Predator diversity and abundance provide little support for the enemies hypothesis in forests of high tree diversity

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Arrayed LiDAR signal analysis for automotive applications

Light detection and ranging (LiDAR) is one of the enabling technologies for advanced driver assistance and autonomy. Advances in solid-state photon detector arrays offer the potential of high-performance LiDAR systems but require novel signal processing approaches to fully exploit the dramatic increase in data volume an arrayed detector can provide. This thesis presents two approaches applicable to arrayed solid-state LiDAR. First, a novel block independent sparse depth reconstruction framework is developed, which utilises a random and very sparse illumination scheme to reduce illumination density while improving sampling times, which further remain constant for any array size. Compressive sensing (CS) principles are used to reconstruct depth information from small measurement subsets. The smaller problem size of blocks reduces the reconstruction complexity, improves compressive depth reconstruction performance and enables fast concurrent processing. A feasibility study of a system proposal for this approach demonstrates that the required logic could be practically implemented within detector size constraints. Second, a novel deep learning architecture called LiDARNet is presented to localise surface returns from LiDAR waveforms with high throughput. This single data driven processing approach can unify a wide range of scenarios, making use of a training-by-simulation methodology. This augments real datasets with challenging simulated conditions such as multiple returns and high noise variance, while enabling rapid prototyping of fast data driven processing approaches for arrayed LiDAR systems. Both approaches are fast and practical processing methodologies for arrayed LiDAR systems. These retrieve depth information with excellent depth resolution for wide operating ranges, and are demonstrated on real and simulated data. LiDARNet is a rapid approach to determine surface locations from LiDAR waveforms for efficient point cloud generation, while block sparse depth reconstruction is an efficient method to facilitate high-resolution depth maps at high frame rates with reduced power and memory requirements.Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC

Language concepts and design patterns

Programming languages aim at the construction of simple but expressive programs. To achieve this, plenty of language concepts have arisen over time. Design patterns aim at the solution of common design problems. To achieve this, plenty of approved design concepts have been collected. We claim that language concepts and design patterns are essentially the same. Indeed, a language may offer a design pattern as a language concept; we call such patterns "language patterns". A design pattern can be implemented in terms of other design or language patterns. Since a concrete programming language only supports a subset of language patterns, every other pattern must be expressed in terms of this subset. We call such an implementation a "workaround". The specification of a workaround imposes proof obligations: it must be shown that a workaround simulates the pattern. Once proved correct, we can collect patterns and their workarounds in a trustworthy catalogue. This helps software developers to correctly apply patterns in any language and helps the language designer to decide which patterns to put into the language core. We demonstrate this pattern integration process with well-known design patterns and concepts of object-oriented languages. Additionally, we list important language patterns together with their workarounds

Habitat specialization, distribution range size and body size drive extinction risk in carabid beetles

The worldwide biodiversity crisis is ongoing. To slow down, or even halt future species loss it is important to identify potential drivers of extinction risk. Species traits can help to understand the underlying process of extinction risk. In a comprehensive study on 464 carabid beetle species, we used ordinal logistic regression to analyze the relationship of species traits to extinction risk in Central Europe, taking phylogenetic relatedness into account. To consider varying trait responses in different habitat types, we also tested models for species groups associated with different habitat types (forest, open, riparian and wetland). Our results identified three traits of particular importance as predictors for high extinction risk: (1) high habitat specialization, (2) small distribution range size (which is not considered in the categorization of the German Red List), and (3) large body size. Furthermore, large macropterous species showed high extinction risk. Overall, species associated with mountainous, coastal and open habitats generally revealed a high risk of extinction, while most forest species showed a low extinction risk. However, forest species with predatory feeding behavior were threatened, as were wetland species that reproduce in autumn. Phylogenetic relatedness had no influence on how species traits predict carabid beetle extinction risk. In the light of these results, management and recovery plans for species which exhibit characteristic traits strongly associated with extinction risks, as well as the conservation and restoration of mountain, coastal and open habitats, have to be prioritized.Peer reviewe

Polybia LEPELETIER (HYMENOPTERA: VESPIDAE: POLISTINAE) NO RIO GRANDE DO SUL, BRASIL

Polybia Lepeletier pertence à subfamília Polistinae e é considerado o gênero mais típico de vespas sociais da América do Sul. Compreende 58 espécies descritas distribuídas em 11 subgêneros, sendo que 11 espécies ocorrem no Rio Grande do Sul. Neste trabalho, é fornecida uma chave de identificação, bem como breves diagnoses das espécies do gênero no estado

PSEUDAUGOCHLORA MICHENER, 1954 (HYMENOPTERA, APIDAE) DO ESTADO DO RIO GRANDE DO SUL, BRASIL

Este trabalho apresenta dados referentes aos espécimes de Pseudaugochlora coletados no Rio Grande do Sul, depositados na Coleção Entomológica (CESC) da Universidade de Santa Cruz do Sul (UNISC). Foram identificados 39 indivíduos de três espécies distintas, sendo uma delas registrada pela primeira vez no Rio Grande do Sul

Contribuição de ambientes antrópicos como habitats para formigas de solo de Floresta Estacional Decidual no Sul do Brasil

Resumo. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a contribuição de dois ambientes antrópicos (monocultura de Eucalyptus e pastagem de bovinos) como habitats para espécies de formigas edáficas de Floresta Estacional Decidual (mata nativa). Foram realizadas coletas semanais entre outubro de 2009 e março de 2010 utilizando armadilhas de solo do tipo Pitfall, no município de Santa Cruz do Sul, RS, Brasil. Duas hipóteses foram testadas: (1) a diversidade de formigas é maior na mata nativa em relação a pastagem de bovinos e a monocultura de Eucalyptus; (2) ambientes florestais (mata nativa e monocultura de Eucalyptus) apresentam assembleias de formigas mais similares entre si do que com ambientes abertos (pastagem de bovinos). Foi observado 930 espécimes de formigas, distribuídas em seis subfamílias, 17 gêneros e 28 espécies. As curvas geradas pelos estimadores de espécies indicam que a amostragem foi suficiente. A mata nativa foi mais rica que as outras fitofisionomias, corroborando com a hipótese (1). Embora a pastagem de bovinos tenha sido estatisticamente mais semelhante com a monocultura de Eucalyptus, possivelmente por serem ambientes mais impactados que a mata nativa, houve um alto compartilhamento de espécies entre os ambientes florestais. Esses resultados demonstram a importância da preservação de ambientes naturais como repositórios da mirmecofauna. Contribution of anthropogenic environments as habitats for soil ant from Deciduous Seasonal Forest in Southern Brazil Abstract. The aim of this study was to evaluate the contribution of two anthropic environments (Eucalyptus monoculture and cattle pasture) as habitats for edaphic ant species of Deciduous Seasonal Forest (native forest). Weekly collections were conducted between October 2009 and March 2010 using Pitfall traps, in the municipality of Santa Cruz do Sul, RS, Brazil. Two hypotheses were tested: (1) the diversity of ants is greater in the native forest in relation to cattle pasture and a monoculture of eucalyptus; (2) forest environments (native forest and Eucalyptus monoculture) present ant mounts more similar to each other and with open environments (pasture area). It was observed 930 occurrences of ants, distributed in six subfamilies, 17 genera and 28 species. Curves generated by species estimators indicate that sampling was sufficient. The native forest was richer than the other phytophysiognomies, corroborating with the hypothesis (1). Although the pasture area has been established statistically with the Eucalyptus monoculture, possibly for being environments more impacted than the native forest, there was a high species sharing among the forest environments. These results demonstrate the importance of the preservation of natural environments as repositories of ant fauna

Knowledge Transfer with Citizen Science: Luft-Leipzig Case Study

Community-based participatory research initiatives such as “hackAir”, “luftdaten.info”, “senseBox”, “CAPTOR”, “CurieuzeNeuzen Vlaanderen”, “communityAQ”, and “Healthy Air, Healthier Children” campaign among many others for mitigating short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) and improving air quality have reported progressive knowledge transfer results. These research initiatives provide the research community with the practical four-element state-of-the-art method for citizen science. For the preparation-, measurements-, data analysis-, and scientific support-elements that collectively present the novel knowledge transfer method, the Luft-Leipzig project results are presented. This research contributes to science by formulating a novel method for SLCP mitigation projects that employ citizen scientists. The Luft-Leipzig project results are presented to validate the four-element state-of-the-art method. The method is recommended for knowledge transfer purposes beyond the scope of mitigating short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) and improving air quality

Novas ocorrências de Mallophora Macquart, 1834 (Diptera, Asilidae) no Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil: chave de identificação e distribuição

Mallophora Macquart (Diptera, Asilidae) is represented by 59 described species, 39 of them are recorded from Brazil. This work aims to increase the knowledge of this fauna in southern Brazil through analysis of the specimens deposited on the following institutions: CESC, MACN, MCN, MCT and ME-UFPel. A total of 206 individuals were examined and 14 species were identified: Mallophora atra Macquart, 1834; M. bigotii Lynch-Arribalzaga, 1883; M. calida (Fabricius, 1787); M. emiliae Carrera, 1960; M. fritzi Artigas & Angulo, 1980; M. gracipes Artigas & Angulo, 1980; M. hemivitrea Artigas & Angulo, 1980; M. nigrifemorata Macquart, 1838; M. nigritarsis (Fabricius, 1805); M. parasylveirii Artigas & Angulo, 1980; M. pluto (Wiedemann, 1828); M. ruficauda (Wiedemann, 1828); M. rufiventris Macquart, 1838 and M. sylveirii Macquart, 1838. The species M. bigotii, M. hemivitrea, M. parasylveirii and M. rufiventris are reported for the first time for Rio Grande do Sul State. An analysis of the distribution and a key to identify the species in Rio Grande do Sul are proposed.Mallophora Macquart (Diptera, Asilidae) é representado por 59 espécies descritas, das quais 39 são registradas para o Brasil. Este trabalho objetivou contribuir para com o conhecimento dessa fauna no sul do Brasil, através da análise dos espécimes depositados nos seguintes acervos científicos: CESC, MACN, MCN, MCT e ME-UFPel.  Um total de 206 indivíduos foi examinado e 14 espécies identificadas: Mallophora atra Macquart, 1834; M. bigotii Lynch-Arribalzaga, 1883; M. calida (Fabricius, 1787); M. emiliae Carrera, 1960; M. fritzi Artigas & Angulo, 1980; M. gracipes Artigas & Angulo, 1980; M. hemivitrea Artigas & Angulo, 1980; M. nigrifemorata Macquart, 1838; M. nigritarsis (Fabricius, 1805); M. parasylveirii Artigas & Angulo, 1980; M. pluto (Wiedemann, 1828); M. ruficauda (Wiedemann, 1828); M. rufiventris Macquart, 1838 e M. sylveirii Macquart, 1838. As espécies Mallophara bigotii, M. hemivitrea, M. parasylveirii e M. rufiventris são registradas pela primeira vez no estado do Rio Grande do Sul. Uma análise da distribuição e uma chave para identificação das espécies encontradas no Rio Grande do Sul são apresentadas