Abstract: In an attempt to explain why forest monkeys have a one-male group type of social structure in an environment of apparently rich food supply, the food resources, feeding behaviour and ranging behaviour of the samango monkey was studied in forest on the Eastern Transvaal Escarpment. The taxonomy of the samango monkey in southern africa is discussed, as well as it•s relationship to other forest Cercopithecines. The adaptations and limitations of the animal •s intrinsic characteris...
Abstract: Human population growth generally causes carnivore declines. The rapid expansion of urban landscapes creates both biotic and abiotic changes that are known to negatively impact carnivore populations (Šálek, Drahníková & Tkadlec, 2015). Carnivores are considered particularly sensitive to human population growth and urbanisation due to persecution, large home range requirements and slow population growth (Woodroffe, 2000). This can cause local extinctions or active avoidance of h...
Abstract: Africa is a water scarce country depending primarily on reservoirs and lakes for socio-economic wellbeing. Most of these reservoirs are contaminated with nutrients making them either eutrophic or even hypertrophic. The algae blooms are common amongst these reservoirs. There is however a worrying trend of an increasing number of reservoirs with cyanobacterial blooms. Cyanobacterial blooms produce cyanotoxins which may result in human and animal deaths. Therefore, it is important to ...
Abstract: The leafhopper Mgenia fuscovaria Stål (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) is a vector of aster yellows phytoplasma (AY), 'Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris', in grapevine, Vitis vinifera L. (Vitaceae), in South Africa. In a previous study, M. fuscovaria was preferentially attracted to AY-infected compared to uninfected grapevine branches, although the mode of attraction was not determined. Phytoplasma infection may alter the volatile profiles of plants, rendering them more attractive to the in...
Abstract: Emerging chemical pollutants (ECPs) are defined as new chemicals which do not have a regulatory status, but which may have an adverse effect on human health and the environment. Sources and environmental pathways of these ECPs have been increasingly associated with waste and wastewaters arising from industrial, agricultural and municipal activities. The ECPs of current concern include a wide range of compounds including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocar...
Abstract: Amphibians have long been recognized as excellent indicators of both biological and ecological health of ecosystems, as they occupy many habitats and environments and have a diverse range of impacts on their immediate environments. It is thus important to investigate the critical habitat requirements, as well as the preferred environmental variables that are associated with different amphibian species in order to provide insight into conservation and management plans, and to predic...
Abstract: Conservation management approaches for elephants in southern Africa, and particularly in the Kruger National Park, have changed. Recently, Kruger’s managers adapted their approach from artificially manipulating elephant numbers to reinstating and embracing densitydependent processes that could limit or regulate the elephant population. However, few studies have evaluated whether changes in Kruger’s elephant management approach were effective in achieving the desired outcomes. T...
Abstract: Global climate change is expected to increase average surface temperatures by 1.5 to 4.5 °C by the end of the 21st century. Major variation in climatic conditions is predicted to occur, including more frequent droughts and heat waves as well as higher mid-summer temperatures. Water-deficit stress may lead to increased nitrogen levels in plants, which in turn may increase their suitability for insect herbivores. In addition, the higher nutritional quality of the insect herbivore di...
Abstract: Ground pangolins Smutsia temminckii are inconspicuous, mainly nocturnal mammals that occur at low population densities. As a result, there is scant information available on the ecology and physiology of this species. To date the handful of studies focussing on this species were centred in the mesic eastern regions of its range, with no attention being given to ecological and biological traits in arid environments. To address these data shortfalls, a study was undertaken in the Kala...
Description: Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2012.
Abstract: The status of honeybee pathogens and parasites in the Gauteng region of South Africa was examined by collecting adult honeybee and worker brood samples from 13 Apis mellifera scutellata apiaries. The prevalence of pathogens and parasites were compared per season between sedentary (permanently stationed colonies) and migratory (transportation of colonies for pollination purposes) apiaries. Honeybee pathogens (Acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV), Black queen cell virus (BQCV), Chronic b...
Abstract: Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this document
Abstract: The pouched mouse, Saccostomus campestris Peters, 1846 from southern Africa shows a high degree of karyotypic variation where up to 16 variants (2n = 30–50) have been reported. This has led to a systematic uncertainty that the present study attempts to assess using: 1) cytochrome b (cyt b; 1077 bp) and 16S rRNA (528 bp) partial sequences; 2) G-banding cytogenetic data; and 3)geometric morphometric data of various views of the cranium and mandible. The results from these multidisc...
Abstract: Simulium chutteri is considered a major pest in South Africa and it has been estimated that it can potentially cause stock losses amounting to more than R88 million per annum. Although a larval control programme has been launched to control the pest, major outbreaks still occur, since major fitness traits such as longevity are ignored in the planning of control actions. To improve the control programme, the aim of this study was to study the longevity of S. chutteri females under v...
Abstract: This study provides the first quantitative analysis of the littoral and supralittoral arthropod assemblages of sub-Antarctic Marion Island. Seventeen mite species (126 203 individuals) from 11 families were found on the shore at Macaroni Bay. Three families dominated the assemblages in both abundance and diversity: the Hyadesiidae, Ameronothridae and Halacaridae. Six insect species from three orders were found on the shore. Species richness increased from one in the littoral, to fo...