Browsing Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology by Title
Now showing items 1-20 of 168
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Abalone nutrition – growth performance of Haliotis midae in relation to variable artificial feeds
(University of Western Cape, 2020)Abalone are among the most expensive and sought-after seafood subjects. In South Africa, Haliotis midae is the only commercially significant abalone species and it has become increasingly sold on the global market. The ... -
Acoustic signalling in bladder grasshoppers (orthoptera: pneumoridae)
(University of the Western Cape, 2022)Sound plays a vital communicative role in many Orthopteran insect species. Acoustic signals are often used during courtship behaviour and mate location. The Pneumoridae, commonly referred to as bladder grasshoppers, are ... -
Adequacy of existing protected areas in conserving biodiversity at global and regional levels in relation to socio-economic conditions
(University of the Western Cape, 2005)At a meeting of worl leaders at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, it was recognized that because of the tremendous increase in the size of the global populations (which ... -
Amphibian monitoring in Kakamega Forest, Kenya
(2007)Since the late 1970 there has been increased concern of amphibian decline and extinction. Several causes for the worldwide declines have been suggested and include ultraviolet radiation, predation, pollution, climate change, ... -
An acoustic, genetic and morphological review of the genus Bullacris (Orthoptera; Pneumoridae)
(University of the Western Cape, 2017)Bladder grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Pneumoridae) are nocturnal African herbivores that are endemic to the coastal regions of southern Africa. They rely heavily on sound communication for mate location and have a unique body ... -
An analysis of the fire regime and its effects on post-fire recovery in Namaqualand Granite Renosterveld vegetation
(University of the Western Cape, 2017)Namaqualand Granite Renosterveld (NGR) is a fire-prone shrubland largely confined to the Kamiesberg Uplands. More than 20% has been transformed by agricultural activities such as grazing and dryland cropping. The history ... -
An Investigation of Benthic Epifauna to Support Classification and Mapping of Outer Shelf Ecosystems in KwaZulu-Natal
(University of the Western Cape, 2017)Ecosystem classification and mapping are foundational steps for effective ecosystem-based marine spatial planning, marine ecosystem assessment and integrated ocean management. The aims of this study were to interrogate and ... -
An analysis of primary and secondary production in lake Kariba in a changing climate
(University of Western Cape, 2011)Analysis of temperature, rainfall and evaporation records over a 44-year period spanning the years 1964 to 2008 indicates changes in the climate around Lake Kariba. Mean annual temperatures have increased by approximately ... -
Analysis of three wetland medicinal plants: Centella asiatica, Cyperus longus and Typha capensis found in the Western Cape Province of South Africa.
(University of the Western Cape, 2017)South Africa is recognised worldwide for its rich diversity of plants, many of which have been used in ethno-medicine. However, the use of wetland plant species in ethno-medicine required further investigations. This ... -
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 ... -
Applying a lagrangian trajectory model to investigate and describe the distribution of drifting ecklonia maxima within the benguela upwelling system
(University of the Western Cape, 2023)Macroalgal morphological variation is determined to a large extent by a combination of environmental factors, with wave exposure and temperature perhaps the main influences, as they are key environmental properties to which ... -
Assessing livestock farmers' ecological knowledge and adaptation to climate and environmental change in arid regions of South Africa
(University of the Western Cape, 2017)Challenges that come with micro-level climate change projections have resulted in the inadequacy of our understanding of local climatic changes and the appropriate adaptation strategies. This has resulted in indigenous ... -
Assessing the quality of forage for livestock in a semi-arid pastoral system in South Africa
(University of the Western Cape, 2016)This study evaluated the nutritional quality of the forage plants in Namaqualand Granite Renosterveld vegetation in the Kamiesberg uplands of the Leliefontein communal area, South Africa. Determining the quality of forages ... -
Assessing the vegetation and soil microbial ecology of renosterveld rangelands around Nieuwoudtville, Northern Cape Province
(University of the Western Cape, 2015)The Bokkeveld Plateau, a region hosting high plant endemism, is home to two arid mountain centre renosterveld types. One, Nieuwoudtville Shale Renosterveld, has partially been transformed into croplands and pastures, with ... -
Assisted flocculation of Chlorella Sorokiniana by co-culture with filamentous fungi
(University of the Western Cape, 2015)Biofuel production from microalgae is currently not economically competitive with fossil fuels due to high operational costs. A sustainable system needs to be developed which considers cultivation, harvesting and conversion ... -
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 ... -
The behaviour and feeding ecology of extralimital giraffe within Albany Thicket vegetation in the Little Karoo, South Africa
(University of the Western Cape, 2018)Due to their popularity for tourism, giraffes are being introduced into Thicket areas within the Little Karoo region of the Western Cape. However, information regarding the activity budgets and diet selection of these ... -
Biochemical investigation of anti-cancer activity of Tulbaghia violacea
(UWC, 2012)Natural products have been a source of many pharmaceutical drugs and a number of drugs that are currently used in the treatment of cancer are derivatives of compounds originally isolated from natural products. There is ... -
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 ... -
Biomonitoring of heavy metals in the Eerste River catchment area
(University of the Western Cape, 2020)The risk of increasing global pollution dictates the need to understand environmental processes and develop innovative ways to monitor pollution levels and address associated problems. In order to address this need, this ...
