Teses / dissertações: "Pinnipedia Ecology South Africa"

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Stewardson, Carolyn Louise. "Biology and conservation of the Cape (South African) fur seal arctocephalus pusillus pusillus (Pinnipedia: Otariidae)from the Eastern Cape Coast of South Africa /". View thesis entry in Australian Digital Theses Program, 2001. http://thesis.anu.edu.au/public/adt-ANU20030124.162757/index.html.

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Stewardson, Carolyn Louise, e carolyn stewardson@anu edu au. "Biology and conservation of the Cape (South African) fur seal Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus (Pinnipedia: Otariidae) from the Eastern Cape Coast of South Africa". The Australian National University. Faculty of Science, 2002. http://thesis.anu.edu.au./public/adt-ANU20030124.162757.

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[For the Abstract, please see the PDF files below, namely "front.pdf"] CONTENTS. Chapter 1 Introduction. Chapter 2 Gross and microscopic visceral anatomy of the male Cape fur seal with reference to organ size and growth. Chapter 3 Age determination and growth in the male Cape fur seal: part one, external body. Chapter 4 Age determination and growth in the male Cape fur seal: part two, skull. Chapter 5 Age determination and growth in the male Cape fur seal: part three, baculum. Chapter 6 Suture age as an indicator of physiological age in the male Cape fur seal. Chapter 7 Sexual dimorphism in the adult Cape fur seal: standard body length and skull morphology. Chapter 8 Reproduction in the male Cape fur seal: age at puberty and annual cycle of the testis. Chapter 9 Diet and foraging behaviour of the Cape fur seal. Chapter 10(a) The Impact of the fur seal industry on the distribution and abundance of Cape fur seals. Chapter 10(b) South African Airforce wildlife rescue: Cape fur seal pups washed from Black Rocks, Algoa Bay, during heavy seas, December 1976. Chapter 11(a) Operational interactions between Cape fur seals and fisheries: part one, trawl fishing. Chapter 11(b) Operational interactions between Cape fur seals and fisheries: part two, squid jigging and line fishing. Chapter 11(c) Operational interactions between Cape fur seals and fisheries: part three, entanglement in man-made debris. Chapter 12 Concentrations of heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Pb, Ni & Zn) and organochlorine contaminants (PCBs, DDT, DDE & DDD) in the blubber of Cape fur seals. Chapter 13 Endoparasites of the Cape fur seal. Chapter 14(a) Preliminary investigations of shark predation on Cape fur seals. Chapter 14(b) Aggressive behaviour of an adult male Cape fur seal towards a great white shark Carcharodon carcharias. Chapter 15 Conclusions and future directions.

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Avis, Anthony Mark. "Coastal dune ecology and management in the Eastern Cape". Thesis, Rhodes University, 1993. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003753.

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The importance of understanding the ecological functioning of coastal dune systems is emphasized as being fundamental to the correct management of the dune landscape. Dune vegetation along the Eastern Cape coastline, from Cape St Francis in the west to Kei Mouth in the east was described in terms of the distribution and phytochorological affinities of the taxa. At a regional scale species distribution was strongly influenced by both the climate, particularly rainfall, and the phytochorological affinities of the taxa. Seven communities were defined using TWINSPAN, and the interrelationships between these communities in anyone area appeared to be linked to a successional gradient. Dune Slacks are thought to play a key role in this successional sequence, and a temporal study of this community led to a conceptual model of plant succession in these dunefields. Climate, particularly rainfall and wind, are major factors influencing plant succession. Wind-borne sand causes the slacks to migrate in an easterly direction under the influence of the predominantly westerly winds, although easterly winds, mainly in summer months may reverse these trends. Autogenic changes appeared to be important in this succession, and a comparative study of a good example of a primary succession at Mtunzini in Natal was undertaken to elucidate the main mechanism of change. Eight communities that were identified here were concluded to be distnbuted along a gradient of increasing age, with successional changes predictable, linear and directional. Species were grouped in distinct zones along the continuum and edaphic changes (decrease in soil pH, increase in organic matter and exchangeable bases) were related to the community based changes in species composition. The mechanism of change supported the facilitation model of plant succession which is a modification of the original Clementsian concept. Similar results were found in the Eastern Cape, but due to the harsh environment, multiple pathways of succession exist. Data from this study lent support to the model of plant succession developed earlier, and confinned that the dune slacks played an important role in this facilitation by acting as centres of diversity. The foredunes were found to have an indirect role in protecting these slacks from salt spray and sand movement. The central theme of the management studies was to investigate the ecological consequences of recreational pressure within the dune environment. Current levels of beach utilization at East London were lower than other beaches in South Africa, but a general trend of increasing utilization due to sociopolitical changes can be expected. The suitability of questionnaire surveys to assess aspects such as the adequacy of facilities, perceptual carrying capacity and the beach users opinion of natural vegetation and preference for particular beaches was demonstrated. The dune vegetation was found to be sensitive to human trampling, but at current levels, the ecological carrying capacity will not be exceeded since results of the aerial census counts and questionnaire survey revealed that few people entered sensitive zones such as the coastal forest. More detailed long term studies on the susceptibility of dune vegetation to both trampling and off-road vehicle impacts revealed a low resilience of dune plant communities to these effects. Although susceptibility differed between the three communities tested, generally the greatest amount of damage occurred after the first few passages, and vehicles caused a more significant decrease in height when compared to trampling. Recovery rates were slow and low levels of repeated damage were sufficient to retard or prevent the recovery of the plants. Stricter control of vehicle use on beaches is therefore required, and in high use zones the ecological carrying capacity should be increased by providing access tracks if possible, or if not possible, by restricting access. A historical account of the process of dune stabilization showed that although first initiated in 1845, indigenous species were only used in the past three decades. The use of alien species has resulted in problems such as a reduction in the ecological integrity and aesthetic appeal of coastal systems. The techniques applied in the stabilization of drift sands with indigenous vegetation have been successful, as revealed by a quantitative survey of 17 sites in the Eastern Cape. Sites were grouped by multivariate analysis on the basis of their species composition, and variability between sites was dependent on the types of species planted. Selection of suitable species is therefore important and is discussed with respect to their natural distribution along the coast. The long term objective of stabilization should be the creation of functional, diverse, aesthetic ecosystems, since the intrinsic and economic value of the dune landscape for tourism lies therein. However, detailed studies should be undertaken prior to implementing a manipulative process such as dune stabilization, since ecological processes may be disrupted. An understanding of such processes is therefore important if one wishes to effectively manage the dune landscape.

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Swanepoel, Barbara Anna. "The vegetation ecology of Ezemvelo Nature Reserve, Bronkhorstspruit, South Africa". Pretoria : [s.n.], 2006. http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-09142007-143511.

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Akoto, William. "Valuing preferences for freshwater inflows into selected Western and Southern Cape estuaries". Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/915.

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An estuary is the last stage of a river. It is where the river meets the sea. Estuaries are one of the most significant features of the South African coastline. In recent years, South Africa has witnessed an increase in the demand for freshwater for both industrial and domestic purposes. At the same time, there has been a gradual deterioration of river systems and their catchments. To add to this, there has been a gradual reduction in the amount of recorded rainfall, which is the primary source of freshwater for rivers. This has resulted in decreased freshwater inflow into estuaries, a situation which poses a serious threat to the biological functioning of these estuaries and the services rendered to its recreational users. A deterioration of estuary services reduces the yield for subsistence households and their appeal for recration. This study uses the contingent valuation method as its primary methodology to elicit users' willingness-to-pay to reduce the negative impacts of reduced freshwater inflow into selected western and southern Cape estuaries. Eight estuaries were selected for this study; the Breede, Duiwenhoks, Great Berg, Kleinemond West, Mhlathuze, Swartvlei and Olifants estuaries. The contingent valuation (CV) method is widely used for studies of this nature because of its ability to capture active, passive and non-use values. The CV method involves directly asking people how much they would be willing to pay for specific environmental services. In this case, users were asked what they would be willing to pay to sustain freshwater inflows into selected estuaries in order to prevent the negative impacts of reduced inflows. The travel cost method (TCM) was uesed to generate an alternative comparative set of values for the purposes of convergence testing. This is because convergence testing is highly desirable as a validity test for CV estimates.

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Ntshotsho, Phumza. "Towards evidence-based ecological restoration in South Africa". Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/71969.

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Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2012.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Widespread, human-induced ecosystem degradation and the associated biodiversity loss pose a direct threat to human wellbeing. While there is no substitute for healthy, self-sustaining ecosystems, ecological restoration offers an attractive, and indeed inevitable, supplement where conservation alone is not sufficient to support ecosystem integrity. Restoration is undergoing a revolution, where evidence-based (EB) practice is emerging as a new approach to increase the chances of successfully achieving restoration goals. EB practice is based on the notion that implementation decisions need to be based on the appraisal and use of evidence of effectiveness of alternative options. The point of departure of this thesis is the contention that EB practice need not be dependent only on research evidence. The work presented herein thus addresses the production and use of evidence of effectiveness in restoration practice. Using ten restoration programs in South Africa, the quality of evidence produced in practice was assessed. Three components of evidence production that were evaluated were (i) baseline condition measurement; (ii) goal setting and (iii) monitoring. Results showed poor definition of goals; a bias towards the use of socio-economic goals and indicators; more monitoring of inputs than impact; and inconsistent and short-term monitoring of biophysical indicators. Practitioners regarded the evidence base as adequate, but cited a few challenges associated with planning and resource availability as attributing factors to the gaps observed. I propose that practitioners’ perception of the current evidence base poses an additional threat to the generation of a strong evidence base. In addition to the production of evidence, access to said evidence is a vital component of EB practice. In an exploration of how evidence is made available by practitioners, it became evident in that a considerable amount of the information that was not easily accessible in documented form was known by the practitioners. This highlights the need for a shift in practice culture towards the valuing and rewarding of the dissemination of information. An assessment of EB restoration would have been incomplete without a deliberate consideration of social factors. I thus conducted a case study of an invasive alien plant clearing program, to determine what drives the use of scientific evidence in decision making. I observed that organizational structure, policies, priorities and capacity influence, and even limit, the use of scientific evidence to inform decisions. The challenges to making restoration evidence-based are diverse in nature, ranging from poor planning of restoration work, which points to limited appreciation of the need to produce a strong evidence base, to a lack of instruments and incentives to drive the generation, dissemination and use of evidence that spans both the biophysical and social aspects of restoration. These challenges are largely rooted in the conventional way of approaching restoration from individual disciplinary perspectives, thus artificially simplifying and compartmentalizing a naturally complex problem like degradation. I end by proposing transdisciplinarity, which focuses on a holistic world view and the production of knowledge that embraces complexity, as a possible vehicle to help move the practice of restoration towards being evidence-based.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Wydverspreide, mens-veroorsaakte agteruitgang van ekostelsels en die gepaardgaande verlies aan biodiversiteit hou 'n direkte bedreiging vir menslike welsyn in. Alhoewel daar geen plaasvervanger is vir 'n gesonde, selfonderhoudende ekostelsel is nie, bied ekologiese restourasie 'n aantreklike en inderdaad onvermydelik, vul waar bewaring alleen nie voldoende ekosisteem integriteit kan ondersteun nie. Restourasie ondergaan tans ‘n revolusie, waar bewys gebaseerde (BG) praktyk 'n opkomende nuwe benadering om die kanse van die suksesvolle bereiking van herstel doelwitte te verhoog. BG praktyk is gebaseer op die idee dat die uitvoering van besluite gebaseer moet word op die evaluering en die gebruik van bewyse van die effektiwiteit van alternatiewe opsies. Die punt van vertrek van hierdie proefskrif is die bewering dat BG praktyk nie noodwendig afhanklik van navorsings bewys hoef te wees nie. Die werk wat hier aangebied word spreek tot die produksie en gebruik van bewyse van effektiwiteit in die restourasie praktyk. Deur die gebruik van tien restourasie programme in Suid-Afrika is die kwaliteit van die bewyse in die praktyk geassesseer. Die drie komponente van bewyse produksie wat geëvalueer is sluit in (i) basislyn toestand meting, (ii) doelwitstelling en (iii) monitering. Resultate toon 'n swak definisie van doelwitte; 'n vooroordeel ten gunste van die gebruik van sosio-ekonomiese doelwitte en aanwysers; meer monitering van insette as die impak; en teenstrydige en kort-termyn monitering van biofisiese aanwysers. Beofenaars het die gebruik van bewys gebaseerde inligting as voldoende beskou, maar 'n paar uitdagings wat verband hou met die beplanning en die beskikbaarheid van bronne is aangehaal as kenmerkende faktore in die gapings wat tans waargeneem word. Ek stel voor dat beoefenaars se persepsie van die huidige bewysbasis praktyk 'n bykomende bedreiging vir die generasie van 'n sterk bewybasis praktyk inhou. Benewens die produksie van bewyse, is die toegang tot bewyse 'n belangrike komponent van die BG praktyk. In die verkenning van hoe bewyse beskikbaar gestel word deur beoefenaars, is dit duidelik dat 'n aansienlike aantal inligting wel bekend is aan beofenaars maar nie maklik toeganklik in gedokumenteerde vorm is nie. Dit beklemtoon die behoefte vir 'n verskuiwing in die praktyk kultuur tot die waardering en beloning van die verspreiding van inligting. 'n Beoordeling van die BG herstel sou onvolledig wees sonder 'n doelbewuste oorweging van sosiale faktore. Ek het dus 'n gevallestudie van 'n indringerplant verwyderings program uitgevoer om vas te stel wat die gebruik van wetenskaplike bewyse in besluitneming aandryf. Ek het opgemerk dat die organisatoriese struktuur, beleid, prioriteite en kapasiteit die gebruik van wetenskaplike bewyse kan beinvloed, en selfs beperk. Die uitdagings om herstelwerk bewys-gebaseerd te maak is uiteenlopend van aard, dit wissel van swak beplanning van herstel werk, wat dui op beperkte waardering van die behoefte om 'n sterk bewyse basis te produseer, 'n gebrek aan instrumente en aansporings vir die generasie van besyse, verspreiding en gebruik van bewyse wat strek oor beide die biofisiese en maatskaplike aspekte van die restaurasie. Hierdie uitdagings is grootliks gegrond op die konvensionele manier van restaurasie wat gebaseer is op individuele dissiplinêre perspektiewe,wat lei tot die kunsmatige simplifiseering van ‘n uiteraand komplekse problem soos agteruitgang. Ek eindig af deur die gebruik van transdissiplinariteit, wat fokus op 'n holistiese wêreldbeskouing en die produksie en kennis van kompleksiteit insluit voor te stel, as 'n moontlike voertuig om die skuif in praktyk van restourasie na n bewys-basis te vergemaklik.

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Prinsloo, Dominique. "Impacts of African elephant feeding on white rhinoceros foraging opportunities". Thesis, Nelson Mandela University, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/13768.

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In this study, I investigated the interaction between two megaherbivores, the African elephant and white rhinoceros, that has the potential to impact grazing lawns of which white rhino are the creators and maintainers and elephants are potentially the modifiers. I hypothesized that as elephants browse, they discard a variety of coarse woody debris onto the ground; should this woody debris (of varying amounts and sizes) fall onto grazing lawns, white rhino either move them, consume grass around the woody debris or abandon the lawn entirely. If high levels of woody debris are deposited here, grazing by white rhino is likely to be prevented, at which time I predicted that mesoherbivores would have a competitive advantage in accessing forage that white rhino cannot. I examined the mechanistic links between different levels of elephant-deposited woody debris and grass response at a point scale and feeding patch spatial scale of grazing lawns in an African savanna. In addition, I assessed the response of mesoherbivores in terms of vigilance behaviour with increasing levels of predation risk posed by increasing levels of woody debris. I present the first evidence of an indirect effect of elephant on white rhino foraging behaviour. I demonstrate how increasing levels of woody debris lead to a decreasing probability of foraging by white rhino. I also demonstrate how the probability of foraging by mesoherbivores increases as the amount of forage increases. However, since this study took place during a severe drought where resources are extremely limited, I was unable to properly separate the effects of elephant-deposited woody debris from the severe lack of rainfall on grass response and subsequently herbivore foraging behaviour. Due possibly to the drought, mesoherbivores responded less or not at all to risk factors such as woody debris therefore woody debris was not a predictor of vigilance behaviour in my study. This study contributes to our understanding of how the impacts of elephants, as ecosystem engineers, have cascading effects on savanna ecosystems. My study showed that elephant impact mediates the foraging behaviour of white rhino during a drought. However, under average rainfall periods, my original hypothesized effect of the indirect impacts of elephants on white rhino foraging and grazing lawn dynamics could still hold. This key hypothesis that I was unable to test under ‘normal’ conditions due to the drought is still valid and functionally important for understanding the ecosystem processes driving grazing lawn formation, persistence and composition in African savannas where elephants and white rhinos coexist.

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Manuel, Theodore Llewellyn. "The biology and ecology of Bifurcaria brassiceaformis (Kütz) Barton (Phaeophyta, Fucales)". Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 1991. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/22478.

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Summary in English.
Bibliography: pages 146-169.
The biology, population dynamics, and the environmental tolerances (temperature and light) in laboratory culture, of the endemic intertidal South African fucoid Bifurcaria brassicaeformis (Kütz) Barton have been investigated. A general description is included of the morphology and anatomy, and comparisons made with that of other species in the genus. Studies on plants collected from contrasting habitats on the lowshore and from mid-shore pools revealed that while cortical thickness of vegetative uprights were similar for both habitats, medullary diameters were generally higher, corresponding to generally thicker uprights in the low-shore. Observations on the method of zygote attachment revealed that attachment of the species resembles that of the European Bifurcaria and Halidrys siliguosa which both also display delayed rhizoidal development and initially attach by means of a mucilage secretion of the zygote wall. Observations on receptacle anatomy revealed that size of conceptacles increase from the apex to the base of a receptacle.

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Muller, Cuen. "Evaluating the importance of mangroves as fish nurseries in selected warm temperate South African estuaries". Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/12080.

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The value of mangrove habitats as fish nurseries was assessed by comparing communities of early stage and juvenile fishes between estuaries with and without mangroves. Early stage fishes were sampled using boat-based plankton towing while juveniles were sampled by seine netting. Sampling took place at five sites spaced 1 km apart starting near the estuary mouth in four estuaries along the temperate coastline of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Four estuaries were selected based on shared similarities which included catchment area, estuarine area and shared habitats barring the presence of mangroves which occupied the river margins of two systems. Results revealed that early stage and juvenile fish communities (both marine- and estuary-spawned) were similar between systems with and without mangrove habitats. Differences in fish communities among estuaries were rather attributed to axial salinity gradients associated with greater freshwater input, while season and temperature produced significant variances in fish densities with Generalised Additive Models revealing responses of communities to these variables. A common estuarine-dependent fish, Rhabdosargus holubi (Family Sparidae), was further investigated to determine habitat use, residency and dietary patterns in different mangrove habitats. High habitat residency in this species was revealed during a short-term tagging study using Visible Implant Elastomer tags and long-term isotope analysis in juveniles sampled from two contrasting mangrove habitats. A wider feeding niche was observed in an eelgrass-red mangrove connected habitat when compared with more exposed white mangrove areas. Low dependence on mangrove habitats in temperate estuaries is likely due to their tidally dominated inundation and limited refuge potential due to smaller area coverage by mangroves in temperate estuaries. Relatively lower primary productivity in warm temperate mangrove areas, relative to their tropical counterparts, provides no significant feeding advantage or refuge opportunities relative to other available habitats in these estuaries. Warm temperate estuaries, which are both spatially and temporally highly variable, instead host species which are habitat generalists, able to capitalise on these highly dynamic environments.

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Loftus, A. J. "A Political Ecology of Water Struggles in Durban, South Africa". Thesis, Royal Holloway, University of London, 2006. http://digirep.rhul.ac.uk/items/83d8dfba-f70b-7131-1068-e38de07290fa/1/.

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This thesis looks at the relationshp between water and social power. It attempts to answer two questions: who controls the distribution of water in the South African city of Durban? And how might this distribution be transformed in positive democratic ways? In attempting to answer these questions, the thesis provides insights into post-apartheid South African society and the possibilities for democratic social change. The framework of analysis builds upon work conducted in urban political ecology. In particular, I argue that urban environments, indeed all environments, should be understood as created ecosystems. Recognising this, I suggest that Durban's waterscape should be seen as produced through capitalist social relations. The waterscape thereby becomes a particular accumulation strategy through which profits may be generated. for Durban's communities, one of the most direct effects of this capitalist accumulation strategy is that access to water is dependent upon the exchange of money. Whilst this situation has been amerliorated somewhat through the development of a free basic water policy, the policy itself has necessitated a much tighter regulation of domestic supplies and, in effect, a more severe commodification of each household's water supply. In turn, this has resulted in water infrastructure acquiring power over the lives of most residents. This, I argue, is a result of the social relations that come to be invested within that infrastructure. The possibilities for change that are suggested lie within the struggle for feminist standpoint and the connection of these situated knowledges of the waterscpe with a broader historical and geographical understanding of the terrain of civil society. from such an understanding of civil society, a dialectical critique of hegemony is opened up. Overall, the thesis moves from an analysis of the power relations camprising the waterscape to the development of a critique from which, it is hoped, the possibilities for political change might emerge.

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Jenkins, Andrew Robert. "Behavioural ecology of Peregrine and Lanner falcons in South Africa". Doctoral thesis, University of Cape Town, 1998. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/16100.

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Bibliography: p. 88-94.
The Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus is a specialized predator of birds. It occurs almost worldwide but is generally uncommon. In many areas, it is sympatric with one of a complex of similar, less specialized, congeneric species (subgenus Hierofalco, the desert falcons). Peregrine density and productivity tend to decrease with latitude, while desert falcons may be most successful in the tropics. This study compares the biology of Peregrines and sympatric Lanner Falcons F. biarmicus in South Africa, and examines the relative influence of resource limitation and interspecific competition with congeners on the natural regulation of Peregrine populations in tropical environments.

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Bergamino, Roman Leandro. "Spatial and temporal variations in trophic connectivity within an estuarine environment : benthic-pelagic and terrestrial-aquatic linkages via invertebrates and fishes". Thesis, Rhodes University, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1017799.

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Estuarine ecosystems are among the most biologically productive areas and they provide important ecosystem services such as erosion control, habitat and refugia for several species. These environments are characterized by the presence of a variety of organic matter sources due to their transitional position between rivers and the sea. The biotic compositions can undergo spatial and seasonal changes along the estuary due to the spatial and temporal fluctuations of environmental factors such as salinity, temperature and seston loads. Therefore, the different combinations of biotic and abiotic factors make each estuary a unique ecosystem. Because of this spatial and temporal complexity, the understanding of estuarine food web structure and which factors affect the trophic relationships within the ecosystem through space and time represent challenging tasks. Furthermore, estuaries are under an increasing number of anthropogenic perturbations because of the growing concentration of human populations in coastal areas. Knowledge of ecosystem structure and functioning is essential for effective conservation and management planning of coastal areas.In this dissertation, I combine the utilization of biological tracers to examine spatial and temporal variability in the food web structure within a small temperate and microtidal estuary located in South Africa. To this end, fatty acid profiles and stable isotope signatures were measured in several primary organic matter sources and consumers (including zooplankton, fishes and benthic invertebrates) during four consecutive seasons and in three different estuarine regions: upper, middle, and lower reaches. The three reaches had distinct habitat features of vegetation type and morphology, and in particular the lower reaches were colonized by the marsh grass Spartina maritima. Isotopic mixing models were used to estimate the relative contribution of each food source to the diets of invertebrates and fishes within the estuarine food web. The isotopic and fatty acid data showed similar results. In general, the lower reaches of the estuary were characterized by a higher deposition and assimilation by brachyuran crabs of carbon derived from marsh grass detritus, whiletowards the upper reaches a mixture of microphytobenthos and particulate organic matter (phytoplankton and detritus) was deposited and sustained the pelagic and benthic fauna. The highest deposition and assimilation of marsh grass detritus in the lower reaches of the estuary occurred during periods of low freshwater discharge (autumn and winter). In the upper reaches, microphytobenthos and suspended particulate organic matter were dominant basal food resources for the food web during all seasons. These results indicated that benthic consumers incorporated mainly local carbon sources from their local habitat.To clarify isotopic and fatty acid patterns I examined the trophic behaviour of the sesarmid crab Sesarma catenata through laboratory feeding experiments. Results from these experiments validated that decomposed leaves of riparian trees and the salt marsh plant S. maritima were the preferred food of the sesarmid crabs, potentially due to high bacterial loads. The remaining leaf material not assimilated by crabs, together with faecal material, are likely important subsidies for adjacent environments, hence representing an important energy pathway involving the microbial food chain. Furthermore, this dissertation showed the importance of mobile top predators as vectors energetically connecting distinct food chains within the estuary (i.e. littoral, benthic and pelagic). I concluded that a combination of physical (i.e. patterns of freshwater discharge and estuary morphology) and biological factors (i.e. organism feeding behaviour, mobility, primary productivity, the local vegetation type) influence the pattern of dominant primary organic matter sources, and therefore the food web structure along the estuarine environment. In particular, marsh grass detritus contributed substantially to the diets of estuarine fauna during periods of low freshwater discharge. Given the importance of the salt marsh habitat in providing trophic resources, it is important to preserve this environment to sustain the natural biota and ecosystem functioning.

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Roets, Francois. "Ecology and systematics of South African Protea-associated Ophiostoma species". Thesis, Link to the online version, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/1469.

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McCord, Meaghen Erica. "Aspects of the ecology and management of the Soupfin shark (Galeorhinus galeus) in South Africa". Thesis, Rhodes University, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1005066.

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Global trends in teleost fisheries indicate significant population declines. Thus, alternative fisheries are being developed to meet the growing economic and nutritional demands of the expanding human population. Recently, it has been established that elasmobranch fisheries may fulfill these demands. As many elasmobranchs possess life-history characteristics that make them particularly vulnerable to overfishing, it is imperative to develop management strategies prior to the inception of these fisheries to ensure sustainable resource utilisation. In South Africa, elasmobranchs have been commercially exploited since the 1930s. Although generally considered an under-exploited resource, the potential for growth within these fisheries has been recognized. In 2005, the commercial shark fishery will undergo a transition from medium to long-term rights allocations. This represents an ideal opportunity for scientists and managers to develop precautionary species-specific management plans for commercially exploitable elasmobranch species. The soupfin shark (Galeorhinus galeus) is one of the principal target species in South Africa’s shark fisheries. Given its inherent susceptibility to overexploitation, G. galeus was selected as a management priority by South Africa’s regional fisheries organisation. The purpose of this study was to examine and describe the stock status of G. galeus in South Africa, and to develop a precautionary fishery management plan to ensure the sustainability of this resource. Age, growth, and mortality calculations for G. galeus were made from research survey data collected between 1996 and 1999. A small sample size precluded independent analyses of females. The maximum recorded age for G. galeus was 33 years. Estimated von Bertalanffy growth parameters from observed length-at-age for males and combined sexes were: L∞ 1542.8 mm TL, K 0.21 year⁻¹ , t₀ -2.79 year⁻¹ and L∞ 1560.3 mm TL, K 0.19 year¹, t₀ -3.03 year⁻¹, respectively. The age-at-50% maturity was determined to be 6 years, corresponding to 1011 mm TL for males and 1100 mm TL for combined sexes. Natural mortality was calculated as 0.126 yr⁻¹. The rate of instantaneous total mortality was calculated as 0.27 yr⁻¹. Catch trend analysis showed that catches and CPUE of G. galeus are increasing in the demersal longline fishery, and decreasing in the handline fishery. Decreasing catches and CPUE were observed in fishery-independent research survey data. The status of the soupfin shark stock was modelled using per-recruit analysis. The SB/R model indicated the soupfin shark is being optimally exploited and spawner biomass is at 43% of preexploitation levels. Current fishing levels ( F = 0.14 yr⁻¹) approximate the Fsb₄₀ level (F = 0.17 yr¹); thus, an increase in fishing pressure may lead to stock collapse. It was determined that the current age-at-capture (7.9 years) should be increased to 10 years, or 1420 mm TL, to maximize yield and minimize the possibility of recruitment failure. The results of this study indicate a need for immediate scientific and management intervention in South Africa’s soupfin shark fishery. An assessment report and fishery management plan for G. galeus was compiled, and several management options were proposed. These include the implementation of licence and size restrictions, as well as seasonal/area closures. The potential for an experimental gillnet fishery should be investigated.

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15

Gray, David Richard. "Studies of the biology and ecology of the high shore South African limpet, Helcion pectunculus (Mollusca : patellogastropoda)". Thesis, Rhodes University, 1997. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1005464.

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Investigations were carried out into aspects of the bio!ogy and ecology of Helcion pectunculus along the coait of South Africa. These included studies of the distribution, density and biomass of the limpet at six sites along the east coast plus one site on the west coast; the growth of H pectunculus on both west and east coasts; a comparison of the reproductive biology of the east and west coast populations; the foraging activity and feeding behaviour of H pectunculus and the driving forces behind the rhythmic behaviour of this limpet; the importance of the crevice environment in the biology and ecology of H pectunculus. Helcion pectunculus has a restricted zonation, with the majority of animals residing in crevices in the upper Balanoid zone during diurnallowtides, although individuals were occasionally found in the lower Balanoid zone on shores with a gently sloping aspect. This limpet occurs in higher densities (50-lO0 individuals/m2) on shores which have large numbers of crevices and boulders i.e. quartzitic sandstone shores. On most shores, the ratio of males to females differed significantly from a 1: 1 ratio with the highest ratio being obtained on the west .. coast (3 males: 1 female). At all sites, the populations of H pectunculus exhibited strong sexual dimorphism. Males and females were always found to differ in size, with individuals of < 20 mm shell length generally being male whilst limpets with a shell length of> 22 mm were generally female. Helcion pectunculus grows allometrically, increasing in height faster than length, which is expected of a high shore gastropod mollusc attempting to reduce evaporative water loss. Growth rates were similar on both east and west coasts regardless of the differing oceanographic conditions. The theoretical values of Lmax were also similar being 30.86 mm and 30.71 mm respectively. Micro-growth bands are laid down within its' shell which have the same periodicity as the tidal cycle and these enabled age estimates to be made. Younger individuals were male whilst older animals were female, suggesting that H pectunculus is a protandrous hermaphrodite. Histological examination proved, unequivocally, that this limpet undergoes a protandric sex change, changing from male to female when they are about 2 years old. Both east and west coast popUlations had a marked reproductive cycle, exhibiting two spawning periods a year, one in April and another in November. The possibility that the reproductive pattern exhibited is now phylogeneticallyconstrained is discussed. It is suggested that H pectunculus has evolved a reproductive cycle which will allow its planktonic larvae to utilise the valuable phytoplankton bloom food source whilst using onshore winds to ensure that larvae are not transported out to sea and lost. The number of foraging excursions carried out by individuals of H pectunculus was found to have a significant effect on Gonad Index and hence potential reproductive output. The activity pattern of H pectunculus varied depending upon micro-habitat; animals inhabiting both east and west facing rock surfaces are active during nocturnal low tides whilst animals on west facing rock surfaces are also active during daytime low tides whilst in the shade. Limpets travel further during foraging excursions in winter (X = 85.53 cm) than in either spring (x = 55.7 cm) or summer (X = 48.8 cm) and also during spring low tides (x = 89.8 cm) compared with neaps (x = 40.9 cm). This limpet exhibits rigid homing to a fixed scar within a-crevice and feeding excursions were found to cons.is.t. of three distinct phases, a rapid outward phase, a slower foraging phase and a rapid homeward phase. Foraging was always highly directional, with a mean vector which took limpets onto an area of the rockface with the highest microalgal biomass and also the smoothest rock surface. Helcion pectunculus exhibits a free-running endogenous rhythm of locomotor activity with both circadian and circatidal components and it is suggested that this rhythm plays a role in allowing the limpet to avoid unfavourable environmental conditions. The exogenous entrainment factor of this endogenous rhythm was the time of exposure to air in the field. There was found to be an organized distribution of limpets within crevices with smaller, younger limpets being towards the back of the crevice and larger, older limpets towards the crevice mouth. It is hypothesized that juvenile limpets of this species actively select and settle at the backs of crevices responding to chemical cues of adult conspecifics. The crevice refuge supplies the limpets with a stable and buffered environment with higher relative humidities (X = 72.3%) and lower rock surface temperatures (X = 19.7°C) than adjacent exposed rock surfaces (X = 64.5%; x = 22.9°C). Limpet body temperatures were significantly lower in crevic~refuges compared to limpets on exposed rock surfaces. Body temperatures never exceeded the rock surface temperatures. It is suggested that this is the result of morphological adaptations such as shell ornamentation and allometric growth. Light levels above 1000 J.1E.m-2.s-1 inhibited foraging activity in H. pectunculuswhilst limpets subjected to 30-50% shade foraged even during daytime lowtides. This limpet is one of the least tenacious (2.75 ± 0.13 kg.cm-2 ) of all South African limpets and the possibility that wave activity governs both the activity patterns and homing behaviour of this limpet is discussed. Limpets deprived of a crevice refuge experienced extremely high mortalities, with 45% of the limpets being lost during the first high tide period. A hypothetical model of the hierarchy of exogenous factors controlling limpet foraging activity is introduced and discussed in relation to the results of this study. Finally, it is suggested that in addition to the "migratory" and "non-migratory" groups of limpets present on southern African shores a third group of limpets seem to be present which may be classed as "specialized non-migratory" species. These are species that do not migrate, garden or aggressively fight off like conspecifics. They have overcome the competition for space and food on intertidal rocky shores by adapting to a particular habitat which is exclusive to them alone. From the combined results of these studies, it can be stated that H. pectunculus has adapted physiologically, morphologically and behaviourally to successfully survive the extreme conditions in the upper Balanoid zone.

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16

Mann, Gareth. "Aspects of the ecology of leopards (Panthera Pardus) in the Little Karoo, South Africa". Thesis, Rhodes University, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1012241.

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Leopards (Panthera pardus) are the most common large predators, free roaming outside of protected areas across most of South Africa. Leopard persistence is attributed to their tolerance of rugged terrain that is subject to less development pressure, as well as their cryptic behaviour. Nevertheless, existing leopard populations are threatened indirectly by ongoing transformation of natural habitat and directly through hunting and conflict with livestock farmers. Together these threats may further isolate leopards to fragmented areas of core natural habitat. I studied leopard habitat preferences, population density, diet and the attitudes of landowners towards leopards in the Little Karoo, Western Cape, South Africa, an area of mixed land-use that contains elements of three overlapping global biodiversity hotspots. Data were gathered between 2010 and 2012 using camera traps set up at 141 sites over an area of ~3100km², GPS tracking collars fitted to three male leopards, scat samples (n=76), interviews with landowners (n=53) analysed in combination with geographical information system (GIS) layers. My results reveal that leopards preferred rugged, mountainous terrain of intermediate elevation, avoiding low-lying, open areas where human disturbance was generally greater. Despite relatively un-fragmented habitat within my study area, the leopard population density (0.75 leopards/100km²) was one of the lowest yet recorded in South Africa. This may reflect low prey densities in mountain refuges in addition to historical human persecution in the area. Currently local landowners are more tolerant of leopards than other wildlife species with incidents of conflict involving leopards being rare relative to black-backed jackals (Canis mesomelas), baboons (Papio hamadryas), caracals (Caracal caracal) and porcupine (Hystrix africaeaustralis). Although current levels of conflict between leopards and stock farmers are low, leopards do depredate livestock, which constitute 10-15% of their diet. Improved livestock husbandry measures and co-operation between conservation authorities and farmers are necessary to mitigate such conflict and balance economic security with biodiversity conservation in the region. Leopards are the only remaining top predators throughout much of the Little Karoo and the Western Cape and as such are predicted to play a critical role in ecosystem structure and the survival of other species. Current high levels of connectivity between areas of suitable leopard habitat bode well for the conservation status of leopards within this region and future conservation efforts need to ensure that narrow corridors linking such habitat are preserved. The potential for leopards to serve as both an umbrella and a flagship species for biodiversity conservation suggests that long term monitoring of this population would be a conservation priority for the Little Karoo.

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17

Smallwood, Samuel. "Evaluating ecological monitoring systems on Mabula Game Reserve, Limpopo, South Africa". Pretoria : [s.n.], 2010. http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-02162010-105501.

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18

Du, Plessis Morne Andre. "Behavioural ecology of the Redbilled Woodhoopoe Phoeniculus purpureus in South Africa". Doctoral thesis, University of Cape Town, 1989. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/6252.

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Includes bibliographies.
A study was made of two Redbilled (Green) Woodhoopoe Phoeniculus purpureus populations spanning an eight year period (1981-1988) and 258 'flock-years', in the eastern Cape Province of South Mrica. The main objectives of the study were to investigate (1) why woodhoopoes live in groups; (2) why nonbreeders do not breed; and, (3) why nonbreeders provision young that are not their own? Ecological and demographic data were gathered in addition to detailed behavioural observations of 54 woodhoopoe flocks. The following experimental manipulations were performed: (1) breeders were removed from flocks to (a) monitor dispersal patterns and restructuring of flocks; and, (b) observe behavioural reactions by remaining birds; (2) cavity availability was (a) decreased, to enable quantification of availability; and, (b) increased, by addition of nest/roost boxes to an area which supported no permanent woodhoopoe territories; and, (3) stimuli, associated with the food provisioning response of adult birds, were manipulated to investigate the evolutionary basis of allofeeding behaviour Variability in social and reproductive behaviour reflects environmental selection pressures, in the form of roost-cavity availability, with a reduction in cavity availability leading to increased group size. The group-territorial social system and high level of inbreeding of Redbilled Woodhoopoes have evolved primarily in response to environmental constraints on dispersal, rather than by particular benefits that arise from group living. Therefore, the habitat-saturation hypothesis best explains group living of woodhoopoes. Behavioural dominance hierarchies ensure that dominance relationships are well-defined among potential competitors (for breeding status), and thereby minimize disruption to flock cohesion upon the death (or removal) of a breeder. If competition for a breeding vacancy arose at the time of the breeder's death, the resultant delay in occupancy of the breeding vacancy would increase the likelihood of competition from unrelated birds. The establishment of such hierarchies is therefore adaptive in the context of the direct component of kin selection. The presence of nonbreeding helpers do not increase fledgling success, breeding frequency, survivorship (of any age, sex or social class), or number of breeder-offspring produced. Because no unambiguous indirect fitness benefits could be shown to result from helping behaviour (specifically allofeeding), I propose that the unselected (misdirected parental care) hypothesis is a viable alternative to the 'functional hypotheses.' This hypothesis is supported by observations/manipulations of misdirected food provisioning by both breeders and helpers.

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19

Grange, Neil. "The influence of contrasting freshwater inflows on the feeding ecology and food resources of zooplankton in two eastern Cape estuaries, South Africa". Thesis, Rhodes University, 1993. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1005400.

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The trophodynamic implications of reduced freshwater inflow on the zooplankton of eastern Cape estuaries was investigated by a comparison of the community composition and standing stocks, grazing rates and food resources of zooplankton in two systems, the Kariega and the Great Fish estuaries, which are subject to contrasting freshwater inflow. The climate of South Africa is semi-arid, and the low rainfall, coupled with high evaporative loss, result in the region having one of the lowest conversions of rainfall to run-off in the world. In addition, many of the major rivers are extensively impounded, consequently, estuaries often experience prolonged periods of zero or reduced freshwater inflow. The amount of freshwater available for estuarine management in the future is expected to decline as the demand for domestic, agricultural and industrial use increases. The influence of climate, tidal amplitude and wave action are essentially constant, consequently, the individual characteristics of an estuary are determined largely by the indirect influences of catchment size and regulation. Estuaries along the eastern Cape coast range from negative hypersaline systems, to positive systems in which a salinity gradient is well established. The Kariega estuary is a homogeneous marine estuary as a result of minimal freshwater inflow, whereas the Great Fish estuary receives sustained freshwater inflow and is partially-stratified. The quality and quantity of particulate food resources for suspension-feeders depended to a large extent on the allochthonous import of material associated with freshwater inflow. Nutrients, rather than light penetration of the watercolumn are the major factor limiting phytoplankton standing stocks. In the Kariega estuary, phytoplankton standing stocks were low (up to 1.0 μg l⁻¹) and the estuary is classified as oligotrophic. Correlation analyses indicated that lower quality detritus, originating from fringing macrophytes, may contribute substantially to suspended particulate organic material. Phytoplankton food resources were considerably higher in the Great Fish estuary (up to 21.8 μg ⁻¹) which is classified as mesotrophic/eutrophic, and correlation analyses indicated that phytoplankton comprised the dominant fraction of the particulate organic material. Although this suggested that the organic material was of a higher quality, the seston was "masked" by a higher suspended inorganic load. Consequently, the organic fraction comprised between 13 and 22% of total particulate material in the Great Fish estuary, compared with between 20 and 39% in the Kariega estuary. Food resources demonstrated a fairly uniform distribution along the length of the Kariega estuary and exhibited a slight seasonal increase during warmer months. By contrast, the point source influence of freshwater inflow resulted in a spatial gradient of food resources in the Great Fish estuary with higher values recorded towards the upper reaches. There was evidence that higher concentrations of particulate material in the upper reaches are also a consequence of hydrodynamic trapping. There was no marked seasonal pattern in the availability of food resources which were generally elevated in response to sporadic pulses of freshwater inflow. Tidal currents were responsible for elevating suspended food resources by re-suspension of material from the sediments. This effect was probably of greater importance in the Kariega estuary where food resources were generally limiting. In the Kariega estuary, the zooplankton community was dominated by calanoid copepods of the genera Acartia and Pseudodiaptomus. However, in the Great Fish estuary, the community was dominated by the mysid Mesopodopsis siabberi, and the calanoid P. hessei. Community biomass generally reflected the trophic status of the estuary. The mean seasonal biomass recorded in the Kariega estuary was 38 mg m⁻³ compared with 1597 mg m⁻³ in the Great Fish estuary. Greater spatial variability in community biomass was evident in the Great Fish estuary, partly in response to the food resource gradient, but also due to the inability of the mysid shrimps, which dominated the community biomass, to penetrate the lower salinity water of the upper reaches. Zooplankton in the Kariega estuary demonstrated a seasonal pattern of abundance whereas in the Great Fish estuary, community biomass was elevated in response to sporadic pulses of freshwater inflow. Grazing rates, measured in situ using a modified Gliwicz-Haney chamber, indicated that the zooplankton communities were capable of "clearing" substantial proportions of the watercolumn at certain times of the year. The pattern of grazing pressure over a diel cycle was examined in relation to the diel vertical migration movements of the zooplankton. Higher nighttime grazing rates were generally associated with the greater abundance of zooplankton resulting from the movement of zooplankton into the watercolumn after dusk, and their return to the sediments at dawn. Seasonal estimates of diel grazing pressure, extrapolated from daytime and nighttime feeding rates, indicated that the zooplankton "cleared" up to 40% of the watercolumn in a day in the Kariega estuary, and up to 120% d⁻¹ in the Great Fish estuary. However, values of around 25% d⁻¹ in the Kariega estuary, and 50 to 80% d⁻¹ in the Great Fish estuary, were not uncommon. Multiple regression analyses were used in an attempt to explain the influence of environmental factors on the variation in in situ grazing rates. These attempts were largely unsuccessful and the possible reasons, as well as recommended improvements to the methods used, are discussed. Seston concentration in the estuaries was highly variable as a result of the effects of tidal re-suspension and freshwater inflow. Consequently, further laboratory-based experiments were carried out to examine the influence of seston concentration on the filtration rates of the dominant calanoid copepods. Results indicated that some of the unexplained variability in the community filtration rates may be attributed to differences in species-specific response to changes in seston concentration.

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20

Paterson, Angus William. "Aspects of the ecology of fishes associated with salt marshes and adjacent habitats in a temperate South African estuary". Thesis, Rhodes University, 1999. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1013010.

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There is a paucity of published information on fish utilization of salt marshes outside North America. This dissertation represents the first intensive examination of the ichthyofauna associated with salt marshes in southern Africa and examines the species composition, diversity, size structure, distribution and estuarine dependence of fishes that utilize salt marshes in the Kariega Estuary. The research was concentrated on Taylor's salt marsh, with comparative studies being conducted on other salt marshes and habitats within the marine dominated Kariega Estuary. The possible importance of salt marshes as feeding and refuge areas for fishes was examined, as was the role of salt marshes in the food web of the estuary. The fishes frequenting salt marshes in the Kariega Estuary were predominantly the juveniles of marine species, with Mugilidae being the dominant family. The ichthyofauna was distributed primarily in the intertidal creeks with very few specimens captured on the vegetated Spartina maritima and Sarcocomia perennis flats. The different reaches of the intertidal creek were characterised by distinct fish assemblages. The fish assemblages associated with the intertidal salt marsh creeks were significantly different from those found in the eelgrass beds, the other dominant intertidal habitat in the Kariega Estuary. The eelgrass beds were dominated by estuarine fish species and had a higher density and standing stock of fishes when compared to the salt marsh creeks. The diversity of fishes in the two habitats was however similar. The intertidal salt marsh creek ichthyofauna also differed significantly from that found in the main estuary channel. The creek ichthyofauna was dominated by 0+ juveniles while the main channel had many subadult and adult fishes. The channel habitat also had numerous large piscivorous fishes which were absent from the salt marsh creeks. The low number of piscivorous fishes, together with limited fish predation from other sources, may be the reason why salt marshes provide a refuge for juvenile fishes that frequent these habitats. Unlike previous studies on North American, Australian and European salt marshes, the dominant fish species that frequented Taylor's marsh were not recorded feeding extensively on the marsh, and those that did had a limited distribution. The role of fishes in the transfer of energy off the Kariega salt marshes is therefore likely to be minimal. A stable carbon isotope study on the dominant primary producers and consumers within the Kariega Estuary revealed that detritus originating from the high lying salt marsh plants Sarcocornia perennis and Chenolea diffusa was not utilized by fishes in the Kariega Estuary. Preliminary results indicated that the cord grass Spartina maritima may be an important energy source to the fishes in the Kariega Estuary, but further research is needed to confirm this.

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21

Hertling, Ursula Margret. "Ammophila arenaria (L.) Link (marram grass) in South Africa and its potential invasiveness". Thesis, Rhodes University, 1998. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003767.

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Ammophila arenaria (L.) Link is a European sand binding plant which was introduced to South Africa in the 1870's for the purpose of dune stabilisation. Because of its known invasiveness along the west coast of North America, and the problems South African ecosystems experience with alien invader plants, it was deemed necessary to study the biology and ecology of this species in South Africa. The aim of this thesis is to establish the potential invasiveness of A. arenaria on Cape coastal dunes and assess whether its use for dune stabilisation is still justifiable. A. arenaria occurs nowadays between the Langebaan area on the west coast and Gonubie in the Eastern Cape. Although widespread, the grass appears to occur only in areas where it has been planted. Its unaided spread may be prevented by adverse climatic conditions. Studies on the community biology of South African A. arenaria communities as compared to indigenous dune plant communities and natural A. arenaria communities in Europe cannot confirm the aggressive behaviour that A. arenaria shows in California and Oregon. In South Africa, A. arenaria does not exert strong floristic control over other species or outcompete and replace them, neither does it alter the topography of South African beaches and dunes. It forms weaker species associations and tends to develop communities of little species variability along the coast, thereby proving its alienness in South Africa, but this does not imply its invasiveness. Studies on succession of A. arenaria stabilisation areas show that monospecific A. arenaria plantings can be succeeded by a species-rich indigenous dune scrub or dune fynbos within a few decades. Plant-parasitic nematodes have been recorded, which may play an important role in the succession of A. arenaria stands in South Africa as was observed in Europe. Monitoring of A. arenaria communities and indigenous communities over nearly three years shows that A. arenaria is not spreading and replacing indigenous plants but in fact rather being replaced by the latter. A. arenaria profits from a superior sand burial tolerance but is affected by adverse climatic factors, mostly the lack of rainfall and strong radiation. In comparison to the indigenous dune grasses Thinopyrum distichum and Ehrharta villosa, it does not show any superior demographic traits such as an unusually high growth rate or large aboveground biomass production. Although A. arenaria produces viable seed in South Africa, the indigenous grasses show better germination and seedling establishment in the field. This study indicates that A. arenaria is not invasive in South Africa, nor likely to become an invader species in the near future. However, more research is required to confirm these results and more caution recommended regarding the further use of this alien grass for dune stabilisation.

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22

Foster, Gregory George. "Growth, reproduction and feeding biology of Turbo sarmaticus (Mollusca : Vetigastropoda) along the coast of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa". Thesis, Rhodes University, 1998. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1005391.

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Investigations were carried out on aspects of the biology of the vetigastropod Turbo sarmaticus. Studies included: 1) the distribution and standing stock of this animal at four sites along the coast of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa; 2) the growth rate of animals on a wave-cut platform; 3) the reproductive cycle of an intertidal population; and 4) aspects of the feeding biology examining the ability of this mollusc to consume and digest six macroalgae, the influence of algal diet on growth rate and reproductive fitness and the polysaccharolytic activity of the digestive enzymes. On eastern Cape shores, T. sarmaticus had a size related distribution, with smaller animals being found towards the upper mid-shore and larger animals being found in a downshore direction. The mean shore densities of T. sarmaticus at three sites where exploitation of animals was minimal, were very similar (1.2 - 1.7 individuals/m²). The largest animals (up to 110 mm shell length) were found on an offshore island. This may have been a result of animals not being exploited, as well as a possible increase in primary productivity and food availability. The lowest density (0.2 individuals/m²) and animal size (<70 mm shell length) was recorded at a site (Kelly's beach - Port Alfred) where exploitation was more intense. It is probable that intense overexploitation was threatening the populations at this site. The growth rate of T. sarmaticus was determined by means of the von Bertalanffy growth model and expressed by the equation L[subscript]t = 81.07(l-e⁻°·⁵⁴⁴[superscript](t)). The initial growth rate of T. sarmaticus (up to ≈ 80 mm shell length) was similar on shores with different geomorphologies (i.e. boulder shores and wave-cut platforms). Growth rates of individuals were variable, which means that individuals within a population reached exploitable size (3 - 6 years old) and sexual maturity (1.5 - 2 years old) at different ages. Seasonality of reproduction of T. sarmaticus was determined using gonad index, egg diameters and spermatozoa content within the gonad. Turbo sarmaticus was dioecious and had a sex ratio in favour of males (1.2: 1). Animals attained sexual maturity at a size of about 52.5 mm shell length. There was little variation in the reproductive cycle over time with gametogenesis occurring from March/April until August/September, whilst maturity (Gonad Index = 15%) was maintained until the spawning event from December to March. After spawning the gonad regressed. Field and laboratory observations of the feeding biology of T. sarmaticus confirmed that this mollusc was a generalist grazer capable of consuming and digesting algae from the Rhodophyta, Chlorophyta and Phaeophyta. The consumption rates (juveniles: 1.45 - 9.50% body weight/day, adults: 1.06 - 6.08%) and digestibility (9 - 75% apparent dry matter) of six macroalgae was found to vary. For most algae, juvenile T. sarmaticus had higher consumption rates (1.6 - 2.8 times higher) and digestibility values (12 - 24% higher) than adults. It is suggested that consumption rates were dependent on the digestibility of the algae. In addition, it is suggested that the consumption rates of the different algae were not related to the nutritional content, but rather the energetic content of the algae. In both juvenile and adult animals, temperature had a positive influence on consumption rates, resulting in an increase at higher temperatures. However, in both juvenile and adult T. sarmaticus, algal digestibility was not affected by temperature. Finally, it was proposed that Viva rigida, Codium extricatum, Ecklonia radiata and Gelidium pristoides would provide the best nutritional value for growth and reproductive fitness in T. sarmaticus, whilst Jyengaria stellata and Corallina spp. would provide the poorest. Experiments on the effects of four algal diets on the biology of T. sarmaticus showed that the best growth rate (up to 13.8 mm shell length increase per annum), reproductive fitness (Gonad Index up to 33%) and energy levels (up to 4.76% glycogen in the foot) were achieved when T. sarmaticus was fed G. pristoides, U. rigid a or a mixed diet. Turbo sarmaticus fed Corallina spp. showed reduced growth (2.4 mm shell length increase), reproductive fitness (Gonad Index up to 4.4%) and energy levels (up to 3.42% glycogen in the foot). A study of the polysaccharolytic enzyme activity of T. sarmaticus indicated that this mollusc possesses enzymes that can, at least partially, digest most of the storage and structural polysaccharides found in the Chlorophyta, Rhodophyta and Phaeophyta. This further supported the findings that T. sarmaticus was a generalist grazer. Two levels of activity were detected: 1) high levels of enzyme activity (up to 328.2 Ilglmglmllhr)occurred on the storage polysaccharides that occur in the Rhodophyta and Chlorophyta, and 2) lower levels of activity were detected on the storage polysaccharides (up to 44.8 μg/mg/ml/hr) of the Phaeophyta and on all the structural polysaccharides tested (<45.5 μg/mg/ml/hr). It was suggested that T. sarmaticus did not rely heavily on structural carbohydrates as a source of carbon. Finally, the results of this study were discussed in relation to the future management of T. sarmaticus stocks, the possible role of this macro algal grazer in the intertidal zone and the effects of over-exploitation of this animal. The potential aquaculture of this mollusc was also addressed briefly.

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23

Lloyd, Penn. "A study of the Pycnonotus bulbul species complex in Southern Africa". Thesis, Rhodes University, 1995. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1005470.

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The three Pycnonotus bulbuls endemic to Africa, P. barbatus, P. nigricans and P. capensis, occupy mutually exclusive distributions in southern Africa. These species are closely related and appear to occupy very similar ecological niches, only in different regions. Using a multifaceted approach, this study attempts to explain the ecology of this species complex. All three species show similar physiological responses to temperature extremes, and are therefore unlikely to be directly limited by environmental temperature. However, their distributions are highly correlated to a complex of environmental variables, particularly winter minimum temperatures, the coefficient of variation in mean annual rainfall, and the seasonality of rainfall. This combination of environmental parameters can be used to predict the distributions of at least one of the species, P. nigricans, accurately. An analysis of the vocalizations and behaviour of the three species revealed that, whilst P. capensis has a number of recognizably different vocalizations, those of P. barbatus and P. nigricans are very similar. The three have nearly identical behaviours, particularly courtship and pre-copulatory behaviours. The mate recognition systems of the three are therefore extremely similar. P. barbatus is territorial during the breeding season, and exhibits highly structured-variation in male territorial song at the level of the local neighbourhood. The literature pertaining to song dialects is reviewed, and a new hypothesis is postulated to explain song-matching in terms of neighbour/stranger discrimination and the possible existence of cooperative territory defence. A survey of the eastern Cape region, where all three species come into contact, showed that extensive hybridization is taking place between each species pair. Phenotypically, this hybridization is restricted to narrow hybrid zones, that are considered to be stable in both time and place. The evolutionary and ecological significance of these zones to the distributions of the species is discussed, and it is proposed that the zones are maintained by selection acting on differentially-adapted genomes along an environmental gradient.

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Snow, Gavin Charles. "Contributions to the use of microalgae in estuarine freshwater reserve determinations". Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/709.

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The ecologist Garrett Hardin (1968) introduced a useful concept called the tragedy of the commons, which describes how ecological resources become threatened or lost. The term “commons” is based on the commons of old English villages and is symbolic of a resource that is shared by a group of people. If every person were to use each resource in a sustainable fashion it would be available in perpetuity. However, if people use more than their share they would only increase their personal wealth to the detriment of others. In addition, an increase in the population would mean that the size of each share would have to decrease to accommodate the larger number of people. As a result, resources are threatened by personal greed and uncontrolled population growth. Freshwater is an example of a common resource that is under threat in South Africa where the average annual rainfall is less than 60 percent of the global average (Mukheibir & Sparks 2006). The increasing demands for freshwater as well as its eutrophication are major concerns with regards to estuarine health, environmental resource management and human health. The correct management of water is necessary to ensure that it is utilised in a sustainable manner. The National Water Act (No. 36 of 1998) has provided the rights to water for basic human needs and for sustainable ecological function; the Basic Human Needs Reserve and Ecological Reserve are both provided as a right in law. The amount of water necessary for an estuary to retain an acceptable ecological status, known as the Estuarine Ecological Reserve, is determined through the implementation of procedures (rapid, intermediate or comprehensive) compiled by the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (1999) in its Resource Directed Measures (RDM) for the Protection of Water Resources. The impact of restricted flow on estuaries can be reduced by manipulating the water released from impoundments, the regulation of water abstractions within the river catchment or both (Hirji et al. 2002). The reserve assessment method is designed to evaluate ecosystem requirements by employing groups of specialists from different disciplines. In South Africa, this includes hydrologists, sedimentologists, water chemists and biologists (including microalgae specialists). The use of microalgae in ecological assessments has largely been based on research that was initiated at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (formerly University of Port Elizabeth) and subsequently at Rhodes University (Grahamstown) and the University of KwaZulu Natal (Durban). The microalgal research can be divided into two main focus areas; phytoplankton and benthic microalgae

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25

Sale, Michael Charles. "The value of freshwater inflows into the Kowie, Kromme and Nahoon Estuaries". Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/599.

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An estuary can be defined as a partially enclosed, coastal body of water which is either permanently or periodically open to the sea and within which there is a measurable variation of salinity due to the mixture of sea water with fresh water derived from land drainage. Estuaries are extremely important environmental assets and the management of them is dependent on the active involvement of the people whose livelihoods depend on them. There have been steady decreases in freshwater inflows into them during the past century due to abstraction of river water for human consumption and alien tree and plant infestations. Due to these decreases in freshwater inflows, many estuaries have become smaller and are providing reduced recreational services to users, such as boaters, fishermen and birders. This reduction in recreational service provision has adverse economic consequences. The scale of these consequences have become of great interest to river catchment planners. Of particular interest is the value of the freshwater inflows into estuaries relative to other abstractions of this water. The value referred to here is in terms of the environmental services yielded to recreational users. From a management perspective, it is desirable that these marginal values be compared with marginal cost values of this water in its best alternative use in order to guide the allocation of inflows into the respective estuaries. The aim of this study is to place a monetary value on this freshwater inflow at the Kowie, Kromme and Nahoon estuaries. Due to the fact that the freshwater flowing into estuaries is not a traded good, an alternative method to market price must be used to value it. The method of valuation used in this study is the contingent valuation method. The contingent valuation method (CVM) is a survey technique which asks individuals to place values upon changes to environmental assets. The questionnaires used in the surveys differed slightly. The one administered at the Nahoon Estuary was revised in the light of experience gained at the administration of the ones at the Kowie and the Kromme estuaries. Some questions in the latter two surveys were found to be confusing to the respondents and were made clearer and some of the questions were found to yield little extra information and were scrapped from the Nahoon Estuary survey.

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26

Kraaij, Tineke. "Fire regimes in eastern coastal fynbos: drivers, ecology and management". Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1008047.

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Conventional knowledge of fynbos fire ecology is based on the summer-autumn fire regimes of the western Cape Floral Kingdom (CFK) where the climate is Mediterranean. However, the climate in the eastern coastal-CFK is milder and rainfall occurs year-round, with presumed effects on fire regimes. The Garden Route National Park (GRNP) has recently been established in the region, in a landscape where indigenous forests, fire-prone fynbos shrublands and fire-sensitive plantations of invasive alien trees are interspersed. The park faces considerable challenges related to the management of fire, including significant pressure from the adjacent plantation industry to reduce wildfire hazard by burning fynbos at short intervals, and high levels of invasion by alien trees (largely Pinus species originating from plantations). This study sought to improve understanding of fire regimes in eastern coastal fynbos shrublands, and to provide guidelines for ecologically sound management of fire in the area. My approach entailed (i) an assessment of the context within which fire management was practiced during the past century; (ii) characterisation of the recent fire history and fire regime (1900–2010); (iii) characterisation of the seasonality of fire weather and lightning; (iv) estimation of minimum fire return intervals (FRIs) from juvenile periods and post-fire recruitment success of overstorey proteoids (non-sprouting, slow-maturing, serotinous Proteaceae); and (v) determination of the ecologically appropriate fire season from post-fire recruitment seasonality of proteoids. I established that historically, plantation protection enjoyed priority over fynbos conservation in the area that is now the GRNP. Fynbos close to plantations has most likely been compromised by frequent and low-intensity burning in the past, as well as by invasion by alien trees. In terms of area burnt (1900–2010), natural (lightning-ignited) fires dominated the fire regime, particularly in the east, whereas prescribed burning was relatively unimportant. Typical fire return intervals (FRIs; 8–26 years; 1980–2010) were comparable to those in other fynbos protected areas and appeared to be shorter in the eastern Tsitsikamma than in the western Outeniqua halves of the study area. Proteaceae juvenile periods (4–9 years) and post-fire recruitment success (following fires in ≥7 year-old vegetation) suggested that for biodiversity conservation purposes, FRIs should be no less than nine years in moist, productive fynbos. Increases in the total area burnt annually (since 1980) were correlated with long-term increases in average fire danger weather, suggesting that fire regime changes may be related to global change. Collectively, findings on the seasonality of actual fires and the seasonality of fire danger weather, lightning, and post-fire proteoid recruitment suggested that fires in eastern coastal fynbos are not limited to any particular season, and for this reason managers do not need to be concerned if fires occur in any season. The ecological requirements for higher fire intensity may nonetheless be constrained by a need for safety. I articulated these findings into ecological thresholds pertaining to the different elements of the fire regime in eastern coastal fynbos, to guide adaptive management of fire in the Garden Route National Park. I also recommended a fire management strategy for the park to address the aforementioned operational considerations within the constraints posed by ecological thresholds. Finally, I highlighted further research and monitoring needs.

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27

Palmer, Anthony Riordan. "Vegetation ecology of the Camdebo and Sneeuberg regions of the Karoo biome, South Africa". Thesis, Rhodes University, 1989. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002021.

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An hierarchical syntaxonomic classification of the vegetation of the Camdebo and Sneeuberg regions of the karoo biome is presented as a second approximation after the earlier work by Acocks (1953). Details on the geomorphology, geology, climate, and early vegetation history of the area are given. The vegetation of the study area was stratified with the aid of Landsat imagery and the community classification was generated using two-way indicator species analysis (Twins pan) which produced ordered phytosociological tables. Tabular comparisons and final sorting of tables are according to the methods and techniques of the ZiirichMontpellier school of phytosociology. Syntaxonomic ranks are defined as five classes, nine orders and seventeen communities. The classes are Grasslands, Karoo Shrublands, Karoo Dwarf Shrublands, Sub-tropical Transitional Thicket, and Riparian Thicket. The distribution of syntaxa corresponds with the steep precipitation gradient experienced in the study area. These vegetation concepts are applied to the description of the flora of the Karoo Nature Reserve and an analysis of the total flora of the reserve is provided. The communities of the pediments, which contain the highest number of endemics, are poorly conserved. I test the validity of the vegetation classification by interpreting the results of an analysis of soils within the hypothesized vegetation units. There is a gradient of increasing Na, silt and pH levels from the Shrublands and Grasslands to the Succulent and Grassy Dwarf Shrublands of the pediments. A qualitative model of the vegetation history during the glacial-interglacial sequence in the Graaff-Reinet region of the eastern Cape is presented. Using a descriptive approach, the distribution patterns of 68 taxa, which are differential species for Karoo Shrublands, Succulent Thicket and Karoo Dwarf Shrublands, are investigated relative to major southern African biomes. The results indicate that a large proportion of the differential species in the phytosociological classification show affinity with Grassland and Savanna Biomes. Three species groups encountered in the Dwarf Shrublands show affinity with the Nama-Karoo biome. The differential species of the Succulent Thicket have a predominantly subtropical distribution. Using an historical approach, the palaeoenvironment of the region during the past 20 000 years is discussed briefly. On the basis of the descriptive and historical perspectives, a qualitative model of vegetation history is presented. The Succulent Thicket may have become established on edaphically favourable sites in the ameliorating conditions of the warmer, wetter Holocene subsequent to the Last Glacial Maximum. The Dwarf Shrubland and Succulent Dwarf Shrubland are depauperate in relation to ccmmunities in other southern African biomes, but the relatively large number of endemics suggests a long history in the region. Their differential species groups occur under arid conditions, accompanied by soils with high base and fertility status. The Dwarf Shrublands may have been more extensive during the drier glacial times on those sites currently occupied by Shrubland. The Shrublands display the expected affInity with the Grassland and Savanna Biomes. The small number of endemics suggest that these communities may have occupied the region in the period since the Last Glacial Maximum. Species with Succulent Karoo Biome affInity are poorly represented. The reliability of using Landsat products to detect and map the vegetation of the region is assessed. The manual classification of Landsat standard products provides a poor reflection of the vegetation of the arid, sparsely-vegetated bottomlands and pediments. The products provide good representation of the boundaries of thicket vegetation, but this uni-temporal approach does not distinguish between floristically different thicket communities. After analyzing digital Landsat data, I suggest that the multi-spectral scanner detects the boundaries of broad soil pedons and geological formations in areas of low vegetative cover. I describe and map the vegetation categories of the region after manual interpretation of six Landsat scenes. This is an effIcient, cost-effective method of mapping vegetation in extensive regions. The mapping units do not reflect the syntaxonomic classification, representing rather an integration of physiographic, pedological, geological and floristic information. With the view to improving the classification of these units, I develop a qualitative model of the natural resources of the region using an expert system

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28

Fabricius, Christo 1956. "The impact of land use on biodiversity in xeric succulent thicket, South Africa". Doctoral thesis, University of Cape Town, 1997. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/9512.

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Bibliography: leaves 100-114.
Human-induced land management practices are key factors which influence the dynamics of landscapes, land elements and biotic communities in Xeric Succulent Thicket, a notoriously fragile and low resilience ecosystem in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. In its natural state this vegetation type is characterized by a continuous mosaic of clumps of diverse woody shrubs in a matrix of grass, hardy dwarf shrubs and bare ground. When indigenous herbivores are replaced by domestic livestock at unsustainable stocking rates, the ratio of clump to interclump areas decreases. This has impacts on biodiversity at the landscape level, and affects the composition and species richness of plant, arthropod and reptile communities and fungal symbionts. The study has two main objectives: 1) to detennine the local-level effects of different types of land use on biodiversity in Xeric Succulent Thicket; and 2) to better understand the factors which affect biodiversity in different taxonomic groups and at different spatial scales, so that the preservation function of protected areas could be enhanced. The key questions which are addressed in the thesis are what does 'biodiversity' mean, and what are its different dimensions in Xeric Succulent Thicket; what roles do protected areas and other lands play in preserving biodiversity, how are different taxonomic groups affected by different types of land use; and how can biodiversity be monitored and measured? . The regional 'conservation landscape' is seen as the protected area plus the land immediately adjoining it, and is viewed as an integrated mosaic of anthropogenic landscapes (land management units), land elements (patches within landscapes). producer communities (assemblages of interacting plant species), consumer communities (assemblages of interacting herbivores and predators) and soil microorganisms. From a process point of view, the research relates the intensity of disturbance, mainly as a result of herbivory, to landscape complexity, the structure of land elements, and the species richness of producers and consumers within land elements. The patterns which emerge are interpreted in the context of ecosystem functioning, from the point of view of a practicing conservation biologist.

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Chege, Jedidah. "Valuing preferences for freshwater inflows into five Eastern Cape and Kwazulu-Natal estuaries". Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/932.

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An estuary, according to the National Water Act of 1998, is a partially or fully enclosed body of water which is open periodically or permanently to the sea within which the sea water can be diluted, to an extent that is measurable with freshwater from inland. Estuaries and the lands surrounding them are places of transition from land to sea, and from freshwater to saltwater. Although influenced by the tides, estuaries are protected from the full force of ocean waves, winds, and storms by the reefs, barrier islands, or fingers of land, mud, or sand that surround them. South Africa’s estuaries are important and irreplaceable habitats, especially for prawns, fish, wading birds and mangroves. They are home to numerous plants and animals that live in water that is partly fresh and partly salty. Estuaries are also homes to growing coastal communities as increasing number of people occupy watersheds. However, estuaries are also threatened. One of the threats is reduced river water inflow. This study applies the contingent valuation method (CVM) to elicit user’s willingness to pay to mitigate the negative impacts of reduced freshwater inflow into selected five Eastern Cape and Kwazulu-Natal estuaries: the Sundays, Gamtoos, Mdloti, Mgeni and Mvoti estuaries. In addition to the contingent valuation method, the travel cost method was used to generate comparative values. The contingent valuation method is a technique to establish the value of a good (or service) that is not bought or sold in an actual market. The CVM establishes the economic value of the good by asking the users of an environmental good to state their willingness to pay (WTP) for a hypothetical project to prevent, or bring about, a change in the current condition of the environmental good. The users’ WTP is aggregated to establish a total willingness to pay (TWTP) for the population of the users of the environmental good.

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Jordaan, Tembisa Nomathamsanqa. "The effect of mussel bed structure on the associated infauna in South Africa and the interaction between mussel and epibiotic barnacles". Thesis, Rhodes University, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1005360.

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Mussels are important ecological engineers on intertidal rocks where they create habitat that contributes substantially to overall biodiversity. They provide secondary substratum for other free-living, infaunal or epifaunal organisms, and increase the surface area for settlement by densely packing together into complex multilayered beds. The introduction of the alien invasive mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis has extended the upper limit of mussels on the south coast of South Africa, potentially increasing habitat for associated fauna. The aim of this study was to describe the structure of mussel beds, the general biodiversity associated with multi- and monolayered mussel beds of indigenous Perna perna and alien M. galloprovincialis, and to determine the relationship between mussels and epibiotic barnacles. This was done to determine the community structure of associated macrofauna and the role of mussels as biological facilitators. Samples were collected in Plettenberg Bay, South Africa, where M. galloprovincialis dominates the high mussel zone and P. perna the low zone. Three 15 X 15 cm quadrats were scraped off the rock in the high and low zones, and in the mid zone where the two mussel species co-exist. The samples were collected on 3 occasions. In the laboratory mussel-size was measured and sediment trapped within the samples was separated through 75 μm, 1 mm and 5 mm mesh. The macrofauna was sorted from the 1 mm and 5 mm sieves and identified to species level where possible. The epibiotic relationship between mussels and barnacles was assessed by measuring the prevalence and intensity of barnacle infestation and the condition index of infested mussels. Multivariate analysis was used on the mean abundance data of the species for each treatment (Hierarchical clustering, multidimensional scaling, analysis of similarity and similarity of percentages) and ANOVA was used for most of the statistical analyses. Overall, the results showed that tidal height influences the species composition and abundance of associated fauna. While mussel bed layering influenced the accumulation of sediments; it had no significant effect on the associated fauna. Time of collection also had a strong effect. While there was an overlap of species among samples from January, May and March, the principal species contributing to similarity among the March samples were not found in the other two months. The outcomes of this study showed that low shore mussel beds not only supported a higher abundance and diversity of species, but were also the most structurally complex. Although the condition index of mussels did not correlate to the percentage cover of barnacle epibionts, it was also evident that low shore mussels had the highest prevalence. The levels of barnacle infestation (intensity) for each mussel species were highest where it was common and lowest where it was least abundant. This is viewed as a natural artefact of the distribution patterns of P. perna and M. galloprovincialis across the shore. Mussels are more efficient as facilitators on the low mussel zone than the high mussel zone possibly because they provide habitats that are more effective in protecting the associated macrofauna from the effects of competition and predation, than they are at eliminating the effects of physical stress on the high shore. Although mussels create less stressful habitats and protect organisms from the physical stress of the high shore, there are clear limitations in their ability to provide ideal habitats. The biological associations in an ecosystem can be made weak or strong depending on the external abiotic factors and the adaptability of the affected organisms.

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31

Wagiet, Mogamat Fadli. "Teaching the principles of ecology in the urban environment: an investigation into the development of resource materials". Thesis, Rhodes University, 1996. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003684.

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The combined potential of two crucial factors in 1993, which afforded the promotion of socially just and ecologically sustainable ways of living, led to the instigation of this research project. The first was the imminence og our first democratic election; the second was the possible introduction of environmental education into formal education. In the light of these momentous shifts, it became apparent to me that teachers would have to radically transform their practices in order to play their part in transforming society from the dark days of apartheid into one of equity and harmony. The implications of these factors precipitated the falling into place of the rationale for my research: teachers had to look for professional development experiences which could facilitate the creation of alternative ways of thinking and doing. As a result, I approached a group of biology and geography teachers on the Cape Flats and, after protracted discussions, we decided to examine the potential of the urban environment for the teaching of ecology from the perspective of socially just and environmentally sustainable living. Out of this decision was born this study, which aimed at examining whether this process could, as a means to professional development, be a 'moment' in our journey to becoming transformative intellectuals. From this aim, the central research question emerged: Can emancipatory action research play a role in empowering teachers to become transformative intellectuals? The study consisted of five stages: - exploring the problem by reviewing the literature on the research problem; - the semi-structured interviews; - five workshops; - the 'sensing the urban environment' fieldtrip; and, - the various evaluation sessions. What we achieved during this research project, firstly, was a better understanding of our practices, which led us to seeing our roles as teachers differently and altered our pedagogical approaches. Secondly, this process developed the belief within ourselves that we, as teachers, can and should make a difference to the educational world in which we live. Lastly, this process laid the foundation for continued collaborative action by the participants. This process taught us that educational transformation is difficult and painful, and that present educational structures are not conducive to change. Nonetheless, in the historical context of this research, emancipatory action research was successful in giving us a consciousness-raising experience and closed the rhetoric-reality gap as we engaged in praxis (the practitioners developing and implementing their own curriculum). If we, as transformative intellectuals, are to engage in intellectual labour in the future, we are not only going to need to change our way of thinking and doing but will have to create an enabling infrastructure to realise this as well. We will, in addition, have to change the structures of the institutions in which we work in order to practise as transformative intellectuals.

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Jewell, Oliver Joseph David. "Foraging ecology of white sharks Carcharodon carcharias at Dyer Island, South Africa". Diss., University of Pretoria, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/2263/30926.

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Dyer Island is thought to host one of the most abundant populations of white sharks on the planet; this is often credited to the large (55 – 60,000) Cape fur seal colony at Geyser Rock. Yet relatively little work has ever been produced from the area. This may be attributed to the harshness in its location as a study site, exposed to wind and swell from west to east which limits research periods. This study accounts for over 220 hrs of manual tracking at Dyer Island with a further 68 added from the inshore shallow areas of the bay. Sharks focused their movements and habitat use to reefs or channels that allowed access to Cape fur seals. Movement- Based Kernel Estimates (MKDE) were used to compute home range estimates for shark movements through and around the heterogeneous structures of Dyer Island and Geyser Rock. Inshore two core areas were revealed, one being the major reef system at Joubertsdam and the other at a kelp reef where the tracked shark had fed on a Cape fur seal. At Dyer Island one core area was identified in a narrow channel, ‘Shark Alley’, here a second tracked shark foraged for entire days within meters of rafting Cape fur seals. Rate of Movement (ROM) and Linearity (LI) of tracks were low during daytime and movements were focused around areas such as Shark Alley or other areas close to the seal colony before moving into deeper water or distant reefs with higher rates of ROM and LI at night. If moonlight was strong foraging would take place to the south of Geyser Rock but with higher ROM and LI than observed during the day. Foraging patterns in this study contrast studies from other sites in South Africa and home range and activity areas were comparatively much smaller than observed in Mossel Bay. It has been established that several known white sharks forage at Dyer Island and the other studied aggregation sites, such differences in foraging would suggest that they are able to adapt their foraging behaviour to suit the environment they are in; making them site specific in their foraging ecology. Both satellite and acoustic telemetry are revealing aggregation hotspots of white sharks in South Africa. It is important that such information is used to assist the recovery of the species which has been protected since 1991, yet is rarely considered in planning of coastal developments.
Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2012.
Zoology and Entomology
MSc
Unrestricted

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33

Green, David Bruce. "Foraging ecology of Cape Gannets (Morus Capensis) at Bird Island, Algoa Bay". Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020790.

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The Cape gannet has undergone considerable population change and redistribution over the past 50 years. This has been linked to shifts in the abundance and distribution of their dominant prey, sardine and anchovy. Five breeding colonies, along the west coast of Southern Africa, have shown rapid population declines as a result of reduced prey availability. In contrast, a single colony (Bird Island, Algoa Bay) on the south coast of South Africa has, over the same period, grown fivefold and now supports approximately two thirds of the total population. Due to its conservation importance, and isolation from other breeding localities, it is important to assess the health of the Bird Island colony, and determine how foraging distribution relates to the environment to evaluate current measures of protection. This was achieved through two related studies; a long-term dietary analysis spanning 34 years, and a spatial foraging study, which related three years of tracking data to estimates of prey availability, oceanographic features and marine protected areas (MPAs). The results of the dietary study showed that the dietary constituents of Cape gannets breeding at Bird Island have remained similar over the last three decades, but the importance of sardine and anchovy has increased significantly. For sardine, in particular, this reflects an increased availability of this species (as deduced from hydroacoustic surveys) within the foraging range of the Bird Island colony. The dietary abundance of anchovy was found to be negatively correlated with that of sardine. Surprisingly,.the dietary abundance of anchovy was also negatively correlated with estimates of its availability based on acoustic surveys. The latter is likely to be due to sardine being a preferred prey item. Recent decreases in the dietary contribution of sardine (since 2005) suggest that this species is becoming less available to gannets, with profound implications in terms of nutrient gain associated with foraging. However, this has been mediated by an increase in the dietary contribution of anchovy, which now accounts for the vast majority of prey taken. Spatially, the foraging range of the Bird Island colony expanded during the three years of study, indicating an increase in effort. This increase was likely in an effort to track a distributional change of sardine and anchovy, which showed an apparent westward shift during the study period. There was, however, no evidence of birds tracking features associated with high productivity. This may have been partly due to anomalously warm conditions during the summer of 2012/2013, in which an absence of coastal upwelling prevented surface cooling. Nonetheless, low sea surface temperatures and high chlorophyll a concentrations do not seem to be reliable indicators of important Cape gannet foragingareas. Foraging effort was largely concentrated outside of MPAs, indicating that the current MPA network provides little protection for foraging gannets. This could change with the additional protection of the proposed Greater Addo Elephant National Park MPA expansion, as prey species are allowed to recover following the removal of fishing pressure. Overall, the colony appears to be in good condition as the diet is still dominated by live prey items, and the foraging range remains smaller than many of the colonies along the west coast. However, it is important that monitoring be continued, in particular with respect to changes in the availability of sardine and anchovy. Long-term shifts of these species out of the colony‘s foraging range could negatively influence the population in the future. This might be worsened by interspecific competition for prey resources. Considering the conservation importance of this population, maintenance of healthy prey stocks within the home range of breeding Cape gannets should be prioritised in order to prevent declines similar to those observed at west coast colonies.

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Theron, Natalie. "Mite communities within Protea infructescences in South Africa". Thesis, Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/6816.

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Thesis (MScConEcol)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The role of mites as primary vectors of various fungi within Protea infructescences was recently confirmed and raised questions about their general diversity and their role within this unique niche. Although mites evidently form an integral part of Fynbos ecosystems and probably play a significant role in Protea population dynamics, there is a general void in our knowledge of mite diversity within the Cape Floristic Region. These organisms do not only affect ecological processes within the CFR, but also the economic value of Protea exports. This study sets out to describe mite communities within the infructescences of a variety Protea species. In the process, the role of various environmental variables and differences in host characteristics affecting these communities are also explored. A total of 24281 mite individuals, comprising of 36 morphospecies in 23 families, were collected from 16 surveyed Protea spp. Mite community structure and composition were significantly influenced by plant taxonomy, phenology and infructescence architecture in different Protea spp. At a temporal scale, infructescence age and season were influential factors on mite community structure. Collection locality significantly influenced mite communities within the infructescences of a single Protea sp. Host architecture had no influence on mite communities within a single host species. Geographic distance had no significant influence on mite community structure within Protea infructescences. This implies that factors particular to particular host species determine mite communities. These include factors such as the mode of pollination of the host plant, level of serotiny and plant life form. Numerous newly recorded mite species collected from Protea infructescences are also described in this study. An identification key to the Tydeidoidae of South Africa is provided here for the first time. This study forms a baseline dataset for future studies on the biodiversity of mites in this extremely diverse eco-region.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die rol van myte as primêre vektore van verskeie funguses binne Protea vrugtekoppe is onlangs bevestig, en het vrae laat ontstaan oor hulle algemene diversiteit en rol binne hierdie unieke nis. Alhoewel myte duidelik ‘n integrale deel vorm van Fynbos ekosisteme en waarskynlik ‘n belangrike rol speel in Protea populasie-dinamika, is daar ‘n algemene leemte in ons kennis van mytdiversiteit binne die Kaapse Floristiese Ryk (KFR). Hierdie organismes affekteer nie slegs ekologiese prosesse binne die KFR nie, maar ook die ekonomiese waarde van Protea-uitvoere. Hierdie studie mik as vertrekpunt om die verkillende myt-gemeenskappe binne die vrugtekoppe van verskeie Protea spesies te beskryf. In die proses is die rol van verskillende omgewingsveranderlikes en verskille in gasheer kenmerke wat hierdie gemeenskappe affekteer, ook ondersoek. ‘n Totaal van 24281 myt individue, saamgestel uit 36 morfspesies in 23 families, mytgemeenskappe is beduidende beinvloed deur die taksonomie van die plant, die fenologie en die vrugtekop-argitektuur van verskillende Protea spesies. Op ‘n temporale skaal is gevind dat vrugtekop-ouderdom en seisoen beduidende faktore is in die samestelling van mytgemeenskapstruktuur. Versamel-lokaliteit het verder mytgemeenskappe binne die vrugtekoppe mytgemeenskappe binne ‘n enkele gasheerspesie getoon nie. Geografiese afstand het geen beduidende invloed op mytgemeenskapstruktuur binne Protea vrugtekoppe getoon nie. Dit faktore in soos die metode van bestuiwing van die gasheer plant, die vlak van saadhoudendheid van die Protea koppe en plant-lewensvorm. Verskeie nuwe myt spesies wat uit Protea vrugtekoppe versamel is, word ook in hierdie studie beskryf. ‘n Identifikasie-sleutel vir die Tydeidoidae van Suid-Afrika word verder vir die eerste keer hier verskaf. Hierdie studie vorm die basis datastel vir toekomstige studies van die biodiversiteit van myte in hierdie besonder diverse eko-omgewing.

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Coombs, Gareth. "Ecology and degree of specialization of South African milkweeds with diverse pollination systems". Thesis, Rhodes University, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003758.

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Like orchids, the complexity of flowers found in asclepiads (Asclepiadoideae, Apocynaceae) and the fact that pollen is presented as pollinaria, offers excellent opportunities to study various aspects of plant-pollinator interactions. In this thesis I investigated two broad themes: ecological aspects of the pollination biology of hymenopteran and fly-pollinated asclepiads as well as the degree of specialization to certain pollinators in these species. Colonizing plants often reproduce through self-pollination, or have highly generalized pollination systems, or both. These characteristics facilitate establishment in small founding populations and generates the prediction that reproductive success should be independent of population size in these species. Chapter one examines the pollination biology of Gomphocarpus physocarpus, an indigenous, weedy species and investigates the relationship between reproductive success and population size. In this species, there is no evidence of an Allee effect and reproductive success is not correlated with population size. In addition G. physocarpus is not capable of self-pollination, suggesting it is completely reliant on pollinators for seed set. The lack of a relationship between pollination success and population size is therefore likely explained by the generalized wasp pollination system of this species. Several milkweeds are invasive outside of their native ranges. Invasive species either need to co-opt native pollinators in order to reproduce or reduce their reliance on pollinators through having the ability to self-pollinate. Co-opting native pollinators is expected to be easier in species that have generalized pollination systems, alternatively species with specialized flower morphologies need to rely on similar functional groups of pollinators to be present within the invaded range. Chapter two investigates the pollination biology and pollination success of the invasive milkweed, Araujia sericifera, and finds that in South Africa, this species is visited mainly by native honeybees and nocturnal moths. Moths however contribute little to pollen removal, and deposition. Based on the apparent morphological mismatch between the flower of A. sericifera and native honeybees, I propose that the native pollinators of this species are likely to be larger Hymenoptera (e.g. Bumblebees). Data from a breeding system study, indicated that this species is not capable of automatic self-pollination, but could set fruit from geitonogamous self-pollinations pointing to the importance of native pollinators for successful reproduction. The pollinaria of milkweeds can accumulate on pollinators to form pollen masses large enough to physically interfere with the foraging behaviour of pollinating insects. In chapter three I describe the pollination biology of Cynanchum ellipticum and find that this species is mainly pollinated by honeybees although this species is visited by several other members of Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera and Diptera. Due to the structure of the pollinaria, these chain together relatively efficiently and frequently form large pollinarium loads on the mouthparts of honeybees. However there is little evidence that these pollinarium loads influence the foraging times of pollinators and only a few individual honeybees exhibited longer foraging times and most honeybees were unaffected by the presence of large pollinarium loads. Within the genus Cynanchum there is large variation in the gynostegium structure that may influence the pattern of pollinarium loading on pollinators as well as pollen reception as shown in chapter three. In Chapter four, the pollination biology of Cynanchum obtusifolium is examined, and like that of C. ellipticum, this species is visited by a wide diversity of pollinators but honeybees appear to be the primary pollinators. More importantly this species is shown to be andromonoecious and produces two morphologically different flower types, that may be distinguished based on differences in the gynostegium structure. These two types of flower could mainly be distinguished by the length of the anther wings. I found that flowers with short anther wings function as male flowers by only exporting- and rarely receiving pollinia. Flowers with longer anther wings function as hermaphrodite flowers and can both export and receive pollinia. The ratio of male to hermaphrodite flowers varied at different times during the flowering season, but preliminary data suggested that this was not related to levels of pollination success. The genera Stapelia and Ceropegia are well known for their intricate floral adaptations that mimic the brood and feeding substrates of pollinating flies. Despite several studies that have documented the various adaptations to fly pollination in different species, there is a lack of natural history studies documenting different flower visitors, pollen loads and long term levels of pollination success in these species. In Chapter six I document the pollination biology of Ceropegia ampliata by documenting different pollinators and quantifying average levels of pollination success and the nectar reward. I also experimentally manipulated the trapping hairs of this species to determine whether trapping hairs influence average levels of pollen export and receipt. I show that Ceropegia ampliata is pollinated by a generalist guild of flies (mainly Tachinidae, Sarcophagidae, Muscidae and Lauxaniidae) and produces minute quantities of relatively dilute nectar as a reward. Pollination success was generally low in this species and increases periodically suggesting that the abundance of pollinators is patchy. I found that flowers with trapping hairs that had already wilted had higher levels of pollinarium removal than flowers with erect hairs, however experimentally removing the hairs had no significant effect on pollen export and receipt. In Chapter seven, I document the pollinators, pollen loads and long term levels of pollination success in Stapelia hirsuta var. bayllissi, a rare sapromyiophilous stapeliad. I find that, in contrast to C. ampliata, this species was specialized to pollination by small flies of the family Anthomyiidae. Similar to the results from Chapter seven, I find that long term levels of pollination success were typically low but could increase periodically, although such increases were generally unpredictable. There are currently very few records documenting pollinator interactions in the Periplocoideae. Many species within this subfamily exhibit open-access flowers suggestive of pollination by short-tongued insects. I investigated the pollination biology of Chlorocyathus lobulata, a rare species with a highly localized distribution. I aimed to determine the pollinators, average levels of pollination success and demography of this species in order to determine whether this rare species is suffering from the collapse of a highly specialized pollinator mutualism. I also quantified the high incidence of flower herbivory caused by larvae of the moth, Bocchoris onychinalis. I find that C. lobulata has a highly generalized fly pollination system and average levels of pollination success suggested that a large proportion of flowers had pollen removed and deposited suggesting that this species is not experiencing pollination failure. The large numbers of juveniles present also indicated that recruitment is taking place.

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Wadeson, R. A. (Roy A). "The development of the hydraulic biotope concept within a catchment based hierarchical geomorphological model". Thesis, Rhodes University, 1996. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1005501.

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This thesis develops a technique for the identification, classification and quantification of instream flow environments. These features have been traditionally referred to as 'habitats' by lotic ecologists, in this research they are termed 'hydraulic biotopes'. The hydraulic biotope is the lowest of six nested levels of a hierarchical geomorphological model. This model has been developed as a tool to assist river managers, researchers and conservationists to categorise or classify rivers with respect to their geomorphic characteristics. Each level of the model provides data at a different level of resolution. This ranges from the broad scale catchment data to the site specific 'habitat' or hydraulic biotope data. Although this thesis is primarily concerned with the development of the hydraulic biotope, the interaction of all catchment variables needs to be recognised. Detailed analysis of hydraulic biotope data in the Buffalo River are presented within the broader hierarchical model. Consultation with lotic ecologists, together with a review of ecological literature, emphasised the need for a standardised terminology for the classification of ecologically significant instream flow environments. At present a fairly haphazard 'habitat' classification tends to be carried out by most researchers, this often leads to confusion in the identification and naming of different hydraulic biotopes ('habitats'). This confusion is exaggerated by the sharing of terminology between lotic ecology and fluvial geomorphology, usually for the categorisation of different types of features. A review of the ecological literature emphasises the importance of flow hydraulics within a river to describe the distribution of biota. The hydraulic variables considered to be most significant include velocity and depth. As river morphology directly determines the prevailing distribution of depth, velocity and substratum, it is obvious that there are important links to be made between fluvial geomorphology and lotic ecology. This thesis explores the potential of the hydraulic biotope as a tool to help develop those links. This thesis presents a standardised classification matrix for the identification of hydraulic biotopes. The matrix is simply based on water surface characteristics together with channel bed substratum. The validity of this matrix is tested by statistical analysis of hydraulic variables quantifying flow conditions within the various hydraulic biotope classes. Data is presented from four different river systems, each representing a different sedimentological environment. Where possible the influence of discharge has been considered. Results from more than 3000 data points show that hydraulic biotopes have distinct hydraulic characteristics in terms of velocity-depth ratio, Froude number, Reynolds number, 'roughness' Reynolds number and shear velocity. These hydraulic indices represent flow conditions both as an average within the water column, and near the bed. Statistical analysis shows that the hydraulic characteristics of the various hydraulic biotope classes are relatively consistent both within different fluvial environments and at different stages of flow. Unlike the morphological unit in which the hydraulic biotope is nested, in stream flow environments are shown to be temporally dynamic. Using the classification matrix as a tool for identification, hydraulic biotopes identified at one discharge are shown to be transformed from one class to another as a response to change in stage. The pattern of transformation is shown to be consistent within different sedimentological environments. An examination of the associations between hydraulic biotopes and morphological units demonstrates that, although some hydraulic biotopes are common to all morphological units (backwater pools, pools and runs), some features have specific associations. In this study rapids were found to be prevalent in bedrock pavement, bedrock pool and plane bed morphology, while cascades, chutes and riffles were common to plane bed, step and riffle morphology. Results from this research indicate that the hydraulic biotope, within the hierarchical geomorphological model, has the potential to aid the prediction of channel adjustment and associated 'habitat' (hydraulic biotope) transformation in response to changes in flow and sediment yield. These are likely to become increasingly important issues as South Africa strives to maintain a balance between the development of water resources to meet the needs of the rapidly expanding population, whilst at the same time maintaining the fluvial environment for sustainable use.

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Yani, Vuyolwethu Veronica. "Ecosystem health of the Nelson Mandela Bay sandy beaches". Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1075.

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An investigation of ecosystem functioning of sandy beaches in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM) was carried out with the aim of describing their type and pollution status. Water salinity, temperature, pH, beach slope, water inorganic nutrient concentrations, urea, and chlorophyll-a concentration as well as the composition of zooplankton, phytoplankton, meiofauna, benthic microalgae and bacteria were examined at thirteen beaches. The beaches were classified into three types: short beaches; long beaches with surf diatoms; and long beaches that import biomass (without surf diatoms). Of the thirteen beaches, five were non-polluted and eight polluted with polluting human activities in and around them. Most beaches were dominated by fine sand except for St. Georges Strand where the particles were medium to fine sand and Maitland’s River Beach, Bluewater Bay and Sardinia Bay that had coarse sand. Nutrient concentrations ranged from 1.98 ± 0.10 μM to 19.30 ± 3.02 μM nitrate; 4.88 ± 1.00 μM to 11.97 ± 1.00 μM ammonium; 0.67 ± 0.00 μM to 2.31 ±1.00 μM soluble reactive phosphorus; and 0.00 to 0.03 ± 0.00 μg l-1 urea-N. Chlorophyll-a concentrations ranged from 0.04 ± 0.02 to 1.57 ± 0.11 μg l-1. Chlorophyll-a concentrations were negatively correlated to ammonium for all beach types (short beaches: r = 0.94; long importing beaches: r = 0.95 and surf diatom beaches: 0.94) and to nitrate for short and long importing beaches (short: r = 0.97 and long importing: r = 0.85). By contrast, a positive correlation was found between observed between chlorophyll-a concentrations and urea for surf diatom beaches (r = 0.93) and for long importing beaches (r = 0.73). Chlorophyll-a concentrations were negatively correlated to short beaches (r = 0.99) and long importing beaches (r = 0.76). The E. coli and total coliforms in all the sampled beaches were within the recommended South African water quality guidelines for contact recreation as specified by DWAF (1995) except at New Brighton Beach (2 419 total coliforms/100 ml and 1 853 E. coli cells/100 ml) and St. Georges Strand (274 total coliforms/100 ml). Diatoms dominated the phytoplankton and benthic microflora; calanoid copepods dominated the zooplankton and deposit-feeding nematodes dominated the meiofauna in all the beaches with no changes found at polluted beaches.

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Taylor, Geraldine Claire. "Biology and ecology of largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides in two temperate South African impoundments". Thesis, Rhodes University, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001668.

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Globally largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides is one of the most widely introduced game fish species which has now become invasive in many countries. Well researched in its native North America, there are few studies on this species in its introduced range. This study aims to improve the understanding of the biology and ecology of M. salmoides in temperate southern Africa, where it threatens native biota and supports a popular recreational fishery. This aim was addressed by assessing the age, growth, maturity, reproductive seasonality, feeding, mortality and movement, of two M. salmoides populations from Wriggleswade (1000 ha, 723 m amsl, 32º35'S; 27º33'E) and Mankazana (35 ha, 66 m amsl, 33º09'S; 26º57'E) Dams in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. The most suitable structure for ageing M. salmoides was determined by comparing the accuracy and precision of otoliths and scales. Scales tended to underestimate the age of fish older than five years. Sectioned sagittal otoliths were the more precise structures for ageing (otoliths CV = 15.8 vs. scales CV = 21.9). The periodicity of growth zone formation was validated as annual for otoliths using both edge analysis (EA), and mark recapture of chemically tagged fish (MRCT). EA indicated one annual peak in the frequency of opaque margins between September and January using a periodic logistic regression and a binomial model linked with a von Mises distribution for circular data. MRCT showed the linear relationship between time at liberty and number of growth zones distal to the fluorescent band was not significantly different from one (slope = 0.89). Reproduction was similar to that in native and non-native populations with fish reaching age at 50% maturity at ca. two years, and length at 50% maturity at 259-290 mm FL depending on growth rate. Spawning season occurred in the spring months of August to October. The Wriggleswade Dam population reached similar ages (14 yrs) to populations in temperate North America. Growth was described using the von Bertalanffy growth equations of (Lt = 420(1-ᵉ⁻°·³³⁽ᵗ⁺°·²¹⁾) mm FL in Wriggleswade and (Lt = 641(1-ᵉ⁻°·²²⁽ᵗ⁺°·⁷⁶⁾) mm FL in Mankazana. Growth performance of both populations, described using the phi prime index, seemed to be correlated with temperature and the Wriggleswade Dam population (Φ’ = 2.8) grew similarly to those native temperate North American populations and the non-native populations of Japan and Italy. The Mankazana population had a higher growth performance (Φ’ = 2.9) compared to Wriggleswade and growth was comparable to other nonnative African populations. Both populations utilised all available food resources, with the Mankazana population being in better condition than the Wriggleswade population as a result of a more diverse diet, highly abundant food sources throughout the year, and potentially the adoption of a more conservative ambush feeding strategy. The Wriggleswade population, which was utilised by competitive anglers, showed low mortality rates (Z = 0.43 yr⁻¹), and translocated fish dispersed from the common release site, travelling an average distance of 4km over the study time of 494 days. These results indicated that M. salmoides are successful in these environments, growing at expected temperature dependant rates, maturing at two years, using all available food groups, and suffering from low mortality. It is therefore likely that they will persist in South Africa and establish where introduced.

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Norton, Olivia Bridget. "The population structure of two estuarine fish species, atherina breviceps (Pisces: Atherinidae) and gilchristella aestuaria (Pisces: Clupeidae), along the Southern African coastline". Thesis, Rhodes University, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1005431.

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Phylogeographic patterns of coastal organisms with different life histories and breeding strategies may reveal patterns not consistent with the current delineation of the biogeographic provinces around South Africa. The subdivision of the South African coastline into these three main climatological or biogeographic regions: namely the cool temperate west coast, the warm temperate south coast and the subtropical east coast, is based on average seawater temperatures and hydrological conditions. Genealogies of two estuarine fish species Atherina breviceps, a marine breeder, and Gilchristella aestuaria, an estuarine spawner, were reconstructed using mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region sequences. The study comprised two components, an assessment of a small dataset of both fish species to compare their population structure along the South African coastline and a more comprehensive investigation of the phylogeography of G. aestuaria collected from 21 estuaries around the coast. The comparative study of A. breviceps and G. aestuaria indicate different population distribution patterns along the South African coastline. Results of the A. breviceps analysis demonstrate substantial gene flow due to the random mixing of alleles, while the comparative G. aestuaria dataset indicates a more structured population and considerably less gene flow. The G. aestuaria population demonstrates geographic separation into four groups, namely the west coast (Great Berg), Bot (south coast), Seekoei (south coast) and east coast (Bushmans, Kasouga and Cefane). Results from the larger G. aestuaria dataset indicate that the phylogeographic patterns observed during this study do not conform to existing biogeographic boundaries along the southern African coastline. The delineation identified during this study between the warm temperate and subtropical regions is further south than originally perceived and this southward extension can be ascribed to the prevailing hydrology. The life history patterns and ecology of these two estuarine fish species appears key to understanding their population structure. These factors interact with environmental characteristics such as physical oceanography and the distribution of estuaries (along the coastline) to explain the observed distribution patterns and population structure of A. breviceps and G. aestuaria.

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Gama, Phumelele Thuthuka. "Phytoplankton chlorophyll a concentration and community structure in two temporarily open/closed estuaries in the Eastern Cape, South Africa". Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/707.

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River flow is important in controlling phytoplankton distribution in estuaries. Data on the effect of river inflow on phytoplankton distribution patterns in temporarily open/closed estuaries is lacking. This study investigated the influence of river inflow on size-fractionated phytoplankton biomass (Chl a), community composition and environmental parameters measured monthly over three years in two temporarily open/closed estuaries in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. A once-off primary production study over an annual cycle was completed in the Van Stadens and Maitland estuaries. The study monitored physical, chemical and biological characteristics in both estuaries to examine the effects of changes in environmental factors and river inflow. Daily sampling of physico-chemical and biological variables from river to sea was carried out in the Van Stadens to investigate short-time scale effects of changes in environmental factors and river inflow on the phytoplankton biomass. Five and three stations in the main channel of the Van Stadens and Maitland estuaries respectively were sampled at 0.5 m below the water surface and 0.5 m above the sediment surface for biological and chemical variables and at the surface, 0.25 m and every 0.5 m thereafter for physical parameters. Five stations adjacent to the main channel along the estuary were monitored for groundwater macronutrient concentrations and five additional sites located within the upper catchment of the Van Stadens River were sampled on a quarterly basis over two years. Both estuaries were characterised by distinct hydrological conditions, an overwash, an open, a closed and a semi-closed mouth phase. Flooding in the Maitland and Van Stadens estuaries in 2001 and 2002 caused sediment scour, altered channel morphology and brought about breaching of the mouth. Flood driven mouth-breaching events occurred three and four times in each of the estuaries during the study. The mouth stayed open 20 – 25 percent and was closed 60 – 65 percent of the time. In the Van Stadens the closed overwash mouth condition occurred approximately 10 – 20 percent of the time while in the Maitland it occurred less with the semi-closed mouth condition occurring 10 – 20 percent of the time. Incidents related to mouth opening not associated with strong river floods occurred approximately 10 – 15 percent of the time, although in the Maitland a semi-closed mouth state persisted more frequently than in the Van Stadens Estuary. During flooding events salinity dropped to low levels (< 5 psu) but soon recovered to brackish conditions when river flow was reduced and marine water penetrated deep upstream. Reduction in river flow combined with marine sediment deposition resulted in the closure of the mouth. During closed mouth conditions strong onshore storm surges and spring high tides introduced marine water through overwash that kept salinity high. In both estuaries salinity showed a negative correlation with rainfall (R2 = 0.12), indicative of the strong influence of marine overwash that kept salinity high thus masking the influence of freshwater. High rainfall in the Van Stadens Estuary caused high levels of turbidity that reduced light penetration at depth. Light attenuation was positively correlated with the high rainfall (R 2 = 0.26) suggesting that increased turbidity was linked to rainfall induced discharge. In contrast, in the Maitland Estuary light attenuation did not show any correlation with increased rainfall possibly because of the reduced water depth and increased euphotic zone following the floods in 2002. High river inflow introduced macronutrients in both estuaries such that dissolved inorganic phosphates (DIP) and dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) concentrations in the Van Stadens Estuary were strongly correlated with rainfall (R2 = 0.78 and 0.57 respectively). In the Maitland Estuary DIP and DIN concentrations remained significantly higher (p < 0.05) compared to that in the Van Stadens suggesting that the Maitland catchment contributed greater nutrient input into the estuary and may be associated with farming activities. Phytoplankton chlorophyll a (Chl a) ranged from 0.8 – 13.9 μg L-1 in the Van Stadens and in the Maitland Estuary from 5.3 – 138 μg L-1 during the 3-year study. During the open mouth condition Chl a biomass and primary production ranged from 5.4 – 52.9 μg Chl a L-1 and 1.2 – 11.7 mg C m-2 d-1 in the Maitland and in the Van Stadens from 1.6 – 9.8 μg Chl a L-1 and 1.2 - 14 mg C m-2 d-1 respectively. Maximum annual primary production in the Maitland and Van Stadens estuaries was 8.8 and 5.1 g C m-2 y-1 respectively. When the mouth was open in the Van Stadens Estuary the microphytoplankton (> 20 μm) accounted for > 65 percent of the Chl a, whereas during closed mouth conditions they accounted for about 55 percent of the Chl a biomass. Chlorophytes became the dominant taxon in the dry summer months but were replaced by cryptophytes and dinoflagellates during the wet season. When nutrient concentrations were low during low flow conditions in the Van Stadens Estuary mixotrophic microphytoplankton became an important fraction of the water column together with phototrophic dinoflagellates and cryptophytes. In the Maitland large sized chlorophytes were the dominant taxa in late spring and summer seasons and made up more than 80 percent of the cell numbers. In the Maitland before the floods in 2002 cyanophytes were the dominant group in late spring contributing more than 75 percent in cell abundance. Data from the short-term study in the Van Stadens Estuary showed similarities and differences in the Chl a response to increased river inflow. High river inflow initially reduced Chl a biomass followed by a recovery period of a couple of days compared to a 8 – 10 week recovery period in studies monitored over seasonal and annual temporal scales. The responses may be dissimilar but help to illustrate that there are similar response patterns to environmental forcing necessary to support phytoplankton biomass at different temporal scales. This study has demonstrated that flooding events caused by strong river flow cause breaching of the mouth, a reduction in salinity and marked nutrient input. Although the causes of flooding can be similar in both estuaries the resultant effects are varied and can alter the ability of the estuary to retain water. This study was able to demonstrate that the supply of macronutrients from the catchment was strongly correlated with rainfall (R2 = 0.67) and that phytoplankton growth mainly depended on an allochthonous source of macronutrients although internal supplies could be critical at times in controlling microalgal biomass.

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Mmonwa, Kolobe Lucas. "Molecular phylogeny, phylogeography and evolutionary adaptation of foraging behaviour amongst sympatric patellid limpets along the southern African shoreline". Thesis, Rhodes University, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1013222.

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The southern African shoreline is inhabited by a great diversity of patellid limpets of which most are endemic to South Africa. These limpets have evolved foraging mechanisms that partition ecological resources and reduce interspecific competition, resulting in ecological specialists and generalists. The evolution of ecological specialization or generalization remains poorly understood and there is no agreement on how such evolutionary transitions are correlated with levels of genetic diversity. This study investigated evolutionary correlations between territoriality in foraging and genetic structure of southern African patellid limpets (Cymbula and Scutellastra spp.) using stable δ13C and δ15N ratios, mitochondrial and nuclear DNA markers. The outcomes of the study were best rationalized and understood in the context of the scale of analysis in terms of both space and taxonomy. At biogeographic scales and the interspecific level, the stable isotope signatures and genetic structure of these limpets are determined by extrinsic factors such as biogeography and oceanography. However, at the smallest site scales and the intraspecific level, the isotope signatures and genetic diversity of these limpets are significantly correlated to their foraging traits. At large scales, there are no correlations between foraging behaviour and either genetic structure or isotope signature. At smaller scales, territorial Scutellastra foragers display both isotopic enrichment and greater haplotype diversity than congeneric non-territorial foragers. Thus, the isotope signatures and genetic structure of these limpets are determined by intrinsic species-specific response linked to their foraging behaviour. However, this pattern was intriguing as differences between territorial and non-territorial limpets in both isotopic signature and genetic diversity were observed only along the south coast when the same species were compared in other biogeographic regions. The significant interaction effect between foraging behaviour and stable isotope signatures was only observed from the sites within the Agulhas Bank or which are strongly influenced by the Agulhas current. This south enrichment in isotopic ratios is due to the mixing differences between onshore and offshore waters as the Agulhas current moves from east to south. At the generic level, the correlation between foraging behaviour and isotope signatures and genetic structure were particularly profound for Scutellastra species. The molecular phylogeny revealed deep evolutionary divergence between territorial and non-territorial Scutellastra spp. This divergence was concordant with morphological differences in shell shape and radula anatomy between territorial and non-territorial species. A taxonomic review of the scutellastrid spp. is proposed, suggesting possible re-consideration of the genus as two genera characterized by either territoriality or non-territoriality. The divergence between territorial and non-territorial species in both Scutellastra and Cymbula took place approximately in the early Oligocene. Major climatic cooling and decreases in sea level occurred during the Oligocene and this probably exposed much of the lower intertidal zone, increasing new potential habitats and algal availability. The Oligocene exposure of rocky shores and algal abundance in the lower intertidal zone probably elicited resource partitioning amongst these patellid limpets and subsequently, the evolution of territorial and non-territorial species. Analyses of the demographic history of these patellid limpets revealed evidence of post-glacial spatial expansion around the Pleistocene, implying these limpets were at population equilibrium during the dramatic LGM sea temperatures. Thus, these limpets managed to expand their range during dynamic oceanographic oscillations and dramatic sea-level changes in the Pleistocene. This study highlighted the importance of applying ecological traits as a subject to investigate and comprehend the evolutionary ecology of marine herbivores. The foraging traits of these true limpets are reflected in both their stable isotope ratios and genealogy, presumably as an evolutionary consequence of competition.

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42

Bezuidenhout, Chantel. "Macrophytes as indicators of physico-chemical factors in South African Estuaries". Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1387.

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This study investigated the response of macrophytes to physico-chemical factors in seven South African estuaries and showed that dominant salt marsh species that occur in different estuaries respond to the same environmental factors. The most important variables influencing distribution were elevation, water level, sediment- and groundwater electrical conductivity and depth to the water table. In permanently open estuaries (Kromme and Olifants) transect surveys identified three distinct vegetation zones i.e. submerged macrophytes, intertidal salt marsh and supratidal salt marsh. In the Kromme Estuary intertidal salt marsh (81.2 ha) covered extensive areas, whereas supratidal (143 ha) and floodplain (797.1 ha) salt marsh were dominant in the Olifants Estuary. Transect surveys identified four distinct vegetation zones (submerged macrophytes, intertidal salt marsh, supratidal salt marsh and reeds and sedges) in the temporarily open/closed estuaries (Mngazi, Great Brak, East Kleinemonde and Seekoei estuaries), although all zones did not occur in all of the estuaries sampled. In the Mngazi Estuary reeds and sedges (1.09 ha) covered extensive areas (no submerged or salt marsh vegetation was present), whereas salt marsh (Great Brak 24.45 ha, East Kleinemonde 17.44 ha and Seekoei 12.9 ha) vegetation was dominant in the other estuaries. Despite the geographic differences, environmental factors influencing macrophyte distribution were similar in all estuaries. Canonical Correspondence Analysis showed that vegetation distribution was significantly affected by elevation, groundwater and sediment electrical conductivity and depth to groundwater. Supratidal species were associated with a greater depth to groundwater (1.2 ± 0.04 m; n = 153) compared to intertidal species (0.5 ± 0.01 m; n = 361). Correlation analysis showed that water level and rainfall were correlated with groundwater electrical conductivity in the lower and upper intertidal zones for all the estuaries sampled. These data indicate the influence of the estuary channel on the physico-chemical conditions of the salt marsh. Low rainfall (16 ± 3.3 mm per annum) in the Olifants Estuary (30-100 mS cm-1) and lack of freshwater flooding in the Kromme Estuary (42-115 mS cm-1) have resulted in high sediment electrical conductivity by comparison with the other estuaries sampled. In the Orange River Estuary approximately 70 ha of salt marsh have been lost through the building of a causeway and flood control levees. Even though salt marsh vegetation can tolerate hypersaline sediments by using the less saline water table, the groundwater at the Orange River Estuary was too saline (avg. of 90.3 ± 6.55 mS cm-1, n = 38) to be of use to the dominant floodplain species, Sarcocornia pillansii. Freshwater inflow to estuaries is important in maintaining longitudinal salinity gradients and reducing hypersaline conditions. In the Olifants Estuary and the Orange River Estuary where supratidal salt marsh is dominant, freshwater inflow is important in raising the water level and maintaining the depth to groundwater and salinity. Lack of freshwater inflow to the Kromme Estuary has highlighted the importance of rainfall in maintaining sediment salinity within acceptable ranges for the salt marsh. Macrophytes are relatively good indicators of physico-chemical factors in estuaries. From an understanding of the response of specific species to environmental variables, ecological water requirements can be set and sensitive areas can be rehabilitated.

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43

Veldkornet, Dimitri Allastair. "Morphological variation and species diversity of South African Estuarine macrophytes". Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1013001.

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Studies on morphological variation are important as it can depict the relationship with environmental factors clearly and convey an understanding of the manner, mechanism and factors influencing plant adaptation and evolution. Although many studies have been conducted on South African salt marsh plant physiology and phytosociology there are at present very few morphological studies on estuarine plants. The aim of this study was to compare the morphological variation of estuarine macrophytes in three different estuary types in the warm temperate biogeographic zone of South Africa and to compare characters used in the taxonomic descriptions of species with those measured in the field. Permanently open estuaries investigated were Ngqusi (WC), Kowie (KW) and Swartkops (SW) estuaries. The Knysna Estuary (KN) was the estuarine bay investigated and the temporarily open/ closed estuaries (TOCEs) were the East Kleinemonde (EK) and Great Brak (GB) estuaries. Macrophytes were morphologically different across different estuary types. This suggests that there were different factors operating between these estuary types that would directly influence the morphology of species. The variation of plant height with different estuary types can be attributed to the fact that smaller salt marshes also have smaller habitat ranges compared to larger ones. The variation in morphological characteristics such as plant height can also be attributed to biogeographical range. Most morphological characteristics measured in the field fall within previously published ranges, and so these characters are useful in delimiting species. There were significant relationships between phenotypic variables and multivariate environmental variables. The most important of these variables were soil electrical conductivity, soil organic content and soil water content. Specifically, plant height increased with water content and decreased with salinity, flower stalk length had strong significant positive correlations with moisture content, organic content and pH while there were strong significant correlations with redox potential and electrical conductivity. Salt marshes are considered ideal for studying variation of species due to the explicit environmental gradients and plants occurring in salt marshes are halophytes that exhibit a range of morphological traits that allows for growth and reproduction under the stressful and extreme conditions. Considering recent climate change predictions and the consequent effects on South African estuaries this study provides significant information with regard to the response of species to a changing environment. The study was also aimed at updating the existing botanical database for South African estuaries in terms of species occurrence in South African estuaries, taxonomic name changes of existing species, new species, common names and habitats. Species diversity indices were also calculated for different estuaries, estuary types and biogeographic zones and diagnostic descriptions of the dominant salt marsh species were developed. The objective of this was that these data should provide baseline information for determining habitat richness and plant species diversity of South African estuaries which in turn should be used in determining priority estuaries for conservation and management. The identification key, developed using the DELTA software, would also aid researchers, managers and laymen in identifying salt marsh species. Results showed that the total number of macrophyte species, including intraspecific taxa and macroalgae, was 242 in 53 estuaries that were updated . There was an increase in the number of taxa recorded in the database primarily due to 1) research focus and full taxonomic surveys on larger estuaries and the big research projects has led to the identification of more species, 2) the addition of species that are not characteristically known as estuarine species, 3) the addition of 50 macroalgal taxa and 4) minor changes due to taxonomic revisions of species and the addition of newly described species. The Shannon diversity index showed that greater species diversity was found in the Berg (Groot) Estuary (4.220) and the Uilkraals Estuary (4.025). The cool temperate bioregion was the most diverse in the number of taxa (58) with the highest Shannon index (4.736). Permanently open estuaries were the most diverse in the number of unique taxa (56) with the highest Shannon index (4.867). Estuarine managers need to be aware of the species diversity in different estuarine types as well as the associated impacts on them. Conservation planning must therefore include species. Diagnostic features of INTKEY indicated that all 57 taxa were distinguishable from each other. Contrary to expectations plant height and not floral morphology was the best diagnostic characteristic. Ecological information such as the estuarine habitat, where different life forms occur, was important in delimiting species.

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44

Mbense, Sinegugu. "The growth and recovery of mangroves at three South African study sites". Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/11931.

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Mangroves in South Africa are prone to anthropogenic pressures such as browsing and trampling by livestock and by natural disturbances such as drought and floods. These mangroves exist at one of the most southerly limits in the world providing a unique opportunity to study recovery and resilience to change. This study used long term data at three South African study sites located in the subtropical (St Lucia Estuary) and warm temperate regions (Nxaxo and Kobonqaba estuaries) to compare mangrove growth rate, population structure and responses to disturbance. The first objective was investigated at St Lucia Estuary where site specific or microhabitat differences were measured to assess the influence of these on mangrove growth and population structure. It was suggested that site - specific variability would ensure mangrove survival and analysis showed that seedlings were present at different sites in different years. There was always some recruitment but often little survival to the next size class. Over time seedling numbers were quite variable and self – thinning of adults was evident. The second objective was to identify the environmental factors influencing population density and growth. Results showed that sediment moisture and salinity influenced seedling and adult density due to fluctuations in estuary water level. Mangrove growth rates for Avicennia marina in terms of height was faster (40 – 75 cm yr-1 ) at Site 1 where conditions were waterlogged and moderately saline and slower (5 – 25 cm yr1 ) in dry and hypersaline conditions at Site 4. Overall mangroves at St Lucia have shown persistence through drought and fluctuations in environmental conditions however resilience may be hindered at sites that are subjected to partially flooding and prolonged waterlogging. The second site was Nxaxo Estuary in the Eastern Cape where cattle exclusion plots (nonbrowsed) and control plots (browsed) were used to assess the recovery of A. marina trees from cattle browsing. Trees in the browsed plots showed no vertical growth while trees in the non-browsed plots grew significantly faster (5.4 ± 0.5 cm yr-1). When cattle were prevented from entering the mangrove area, the trees recovered fairly quickly and within 3 years growth was similar in both the non – browsed (17.9 ± 3.2 cm yr -1) and browsed plots (18 ± 1.6 cm yr -1). Lastly, mangrove recovery was investigated at Kobonqaba Estuary where long-term closure of the mouth to the sea resulted in high water levels, inundation of pneumatophores and die-back of the majority of the mangroves. This study measured the recovery of the mangroves by assessing changes in vegetation cover and sediment characteristics along transects. High initial porewater nutrient concentrations promoted salt marsh growth and plants increased average cover from 0% in 2011 to 18.9% (2013) and 50% in 2015. The total number of A. marina individuals increased from only seven to 27 individuals over four years. Salt marsh competition and facilitation will likely influence mangrove recovery in the future. Overall it was concluded that when a short term pressure (cattle browsing) is alleviated, mangrove forests even at warm temperate sites are able to recovery rapidly by increasing growth and seedling establishment. However, mangroves in the subtropical sites show more resilience and recovery potential to long term pressures such as fluctuating environmental conditions because of faster growth rates.

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45

Oswald, Krista Natasha. "Seasonal physiological responses in the Cape Rockjumper (Chaetops frenatus): a Fynbos endemic bird shows limited capacity to deal with temperature extremes". Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/12994.

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The Fynbos biome in south-western South Africa is a global biodiversity hotspot vulnerable to climate change. Of the six Fynbos-endemic passerines, Cape Rockjumpers (hereafter Rockjumpers; Chaetops frenatus) are most vulnerable to increases in temperature, with population declines correlated with warming, and low physiological heat thresholds. Rockjumper’s preferred mountain habitat is predicted to decrease as they lack opportunity to move to cooler regions as temperatures warm. As Rockjumpers currently occupy the coldest regions of the Fynbos, I hypothesized their thermal physiology would show cold adaptation at the expense of lowered ability to cope with higher temperatures. I aimed to determine the seasonal 1) maintenance metabolism and cold tolerance, and 2) thermoregulatory responses to high temperatures of Rockjumpers. I measured seasonal maintenance metabolic rate, thermal conductance, and maximum thermogenic capacity. I also measured seasonal resting metabolic rate, evaporative water loss, evaporative cooling efficiency, and body temperature at high air temperatures. In winter, Rockjumpers had higher maximum thermogenic capacity, lower maintenance metabolic rate, and lower thermal conductance. Lower maintenance metabolic rates (and thus, lower metabolic heat production) combined with the decreased thermal conductance, confers substantial energy savings in winter. The increased winter maximum thermogenic capacity of Rockjumpers was expected, although the mean seasonal values fell below those expected for a ~ 50 g bird using a global data set, suggesting Rockjumpers are not especially cold tolerant. I further show that in summer Rockjumpers had higher elevations in resting metabolic rates, evaporative water loss, and body temperature, denoting higher rates of heat production and lower heat thresholds in summer compared to winter. My results suggest that Rockjumpers are best suited for relatively mild Krista Oswald Dissertation Chapter 1: General Introduction temperatures. While I found further support for a physiological basis for declining Rockjumper populations, further studies on other mechanisms Rockjumpers may possess to cope with climate warming (e.g. behavioural adjustments) are needed in order to truly understand their vulnerability to climate change.

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46

Harrison, Trevor D. "Ecology of the ichthyofauna in three temporarily open/closed estuaries on the Natal coast". Thesis, Rhodes University, 1994. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1005113.

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The ichthyofauna of three small Natal estuaries, the Mhlanga, Damba and Zotsha was sampled over a period of two years. A total of 68 kinds of fishes representing 24 families, 39 genera and 56 species were captured during this study. Forty seven kinds of fishes were recorded in the Mhlanga of which Gilchristella aestuaria,Oreochromis mossambicus, Valamugil cunnesius, Valamugil sp. and juvenile mugilids numerically dominated. In terms of biomass, O. mossambicus, V. cunnesius, Liza alata, Myxus capensis and Mugil cephalus dominated the ichthyofauna of the Mhlanga. In the Damba, 24 kinds of fishes were recorded. The most abundant fishes captured were Glossogobius callidus, M. capensis and O. mossambicus. M. capensis, M. cephalus, O. mossambicus and G. callidus dominated the fish biomass captured in the Damba. A total of 56 kinds of fishes were recorded in the Zotsha during this study. The ichthyofauna of the Zotsha was numerically dominated by juvenile mugilids, G. aestuaria, O. mossambicus, Rhabdosargus holubi, Terapon jarbua, Ambassis productus and G. callidus. The species which dominated the fish biomass in the Zotsha were O. mossambicus, L. alata, Valamugil robustus, Valamugil buchanani, M. capensis, M. cephalus and V. cunnesius. Classifying the species captured according to whether they were resident estuarine species, freshwater species, estuarine-dependent marine species and marine species revealed that the first three groups were all well represented in the systems. The only system in which marine species made any significant contribution to the ichthyofauna was the Zotsha. Oreochromis mossambicus was the dominant freshwater species in all three estuaries during this study. Gilchristella aestuaria and Glossogobius callidus were the principal estuarine species in the Mhlanga and the Damba respectively. Both G. aestuaria and G. callidus were the dominant estuarine species captured in the Zotsha. The principal estuarine-dependent marine fishes captured in the Mhlanga were V. cunnesius, Valamugil sp., juvenile mugilids, M. capensis, M. cephalus and L. alata. In the Damba, M. capensis and M. cephalus were the dominant estuarine-dependent marine species and in the Zotsha juvenile mugilids, R. holubi, T. jarbua, A . productus, M. capensis, V. cunnesius, V. robustus, M. cephalus and L. alata predominated. The results of this study indicate that the estuaries are dominated at different periods by different assemblages of fishes. This is linked to the spawning and migration patterns of the various species as well as the hydrological regime of each estuary. During the winter these systems are normally closed with relatively deep waters and high food resource and habitat availability. Freshwater and estuarine species mainly inhabit the upper reaches of the systems while estuarine-dependent marine species mainly occupy the middle and lower reaches and dominate the fish community. When these systems open with the onset of the spring/summer rains, adult and sub-adult estuarine-dependent marine species emigrate to the marine environment and juveniles begin recruiting into the systems. Spring is also the peak breeding period of resident estuarine and freshwater species, resulting in an increase in the contribution of these fishes to the overall population during this period. When closed estuaries open many of them drain and this results in the fishes concentrating in the lower reaches of the system where moderate water depths are present, thus further contributing to an increase in the proportion of freshwater and estuarine species in this region. The breaching of closed estuaries also results in a slump in food resources and habitat availability. Competition and possible increased vulnerability to avian predation (due to the shallow nature of the systems), may contribute to a decrease in the proportion of estuarine and freshwater species in summer. The prolonged spawning and recruitment of 0+ juveniles of estuarine-dependent marine species results in an increase in the proportion of these fishes present in the estuaries during summer. In autumn, these systems normally close, water levels rise and available food resources and habitat increase. This allows the redistribution of freshwater and estuarine species upstream, leaving estuarine-dependent marine species to dominate the middle and lower reaches. Although temporarily open/closed estuaries along the Natal coast may not be as diverse as permanently open estuaries in terms of their ichthyofauna, their importance must not be underestimated since by providing a continuous sequence of sheltered habitats along the coast they may contribute significantly to the viability of estuarine-dependent marine fish stocks.

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Gilbert, Martin Jeffray. "The ecology of the South African citrus thrips, Scirtothrips aurantii Faure and its economic implications". Thesis, Rhodes University, 1993. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1005358.

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The South African Citrus Thrips, Scirtothrips aurantii Faure (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) has been a serious pest of the citrus industry of Southern Africa for over 70 years. It is indigenous to Africa and has no recorded parasitoids and, in most citrus-growing regions, predators are not economically effective. Firstly, in this study, the general ecology of thrips was reviewed along with the recorded history of S. aurantii and its control. Host plant relationships of S. aurantii were then examined and wild hosts were not found to be important in promoting citrus thrips outbreaks in the orchard after flowering. In addition, Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood, which attacks citrus in Asia, was collected for the first time in Africa, but from Castor Oil plant. It is therefore a potential pest of citrus here. Notes on its appearance compared to that of S. aurantii were prepared. Weekly sampling of S. aurantii adults was carried out from June 1984 to May 1990. Population fluctuations were then correlated with phenology of the citrus trees and the direct and indirect effects of weather. Temperature and rainfall were not found to be significantly directly correlated with thrips numbers recorded. However, the indirect effects of rainfall were important in promoting a large winter thrips population in certain years. Relatively high rainfall during March and April compared to that of the previous January and February stimulated atypical flushing of the citrus trees during autumn and the setting of out-of-season fruit. S. aurantii then exploited this unusual food source and high numbers were subsequently recorded in the following winter; as well as in spring. Thus the mild winter climate alone could not suppress thrips numbers at Letaba. Dispersal/Emergence traps, which are used in the U.S.A. for the monitoring of Scirtothrips citri, were evaluated over 24 months, and were effective in recording population peaks of S. aurantii. The emergence rate of adults in relation to second instar larvae trapped was 43.7%. 35.7% of adults caught after emerging from the soil were males and 64.3 were females. In contrast, yellow traps had recorded 59.1% males and 40.9% females over the same period. The yellow traps were subsequently found to be biased towards male catches when young fruit and/or soft flush was present on the citrus trees. Relative inhibition of female flight activity during times of food abundance is known in other thrips species. During times of food scarcity, the bias in the yellow trap results disappeared. At Letaba Estates, availability of food rather than the direct effects of weather was seen to be the most important factor in governing S. aurantii numbers. Because of the importance of soft flush in the promotion of S. aurantii population increase, it is recommended that more attention should be given to the control of thrips on, as well as conducting surveys for, this food source. As the climate at Letaba is so favourable for citrus thrips, even during winter, it is further recommended that trapping for S. aurantii is carried out throughout the year. Furthermore, males and females should be recorded separately in trapping results as the sex ratio gives an indication of the phenological state of the tree.

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Van, der Westhuizen Henri. "Valuing preferences for freshwater inflows into the Bira, Bushmans, Kasouga, Keiskamma, Kleinemond East, Nahoon and Tyolomnqa estuaries". Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/628.

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There are about 259 estuaries in South Africa that can be classified as “functioning” and their “health” status is directly related to the quantity and quality of freshwater that flows into them. Many of South Africa’s estuaries have become smaller due to a steady decrease in the amount of freshwater that flows into them. This reduction in freshwater inflows decreases their ecological functioning and undermines the recreational activities and subsistence services available from them. The National Water Act (ACT No. 36 of 1998) recognises the right of the environment to water, but a large amount of data is still needed to make management decisions on the allocation of freshwater. The objective of this research was to contribute to the management of the allocation of freshwater in the catchment areas of the Bira, Bushmans, Kasouga, Keiskamma, Kleinemond East, Nahoon and Tyolomnqa rivers by determining the recreational value of the freshwater flowing into their estuaries. This recreational value was established using the contingent valuation method. The contingent valuation method (CVM) is a technique to establish the value of a good (or service) that is not bought or sold in an actual market. This technique is frequently applied in the valuation of environmental goods, e.g. the freshwater that flows into an estuary. The CVM establishes the economic value by asking the users of an environmental good to state their willingness to pay (WTP) for a hypothetical project to prevent or bring about a change in the current condition of the environmental good. The users’ WTP is then aggregated to establish a total willingness to pay (TWTP) for the population of the users of the environmental good. The hypothetical project presented in this study is that of an increase of freshwater inflows, that would prevent (bring about) predetermined changes in environmental services provided by the selected seven estuaries.

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Walters, Michele. "Seed ecology as a determinant of population structure in some Southern African Savanna Acacia species". Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2002. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/53044.

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Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2002.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: African Acacia species are often major contributors to the progressive increase in the woody component of savannas, a phenomenon commonly referred to as bush encroachment. In Hluhluwe- Umfolozi Park, the numbers of adult Acacia nilotica (L.) Willd. Ex Del. trees per hectare far exceed (by III) that of A. karroo Hayne adults. The relative dominance is reversed in the juvenile stage with A. karroo (725 ha') outnumbering A. nilotica (225 ha-I) threefold outside closed woodlands. African acacias produce large quantities of seed and may have large soil-stored seed banks. They suffer pre-dispersal predation by bruchid beetles and may be either wind or animal dispersed. Once dispersed they are vulnerable to post-dispersal attack. This study tested several hypotheses regarding various aspects of seed ecology of A. karroo and A. nilotica. The null hypothesis that seed ecology does not contribute to the success of A. karroo over A. nilotica, was tested. Acacia karroo trees were smaller (mean basal diameter: 7.8 cm) than A. ni/otica trees (mean basal diameter: 18.5 cm) on average, but produced more seeds (A. karroo mean: 1628; A. nilotica mean: 992) for a given basal diameter size class. It was found that A. karroo showed less bruchid infestation (mean: 1.36-3.81%) than A. nilotica (mean: 14.67-86.70%) at all stages of pod development with a proportion of A. karroo seeds (7.1 %) being able to germinate after bruchid attack. Bruchid attack rendered A. ni/otica seeds unviable. There was no difference between the two species with regards to the soil-stored seed bank and the viability of seeds found in the soil. Acacia karroo showed higher germination levels (5.1%) and better establishment (4.9%) than A. nilotica (1.5% and 0.4% respectively). On average, there was no difference in germination levels between burnt and unbumt seeds, but there was a significant difference in germination of burnt seeds in both burnt (4.5%) and unbumt (2.5%) sites and unbumt seeds in both burnt (2.8%) and unbumt (4.9%) sites when considered separately. Post-dispersal predation of A. karroo seeds (21.8%) was higher than that of A. nilotica (12.7%). There was more rodent predation in tall grass areas (26.0%) than short grass (10.7%) or canopy areas (15.2%), and most seeds were lost from unprotected control groups. Rodent presence was a significant factor in unexplained seed disappearance. The ability of A. karroo to germinate easily and the low levels of beetle predation experienced by this species seemed to be its main advantage over A. nilotica as an encroaching species in Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Park.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Acacia spesies van Afrika is dikwels belangrike bydraers tot die progressiewe toename in die houtkomponent van savannas. Hierdie verskynsel word algemeen na verwys as bosindringing. In die Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Park is die aantal volwasse Acacia nilotica (L.) Willd. Ex Del. bome per hektaar aansienlik meer (l l l meer) as die aantal volwasse A. karroo Hayne bome. In die jong stadium is die oorheersing omgekeerd, met driekeer soveel A. karroo (725 ha-I) as A. nilotica (225 ha-I) bome buite beboste gedeeltes. Afrika se Acacia spesies produseer groot hoeveelhede saad en kan oor aansienlike grond-gebergde saadbanke beskik. Voor verspreiding word die saad aan predasie deur bruchid-kewers blootgestel. Die saad kan óf deur wind óf diere versprei word en na verspreiding word dit ook aan predasie blootgestel. Hierdie studie het verskillende hipoteses rakende verskeie aspekte van die saadekologie van A. karroo en A. nilotica getoets. Die nulhipotese dat saadekologie nie tot die groter sukses van A. karroo teenoor A. nilotica bydrae nie, is getoets. Acacia karroo bome was oor die algemeen kleiner (gemid. basale omtrek: 7.8 cm) as A. nilotica (gemid. basale omtrek: 18.5 cm) bome maar het meer saad (A. karroo gemid.: 1628; A. nilotica gemid.: 992) per gegewe basale diameter grootte klas gelewer. Daar is geen verskil tussen die twee spesies rakende grondgebergde saadbanke en die lewensvatbaarheid van hierdie saad gevind nie. Acacia karroo het hoër vlakke van ontkieming (5.1%) en beter vestiging (4.9%) as A. nilotica (l.5% en .4% respektiewelik) getoon. Daar was oor die algemeen geen verskil in die ontkiemingsvlakke van gebrande en ongebrande sade nie, maar wel 'n beduidende verskil in die ontkieming van gebrande sade in beide gebrande (4.5%) en ongebrande (2.5%) areas en ongebrande sade in gebrande (2.8%) en ongebrande (4.9%) areas as dit afsonderlik geëvalueer is. Die predasie van A. karroo saad na verspreiding (21.8%) was hoër as dié van A. nilotica (12.7%). Daar was meer knaagdier-predasie in gebiede met lang gras (26.0%) as dié met kort gras (10.7%) of boomryke gedeeltes (15.2%). Die meeste saad is in onbeskermde kontrolegroepe verloor. Die teenwoordigheid van knaagdiere het 'n belangrike rol in die onverklaarde verdwyning van saad gespeel. Dit is gevind dat A. karroo se vermoë om maklik te ontkiem, asook die lae vlakke van insek skade aan die saad, die belangrikste voorsprong is wat dié spesie oor A. nilotica as 'n indringer in Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Park het.

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Lowman, Guy Russell Pollock. "Deposition of nitrogen to grassland versus forested areas in the vicinity of sabie, Mpumalanga, South Africa". Thesis, University of the Witwatersrand, 2003. http://hdl.handle.net/10539/20112.

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Nitrogen deposition to adjacent grassland and forested areas in the vicinity of Sabie, Mpumalanga, South Africa was studied. Total deposition amounts to the forested area are calculated to be 7l.2 kg N ha-1 yr1 and to the grassland area, 25 kg N ha· 1 yr1. The average deposition amounts are similar to or at least approach nitrogen mineralisation amounts at nearby sites of 50-70 kg N ha-1 yr1. The deposition amounts are made up of 21.4 kg N ha-1 yr1 dry deposition, 7.8 kg N ha-1 yr1 wet deposition and 42 kg N ha-1 yr1 cloud droplet deposition for the forest. For the grassland, the amounts are 7 kg N ha-1 yr1 dry deposition, 7.8 kg N ha-1 yr1 wet deposition and 10.5 kg N ha-1 yr1 cloud droplet. deposition. For both wet and cloud droplet deposition, the amount attributable to nitrate was greater than that attributable to ammonium. For wet deposition, nitrate contributed 4.1 kg N ha-1 yr1 and ammonium contributed 3.7 kg N ha-1 yr1 to both forests and grasslands. For cloud droplet deposition to forests, the amounts were 28 kg N ha-1 yr1 attributable to nitrate and 14 kg N ha-1 yr1 attributable to ammonium. For grasslands the amounts were 7 and 3.5 kg N ha-1 yr1. In both forests and grasslands, the component of dry deposition contributing the most to deposition was ammonia gas, the amounts being 14.2 and 4.3 kg N ha-1 yr1 respectively. Nitric acid contributes 3.7 and 1.9 kg N ha-1 yr1 respectively and is followed by the nitrogen dioxide component that contributes 1.6 and 0.5 kg N ha- I yr1. Ammonium and nitrate particles contribute the least to deposition. For the forests the amounts are 1 and 0.9 kg N ha-1 yr1 and for the grasslands they are 0.2 and 0.1 kg N ha-1 yr1. A strong seasonal variance in deposition amounts is apparent with maximum deposition amounts occurring in Summer and minimum amounts in Winter. Intermediate amounts are deposited in Autumn and Spring, with the latter season having slightly larger deposition amounts. The seasonal variance is strongly linked to the seasonal rainfall and cloud droplet deposition patterns. Biomass burning is indicated as a possible important factor in influencing the chemical composition of rainfall during Spring. Of the deposition amounts obtained in this study, the deposition from cloud droplets is high compared to other studies and is probably overestimated. Further research into this area is needed.

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