ABSTRACT The selection of the type of fuzzy systems pertinence curve allows a better representation of the mathematical model and a smaller simulation error. We aimed to study the effect of pertinence curves in fuzzy modeling of broiler performance, created in different production systems. For the development and testing of fuzzy models, three commercial aviaries (conventional, tunnel with negative pressure, and dark house) were evaluated over one year, totaling six lots per system. For the development of the model, the input variables were enthalpy in each rearing phase (initial: phases 1, 2, and 3; growth: phase 4; and final: phase 5) and the output variables were feed intake (FE), weight gain (GP), feed conversion (FE), and the productive efficiency index (PEI). Triangular, trapezoidal, and Gaussian pertinence curves were combined and applied to represent the input and output fuzzy sets, totaling nine fuzzy models for each output variable. The combinations of pertinence curves provided adequate responses for the prediction of AL, GP, RC, and PEI. However, the selection of the types of curves should be studied on a case-by-case basis, so that the smallest possible simulation errors are obtained.

ABSTRACT Broiler chickens are classified as homoeothermic animals and require a production environment within well-defined thermal comfort intervals. Therefore, the development of algorithms (mathematical models) to control the environment that can be embedded in microcontrollers becomes necessary. Hence, this work aimed to develop a fuzzy model for predicting the productive performance of broiler chickens as a function of the thermal environment during the various breeding phases. The Mamdani inference and defuzzification methods were used, by means of the gravity center, to develop the fuzzy model. Two hundred and forty-three rules with weighting factors of 1.0 each were elaborated. Three commercial warehouses (conventional system, wind tunnel with negative pressure and dark house) were evaluated for testing of the model. We recorded the thermal environment (dry bulb temperature - tdb and relative humidity - RH) and productivity data (feed intake - FI, weight gain - WG, feed conversion - FC and productive efficiency index - PEI) over six lots in each aviary. The resulting fuzzy model was capable of forecasting FI, WG, FC, and PEI, with standard deviations and mean percentage errors of 4.16 g and 5.05%, 146.53 g and 8.04%, 0.06 g g−1 and 4.96%, and 24.51 g and 12.29%, respectively.

ABSTRACT Broiler chickens are homoeothermic animals, i.e., animals capable of maintaining their body temperature within quite narrow limits; therefore, climate change poses a great challenge to poultry. With this in mind, this research aims to evaluate the performance of broilers submitted to different commercial production systems and exposed to different future scenarios, taking into account the climate change trends. To achieve this objective, we developed and validated a fuzzy model able to predict the performance of a broiler as a function of enthalpy along its life stages. This model was developed and validated in part I of this article based on experimental data collected for one year in three aviaries: conventional, negative pressure, and dark house systems. A Mann-Kendall nonparametric test and linear regression analysis were applied to the enthalpy values, which were calculated as a function of the ambient air temperature and relative humidity in order to study the climate change trends. Later, simulations were performed using the fuzzy model for 2025, 2050, 2075, and 2100 future scenarios. Specific improvements were observed when the heating trends coincided with the initial stages of breeding; however, in general, the productive responses of broilers in the different evaluated systems worsened with the climate change trends. Faced with the climate change trends, the responses improved in the order dark house aviary > negative pressure aviary> conventional aviary.

Abstract The aim of the present research was to propose a bioclimatic mapping to classify the thermal comfort and discomfort of rural workers within the state of Minas Gerais, considering historical and future scenarios. Monthly historical series (1976-2014) of minimum, mean and maximum temperature-humidity index (THI), determined through the values of air temperature (minimum, mean and maximum) and relative humidity from 48 weather stations located in the state of Minas Gerais were used to analyze the trends through Mann-Kendall and linear regression assays. The bioclimatic mapping of human comfort, obtained via geostatistical analysis, was developed as a function of the minimum, medium and maximum THI for the historical period (1976-2014) and future scenario (2024). Results indicate an overall trend of increasing in thermal discomfort conditions throughout the mesoregions of the state of Minas Gerais during the weather seasons, being more incisive in summer and spring.

Este estudo avalia a sensibilidade do albedo da superfície pelo Simulador Integrado da Biosfera (IBIS) a um conjunto de parâmetros que representam algumas propriedades arquitetônicas e óticas do dossel da floresta tropical Amazônica. Os parâmetros testados neste estudo são a orientação e refletância das folhas do dossel superior e inferior nas bandas espectrais do visível (VIS) e infravermelho próximo (NIR). Os resultados são avaliados contra observações feitas no sítio K34 pertencente ao Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA) na Reserva Biológica de Cuieiras. A análise de sensibilidade indica uma forte resposta aos parâmetros de orientação das folhas do dossel superior (x up ) e à refletância na banda do infravermelho próximo (pNIR,up), uma menor sensibilidade à refletância na banda espectral do visível (pVISup) e nenhuma sensibilidade aos parâmetros da parte inferior do dossel, o que é consistente com a estrutura do dossel. A combinação de parâmetros que minimizaram a raiz do erro quadrado médio e o erro relativo médio são Xup= 0, 86, pVISup = 0, 062 e pNIR,up = 0, 275. As parametrizações realizadas resultaram em simulações bem sucedidas do albedo de floresta tropical pelo IBIS, indicando seu potencial para simular a transferência radiativa do dossel para bandas espectrais estreitas, permitindo a comparação com produtos de sensoriamento remoto.

This study evaluates the sensitivity of the surface albedo simulated by the Integrated Biosphere Simulator (IBIS) to a set of Amazonian tropical rainforest canopy architectural and optical parameters. The parameters tested in this study are the orientation and reflectance of the leaves of upper and lower canopies in the visible (VIS) and near-infrared (NIR) spectral bands. The results are evaluated against albedo measurements taken above the K34 site at the INPA (Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia) Cuieiras Biological Reserve. The sensitivity analysis indicates a strong response to the upper canopy leaves orientation (x up) and to the reflectivity in the near-infrared spectral band (rNIR,up), a smaller sensitivity to the reflectivity in the visible spectral band (rVIS,up) and no sensitivity at all to the lower canopy parameters, which is consistent with the canopy structure. The combination of parameters that minimized the Root Mean Square Error and mean relative error are Xup = 0.86, rVIS,up = 0.062 and rNIR,up = 0.275. The parameterizations performed resulted in successful simulations of tropical rainforest albedo by IBIS, indicating its potential to simulate the canopy radiative transfer for narrow spectral bands and permitting close comparison with remote sensing products.