We introduce and study some new function spaces on Riemann surfaces. For certain parameter values these spaces coincide with the classical Dirichlet space, BMOA or the recently defined $Q_p$ space. We establish inclusion relations that generalize earlier known inclusions between the above-mentioned spaces.

We study an even order system boundary value problem with periodic boundary conditions. By establishing the existence of a positive eigenvalue of an associated linear system Sturm-Liouville problem, we obtain new conditions for the boundary value problem to have a positive solution. Our major tools are the Krein-Rutman theorem for linear spectra and the fixed point index theory for compact operators.