Browsing Magister Scientiae (Biodiversity and Conservation Biology) - MSc (Biodiv & Cons Biol) by Issue Date
Now showing items 41-60 of 131
-
Lichen thermal sensitivities, moisture interception and elemental accumulation in an arid South African ecosystem
(University of the Western Cape, 2010)Elevated temperatures accompanying climate warming are expected to have adverse effects on sensitive lichen species. This premise was examined by measuring the sensitivity of different lichen species to elevated temperatures ... -
Risk analysis and potential implications of exotic Gyrodactylus species on cultured and wild cyprinids in the Western Cape, South Africa
(University of the Western Cape, 2010)The expansion of the South African aquaculture industry coupled with the lack of effective parasite management strategies may potentially have negative effects on both the freshwater biodiversity and economics of the ... -
Spatia-temporal dynamics in land use and habitat fragmentation in the Sandveld, South Africa
(University of the Western Cape, 2010)The Cape Floristic Region (CFR) in South Africa, is one of the world's five Mediterranean hotspots, and is also one of the 34 global biodiversity hotspots. It has rich biological diversity, high level of species endemism ... -
Spatial analysis of open space in the quaternary catchment of the Lourens river
(2011)This thesis looks at aspects relating to vegetated open space in the quaternary catchment of the Lourens River, Cape Town, South Africa in 2005 and at GoogleEarth as a source of imagery for research. The research questions ... -
The inorganic pollution of the Franschhoek River : sources and solutions
(University of the Western Cape, 2011)The aim of the study was to quantify the extent of inorganic chemical pollution of the Franschhoek River and draw relationships between contaminants in water, sediment and plants. The invasive Acacia mearnsii and Salix ... -
Identifying and mapping invasive alien plant individuals and stands from aerial photography and satellite images in the central Hawequa conservation area
(University of the Western Cape, 2012)The Cape Floristic Region, situated at the southern tip of Africa, is one of the world’s most botanically diverse regions. The biodiversity of this region faces various types of threats, which can be divided into three ... -
The Effects of Cadmium and Lead on Phaseolus vulgaris
(University of the Western Cape, 2012)The demand for better quality produce by consumers is on the increase, as higher heavy metal concentrations pose a problem in agriculture. They result in decreased yield and unsuitable food for human consumption. This ... -
Vegetable farms in Cape Town: water quality and possible remediation techniques
(University of the Western Cape, 2012)Heavy metal contamination tends to be a problem in inner city agricultural areas and gardens. High levels of certain heavy metals have been found in the soil and vegetables in the Cape Town Metropolitan area. The aim of ... -
Effects of season and cohort on the haematology of the geometric tortoise Psammobates geometricus.
(University of the Western Cape, 2012)The geometric tortoise is one of the world‟s rarest terrestrial tortoises and is endemic to the Southwestern Cape, South Africa. There has been cause for conservation concern for Psammobates geometricus, yet as is common ... -
Monitoring water quality with riparian trees along the Berg River, Western Cape
(University of the Western Cape, 2012)Heavy metals and nutrients have long been regarded as pollutants to freshwater ecosystems. These elements have a detrimental effect on plants, animals and the water quality of rivers in South Africa. The Berg River flows ... -
The development, optimisation and evaluation of molecular methods to diagnose abalone tubercle mycosis (ATM) caused by Halioticida Noduliformans in South African abalone, Haliotis Midae
(University of the Western Cape, 2012)Land-based abalone aquaculture in South Africa started in the early 1990s and is based on the local species Haliotis midae. This industry expanded with great success over the last decade. In 2006 abalone exhibiting typical ... -
Studies on the diversity and spatial distribution of deep-water sponges along the west and south coasts of South Africa
(University of the Western Cape, 2013)This thesis explores the diversity, spatial patterns and community structure for the sponges (Porifera) along the west and south coasts of South Africa. Species collected were identified to the lowest level of lowest ... -
Corporate Social Responsibility in the South African forestry industry – a Western Cape perspective
(University of the Western Cape, 2013)Globally plantation forestry plays a pivotal role in terms of timber production, ecological services and maintaining local livelihoods. In South Africa commercial forestry occupies a relatively small portion of the total ... -
Can biofortified plants accumulate trace elements essential to the growth and development of humans?
(University of the Western Cape, 2013)This study aimed to determine the nutrient content (Co, Cr, F, I, Se and V) of various vegetable based food items collected from the Cape Town area in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. This was done to determine ... -
Medicinal plant use in the Dwarsrivier Valley, Stellenbosch
(University of the Western Cape, 2013)Plants have been used as medicine since antiquity. Passed on by word of mouth through the generations, this oral tradition is at risk of becoming extinct due to westernization and lack of documentation. The community in ... -
Long-term vegetation monitoring – a 33 year record from table mountain
(2013)Nearly 40 years ago McLachlan and Moll highlighted the need for a well-defined path system on the Western Table of Table Mountain in the immediate vicinity of the Upper Cable Station (UCS). At that time the numbers of ... -
Can bio fortified plants accumulate trace elements essential to the growth and development of humans?
(University of the Western Cape, 2013)Micronutrient and trace element deficiencies are a problem affecting nearly two billion people globally. The people affected the most by these deficiencies are those living in poor and rural communities in the developing ... -
Valuing the natural resources and ecosystem services of Leliefontein communal rangeland in Namaqualand, South Africa.
(University of the Western Cape, 2014)Natural resources play important roles in ecosystem service delivery, more especially in rural households where livelihoods depend heavily on natural resources for the delivery of ecosystem services. The various benefits ... -
Applications of DNA-barcoding in the identification and understanding of grass invasions in Southern Africa
(University of the Western Cape, 2014)The spread of invasive species is one of the greatest threats to global biodiversity. Alien plant invasions also have serious economic impact in terms of the delivery of ecosystem goods and services. Studies of biological ... -
Intra- and inter-population variation in the bladder grasshopper Bullacris unicolor
(University of the Western Cape, 2014)Although the processes that promote biodiversity and speciation remain poorly understood, ecological factors are thought to be one of the causal agents responsible for promoting variation. Bladder grasshoppers (Orthoptera; ...