation and the associated logistical difficulties. The lack of knowledge regarding the mechanisms linking the life history traits of polar organisms and sea ice variation limit our understanding of the consequences of climate change on long-lived species such as polar seabirds and sea ice ecosystems. Seabirds, generally located at the top of food webs, could however constitute sentinel species of ecosystems linked to sea ice. The objective of this thesis is to improve knowledge on the processes involved in the responses of polar marine predators to environmental variations, and mainly the mechanisms linked to sea ice. For this purpose we have based our analyses on the long-term monitoring of two polar seabirds, the snow petrel (Pagodroma nivea) and the Cape petrel (Daption capense). Both species breed in polar environments of the Southern Ocean. One is particularly dependent on sea ice for foraging (snow petrel) while the other prefers ice-free habitats (Cape petrel). During this PhD, we estimated the influence of extrinsic factors (top-down, bottom-up, local weather) and intrinsic factors (age, breeding experience, sex and colony) on the demographic responses of these two species using multi-states capture-recapture models. We also tested the influence of environmental factors on phenotypic traits (body condition and breeding phenology) of snow petrels. For the Cape petrel, we show a decrease in breeding success as well as an influence of several extrinsic parameters (sea surface temperature, predation, local weather) on this demographic parameter. We also show an increase in adult survival linked to variations of a large scale climate index, the southern annular mode. Modelling of the population dynamics using a matrix population model indicated a positive population growth rate and suggest that this species probably beneficiates from current climate changes. In snow petrels, we demonstrate the influence of sea ice and other extrinsic factors (predation, southern annular mode, local weather) as well as intrinsic factors (sex, colony, breeding experience) on multiple demographic traits (probabilities of survival, breeding, hatching, and fledging). We also show a shift (delay) in the breeding phenology of snow petrels in response to environmental changes (sea ice concentration, winds), and found that delayed reproduction negatively impacted the probability of fledging. Finally, we show that the sea ice concentration and the southern annular mode have a negative influence on the survival and body condition of juvenile snow petrels. This thesis provides new knowledge on the links between sea ice and the life history traits of two Antarctic polar seabirds characterized by specific dependence to sea ice. This knowledge helps to better understand the consequences of climate change on polar seabirds and polar ecosystems in general, and contributes to the understanding of population dynamics concerning intra-specific demographic variations at a fine spatial scale

Studies have indicated the existence of several possible sources of genetic heterogeneity within the sentinel species Lumbricus rubellus that could compromise its suitability for ecotoxicological assessment. The species appears to consist of two genetically divergent cryptic lineages and has been demonstrated to display genetic adaptation towards contaminants within some populations. In order to investigate the cryptic lineages of L rubellus further a combined morphological and DNA barcoding approach was undertaken, with both the mitochondria! COI gene being sequenced and external morphological characters being assessed. Combined barcoding and morphological analysis confirmed the existence of the previously described genetic lineages of L. rubellus and highlighted a potential lineage-specific morphological trait. The effectiveness of this trait in field identification of the two lineages was tested in a blind trial. This indicated that the trait may be particularly effective in successfully identifying the individuals of one of these lineages. The two cryptic lineages were also analysed in a second study featuring cross-amplifying microsatellite loci. Both the sequencing and fragment analysis of these microsatellite loci strongly supported the existence of a high degree of reproductive isolation between the two lineages. Finally microsatellite markers were applied to test the hypothesis of genetic adaptation within L. rubellus populations located along an aerially-deposited nickel contamination gradient. No support was obtained for the existence of genetic adaptation within these populations. This could indicate that the most heavily contaminated sites represent demographic 'sinks' into which individuals immigrate from adjacent less-contaminated regions. The general implications of these studies are that the two lineages of L rubellus should be treated as separate species in future ecotoxicological trials given their high degree of genetic differentiation. An implication of the nickel study is that L. rubellus may display a greater capacity for tolerating toxic metals through phenotypic plasticity than previous studies have indicated.

Le développement des activités industrielles et agricoles du siècle dernier a eu pour conséquence le rejet de substances chimiques dans l’environnement, qui contaminent les écosystèmes, et peuvent s’accumuler dans les plantes, les sédiments, et le long des chaînes alimentaires. Il apparait primordial d’effectuer une évaluation du risque écologique associé à la présence de ces composés dans les milieux naturels et les espèces sentinelles sont des outils judicieux pour déterminer l’exposition des individus et évaluer les conséquences sur les organismes. Les amphibiens et les reptiles possèdent des caractéristiques écologiques et biologiques qui les rendent potentiellement intéressants en tant qu’espèces sentinelles. L’objectif des études présentées dans cette thèse est de déterminer la disponibilité de certaines substances dans l’environnement, et d’évaluer les effets de la contamination environnementale sur les organismes en utilisant plusieurs espèces de reptiles et d’amphibiens, (i) en mesurant les niveaux de polluants accumulés dans les tissus d’espèces de reptiles ; (ii) en évaluant l’influence d’un habitat contaminé sur la morphologie d’adultes de crapaud commun (Bufo bufo) ; (iii) en mesurant de manière expérimentale l’impact d’une molécule fréquemment retrouvée dans l’environnement sur le développement de têtards de crapaud commun. Nos résultats montrent d’une part que les reptiles accumulent efficacement les polluants organiques et les éléments traces métalliques dans leurs tissus, et permettent d’évaluer efficacement la contamination globale d’une zone, mais aussi de mettre en évidence des pollutions ponctuelles localisées. D’autre part, nos travaux montrent une influence de l’habitat agricole sur la morphologie du crapaud commun, potentiellement causé par la présence de contaminants dans ces milieux. Enfin, nous avons pu mettre en évidence un effet de concentrations faibles d’AMPA, métabolite principal du glyphosate, sur le développement de têtards de crapaud commun. Les amphibiens constituent donc des organismes efficaces pour étudier l’impact de la contamination de l’environnement sur les caractéristiques individuelles. Nos travaux montrent ainsi l’utilité de certaines espèces de reptiles et d’amphibiens comme espèces sentinelles de la présence de contaminants dans l’environnement et de leur impact potentiel sur les organismes. Les travaux en écotoxicologie qui portent sur ces organismes restent trop rares, et il est impératif de développer la recherche dans ce domaine, pour participer de manière efficace à l’évaluation du risque environnemental
The development of industrial and agricultural activities over the last century has resulted in the release of chemicals into the environment, which contaminate ecosystems and can accumulate in plants, sediments and across food webs. As such, it is essential to conduct an assessment of the ecological risk associated with the presence of these compounds in natural environments. Achieving this can be aided through the study of sentinel species, which can be used to determine exposure rates of individuals and assess how these subsequently impact wildlife. Amphibians and reptiles display ecological and biological characteristics that may make them particularly attractive as sentinel species. The collection of studies presented in this thesis aims to determine the availability of contaminants in the environment and estimate the effects of this on individual traits of living organisms. Across several species of reptiles and amphibians we, (i) measured levels of pollutants accumulated in the tissues of several reptile species ; (ii) assessed how contaminated habitats impact the morphology of adult common toads (Bufo bufo) ; and (iii) experimentally measured the influence of a molecule frequently detected in the environment on common toad tadpoles’ growth. Results show that reptiles efficiently accumulate organic pollutants and metal trace elements in their tissues, and thereby allow efficient evaluation of the global contamination of an area, as well as the occurrence of localized pollution events. In addition, our work shows an influence of the agricultural habitat on the morphology of adult common toads, which is potentially a consequence of the presence of chemicals in these environments. Finally, we were able to demonstrate an effect of low concentrations of AMPA, the main metabolite of glyphosate, on the development of common toad tadpoles. Amphibians are therefore efficient organisms to study the impact of environmental contamination on individual characteristics. Our work shows the usefulness of certain species of reptiles and amphibians as sentinel species for the presence of contaminants in the environment, and their potential impact on organisms. Ecotoxicological studies on these organisms remain too scarce, and it is imperative to develop research in this field, to participate effectively in the assessment of environmental risk

This dissertation investigated locational risks to ecosystem health associated with proximity to industrial complexes. The study was performed at the behest of ranchers and citizens living and working down-prevailing wind from the Formosa Plastics, Inc. and ALCOA facilities located in Calhoun County, Texas. Concerns expressed were for potential genotoxicity resulting from exposure to complex chemical mixtures released by the facilities. Exposure assessment of the marine environment was performed with sediments and oysters from Lavaca Bay being analyzed. Numerous chemicals were found to be present at concentrations considered likely to result in adverse responses in exposed populations. Bayesian geostatistical analysis was performed to determine if the concentrations were affected by a spatial process. Mercury and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were the most notable of the chemicals found to be present at elevated concentrations and affected by a spatial process. Evaluation of maps generated from spatial modeling revealed that proximity to ALCOA resulted in elevated risks for exposure to harmful concentrations of pollutants. Genotoxicity was measured in two sentinel species. Oysters (Crassostrea virginica) were utilized for evaluation of the marine environment and cattle (Bos taurus and Bos taurus crossbred cattle) were chosen for evaluation of the terrestrial environment. Chromosomal aberration analysis was performed on oyster hematocytes. Analysis of the results failed to demonstrate the presence of an important generalized spatial process but some specific locations close to the ALCOA plant had elevations in this measure of genotoxicity. Stress as measured by the lysosomal destabilization assay was also performed on oyster hematocytes. These results were found to be affected by a significant spatial process with the highest degree of destabilization occurring in close proximity to ALCOA. Genotoxicity in cattle was evaluated with the single cell gel electrophoresis assay and chromosomal aberration analysis. Bayesian geostatistical analyis revealed the presence of important spatial processes. DNA-protein cross-linkage was the most notable with a strong indication of increased damage down-prevailing wind from the industrial complexes. Results indicated that proximity to industrial facilities increased the risk for harmful exposures, genotoxicity, and lysosomal destabilization.

En Afrique, la contamination des zones humides par les métaux et les pesticides va se poursuivre durablement. Pour autant, le statut toxicologique de ces milieux reste trop peu documente. Le but du présent travail est d’estimer la valeur du varan du Nil (Varanus niloticus) en tant qu’espèce sentinelle pour la contamination des zones humides continentales d’Afrique sub-Saharienne. Plomb, cadmium, et pesticides organochlorés et organophosphorés ont été quantifies, par spectrométrie d’absorption atomique et chromatographie gazeuse (respectivement), dans plusieurs tissus provenant de 71 spécimens issus de quatre sites (au Mali et au Niger) juges a priori inégalement contamines. Bien que des différences claires apparaissent, la contamination environnementale s’avère modérée sur les quatre sites, et ne semble pas constituer un risque notable pour les varans ni pour les humains qui s’en nourrissent occasionnellement. Toutefois la variabilité interindividuelle est importante. Les organotropismes des polluants détectés sont cohérents avec ceux préalablement décrits. Si l’on n’a pu mettre en évidence de différence liée au sexe en ce qui concerne les pesticides, les femelles présentaient des charges en métaux supérieures. La relation entre d’autres facteurs (taille, proportion de graisse) et les concentrations tissulaires a également été considérée. Les varans sont susceptibles de révéler des différences subtiles de contamination environnementale entre sites, et la résolution spatiale de l’outil semble très fine. La possibilité pratique d’utiliser cet indicateur se trouve donc validée. Un travail expérimental sur des varans captifs a par ailleurs été mené pour approfondir l’étude
In Africa, metal and pesticide contamination of wetlands is supposed to continue on a permanent basis. However, the ecotoxicological status of these ecosystems remains poorly documented. The aim of the present work is to assess the value of the Nile monitor (Varanus niloticus) as a sentinel species for the environmental contamination of continental wetlands in sub-Saharan Africa. Lead and cadmium on the one hand, and organochlorine and organophosphate pesticides on the other, have been quantified in several tissues by atomic absorption spectrophotometry and gas chromatography, respectively. Samples come from 71 specimens originating from four sites considered unequally contaminated (in Mali and Niger). Although clear differences appear between sites, the environmental contamination turns out to be moderate at the four sites, and does not seem to represent a significant risk neither for the monitors themselves, nor for occasional human consumers. However, the interindividual variability is important. The organotropisms relative to the detected pollutants are consistent with those described in previous studies. Concerning the pesticides, no gender effect has been found, whereas females were more contaminated by metals. The relation between other factors (size, proportion of fat) and tissue concentrations has been considered too. Nile monitors can reveal subtle differences in local pollution and the spatial resolution of this tool seems to be very sharp. Its practical relevance is thus validated. Additionally, an experimental work has been carried out on captive monitors to go into the subject in greater depth

1.) Sentinel traps were used to survey for parasitoids of frugivorous drosophilids in Virginia fruit cropping systems, and determine if parasitoids were attacking invasive flies Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) and Zaprionus indianus Gupta (Diptera: Drosophilidae) in the field. Two parasitoids of frugivorous drosophilids, Leptopilina boulardi (Barbotin, Carton, and Kelner-Pillault) (Hymenoptera: Figitidae) and Pachycrepoideus vindemiae (Rondani) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae), were reared, but only one P. vindemiae was reared from D. suzukii, and no parasitoids were reared from Z. indianus. Most parasitoids were reared from alternate host Drosophila melanogaster Meigen and other wild drosophilids. 2.) The ability of these parasitoids to attack D. melanogaster, D. suzukii and Z. indianus under controlled conditions was tested. Larval parasitoid L. boulardi did not develop on D. suzukii or Z. indianus, just D. melanogaster. Pupal parasitoid P. vindemiae successfully developed on all three fly species, but also increased pupal fly mortality. 3.) Olfactometry was used to ascertain if L. boulardi and P. vindemiae are selective about the type of fruit their hosts feed in. Results showed that among cherry, raspberry, blueberry, grape, and banana, L. boulardi preferred raspberry and banana to cherry, and preferred grape least, but no fruit was most preferred. Insufficient data were obtained for P. vindemiae. We conclude that parasitoids of Virginia are unlikely to provide effective biological control for D. suzukii or Z. indianus, and classical biological control should be investigated as a pest management option. Olfactometry results indicate tritrophic selectivity by Drosophila parasitoids, suggesting multiple parasitoids could be required for effective biological control.
Master of Science in Life Sciences

L’objectif de cette thèse est le diagnostic de l’état de santé de la lagune de Bizerte par une approche multi-marqueurs (chimique, biochimique et morphométrique) et multi-compartiments (sédiment et biote). Pour atteindre cet objectif, les modèles biologiques choisis sont la moule Mytilus galloprovincialis et le poisson gobie Zosterisessor ophiocephalus. Ces deux espèces sont largement répandues dans la lagune de Bizerte et la mer Méditerranée. Dans une première partie et afin d’estimer les niveaux de contamination de la lagune de Bizerte par les polluants organiques persistants (POPs), des analyses chimiques, granulométriques et minéralogiques (COT) de sédiments superficiels ont été réalisées. Par la suite la toxicité potentielle des sédiments a été évaluée par une batterie de bioessais. Dans une troisième partie la biodisponibilité et l’impact écotoxicologique des POPs étudiés ont été évalués par l’accumulation de ces contaminants au niveau des deux organismes indicateurs choisis et l’étude des réponses biologiques associées à travers quelques biomarqueurs tels que la catalase (CAT), l’acide thiobarbiturique (TBARS); l’Ethoxyrésorufine O-dééthylase (EROD); la glutathion-S-transférase (GST) et l'acétylcholinestérase (AChE). Les principaux résultats des analyses chimiques révèlent une contamination générale des sédiments et organismes étudiés par les POPs. Les niveaux de contamination sont fonction de l’espèce et de la station étudiée. La comparaison de nos valeurs avec les données de la littérature a montré que les niveaux de contamination de la lagune sont similaires ou légèrement inférieurs à ceux enregistrés dans des écosystèmes équivalents dans d’autres pays du monde. L’estimation de la toxicité des sédiments au moyen des valeurs guides sédimentaires (ERL, ERM, TEL et PEL) et trois tests biologiques (Microtox®, SOS-Chromotest® et test MELA) ont montré que les sédiments des stations du canal de Bizerte S1 et S3 représentent un danger accru pour les organismes aquatiques. Nos résultats ont montré que les biomarqueurs mesurés chez les deux espèces choisies sont des paramètres sensibles et inductibles permettant de qualifier l’état de santé des organismes et la qualité globale du milieu étudié. Les marqueurs morphométriques contrairement aux marqueurs biochimiques n’ont pas permis de discriminer les différents sites étudiés. Contrairement aux poissons, il a été démontré chez les moules que les facteurs abiotiques ont une influence sur les concentrations en POPs et les réponses des biomarqueurs.Au vu de l’ensemble de ces résultats, il apparaît que cette approche intégrative associant des mesures chimiques et écotoxicologiques représente un bon moyen pour évaluer la qualité de l’environnement notamment dans le cadre de programmes de biosurveillance
The objective of this thesis was the diagnosis of the health status of the Bizerte lagoon using a multi-marker (chemical, biochemical and morphometric) and multi-compartment approach (sediment and biota). To achieve this objective, the selected biological models were the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis and the goby fish Zosterisessor ophiocephalus. Both species are widespread in the Bizerte lagoon and the Mediterranean Sea. In a first part and in order to estimate the levels of contamination of the Bizerte lagoon, persistent organic pollutant (POPs), granulometric and mineralogical (TOC) analyses of surficial sediments were carried out. Afterwards, the potential toxicity of sediments was assessed by a battery of bioassays. In a the third part, bioavailability and ecotoxicological impact of POPs studied were assessed by bioaccumulation measurement in these two indicators species, and the study of biological responses associated through a battery of biomarkers such as catalase (CAT), thiobarbituric acid (TBARS); Ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD); glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE). The main results of the chemical analyses show a general contamination of sediments and organisms studied by POPs. Contamination levels are dependent on the studied species and stations. Comparing our values with literature data, showed that the levels of contamination of the lagoon are similar or slightly lower than equivalent ecosystems in other parts of the world. Besides, the estimation of sediment toxicity, using sediment guideline values (ERL, ERM, TEL et PEL), as well as bioassays (Microtox®, SOS-Chromotest® and MELA test) showed that stations of canal of Bizerte S1 and S3 were associated with an increased hazard to aquatic organisms. Our results showed that biomarkers measured in both selected species are sensitive and inducible parameters, which allowed to characterize the health status of organisms and global quality of the studied environment. Biochemical but not morphometric markers allowed to discriminate the different studied sites according to chemical risk. Unlike fish, it has been demonstrated in mussels that abiotic factors influence the concentrations of POPs and biomarker responses.Obtained data suggest that integrative approach, combining chemical and ecotoxicological measurements, may represent a good way to asses the quality of the environment, particularly, in the context of biomonitoring programs

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) such as DDT have the ability to disrupt hormonally controlled processes, such as spermatogenesis, which is the maturation of germ cells into spermatozoa. During normal spermatogenesis, germ cell apoptosis can occur, but the degree of apoptosis within the testis could possibly be affected by exposure to EDCs. In 2004, a pilot study on the reproductive health of two freshwater fish species, Oreochromis mossambicus and Clarias gariepinus, from three impoundments in the Luvuvhu River, found concerning levels of DDT and its metabolites in both species from the Nandoni Dam, and in O. mossambicus from the Xikundu Weir. This was not surprising as a large part of the Luvuvhu River catchment is located within an area where ongoing DDT-spraying occurs for vector control purposes. Hence, in 2006, a larger WRC-funded project began to further investigate the findings from the pilot study. A subsidiary study, spanning two seasons, was initiated to investigate testicular apoptosis in fish from the polluted systems, the Nandoni Dam (ND) and the Xikundu Weir (XW), as well as a reference site, the Albasini Dam (AD), utilizing caspase-3 and TUNEL immunoexpression as apoptotic markers. In addition, three fixatives, Bouin’s Fluid (BF), Neutrally Buffered Formalin (NBF) and Paraformaldehyde (PFA), were used to determine which would be the optimal fixative for both histological and immunohistochemical assessments. Sampling occurred during season 1, the low-flow season (October 2007), during DDT spraying of the surrounding area, and season 2, the high–flow season (February 2008), two months after the DDT-spraying was completed. The testes of O. mossambicus (n = 19 season 1, n = 25 season 2) and C. gariepinus (n = 19 season 1, n = 20 season 2) were fixed in the above-mentioned fixatives, embedded in paraffin wax, prepared for immunohistochemistry, and exposed to caspase-3 antibodies and TUNEL antibodies individually. The results indicated that the residues of p,p´-DDT - DDD and - DDE were found in the fat samples of both O. mossambicus and C. gariepinus, in AD, ND and XW. Testicular apoptotic assessment using the caspase-3 assay clearly labeled spermatocytes in the process of cellular death in both seasons, in all three fixatives. When comparing the two assays, a significant difference is found between the caspase-3 and TUNEL positive cells. The results further show that, when comparing the three sampling sites, the highest amount of positive cells are found at the XW. The decrease observed in season two, in both the caspase-3 and TUNEL assay may possibly be linked to the stage of spermatogenesis, coinciding with hormonal changes associated with the different sampling seasons (i.e. breeding and non-breeding seasons). The levels of DDT found in the fat tissue, could not be correlated to an up-regulation in apoptotic cells. The results The results indicated that the choice of fixative, could affect the identification of the amount of positive cells. The utility of the caspase-3 and TUNEL assays, in conjunction with all three fixatives, proves a successful tool in assessing and quantifying modulated testicular apoptosis, creating greater research potential in the assessment of the effects of aquatic pollution. Copyright
Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2008.
Physiology
unrestricted

The eco-epidemiology of bovine tuberculosis (Tb) in wild deer (mainly red deer Cervus elaphus) in New Zealand was investigated. Bovine Tb is caused by Mycobacterium bovis. Specific aims were to clarify the likely routes of infection in deer, and to determine the status of deer as hosts of Tb, the likely rates and routes of inter- and intra-species transmission between deer and other wildlife hosts, the role of deer in spreading Tb, and the likely utility of deer as sentinels of Tb presence in wildlife. As the possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) is the main wildlife host of Tb, the research also included some investigation of transmission routes in possums. Patterns of infection were measured in 994 deer killed between 1993 and 2003. Tb prevalence varied between areas (range 8–36%). Few deer had generalised infection, with 21–68% of infected deer having no visible lesions, depending on the area. The retropharyngeal lymph nodes and oropharyngeal tonsils were commonly infected. No dependent fawns less than 0.75 years old were infected, indicating intra-species transmission is rare in wild deer. Where possums were not controlled, the net (cumulative) force of infection in young (1–4 y) deer was 0.10–0.24 per year in males and 0.09–0.12 per year in females, but much lower in older deer (less than 0.05 per year). Possum control reduced the net force of infection quickly, and eventually to zero. However, Tb persisted in possum-controlled areas through immigration of infected deer and, for almost a decade, through the survival of resident deer infected before possum control. Tb was lost from infected deer at an exponential rate of 0.13 per year, mostly as a result of deer recovering from infection rather than dying from it. Wild deer do die of Tb, but there was no discernible effect on age structure. The occurrence of infection in deer was not linked to the local deer or possum density at their kill sites (i.e. in their home range), but the area-wide prevalence of Tb in deer was closely correlated with Tb levels in possums, which were in turn correlated with area-wide measures of possum density. For wild deer in New Zealand, Tb is a persistent but usually inconsequential disease of the lymphatic system. It is acquired mainly by young independent deer, usually orally via the tonsils, and probably as a result of licking infected possums. Many species fed on deer carrion, including possums. Most possums encountering carrion did not feed on it, but a few fed for long periods. Other scavengers such ferrets (Mustela furo), hawks (Circus approximans), and weka (a hen-sized flightless native bird; Gallirallus australis) fed in a way that probably increased the infectivity of carrion to possums. Commercial deer hunting may have facilitated the historical establishment of Tb in possums. Scavenging (including cannibalism) and interactions with dead and dying possums are identified for the first time as potentially important routes for transmission of Tb to possums, and I develop new hypotheses involving peri- and post-mortem transmission in possums that explain many of the epidemiological patterns that are characteristic of the disease in possum. In continuous native forest, deer home range size averaged 250 hectares for six young females, and over twice that for two males. Over 90% of infected deer are likely to die within 2 km (females) or 6 km (males) of where they acquired Tb, but deer could occasionally carry Tb up to 30 km. Deer will be useful as sentinels, but only where other sentinels are rare, because the force of infection for a deer with a single infected possum in its home range is only 0.004 per year, compared to greater than 0.2 per year for deliberately released pigs. Deer are occasionally capable of initiating new cycles of infection in wildlife, but deer control is not essential to eradicate Tb from wildlife.

Une question centrale en écologie est la compréhension des effets des changements environnementaux sur les organismes et sur le fonctionnement des écosystèmes. L’Arctique et l’Antarctique se réchauffent plus rapidement que n’importe quelle autre région sur la planète, ce qui a des conséquences sur l’état de la glace de mer et par extension sur les espèces polaires qui en dépendent pour leur activité d’alimentation et de reproduction. L’objectif principal de cette thèse est de déterminer les réponses comportementales d’une espèce bio-indicatrice, le manchot Adélie, lors de son activité de recherche alimentaire face à des conditions de glace de mer variables, à différentes échelles de l’espèce : individuelle, populationnelle, inter-populationnelle. Nous nous basons sur un jeu de données d’activité d’alimentation (GPS, régime alimentaire) des manchots Adélie collectées chaque année depuis 2010 en Terre Adélie (Antarctique de l’Est), à chaque saison de reproduction dans plusieurs colonies. Nous avons mis en évidence des variations dans le comportement alimentaire de cette espèce en fonction des conditions et de la dynamique de la glace de mer, mais des réponses similaires entre individus et entre colonies faisant face à des conditions environnementales comparables. Nos résultats soulignent l’importance de certains habitats et de certaines conditions de glace pour une activité alimentaire optimale. Nous discutons des facteurs intrinsèques et extrinsèques à l’origine des variations observées, et de l’implication de telles variations sur le comportement reproducteur des manchots Adélie. Les résultats de cette thèse sont replacés dans un contexte de conservation des écosystèmes par la mise en place de mesures de protection efficaces basées sur l’écologie d’espèces sentinelles
A central question in ecology is the understanding of the environmental change effects on organisms and on the ecosystem functioning. The Arctic and Antarctic warm faster than any other region on Earth, which has consequences on the sea-ice state and by extent on polar species which depend on it for their breeding and feeding activities. The main objective of my PhD was to determine the behavioural responses of a bio-indicator species, the Adélie penguin, during its foraging activity facing variable sea-ice conditions, at different species levels : individual, population, inter-population. We use a foraging activity dataset (GPS data, diet) on Adélie penguins obtained collected each year since 2010 in Terre Adélie (East Antarctica), at each breeding season in several colonies. We highlight foraging behavioural variations in that species related to sea-ice conditions and dynamics, but similar responses between individuals and between colonies facing comparable environmental conditions. Our results highlight the importance of specific habitats and sea-ice conditions for an optimal foraging activity. We discuss about intrinsic and extrinsic factors at the origin of the observed variations, and of the implication of such variations on the reproductive behaviour of Adélie penguins. Those PhD results are replaced in a context of ecosystem conservation for the implementation of efficient protection measures based on the ecology of sentinel species

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Georgia, 2005.
Directed by David Stallknecht. Includes articles published in Journal of wildlife diseases, and Clinical and diagnostic laboratory immunology, and articles submitted to Vector borne and zoonotic diseases. Includes bibliographical references.

The main objectives of this master thesis are to evaluate and compare chosen classification algorithm for the tree species classification. With usage of satellite imagery Sentinel-2 and Landsat 8 is examined whether the better spatial resolution affects the quality of the resulted classification. According to past case studies and literature was chosen supervised algorithms Support Vector Machine, Neural Network and Maximum Likelihood. To achieve the best possible results of classification is necessary to find a suitable choice of parameters and rules. Based on literate was applied different settings which were subsequently evaluated by cross validation. All results are accompanied by tables, charts and maps which comprehensively and clearly summarize the answers to the main objectives of the thesis.

L’expansion agricole ne cesse d’agir sur la perte d’habitats essentiels et nécessaires au développement des espèces. Bien que plusieurs espèces réussissent à survivre dans ces habitats peu adéquats, la persistance et la santé de plusieurs populations semblent compromises par l’utilisation souvent intensive de polluants chimiques agricoles et de fertilisants. Cette étude a pour but de déterminer l’impact des contaminants et de l’écologie du paysage sur la diversité génétique des populations de ouaouarons retrouvées en milieu agricole. Notre hypothèse de départ stipule qu’une exposition chronique aux polluants agricoles induira des différences génétiques au niveau des populations exposées. Le bassin versant de la rivière Yamaska a été désigné comme site d’étude puisqu’il fait partie de la région agricole la plus importante du Québec et parce qu’on y retrouve un gradient d’utilisation des terres pour l’agriculture (faible, moyen, élevé). Le ouaouaron a été choisi à titre de modèle biologique puisque ses caractéristiques physiologiques et écologiques en font une espèce sentinelle capable de rendre compte de l’état de santé global des écosystèmes. La caractérisation génétique des populations a été effectuée à partir de marqueurs d’AFLP (Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism). Les résultats montrent que la diversité génétique est liée à la colonisation à partir de l’embouchure de la rivière Yamaska et que quelques populations sont génétiquement différenciées. De plus, nous avons démontré une relation positive entre le nombre de locus polymorphes et l’atrazine, l’indice de contamination et le métolachlore et la concentration en azote ainsi qu’entre l’hétérozygotie attendue et la concentration en phosphate.
Agricultural expansion continues to act on the loss of critical habitats for the development of species and affects the integrity of remaining habitats. Although several species manage to survive in such inadequate ecosystems, persistence and health of many populations seem compromised by the intensive use of pesticides and fertilizers. This study aims at determining the impact of pollutants and landscape ecology on the genetic diversity of bullfrog populations inhabiting an agricultural area. Our hypothesis states that chronic exposure to agricultural pollutants induces genetic differences in exposed populations. The watershed of the Yamaska River was designated as the study site because it is part of the largest agricultural region in Quebec and because the sampling sites represent a gradient of land use for agriculture (low, moderate, high). The bullfrog was chosen as the biological model, since its physiological and ecological characteristics make it a sentinel species, which can reflect the overall health of an ecosystem. Population genetic characterization has been conducted from AFLP (Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism) markers. The results show that genetic diversity is correlated to colonization from the mouth of the Yamaska River and that some populations are genetically differentiated. Furthermore, we demonstrated a positive relationship between the number of polymorphic loci and the atrazine, the contamination index and the nitrogen concentration as well as between expected heterozygosity and phosphate concentration.

Thesis (M.Sc. (Geography)) -- University of Limpopo, 2020
Wetland vegetation provides a variety of goods and services such as carbon sequestration, flood control, climate regulation, filtering contamination, improve and maintain water quality, ecological functioning. However, changes in land cover and uses, overgrazing and environmental changes have resulted in the transformation of the wetland ecosystem. So far, a lot of focus has been biased towards large wetlands neglecting wetlands at a local scale. Smaller wetlands continue to receive massive degradation by the surrounding communities.Therefore, this study seeks to assess and map wetland vegetation as an indicator of ecological productivity on a small scale. The Sentinel-2 MSI image was used to map wetland plant species diversity and above-ground biomass (AGB). Four key diversity indices; the Shannon Wiener (H), Simpson (D), Pielou (J), and Species richness (S) were used to measure species diversity. A multilinear regression technique was applied to establish the relationship between remotely sensed data and diversity indices and AGB. The results indicated that Simpson (D) has a high relationship with combined vegetation indices and spectral band, yielding the highest accuracy when compared to other diversity indices. For example, an R² of 0.75, and the RMSE of 0.08 and AIC of -191.6 were observed. Further, vegetation AGB was estimated with high accuracy of an R² of 0.65, the RMSE 29.02, and AIC of 280.21. These results indicate that Maungani wetland has high species abundance largely dominated by one species (Cyperus latifidius) and highly productive. The findings of this work underscore the relevance of remotely sensed to estimate and monitor wetland plant species diversity with high accuracy.