Intraspecific variation in functional traits in the wolf spider Lycosa fasciiventris : Implications for trophic cascades

Intraspecific variation has recently been acknowledged as an important factor affecting ecosystems. Indeed, levels of intraspecific variation in natural populations can be very high, even surpassing interspecific variation. In particular, variation in foraging traits can significantly impact ecological processes. The aim of this thesis was to measure the relative strength of drivers of intraspecific variation in foraging traits in the cannibalistic wolf-spider Lycosa fasciiventris and its potential impacts on trophic interactions and consequently trophic cascades. We evaluated trait variation using a half-sib split brood design, by crossing each male with two females and separating offspring from each family into 2 different rearing environments. The offspring was scored for several morphological, physiological and behavioral traits and heritability, maternal effects and environmental interactions (genotype-by-environment and maternal-by-environment interactions) were determined as well as genetic and maternal correlations. Maternal effects were predominant over additive genetic effects in all traits and their correlations, except in traits related to cannibalism, in which both genetic and maternal effects were absent. In this case, trait variation was explained by the social environment faced by spiders (conspecific cues). We then evaluated the impacts of intraspecific variation in ecological processes by performing mesocosms experiments. To this aim, we experimentally manipulated intraspecific variation and evaluated its effects upon trophic cascades. Results showed that variation in foraging traits due to maternal and environmental effects can modulate ecological processes, namely trophic cascades. Mesocosms with higher trait diversity displayed stronger trophic cascades, attributable not to a higher prey mortality but to a change in their behavior, while environmental diversity was reflected in a higher rate of cannibalism but not enough to dampen trophic cascades. The results of this thesis highlight the importance of maternal effects and other indirect genetic effects as drivers of intraspecific variation, modulating ecological processes and shaping community structure

Application development for Software-Defined networks in state of the art controllers

In the last few years, the importance of the internet in our lives increased considerably. Networks have become a big part of our lives and there will be a setup almost everywhere we go: in our homes, in the workplace, in stores, in universities, in the subway. Each and every one of these places has a network, a router, Wi-Fi, etc. Due to its high importance, service providers must guarantee a fully operational network, 24 hours a day, leaving no room for mistakes. However, that creates a problem: how can developers test new protocols? In no way is a service provider willing to risk ruining its network because a developer tested a non-working protocol. Researchers who dedicate themselves to the study of these frameworks believe that the main problems of a fully operational network lie essentially in its architecture, as network devices incorporate different and quite complex functions. Major networks, such as service providers, are built upon robust architectures with the ability to support large traffic volumes, with different characteristics. The service provider is able to process large amounts of data simultaneously, as well as route and forward traffic. As they have built-in control functions that work in a distributed manner and considering they are made by a limited number of manufacturers, these networks present several limitations. Besides its complexity and configuration, it must be taken into account that every network should be prepared to deal with potential failures that might occur, as well as any security-related problems. A network - regardless of its level of use - must allow its users to use it as safely as possible. Networks today have poor flexibility and their development, growth and innovation are far from simple. Thus, the provision of more diversified services to satisfy the users presents a challenge to service providers, since the system and the administration functions are separated. The answer to these problems lies within the Software-Defined Networks (SDN), given that they seem to be very promising as far as innovation is concerned, allowing the development of new strategies and management control networks. These networks use programmable switches and routers that can process packets of data for several isolated experimental networks simultaneously, through virtualization. These networks run in the Control Plane, in servers operating separately from the network devices. This gives the network administrator a greater control over the network, as it allows to manage different resources by directing them to different traffic flows. A SDN using OpenFlow is capable of supporting a high-response network to each and every controller failures that might occur, without slowing the network's response, as it offers great flexibility and helps with fighting the limitations of any existing network. The main goal of this thesis is to explain how to use this new approach (SDN) and its capacities. This work will serve as a basis to all who wish to obtain new knowledge about this topic. One of the main focuses of this thesis is to pinpoint the advantages and disadvantages of SDN with an OpenFlow architecture

Leveraging facebook’s open graph to develop an environmental persuasive application

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia InformáticaSocial networking sites persuade millions of users each day to adopt specific behaviors. Using the persuasive principles inherent to these sites to increase environmental awareness and reduce our ecological footprint can be challenging but certainly worthy. The DEAP project has already invested time and resources to address persuasion through different devices for a broad audience. However, there are still many obstacles when it comes to such a delicate subject as people’s routines. For many years, social factors have prevented people from adopting a way of living friendlier to our Environment. Whether it is due to lack of proper knowledge about this topic or simply because they are not willing to change, the truth is that we are eventually reaching a point where it will be too late to keep our planet as we know it. Consequently, the time has arrived when there is great need for a platform to bring existing efforts together no matter where they come from but the goal they share: change incorrect behaviors towards environmental sustainability. Towards this ambitious goal a board game was developed and integrated in Facebook capable of merging third-party applications and an important and valuable basis for future research in the field of persuasion

Produção, consumo e importância da cultura do arroz: da colonização portuguesa a Timor-Leste independente

O estudo pretende identificar, analisar e comparar os modelos de desenvolvimento agrícola e gestão de recursos humanos implementados no período colonial de administração portuguesa, durante a ocupação indonésia e no período de independência, no sector da orizicultura do distrito de Baucau, Timor-Leste A recolha de dados consistiu na análise documental, entrevistas semi-estruturadas a informantes chave e inquéritos por questionário a agricultores. Este trabalho, para além da caracterização do sector da orizicultura de Timor-Leste, testa a hipótese de durante os períodos da administração portuguesa, ocupação indonésia e Timor-Leste independente, haver diferença nos seguintes aspectos: tecnologia de produção, comercialização, apoio técnico aos agricultores, formação e higiene e segurança no trabalho. Os resultados indicam que houve uma melhoria nalguns aspectos da tecnologia de produção, no apoio técnico e formação dos agricultores, havendo aspectos da tecnologia de produção e a higiene e segurança no trabalho que permaneceram inalterados. Palavras-Chave: Tecnologia, Recursos Humanos, Orizicultura, Timor-Leste

Neighbourhood’s narratives as cultural heritage: from country lanes to urban narratives

This research is based on the dialectic City – Neighbourhood, focusing on the importance of the ancient rural settlements – important districts of Lisbon – as fundamental urban structures for a new historical and cultural city approach. It is essential, in the light of the new economic paradigm of post-industrial city, to understand the role that this may have on both economic and social development of the contemporary city. Our study will focus on the urban and tourist potential, which comes from understanding the city as a network of historical cores where the urban, cultural and social heritage, when properly integrated, potentiate the city as a whole. The territory is a palimpsest where it is rewritten, at each moment, a new urban history. Our research considers the urban narratives’ importance, supported in territorial elements (such as country lanes), in their role on structuring the territory and creating identity relations.Peer Reviewe

Resource recovery from used water

Single cell protein (SCP) defines the dried cells of microorganisms that can be used as a protein supplement both in animal feed or human food. SCP could represent an effective alterna-tive to meet the high and growing demand of feed products. This work aimed to develop a simple and economically feasible process to obtain SCP by adding value to an industrial waste stream. Spent sulfite liquor (SSL), pure glycerol and crude glycerol and two different types of wood oils were selected. However, the wood oils were early discharged (after characterization) as possible substrates due to their low chemical oxygen de-mand (COD) content and an unpleasant and undesirable smell. Thus, only SSL and pure and crude glycerol were tested. Crude glycerol proved to be the most viable choice given the high COD content – - g O2/L – and the low price per ton of COD – 200 €/ton COD. In continuous mode it was possible to achieve biomass concentrations of - g CDW/L (- g CDW/g COD) while efficiently removing - % of the COD of the influent stream. When tested in batch mode, biomass concentration reached a maximum of - g CDW/L (- g CDW/g COD) after - days of operation. After - days of operation, CDW per liter started to decrease which could indicate some sort of inhibition by fermentation by-products or other toxic compounds. Considering a batch operation mode, it was possible to produce SCP (- %w/w of protein content) with a commercial price of - €/ton protein. Thus, SCP production was considered feasible since it was possible to obtain a product that can highly compete with other feed products, for example, fishmeal (market price: 1.940 €/ton protein)

O reordenamento da actividade extractiva como instrumento para o planeamento regional : Vila Viçosa, Portugal

O Anticlinal de Estremoz-Borba-Vila Viçosa, situado em Portugal na região do Alentejo, está integrado na denominada Zona dos Mármores e é o grande centro da actividade extractiva dos mármores. Esta zona tem características excepcionais de exploração mineral. No entanto, existem alguns condicionalismos geológicos, uma desorganização do espaço devido ao material não comercializado e acumulado em escombreiras, e a preocupação cada vez maior na exploração sustentada deste tipo de recurso mineral, fazendo desta zona uma área preferencial para o estudo de metodologias que auxiliem o reordenamento do sector extractivo. Tendo em mente a necessidade de compatibilização da actividade mineira com a preservação ambiental nas políticas de ordenamento territorial, este trabalho visa apresentar alguns indicadores geológicos e ambientais, imprescindíveis a um reordenamento das explorações de mármore permitindo a melhoria do uso e organização do espaço, a protecção do ambiente e o aumento da qualidade de vida

Development of a penetration test for timber impregnation products for use in old buildings

This paper studies the application of commercial biocides to old maritime pine timber structures (Pinus pinaster Ait.) that have previously been impregnated with other products. A method was developed in the laboratory to be used in situ to determine the impregnation depth achieved by a new generation biocide product applied to timber from an old building. This timber had once been treated with an unknown product difficult to characterize without extensive analysis. The test was initially developed in laboratory conditions and later tested on elements of the roof structure of an 18th century building. In both cases the results were promising and mutually consistent with penetration depths for some treatments reaching 2.0 cm. The application in situ proved the tests viability and simplicity of execution giving a clear indication on the feasibility of possible re-treatments