Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology: Recent submissions
Now showing items 21-40 of 167
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Autecology of the rhombic egg-eater, Dasypeltis scabra
(University of the Western Cape, 2022)Efforts to prevent global losses of biodiversity are hindered by incomplete knowledge of the functional importance of species. In part, this is due to a paucity of information on the basic biology of most species resulting ... -
How Do Teachers and Learners Navigate the Terrain of Ecology and What are the Associated Conceptual Understandings?
(University of the Western Cape, 2011)This thesis relates the teaching of ecology in schools to the requirements of the National Curriculum Statements, Grades R-9 and Grades 10-12, for Natural and Life Sciences. It examines the conceptual understanding of the ... -
Description and assessment of neuston 1 communities present in the South Indian Ocean
(University of the Western Cape, 2022)Animal communities living at the sea-surface are relatively poorly known, despite the fact that this biotope is globally distributed, it acts as an important nursery area for many commercially important taxa and supports ... -
Using faecal DNA to investigate the diet of the snakes, Psammophis crucifer and Psammophylax rhombeatus
(University of the Western Cape, 2022)Knowledge of the feeding ecology of an organism helps us to better understand predator-prey relationships and aspects of species biology, ecology and life-history traits. Understanding the feeding ecologies of snakes is ... -
Systematics of subtribe Anthosperminae and the generic affinities of Anthospermum and Nenax (Rubiaceae: Anthospermeae)
(University of Western Cape, 2021)The last taxonomic treatment of the subtribe Anthosperminae was in 1986 by Puff., nevertheless, few attempts have been made to resolve the phylogeny and the inter- and infrageneric relationships within the subtribe. The ... -
Heteroscleromorph demosponge taxonomy and diversity of the Amathole region (Eastern Cape, South Africa)
(University of Western Cape, 2022)Sponges are functionally important and ubiquitous components of the global marine benthos. South Africa accounts for roughly 4% of the global marine sponge diversity, comprising 374 described species and seven varieties/forms, ... -
A biogeographic, phylogenetic and taxonomic evaluation of South African orthopteran species (Orthoptera: Pneumoridae)
(University of the Western Cape, 2021)The order Orthoptera contains a wide diversity of species and is the most speciose of the polyneopteran insect lineages. In South Africa, the orthopteran fauna is abundant and diverse, with approximately 88% of all Southern ... -
The Shallow water bryozoans of the West Coast of South Africa
(University of the Western Cape, 2005)The South African biota is characterised by high levels of diversity and endemism. While commercially viable taxa have been well-studied, cryptic organisms such as bryozoans, have been neglected in terms of study. Taxonomic ... -
Re-descriptions of some southern African Scyphozoa: out with the old and in with the new
(University of the Western Cape, 2009)Two species of Chrysaora are described from the northern Benguela ecosystem: C. fulgida and C. africana. These species can be diagnosed by a combination of morphological features including lappet and tentacle number, shape ... -
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 ... -
The diet and feeding ecology of the brown house snake, Boaedon capensis
(University of the Western Cape, 2022)African brown house snakes (Boaedon capensis) are widely thought to be dietary specialists that predominantly consume rodents. Given their ubiquitous distribution, these snakes potentially play an important role in ... -
Taxonomy and diversity of the sponge fauna from the Agulhas bank hard reef complex off the South African south coast
(University of Western Cape, 2021)Hard benthic reefs are increasingly known as highly diverse biodiversity ecosystems where sponges constitute a significant proportion of inhabitants. Nearly 60% of the seabed over the inner and outer shelf on the Agulhas ... -
Studies on the ecology and taxonomy of nematodes of Saldanha Bay, South Africa
(University of the Western Cape, 2013)Few studies of shallow water marine nematodes have been conducted around South Africa, and none from the west coast. Here, I analyse the composition of nematode communities from six stations along a 3 km transect in Saldanha ... -
How do teachers and learners navigate the terrain of ecology and what are the associated conceptual understanding?
(2011)This thesis relates the teaching of ecology in schools to the requirements of the National Curriculum Statements, Grades R-9 and Grades 10-12, for Natural and Life Sciences. It examines the conceptual understanding of the ... -
Distributional and dietary overlap between two common squaloid sharks, squalus acutipinnis and squalus bassi, caught as bycatch off the coast of South Africa
(University of Western Cape, 2021)Squalus acutipinnis and S. bassi may be the most common dogfish species around South Africa, and show overlap in their latitudinal and bathymetric distributions. Even though these sharks are likely endemics, they are also ... -
A yeast 2-hybrid screen to identify and characterize interaction partners of the cancer associated protein Retinoblastoma binding protein 6
(University of the Western Cape, 2009)Retinoblastoma binding protein 6 (RBBP6) is a 250 kDa protein that is implicated in mRNA processing and ubiquitination functions and has been shown to be highly up-regulated in a number of cancers. In humans and mice, RBBP6 ... -
Evaluation of quantitative motility and zona pellucida binding of human spermatozoa in an assisted reproductive programme
(University of the Western Cape, 1994)Male factor disorders affect more than 30% of infertile couples. Thus, it has become important to perform a andrological consultation and a basic semen evaluation in all male partners of couples consulting for infertility. ... -
The effect of maternal nicotine exposure on the quantity and quality of neonatal rat lung connective tissue
(University of the Western Cape, 1994)The infants of smoking mothers (compared to non-smoking mothers) have been shown to have a lower birth mass, a lower brain mass, an increased perinatal mortality rate as well as a predisposition to respiratory abnormalities ... -
Carbon sequestration in cultivated and uncultivated Vachellia karroo sites in Tankwa Karoo National Park
(University of Western Cape, 2021)The Succulent Karoo Biome (SKB) in South Africa is widely reputed to house Earth’s greatest diversity of succulent plants. It is also famous for spectacular displays of annual flowers after good rains. The area experiences ... -
Evaluation of the level of compliance of Veterinary medicine package inserts with Regulatory authority guidelines
(University of the Western Cape, 2021)Background: Veterinary medicines play an imperative role in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of animal diseases. Many veterinary stock remedies in South Africa are available to the public without the intervention ...