Modelling Ionospheric vertical drifts over the African low latitude region
- Dubazane, Makhosonke Berthwell
- Authors: Dubazane, Makhosonke Berthwell
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Ionospheric drift , Magnetometers , Functions, Orthogonal , Neural networks (Computer science) , Ionospheric electron density -- Africa , Communication and Navigation Outage Forecasting Systems (C/NOFS)
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/63356 , vital:28396
- Description: Low/equatorial latitudes vertical plasma drifts and electric fields govern the formation and changes of ionospheric density structures which affect space-based systems such as communications, navigation and positioning. Dynamical and electrodynamical processes play important roles in plasma distribution at different altitudes. Because of the high variability of E × B drift in low latitude regions, coupled with various processes that sometimes originate from high latitudes especially during geomagnetic storm conditions, it is challenging to develop accurate vertical drift models. This is despite the fact that there are very few instruments dedicated to provide electric field and hence E × B drift data in low/equatorial latitude regions. To this effect, there exists no ground-based instrument for direct measurements of E×B drift data in the African sector. This study presents the first time investigation aimed at modelling the long-term variability of low latitude vertical E × B drift over the African sector using a combination of Communication and Navigation Outage Forecasting Systems (C/NOFS) and ground-based magnetometer observations/measurements during 2008-2013. Because the approach is based on the estimation of equatorial electrojet from ground-based magnetometer observations, the developed models are only valid for local daytime. Three modelling techniques have been considered. The application of Empirical Orthogonal Functions and partial least squares has been performed on vertical E × B drift modelling for the first time. The artificial neural networks that have the advantage of learning underlying changes between a set of inputs and known output were also used in vertical E × B drift modelling. Due to lack of E×B drift data over the African sector, the developed models were validated using satellite data and the climatological Scherliess-Fejer model incorporated within the International Reference Ionosphere model. Maximum correlation coefficient of ∼ 0.8 was achieved when validating the developed models with C/NOFS E × B drift observations that were not used in any model development. For most of the time, the climatological model overestimates the local daytime vertical E × B drift velocities. The methods and approach presented in this study provide a background for constructing vertical E ×B drift databases in longitude sectors that do not have radar instrumentation. This will in turn make it possible to study day-to-day variability of vertical E×B drift and hopefully lead to the development of regional and global models that will incorporate local time information in different longitude sectors.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Dubazane, Makhosonke Berthwell
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Ionospheric drift , Magnetometers , Functions, Orthogonal , Neural networks (Computer science) , Ionospheric electron density -- Africa , Communication and Navigation Outage Forecasting Systems (C/NOFS)
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/63356 , vital:28396
- Description: Low/equatorial latitudes vertical plasma drifts and electric fields govern the formation and changes of ionospheric density structures which affect space-based systems such as communications, navigation and positioning. Dynamical and electrodynamical processes play important roles in plasma distribution at different altitudes. Because of the high variability of E × B drift in low latitude regions, coupled with various processes that sometimes originate from high latitudes especially during geomagnetic storm conditions, it is challenging to develop accurate vertical drift models. This is despite the fact that there are very few instruments dedicated to provide electric field and hence E × B drift data in low/equatorial latitude regions. To this effect, there exists no ground-based instrument for direct measurements of E×B drift data in the African sector. This study presents the first time investigation aimed at modelling the long-term variability of low latitude vertical E × B drift over the African sector using a combination of Communication and Navigation Outage Forecasting Systems (C/NOFS) and ground-based magnetometer observations/measurements during 2008-2013. Because the approach is based on the estimation of equatorial electrojet from ground-based magnetometer observations, the developed models are only valid for local daytime. Three modelling techniques have been considered. The application of Empirical Orthogonal Functions and partial least squares has been performed on vertical E × B drift modelling for the first time. The artificial neural networks that have the advantage of learning underlying changes between a set of inputs and known output were also used in vertical E × B drift modelling. Due to lack of E×B drift data over the African sector, the developed models were validated using satellite data and the climatological Scherliess-Fejer model incorporated within the International Reference Ionosphere model. Maximum correlation coefficient of ∼ 0.8 was achieved when validating the developed models with C/NOFS E × B drift observations that were not used in any model development. For most of the time, the climatological model overestimates the local daytime vertical E × B drift velocities. The methods and approach presented in this study provide a background for constructing vertical E ×B drift databases in longitude sectors that do not have radar instrumentation. This will in turn make it possible to study day-to-day variability of vertical E×B drift and hopefully lead to the development of regional and global models that will incorporate local time information in different longitude sectors.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Modelling plant water use of the grassland and thicket biomes in the Eastern Cape, South Africa: towards an improved understanding of the impact of invasive alien plants on soil chemistry, biomass production and evapotranspiration
- Authors: Gwate, Onalenna
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Grasslands -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Invasive plants -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rangelands -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Range ecology-- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rangelands -- Water-supply , Rangelands -- Weed control , Evapotranspiration , Plant-water relationships
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/54800 , vital:26617
- Description: It is imperative to understand the strong coupling between the carbon capture process and water use to sustainably manage rangelands. Woody encroachment is undermining rangelands grass production. Evapotranspiration (ET) highlights the links between ecosystem carbon capture process and water use. It forms the biggest flux of the hydrological cycle after precipitation yet it is not well understood. The Grassland and the Albany Thicket (AT) biomes in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, provide an interesting space to study the dynamics in rangelands biomass production and the associated water use. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to contribute towards management of rangelands by understanding the dynamics in rangeland grass production and water use. To achieve this aim, the impact of Acacia mearnsii, an invasive alien plant, on soil chemical properties and rangelands grass production was investigated. This was achieved by analysing the biophysical attributes of A. mearnsii as they related to grass production. Secondly, selected soil variables that could be used as a prognosis for landscape recovery or deterioration were evaluated. In addition, aboveground grass biomass was measured in areas cleared of A. mearnsii and regression equations were prepared to help model aboveground grass biomass in areas cleared of A. mearnsi. The thesis also explored dynamics in water vapour and energy fluxes in these two biomes using an eddy covariance system. Consequently, water vapour and energy fluxes were evaluated in order to understand landscape water use and energy partitioning in the landscape. The study also tested the application of Penman-Monteith equation based algorithms for estimating ET with micrometeorological techniques used for validation. Pursuant to this, the Penman- Monteith-Leuning (PML) and Penman-Monteith-Palmer (PMP) equations were applied. In addition, some effort was devoted to improving the estimates of ET from the PMP by incorporating a direct soil evaporation component. Finally, the influence of local changes in catchment characteristics on ET was explored through the application of a variant of the Budyko framework and investigating dynamics in the evaporative index as well as applying tests for trends and shifts on ET and rainfall data to detect changes in mean quaternary catchment rainfall and ET. Results revealed that A. mearnsii affected soil chemical properties and impaired grass production in rangelands. Hence, thinning of canopies provided an optimal solution for enhanced landscape water use to sequestrate carbon, provide shade, grazing, and also wood fuel. It was also shown that across sites, ET was water limited since differences between reference ET and actual ET were large. ET was largely sensitive to vapour pressure deficit and surface conductance than to net radiation, indicating that the canopies were strongly coupled with the boundary layer. Rangeland ET was successfully simulated and evaporation from the soil was the dominant flux, hence there is scope for reducing the so-called ‘unproductive’ water use. Further, it was shown that the PML was better able to simulate ET compared to the PMP model as revealed by different model evaluation metrics such as the root mean square error, absolute mean square error and the root mean square observations standard deviation ratio. The incorporation of a soil evaporation component in the PMP model improved estimates of ET as revealed by the root mean square error. The results also indicated that both the catchment parameter (w) and the evaporative index were important in highlighting the impacts of land cover change on ET. It was also shown that, despite changes in the local environment such as catchment characteristics, global forces also affected ET at a local scale. Overall, the study demonstrated that combining remote sensing and ground based observations was important to better understand rangeland grass production and water use dynamics.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Gwate, Onalenna
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Grasslands -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Invasive plants -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rangelands -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Range ecology-- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rangelands -- Water-supply , Rangelands -- Weed control , Evapotranspiration , Plant-water relationships
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/54800 , vital:26617
- Description: It is imperative to understand the strong coupling between the carbon capture process and water use to sustainably manage rangelands. Woody encroachment is undermining rangelands grass production. Evapotranspiration (ET) highlights the links between ecosystem carbon capture process and water use. It forms the biggest flux of the hydrological cycle after precipitation yet it is not well understood. The Grassland and the Albany Thicket (AT) biomes in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, provide an interesting space to study the dynamics in rangelands biomass production and the associated water use. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to contribute towards management of rangelands by understanding the dynamics in rangeland grass production and water use. To achieve this aim, the impact of Acacia mearnsii, an invasive alien plant, on soil chemical properties and rangelands grass production was investigated. This was achieved by analysing the biophysical attributes of A. mearnsii as they related to grass production. Secondly, selected soil variables that could be used as a prognosis for landscape recovery or deterioration were evaluated. In addition, aboveground grass biomass was measured in areas cleared of A. mearnsii and regression equations were prepared to help model aboveground grass biomass in areas cleared of A. mearnsi. The thesis also explored dynamics in water vapour and energy fluxes in these two biomes using an eddy covariance system. Consequently, water vapour and energy fluxes were evaluated in order to understand landscape water use and energy partitioning in the landscape. The study also tested the application of Penman-Monteith equation based algorithms for estimating ET with micrometeorological techniques used for validation. Pursuant to this, the Penman- Monteith-Leuning (PML) and Penman-Monteith-Palmer (PMP) equations were applied. In addition, some effort was devoted to improving the estimates of ET from the PMP by incorporating a direct soil evaporation component. Finally, the influence of local changes in catchment characteristics on ET was explored through the application of a variant of the Budyko framework and investigating dynamics in the evaporative index as well as applying tests for trends and shifts on ET and rainfall data to detect changes in mean quaternary catchment rainfall and ET. Results revealed that A. mearnsii affected soil chemical properties and impaired grass production in rangelands. Hence, thinning of canopies provided an optimal solution for enhanced landscape water use to sequestrate carbon, provide shade, grazing, and also wood fuel. It was also shown that across sites, ET was water limited since differences between reference ET and actual ET were large. ET was largely sensitive to vapour pressure deficit and surface conductance than to net radiation, indicating that the canopies were strongly coupled with the boundary layer. Rangeland ET was successfully simulated and evaporation from the soil was the dominant flux, hence there is scope for reducing the so-called ‘unproductive’ water use. Further, it was shown that the PML was better able to simulate ET compared to the PMP model as revealed by different model evaluation metrics such as the root mean square error, absolute mean square error and the root mean square observations standard deviation ratio. The incorporation of a soil evaporation component in the PMP model improved estimates of ET as revealed by the root mean square error. The results also indicated that both the catchment parameter (w) and the evaporative index were important in highlighting the impacts of land cover change on ET. It was also shown that, despite changes in the local environment such as catchment characteristics, global forces also affected ET at a local scale. Overall, the study demonstrated that combining remote sensing and ground based observations was important to better understand rangeland grass production and water use dynamics.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Modulation of human Hsp90α conformational dynamics by allosteric ligand interaction at the c-terminal domain:
- Penkler, David L, Tastan Bishop, Özlem
- Authors: Penkler, David L , Tastan Bishop, Özlem
- Date: 2018
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/148402 , vital:38736 , DOI: 10.1101/386755
- Description: Recent years have seen heat shock protein 90 kDa (Hsp90) attract significant interest as a viable drug target, particularly for cancer. To date, designed inhibitors that target the ATPase domain demonstrate potent anti-proliferative effects, but have failed clinical trials due to high levels of associated toxicity. To circumvent this, the focus has shifted away from the ATPase domain. One option involves modulation of the protein through allosteric activation/inhibition. Here, we propose a novel approach: we use previously obtained information via residue perturbation scanning coupled with dynamic residue network analysis to identify allosteric drug targeting sites for inhibitor docking.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Penkler, David L , Tastan Bishop, Özlem
- Date: 2018
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/148402 , vital:38736 , DOI: 10.1101/386755
- Description: Recent years have seen heat shock protein 90 kDa (Hsp90) attract significant interest as a viable drug target, particularly for cancer. To date, designed inhibitors that target the ATPase domain demonstrate potent anti-proliferative effects, but have failed clinical trials due to high levels of associated toxicity. To circumvent this, the focus has shifted away from the ATPase domain. One option involves modulation of the protein through allosteric activation/inhibition. Here, we propose a novel approach: we use previously obtained information via residue perturbation scanning coupled with dynamic residue network analysis to identify allosteric drug targeting sites for inhibitor docking.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
More than just fields: Reframing deagrarianisation in landscapes and livelihoods
- Hebinck, Paul, Mtati, Nosiseko, Shackleton, Charlie M
- Authors: Hebinck, Paul , Mtati, Nosiseko , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/180322 , vital:43353 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2018.01.004"
- Description: This paper discusses the emergent properties of deagrarianisation processes in two villages in the central Eastern Cape, South Africa. The claim of is that much of the deagrarianisation literature and debate does not acknowledge the importance of landscapes and the interaction between their constituent elements, notably people, forests, grasslands, fields, grazing lands, open spaces, built environments and homesteads, all of which contribute to shaping and, in turn, are shaped by livelihoods. Conceptualising a landscape as a spatial entity and associated assemblage of practices, discourses and history, this paper dissects the landscape in terms of land uses for residential and cultural purposes, growing, grazing and gathering. These land use categories together represent the rural domain to which the villagers are attached as a place and a home. Their use of the land is not necessarily oriented to fully exploring its productive potential. The article explores the transformation from a productive landscape to one which largely hinges on consumption. The blurring of boundaries between the formally designated land use categories signifies the transformations occurring in many of the rural areas in the former homelands of South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Hebinck, Paul , Mtati, Nosiseko , Shackleton, Charlie M
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/180322 , vital:43353 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2018.01.004"
- Description: This paper discusses the emergent properties of deagrarianisation processes in two villages in the central Eastern Cape, South Africa. The claim of is that much of the deagrarianisation literature and debate does not acknowledge the importance of landscapes and the interaction between their constituent elements, notably people, forests, grasslands, fields, grazing lands, open spaces, built environments and homesteads, all of which contribute to shaping and, in turn, are shaped by livelihoods. Conceptualising a landscape as a spatial entity and associated assemblage of practices, discourses and history, this paper dissects the landscape in terms of land uses for residential and cultural purposes, growing, grazing and gathering. These land use categories together represent the rural domain to which the villagers are attached as a place and a home. Their use of the land is not necessarily oriented to fully exploring its productive potential. The article explores the transformation from a productive landscape to one which largely hinges on consumption. The blurring of boundaries between the formally designated land use categories signifies the transformations occurring in many of the rural areas in the former homelands of South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Morphological and genetic variation of Gymnothorax undulatus (Anguilliformes: Muraenidae) in the Western Indian Ocean
- Authors: Sithole, Yonela
- Date: 2018
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/63722 , vital:28476
- Description: Expected release date-April 2019
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Sithole, Yonela
- Date: 2018
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/63722 , vital:28476
- Description: Expected release date-April 2019
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Morphological and symbiotic root modifications for mineral acquisition from nutrient-poor soils
- Kleinert, Aleysia, Benedito, V A, Morcillo, R J L, Dames, Joanna F, Cornejo-Rivas, P, Zuniga-Feest, A, Delgado, Mabel, Muñoz, Gaston
- Authors: Kleinert, Aleysia , Benedito, V A , Morcillo, R J L , Dames, Joanna F , Cornejo-Rivas, P , Zuniga-Feest, A , Delgado, Mabel , Muñoz, Gaston
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/448640 , vital:74748 , https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75910-4_4
- Description: Plants have the ability to form vast root systems with lengths measuring up to several kilometers and branch roots numbering in millions. These expansive root systems provide plants with a large surface area for water and nutrient uptake from the surrounding soil. Roots also have further equally important functions to fulfil such as vegetative reproduction, hormone biosynthesis, photoassimilate storage, and the establishment of symbiotic relationships with microorganisms. Root systems have evolved several adaptations to aid them in maximizing nutrient uptake. These adaptations can be morphological such as changes in the root architecture or formation of cluster roots or may be symbiotic associations with mycorrhizae or nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Improvement of nutrient acquisition and use by plants is imperative for economic, humanitarian, and environmental reasons, and a better understanding of the processes governing root adaptations would enable us to adapt fertilizer and pesticide programs. In this chapter, we will focus on both morphological (cluster roots) and symbiotic root adaptations (associations with ectomycorrhizae, arbuscular mycorrhizae, and nitrogen-fixing bacteria) to soil nutrient deficiencies.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Kleinert, Aleysia , Benedito, V A , Morcillo, R J L , Dames, Joanna F , Cornejo-Rivas, P , Zuniga-Feest, A , Delgado, Mabel , Muñoz, Gaston
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/448640 , vital:74748 , https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75910-4_4
- Description: Plants have the ability to form vast root systems with lengths measuring up to several kilometers and branch roots numbering in millions. These expansive root systems provide plants with a large surface area for water and nutrient uptake from the surrounding soil. Roots also have further equally important functions to fulfil such as vegetative reproduction, hormone biosynthesis, photoassimilate storage, and the establishment of symbiotic relationships with microorganisms. Root systems have evolved several adaptations to aid them in maximizing nutrient uptake. These adaptations can be morphological such as changes in the root architecture or formation of cluster roots or may be symbiotic associations with mycorrhizae or nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Improvement of nutrient acquisition and use by plants is imperative for economic, humanitarian, and environmental reasons, and a better understanding of the processes governing root adaptations would enable us to adapt fertilizer and pesticide programs. In this chapter, we will focus on both morphological (cluster roots) and symbiotic root adaptations (associations with ectomycorrhizae, arbuscular mycorrhizae, and nitrogen-fixing bacteria) to soil nutrient deficiencies.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Morphological, genetic and biological characterisation of a novel alphabaculovirus isolated from Cryptophlebia peltastica (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)
- Marsberg, Tamryn, Jukes, Michael, Krejmer-Rabalska, Martyna, Rabalski, Lukasz, Knox, Caroline M, Moore, Sean D, Hill, Martin P, Szewczyk, Boguslaw
- Authors: Marsberg, Tamryn , Jukes, Michael , Krejmer-Rabalska, Martyna , Rabalski, Lukasz , Knox, Caroline M , Moore, Sean D , Hill, Martin P , Szewczyk, Boguslaw
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/419330 , vital:71635 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jip.2018.08.006"
- Description: Cryptophlebia peltastica is an agricultural pest of litchis and macadamias in South Africa with phytosanitary status for certain markets. Current control methods rely on chemical, cultural and classical biological control. However, a microbial control option has not been developed. An Alphabaculovirus from C. peltastica was recovered from a laboratory reared colony and morphologically characterised by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Analysis of occlusion bodies indicated a single NPV (SNPV) varying in size from 421 to 1263 nm. PCR amplification and sequencing of the polh gene region using universal primers followed by BLAST analysis revealed a 93% similarity to a partial polh gene sequence from Epinotia granitalis NPV. Further genetic characterisation involving single restriction endonuclease (REN) digestion of genomic DNA was carried out to generate profiles for comparison against other baculovirus species and potential new isolates of the same virus. The complete genome of the virus was sequenced, assembled and analysed for a more comprehensive genetic analysis. The genome was 115 728 base pairs (bp) in length with a GC content of 37.2%. A total of 126 open reading frames (ORFs) were identified with minimal overlap and no preference in orientation. Bioassays were used to determine the virulence of the NPV against C. peltastica. The NPV was virulent against C. peltastica with an LC50 value of 6.46 × 103 OBs/ml and an LC90 value of 2.46 × 105 OBs/ml, and time mortality ranging between 76.32 h and 93.49 h. This is the first study to describe the isolation and genetic characterisation of a novel SNPV from C. peltastica, which has potential for development into a biopesticide for the control of this pest in South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Marsberg, Tamryn , Jukes, Michael , Krejmer-Rabalska, Martyna , Rabalski, Lukasz , Knox, Caroline M , Moore, Sean D , Hill, Martin P , Szewczyk, Boguslaw
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/419330 , vital:71635 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jip.2018.08.006"
- Description: Cryptophlebia peltastica is an agricultural pest of litchis and macadamias in South Africa with phytosanitary status for certain markets. Current control methods rely on chemical, cultural and classical biological control. However, a microbial control option has not been developed. An Alphabaculovirus from C. peltastica was recovered from a laboratory reared colony and morphologically characterised by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Analysis of occlusion bodies indicated a single NPV (SNPV) varying in size from 421 to 1263 nm. PCR amplification and sequencing of the polh gene region using universal primers followed by BLAST analysis revealed a 93% similarity to a partial polh gene sequence from Epinotia granitalis NPV. Further genetic characterisation involving single restriction endonuclease (REN) digestion of genomic DNA was carried out to generate profiles for comparison against other baculovirus species and potential new isolates of the same virus. The complete genome of the virus was sequenced, assembled and analysed for a more comprehensive genetic analysis. The genome was 115 728 base pairs (bp) in length with a GC content of 37.2%. A total of 126 open reading frames (ORFs) were identified with minimal overlap and no preference in orientation. Bioassays were used to determine the virulence of the NPV against C. peltastica. The NPV was virulent against C. peltastica with an LC50 value of 6.46 × 103 OBs/ml and an LC90 value of 2.46 × 105 OBs/ml, and time mortality ranging between 76.32 h and 93.49 h. This is the first study to describe the isolation and genetic characterisation of a novel SNPV from C. peltastica, which has potential for development into a biopesticide for the control of this pest in South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Movement of coastal fishery species in Southern Africa: research trends, characterisation of behaviours and a case study on fishery implications
- Authors: Maggs, Jade Quinton
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Fishery management -- Africa, Southern , Fisheries -- Africa, Southern , Fisheries -- Catch effort , Fisheries -- Environmental aspects , Fisheries --Monitoring , Biotelemetry , Sustainable fisheries -- Africa, Southern , Overfishing -- Africa, Southern
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/60574 , vital:27798
- Description: Movement of fishes is an integral part of their daily life, but has significant implications for fishery management. As with nearly all coastal countries, South Africa relies on coastal fisheries as a renewable resource, but many stocks have been overexploited for decades. Although it has long been recognised that an understanding of fish movement is necessary for effective management, it is with some difficulty that the subject has been studied in the past. In recent years, however, improvements in technology have provided the means for more in-depth investigations into fish movement. This research has revealed a range of complex movement behaviours. Movement in fishes occurs on a variety of temporal and spatial scales leading to the characteristic patterns of distribution and abundance observed in marine ecosystems. Fishes move nearly constantly in search of food, shelter or reproductive opportunities. Observations of behaviours such as long-term site fidelity, longdistance migration and natal homing are enabling ecologists to understand patterns of distribution and abundance within a species' range. Fish movement around the South African coast has been studied on numerous occasions but this has largely been confined to studies on single species. Movement behaviour of multiple species has been studied, but this has been limited to spatially localised marine protected area research. There has been little attempt in southern Africa to synthesize interspecific movement behaviour over wide spatial scales.Unprecedented concern over the biological effects of overexploitation, together with rapid technological advances in biotelemetry, have provided the impetus for much research, on a global scale, into the movement of marine animals. I reviewed 101 marine and estuarine fish movement studies from southern Africa, published from 1928 to 2014, with the aim of synthesising research trends and findings. Trends showed an increasing emphasis on fish movement research in publications in the sub-tropical and warm-temperate biogeographic regions along the south and east coasts of southern Africa. Although 63% of publications featured only marine studies, research into fine-scale habitat use in estuaries has been on the increase, concomitant with increasing accessibility of biotelemetry. Overall, 26 fish families were identified in the surveyed literature with regionally endemic sparids featuring in 32% of the publications. Ten movement themes were identified in the surveyed literature, including broad-scale movement patterns, which featured in 68% of studies, followed by fine- scale habitat usage (33%) and protected areas (26%). The most prominent phenomenon, emerging from this research, is that of partial migration, which describes the occurrence of resident and migratory behaviour within a coexisting animal population. Substantial progress has also been made in unravelling the complexities of fine-scale movements in marine reserves and habitat usage in estuaries. While this knowledge has enabled more effective management of South Africa's multi-user, multi-species fisheries, focus should now be directed at improving our understanding of the commonalities in movement behaviour, the associated driving forces behind this behaviour and the extent of movement across reserve boundaries. Mark-recapture data, collected over the past 30 years by the Oceanographic Research Institute’s Cooperative Fish Tagging Project (ORICFTP), were used to investigate broad- scale movement patterns of 30 prominent coastal fishery species (Chapter 4). Fishes were tagged with plastic dart tags along the coastline of southern Africa from Angola to Mozambique. This exercise yielded more than 10000 recaptures. The 30 chosen species represented 14 families, although 12 species belonged to a single family (Sparidae). Overall, 67% of recaptures were reported from the original tagging locality and 73% were recorded within 5 km of the tagging locality. The remaining observations extended from 6-3000 km. Movements were assigned to four distance bins (0-5 km, 6-50km, 51-500km and >500 km) and modelled with an ordinal logistic regression. Species, life-stage (juvenile/adult) and time- at-liberty were included as predictor variables. Model coefficients were then included in a cluster analysis, which produced two primary groupings of species (Category I and II), with two sub-groupings (Category IIa and IIb). Category I species were characterised by wide-ranging movements, greatest median recapture length and highest trophic levels. Category II species were characterised by residency, lower median recapture length and lower trophic levels. These findings have implications for fisheries management. Exploitation of resident species may lead to localised depletion, but their diffuse spatial distribution may offer some resilience. In contrast, even localised targeting of migratory species may pose a population level risk if individuals are known to aggregate. Life-cycle diversity or intra-population variability describes the existence of alternative strategies or tactics among coexisting individuals within an animal population (Chapter 5). Partial migration is a specific case of life-cycle diversity where coexisting groups exhibit either resident or migratory (wide-ranging) behaviour within a single population. Mark- recapture data collected under the auspices of the ORICFTP were used to investigate the occurrence and nature of life-cycle diversity in the movement behaviour of five non- diadromous fish species around the coastline of southern Africa. Among the five species were three teleosts (Category I and IIa) and two elasmobranchs (Category I). A fish was considered to have remained resident if recaptured within 0-5 km after 365 days at liberty. A fish was considered to have undertaken a wide-ranging movement if recaptured more than 50 km away from the release site in 365 days or less. A total of 1848 individuals from the five study species were recaptured during the study, of which 73% of the observations were classified as being resident. Binomial logistic regression confirmed that species, life-stage (juvenile/adult) and ecoregion were significant (p < 0.001) predictors of the probability of wide-ranging behaviour. A Gaussian model confirmed that species and ecoregion were also significant (p < 0.001) predictors of direction and distance of wide-ranging movement. However, the direction and distance of wide-ranging movements in juveniles did not differ significantly (p > 0.05) to that of adults. The median growth rate was mostly greater in wide- ranging individuals; however, this was only statistically significant (p < 0.05) in two cases. These findings provide unequivocal evidence of life-cycle diversity in five fish species, with vastly different life-histories. This ecological phenomenon may provide species resilience at the population level and needs to be considered in fisheries management initiatives. The movement of fishes is a fundamental aspect to consider when designing fishery management regimes. Unfortunately, traditional management strategies have often disregarded movement behaviour to the detriment of fish populations (Chapter 6). As a case study, the management of Lichia amia (Category I: wide-ranging) was evaluated in the context of its movement behaviour. Long-term catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) datasets were examined for three South African recreational fishery sectors. The CPUE was standardised using generalized linear models (delta-Gamma/hurdle approach) to reduce the effect of factors other than abundance. Factors that were available for this purpose were year, month and locality/zone. Year was included in every model as the primary objective was to detect trends in abundance over time. Although standardised CPUE for all sectors showed an overall long-term decline, there was considerable variability in trends between the different recreational sectors and between datasets. Contrasting trends between competitive shore angling and general shore angling datasets were ascribed to hyperstability in competitive CPUE data. Hyperstability in this case was mostly influenced by rapidly improving technology, techniques and communication networks amongst competitive anglers. Month and locality were significant factors explaining the probability of catching L. amia. This suggests that the predictable aggregatory behaviour of this species could further compound the observed CPUE hyperstability. Although the CPUE responded positively for six years after implementation of the first minimum size and bag limits, and for one year after the decommercialisation of the species, these regulations and their amendments failed to arrest a long-term decline in the CPUE despite the ample evidence for hyperstability. It is clear from this case study that the predictable nature of wide-ranging behaviour in L. amia has made the population vulnerable to exploitation. This has led to the demise in the population, which could have been worse if not for the occurrence of intra-population variability in its movement behaviour, which may provide some measure of resilience.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Maggs, Jade Quinton
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Fishery management -- Africa, Southern , Fisheries -- Africa, Southern , Fisheries -- Catch effort , Fisheries -- Environmental aspects , Fisheries --Monitoring , Biotelemetry , Sustainable fisheries -- Africa, Southern , Overfishing -- Africa, Southern
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/60574 , vital:27798
- Description: Movement of fishes is an integral part of their daily life, but has significant implications for fishery management. As with nearly all coastal countries, South Africa relies on coastal fisheries as a renewable resource, but many stocks have been overexploited for decades. Although it has long been recognised that an understanding of fish movement is necessary for effective management, it is with some difficulty that the subject has been studied in the past. In recent years, however, improvements in technology have provided the means for more in-depth investigations into fish movement. This research has revealed a range of complex movement behaviours. Movement in fishes occurs on a variety of temporal and spatial scales leading to the characteristic patterns of distribution and abundance observed in marine ecosystems. Fishes move nearly constantly in search of food, shelter or reproductive opportunities. Observations of behaviours such as long-term site fidelity, longdistance migration and natal homing are enabling ecologists to understand patterns of distribution and abundance within a species' range. Fish movement around the South African coast has been studied on numerous occasions but this has largely been confined to studies on single species. Movement behaviour of multiple species has been studied, but this has been limited to spatially localised marine protected area research. There has been little attempt in southern Africa to synthesize interspecific movement behaviour over wide spatial scales.Unprecedented concern over the biological effects of overexploitation, together with rapid technological advances in biotelemetry, have provided the impetus for much research, on a global scale, into the movement of marine animals. I reviewed 101 marine and estuarine fish movement studies from southern Africa, published from 1928 to 2014, with the aim of synthesising research trends and findings. Trends showed an increasing emphasis on fish movement research in publications in the sub-tropical and warm-temperate biogeographic regions along the south and east coasts of southern Africa. Although 63% of publications featured only marine studies, research into fine-scale habitat use in estuaries has been on the increase, concomitant with increasing accessibility of biotelemetry. Overall, 26 fish families were identified in the surveyed literature with regionally endemic sparids featuring in 32% of the publications. Ten movement themes were identified in the surveyed literature, including broad-scale movement patterns, which featured in 68% of studies, followed by fine- scale habitat usage (33%) and protected areas (26%). The most prominent phenomenon, emerging from this research, is that of partial migration, which describes the occurrence of resident and migratory behaviour within a coexisting animal population. Substantial progress has also been made in unravelling the complexities of fine-scale movements in marine reserves and habitat usage in estuaries. While this knowledge has enabled more effective management of South Africa's multi-user, multi-species fisheries, focus should now be directed at improving our understanding of the commonalities in movement behaviour, the associated driving forces behind this behaviour and the extent of movement across reserve boundaries. Mark-recapture data, collected over the past 30 years by the Oceanographic Research Institute’s Cooperative Fish Tagging Project (ORICFTP), were used to investigate broad- scale movement patterns of 30 prominent coastal fishery species (Chapter 4). Fishes were tagged with plastic dart tags along the coastline of southern Africa from Angola to Mozambique. This exercise yielded more than 10000 recaptures. The 30 chosen species represented 14 families, although 12 species belonged to a single family (Sparidae). Overall, 67% of recaptures were reported from the original tagging locality and 73% were recorded within 5 km of the tagging locality. The remaining observations extended from 6-3000 km. Movements were assigned to four distance bins (0-5 km, 6-50km, 51-500km and >500 km) and modelled with an ordinal logistic regression. Species, life-stage (juvenile/adult) and time- at-liberty were included as predictor variables. Model coefficients were then included in a cluster analysis, which produced two primary groupings of species (Category I and II), with two sub-groupings (Category IIa and IIb). Category I species were characterised by wide-ranging movements, greatest median recapture length and highest trophic levels. Category II species were characterised by residency, lower median recapture length and lower trophic levels. These findings have implications for fisheries management. Exploitation of resident species may lead to localised depletion, but their diffuse spatial distribution may offer some resilience. In contrast, even localised targeting of migratory species may pose a population level risk if individuals are known to aggregate. Life-cycle diversity or intra-population variability describes the existence of alternative strategies or tactics among coexisting individuals within an animal population (Chapter 5). Partial migration is a specific case of life-cycle diversity where coexisting groups exhibit either resident or migratory (wide-ranging) behaviour within a single population. Mark- recapture data collected under the auspices of the ORICFTP were used to investigate the occurrence and nature of life-cycle diversity in the movement behaviour of five non- diadromous fish species around the coastline of southern Africa. Among the five species were three teleosts (Category I and IIa) and two elasmobranchs (Category I). A fish was considered to have remained resident if recaptured within 0-5 km after 365 days at liberty. A fish was considered to have undertaken a wide-ranging movement if recaptured more than 50 km away from the release site in 365 days or less. A total of 1848 individuals from the five study species were recaptured during the study, of which 73% of the observations were classified as being resident. Binomial logistic regression confirmed that species, life-stage (juvenile/adult) and ecoregion were significant (p < 0.001) predictors of the probability of wide-ranging behaviour. A Gaussian model confirmed that species and ecoregion were also significant (p < 0.001) predictors of direction and distance of wide-ranging movement. However, the direction and distance of wide-ranging movements in juveniles did not differ significantly (p > 0.05) to that of adults. The median growth rate was mostly greater in wide- ranging individuals; however, this was only statistically significant (p < 0.05) in two cases. These findings provide unequivocal evidence of life-cycle diversity in five fish species, with vastly different life-histories. This ecological phenomenon may provide species resilience at the population level and needs to be considered in fisheries management initiatives. The movement of fishes is a fundamental aspect to consider when designing fishery management regimes. Unfortunately, traditional management strategies have often disregarded movement behaviour to the detriment of fish populations (Chapter 6). As a case study, the management of Lichia amia (Category I: wide-ranging) was evaluated in the context of its movement behaviour. Long-term catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) datasets were examined for three South African recreational fishery sectors. The CPUE was standardised using generalized linear models (delta-Gamma/hurdle approach) to reduce the effect of factors other than abundance. Factors that were available for this purpose were year, month and locality/zone. Year was included in every model as the primary objective was to detect trends in abundance over time. Although standardised CPUE for all sectors showed an overall long-term decline, there was considerable variability in trends between the different recreational sectors and between datasets. Contrasting trends between competitive shore angling and general shore angling datasets were ascribed to hyperstability in competitive CPUE data. Hyperstability in this case was mostly influenced by rapidly improving technology, techniques and communication networks amongst competitive anglers. Month and locality were significant factors explaining the probability of catching L. amia. This suggests that the predictable aggregatory behaviour of this species could further compound the observed CPUE hyperstability. Although the CPUE responded positively for six years after implementation of the first minimum size and bag limits, and for one year after the decommercialisation of the species, these regulations and their amendments failed to arrest a long-term decline in the CPUE despite the ample evidence for hyperstability. It is clear from this case study that the predictable nature of wide-ranging behaviour in L. amia has made the population vulnerable to exploitation. This has led to the demise in the population, which could have been worse if not for the occurrence of intra-population variability in its movement behaviour, which may provide some measure of resilience.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Naming in Germany in the 20th century: a sociological study of naming in times of social change, with a focus on statistical problems in empirical onomastic research
- Authors: Huschka, Denis
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Onomastics , Names, Personal -- Germany , Names, German -- Etymology , Names, German -- Social aspects , German language -- Etymology -- Names , German Socio Economic Panel Study (SOEP)
- Language: German , English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/63054 , vital:28359
- Description: In this thesis names are used as social indicators to observe social change in Germany in the 20th century. The German Socio Economic Panel Study (SOEP) offers the rare opportunity to analyse representative survey data of first names. The empirical results of the analyses in this thesis offer a comprehensive picture on how the naming reality in Germany looks like and how naming changed in a period of about 100 years. Names can serve as social indicators. It is demonstrated how chosen names mirror social change in the German society: Name choices have become less traditional and more individual. Over time names from other world regions and cultures have found their way into the German culture. There are more different names in use today than 100 years ago and the names have become more evenly distributed over the population. Today children are less likely to share their names with many of their peers. These are signs of an increasingly individualised, transnationalised modern behaviour of the people in contemporary Germany. Almost all of these developments started earlier and tend to be more pronounced for girl’s names. The secularisation of the German society - however - did not cause substantial changes in naming over time. Christian names still are used to the greatest extent, but – possibly – not because they are regarded as being of Christian origin. The analyses of the social-structural influences on naming touch on some effects of education and status. The analyses of differences in naming between the two German states during the time of division adds some evidence to the real-life experience that naming in the communist East Germany was much more oriented towards the free western hemisphere – a kind of silent protest. Obviously naming was a possibility to distance oneself from an un-loved regime. On a methodological level referring to onomastics, the so-called „Large Number of are Events-Zone (LNRE)“, a feature of the distribution of names that has mostly been handled inappropriately up to now, is discussed with respect to its effects on name statistics when using samples. An alternative approach is proposed for the appropriate handling of this feature. , In der vorliegenden Arbeit werden Vornamen als soziale Indikatoren benutzt, um gesellschaftlichen Wandel im 20. Jahrhundert zu beschreiben. Das Soziooekonomische Panel (SOEP) bietet die seltene Möglichkeit, Umfragedaten über die Vornamen der Deutschen repräsentativ auszuwerten. Die empirischen Ergebnisse der vorliegenden Arbeit bieten einen umfassenden Einblick in die deutsche Vornamensrealität und über die Entwicklungen der Namensvergabe in 100 Jahren. Namen sind soziale Indikatoren. Es wird aufgezeigt, wie die Namensgebung den sozialen Wandel in der deutschen Gesellschaft spiegelt: Namenwahlen weisen über die Zeit weniger traditionelle Bezüge auf, sie wurden individueller. Namen aus anderen Kulturen und Ländern fanden Eingang in die deutsche Kultur. Es werden mehr verschiedene Namen benutzt als vor 100 Jahren und die typischerweise hoch konzentrierten Verteilungen der Vornamen stellen sich über die Zeit etwas weniger konzentriert dar. Heute geborene Kinder teilen ihre Namen mit anteilig weniger anderen Kindern ihrer Kohorte. Dies sind Anzeichen für eine individualisierte, transnational orientierte moderne Gesellschaft. Fast alle dieser Entwicklungen sind für Mädchennamen früher und in deutlicherem Maße zu beobachten. Die Säkularisierung der deutschen Gesellschaft hat hingegen wenig Einfluss auf die Vornamenswahlen genommen. Nach wie vor werden vor allem christliche Namen vergeben, auch wenn der christliche Bezug unter Umständen nicht mehr der maßgebliche Grund für die Auswahl ist. Die Analyse der sozialstrukturellen Einflüsse auf Namenswahlen bestätigt einige Effekte von Bildung und Status der Mütter. Die Analyse der Unterschiede in der Namensgebung der beiden deutschen Staaten während der 40 jährigen Teilung zeigt, dass der lebensweltliche Eindruck einer zunehmenden West-Orientierung der Namenswahlen ostdeutscher Eltern nicht trügt. Offenbar waren westliche Namen eine Möglichkeit, sich vom ungeliebten Regime zu distanzieren. Auf einer statistisch-methodischen Ebene wird eine bislang in der empirischen Onomastik unrichtig gehandhabte Besonderheit von Vornamensverteilungen – die Large Number of Rare Events-Zone (LNRE) – diskutiert und Lösungsvorschläge für den statistisch korrekten Umgang mit dieser Besonderheit in Gruppenvergleichen auf der Basis von Stichproben vorgelegt.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Huschka, Denis
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Onomastics , Names, Personal -- Germany , Names, German -- Etymology , Names, German -- Social aspects , German language -- Etymology -- Names , German Socio Economic Panel Study (SOEP)
- Language: German , English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/63054 , vital:28359
- Description: In this thesis names are used as social indicators to observe social change in Germany in the 20th century. The German Socio Economic Panel Study (SOEP) offers the rare opportunity to analyse representative survey data of first names. The empirical results of the analyses in this thesis offer a comprehensive picture on how the naming reality in Germany looks like and how naming changed in a period of about 100 years. Names can serve as social indicators. It is demonstrated how chosen names mirror social change in the German society: Name choices have become less traditional and more individual. Over time names from other world regions and cultures have found their way into the German culture. There are more different names in use today than 100 years ago and the names have become more evenly distributed over the population. Today children are less likely to share their names with many of their peers. These are signs of an increasingly individualised, transnationalised modern behaviour of the people in contemporary Germany. Almost all of these developments started earlier and tend to be more pronounced for girl’s names. The secularisation of the German society - however - did not cause substantial changes in naming over time. Christian names still are used to the greatest extent, but – possibly – not because they are regarded as being of Christian origin. The analyses of the social-structural influences on naming touch on some effects of education and status. The analyses of differences in naming between the two German states during the time of division adds some evidence to the real-life experience that naming in the communist East Germany was much more oriented towards the free western hemisphere – a kind of silent protest. Obviously naming was a possibility to distance oneself from an un-loved regime. On a methodological level referring to onomastics, the so-called „Large Number of are Events-Zone (LNRE)“, a feature of the distribution of names that has mostly been handled inappropriately up to now, is discussed with respect to its effects on name statistics when using samples. An alternative approach is proposed for the appropriate handling of this feature. , In der vorliegenden Arbeit werden Vornamen als soziale Indikatoren benutzt, um gesellschaftlichen Wandel im 20. Jahrhundert zu beschreiben. Das Soziooekonomische Panel (SOEP) bietet die seltene Möglichkeit, Umfragedaten über die Vornamen der Deutschen repräsentativ auszuwerten. Die empirischen Ergebnisse der vorliegenden Arbeit bieten einen umfassenden Einblick in die deutsche Vornamensrealität und über die Entwicklungen der Namensvergabe in 100 Jahren. Namen sind soziale Indikatoren. Es wird aufgezeigt, wie die Namensgebung den sozialen Wandel in der deutschen Gesellschaft spiegelt: Namenwahlen weisen über die Zeit weniger traditionelle Bezüge auf, sie wurden individueller. Namen aus anderen Kulturen und Ländern fanden Eingang in die deutsche Kultur. Es werden mehr verschiedene Namen benutzt als vor 100 Jahren und die typischerweise hoch konzentrierten Verteilungen der Vornamen stellen sich über die Zeit etwas weniger konzentriert dar. Heute geborene Kinder teilen ihre Namen mit anteilig weniger anderen Kindern ihrer Kohorte. Dies sind Anzeichen für eine individualisierte, transnational orientierte moderne Gesellschaft. Fast alle dieser Entwicklungen sind für Mädchennamen früher und in deutlicherem Maße zu beobachten. Die Säkularisierung der deutschen Gesellschaft hat hingegen wenig Einfluss auf die Vornamenswahlen genommen. Nach wie vor werden vor allem christliche Namen vergeben, auch wenn der christliche Bezug unter Umständen nicht mehr der maßgebliche Grund für die Auswahl ist. Die Analyse der sozialstrukturellen Einflüsse auf Namenswahlen bestätigt einige Effekte von Bildung und Status der Mütter. Die Analyse der Unterschiede in der Namensgebung der beiden deutschen Staaten während der 40 jährigen Teilung zeigt, dass der lebensweltliche Eindruck einer zunehmenden West-Orientierung der Namenswahlen ostdeutscher Eltern nicht trügt. Offenbar waren westliche Namen eine Möglichkeit, sich vom ungeliebten Regime zu distanzieren. Auf einer statistisch-methodischen Ebene wird eine bislang in der empirischen Onomastik unrichtig gehandhabte Besonderheit von Vornamensverteilungen – die Large Number of Rare Events-Zone (LNRE) – diskutiert und Lösungsvorschläge für den statistisch korrekten Umgang mit dieser Besonderheit in Gruppenvergleichen auf der Basis von Stichproben vorgelegt.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Narrated experiences of the pre-termination of pregnancy counselling healthcare encounter in the Eastern Cape public health sector
- Mavuso, Jabulile Mary-Jane Jace
- Authors: Mavuso, Jabulile Mary-Jane Jace
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Abortion counseling -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Abortion -- Psychological aspects , Abortion -- Social aspects , Pro-choice movement -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Reproductive rights -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Women -- Sexual behavior -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Women -- South Africa -- Social conditions
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/62928 , vital:28311
- Description: Research that has been conducted about experiences of pre-abortion counselling tends to investigate either womxn's1 or healthcare providers' experiences separately, with research on womxn's experiences of abortion and abortion counselling dominating this area of research. Although some of the studies on womxn's abortion experiences have explored womxn's experiences of interactions between themselves and healthcare providers, these aspects have been underreported. To my knowledge, research that also explores womxn's interactions among themselves in the waiting room has not been done. Furthermore, research that explores the pre-termination of pregnancy healthcare encounter, where womxn's and healthcare providers' experiences of waiting room interactions and of pre-abortion counselling practices are seen as interrelated, has not been conducted. Research that has been conducted among womxn's experiences show that womxn have varying experiences of pre-abortion counselling, with some finding it useful while other womxn have found it to be lacking in relevance to their specific situation or needs. Research conducted among healthcare providers also points to varying experiences, with some healthcare providers stratifying womxn's reasons for abortion according to the acceptability of the request. This study explores health service providers’ and womxn’s narrated experiences of the pre-termination of pregnancy healthcare encounter (waiting room interactions and pre-abortion counselling) in the Eastern Cape public health sector. An African feminist post-structural approach, which enables analysis of how discursive structures and power relations may underpin African womxn's experiences of oppression and resistance, was used. Fusing this approach with a narrative-discursive analysis, enabled an exploration of the discursive resources drawn upon and the power relations referred to by participants when constructing micro-narratives and accounts of their experiences of waiting room interactions and pre-abortion counselling practices. This fusion enabled an understanding of the micro (individual) and macro (social) and how they interact and come to bear on experiences of the pre-abortion counselling healthcare encounter. Womxn's micro-narratives and healthcare providers' accounts were compared for convergences and divergences in the pre-abortion counselling practices they described. The implications of these convergences and divergences and of the power relations referred to by participants for pre-abortion counselling service provision are discussed. The research referred to in this study were conducted in contexts where abortion is legal, although the conditions under which it may be accessed differ across and within contexts. This present study is contextualised by the Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Act No. 92 of 1996 which legalises abortion and stipulates that abortion counselling should be made available to womxn but should be non-mandatory and non-directive. Data were collected at three abortion facilities located in public hospitals in the Eastern Cape. Open-ended, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 womxn after they received pre-abortion counselling, and four healthcare providers involved in abortion service provision. Data were analysed using an extended narrative-discursive approach which entailed exploring patterns in and across participants' talk. These patterns took the form of discursive resources (discourses and the subject positions they made available, and canonical narratives), power relations, and micro-narratives and accounts of their experiences of pre-abortion counselling practices and waiting room interactions. Participants described the following pre-abortion counselling practices: information-giving practices, consent practices, administering of LARCs, a waiting period and third-party involvement. In describing these processes, participants drew on an awfulisation of abortion discourse, moralising discourses, pronatalist discourses, and liberal discourses to construct (micro-)narratives in which liberal, pastoral and authoritarian counselling practices and power relations were constructed and referred to. In their micro-narratives, most womxn described the counselling as informative, beneficial and healing whilst also describing shock, hurt, pain and distress at the various kinds of information they received. Healthcare providers drew on discourses and canonical narratives (such as the hero and personal testimony) to justify liberal, pastoral and authoritarian counselling practices which were underpinned by constructing abortion and unintended pregnancy as problematic. The pre-abortion counselling practices that were described were directive in two ways: the coercion of contraceptive uptake post-abortion, and information provision practices which effectively work to delegitimise and persuade womxn against abortion.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Mavuso, Jabulile Mary-Jane Jace
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Abortion counseling -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Abortion -- Psychological aspects , Abortion -- Social aspects , Pro-choice movement -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Reproductive rights -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Women -- Sexual behavior -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Women -- South Africa -- Social conditions
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/62928 , vital:28311
- Description: Research that has been conducted about experiences of pre-abortion counselling tends to investigate either womxn's1 or healthcare providers' experiences separately, with research on womxn's experiences of abortion and abortion counselling dominating this area of research. Although some of the studies on womxn's abortion experiences have explored womxn's experiences of interactions between themselves and healthcare providers, these aspects have been underreported. To my knowledge, research that also explores womxn's interactions among themselves in the waiting room has not been done. Furthermore, research that explores the pre-termination of pregnancy healthcare encounter, where womxn's and healthcare providers' experiences of waiting room interactions and of pre-abortion counselling practices are seen as interrelated, has not been conducted. Research that has been conducted among womxn's experiences show that womxn have varying experiences of pre-abortion counselling, with some finding it useful while other womxn have found it to be lacking in relevance to their specific situation or needs. Research conducted among healthcare providers also points to varying experiences, with some healthcare providers stratifying womxn's reasons for abortion according to the acceptability of the request. This study explores health service providers’ and womxn’s narrated experiences of the pre-termination of pregnancy healthcare encounter (waiting room interactions and pre-abortion counselling) in the Eastern Cape public health sector. An African feminist post-structural approach, which enables analysis of how discursive structures and power relations may underpin African womxn's experiences of oppression and resistance, was used. Fusing this approach with a narrative-discursive analysis, enabled an exploration of the discursive resources drawn upon and the power relations referred to by participants when constructing micro-narratives and accounts of their experiences of waiting room interactions and pre-abortion counselling practices. This fusion enabled an understanding of the micro (individual) and macro (social) and how they interact and come to bear on experiences of the pre-abortion counselling healthcare encounter. Womxn's micro-narratives and healthcare providers' accounts were compared for convergences and divergences in the pre-abortion counselling practices they described. The implications of these convergences and divergences and of the power relations referred to by participants for pre-abortion counselling service provision are discussed. The research referred to in this study were conducted in contexts where abortion is legal, although the conditions under which it may be accessed differ across and within contexts. This present study is contextualised by the Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Act No. 92 of 1996 which legalises abortion and stipulates that abortion counselling should be made available to womxn but should be non-mandatory and non-directive. Data were collected at three abortion facilities located in public hospitals in the Eastern Cape. Open-ended, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 womxn after they received pre-abortion counselling, and four healthcare providers involved in abortion service provision. Data were analysed using an extended narrative-discursive approach which entailed exploring patterns in and across participants' talk. These patterns took the form of discursive resources (discourses and the subject positions they made available, and canonical narratives), power relations, and micro-narratives and accounts of their experiences of pre-abortion counselling practices and waiting room interactions. Participants described the following pre-abortion counselling practices: information-giving practices, consent practices, administering of LARCs, a waiting period and third-party involvement. In describing these processes, participants drew on an awfulisation of abortion discourse, moralising discourses, pronatalist discourses, and liberal discourses to construct (micro-)narratives in which liberal, pastoral and authoritarian counselling practices and power relations were constructed and referred to. In their micro-narratives, most womxn described the counselling as informative, beneficial and healing whilst also describing shock, hurt, pain and distress at the various kinds of information they received. Healthcare providers drew on discourses and canonical narratives (such as the hero and personal testimony) to justify liberal, pastoral and authoritarian counselling practices which were underpinned by constructing abortion and unintended pregnancy as problematic. The pre-abortion counselling practices that were described were directive in two ways: the coercion of contraceptive uptake post-abortion, and information provision practices which effectively work to delegitimise and persuade womxn against abortion.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Navigating Multiple Tensions for Engaged Praxis in a Complex Social-Ecological System
- Cockburn, Jessica J, Palmer, Carolyn G, Biggs, Harry, Rosenberg, Eureta
- Authors: Cockburn, Jessica J , Palmer, Carolyn G , Biggs, Harry , Rosenberg, Eureta
- Date: 2018
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/127886 , vital:36052 , https://doi.org/10.3390/land7040129
- Description: Recently, the 33-year journey of the Southern African Journal of Environmental Education (SAJEE) was the subject of reflection during an Open Access Publishing week convened by Rhodes University Library Services. Two former and current editors-in-chief shared the SAJEE’s story of publishing ‘from the margins into the centre’. In the early 1990s, the Journal was mailed to the Environmental Education Association of Southern Africa (EEASA) membership from the foyer of the Rhodes Education Department (which had the floor space for stuffing and stacking A4 envelopes). In the first decade of this century, the Journal arrived at a symbolic ‘centre’ with digital distribution, first on the EEASA website and then from the Open Access platform provided by African Journals Online (AJOL). The digital move was vital for sustained and increased distribution in a time of shrinking budgets and growing costs. The results, shared with the EEASA Council earlier this year, were nothing short of spectacular: In March 2017, the SAJEE received more than 1 250 article downloads (www.ajol.info/index.php/sajee), and the number of downloads have stayed above 500 each month subsequently (Figure 1). Views and downloads are recorded around the world including,
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Cockburn, Jessica J , Palmer, Carolyn G , Biggs, Harry , Rosenberg, Eureta
- Date: 2018
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/127886 , vital:36052 , https://doi.org/10.3390/land7040129
- Description: Recently, the 33-year journey of the Southern African Journal of Environmental Education (SAJEE) was the subject of reflection during an Open Access Publishing week convened by Rhodes University Library Services. Two former and current editors-in-chief shared the SAJEE’s story of publishing ‘from the margins into the centre’. In the early 1990s, the Journal was mailed to the Environmental Education Association of Southern Africa (EEASA) membership from the foyer of the Rhodes Education Department (which had the floor space for stuffing and stacking A4 envelopes). In the first decade of this century, the Journal arrived at a symbolic ‘centre’ with digital distribution, first on the EEASA website and then from the Open Access platform provided by African Journals Online (AJOL). The digital move was vital for sustained and increased distribution in a time of shrinking budgets and growing costs. The results, shared with the EEASA Council earlier this year, were nothing short of spectacular: In March 2017, the SAJEE received more than 1 250 article downloads (www.ajol.info/index.php/sajee), and the number of downloads have stayed above 500 each month subsequently (Figure 1). Views and downloads are recorded around the world including,
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
NetwIOC: a framework for the automated generation of network-based IOCS for malware information sharing and defence
- Authors: Rudman, Lauren Lynne
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Malware (Computer software) , Computer networks Security measures , Computer security , Python (Computer program language)
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/60639 , vital:27809
- Description: With the substantial number of new malware variants found each day, it is useful to have an efficient way to retrieve Indicators of Compromise (IOCs) from the malware in a format suitable for sharing and detection. In the past, these indicators were manually created after inspection of binary samples and network traffic. The Cuckoo Sandbox, is an existing dynamic malware analysis system which meets the requirements for the proposed framework and was extended by adding a few custom modules. This research explored a way to automate the generation of detailed network-based IOCs in a popular format which can be used for sharing. This was done through careful filtering and analysis of the PCAP hie generated by the sandbox, and placing these values into the correct type of STIX objects using Python, Through several evaluations, analysis of what type of network traffic can be expected for the creation of IOCs was conducted, including a brief ease study that examined the effect of analysis time on the number of IOCs created. Using the automatically generated IOCs to create defence and detection mechanisms for the network was evaluated and proved successful, A proof of concept sharing platform developed for the STIX IOCs is showcased at the end of the research.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Rudman, Lauren Lynne
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Malware (Computer software) , Computer networks Security measures , Computer security , Python (Computer program language)
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/60639 , vital:27809
- Description: With the substantial number of new malware variants found each day, it is useful to have an efficient way to retrieve Indicators of Compromise (IOCs) from the malware in a format suitable for sharing and detection. In the past, these indicators were manually created after inspection of binary samples and network traffic. The Cuckoo Sandbox, is an existing dynamic malware analysis system which meets the requirements for the proposed framework and was extended by adding a few custom modules. This research explored a way to automate the generation of detailed network-based IOCs in a popular format which can be used for sharing. This was done through careful filtering and analysis of the PCAP hie generated by the sandbox, and placing these values into the correct type of STIX objects using Python, Through several evaluations, analysis of what type of network traffic can be expected for the creation of IOCs was conducted, including a brief ease study that examined the effect of analysis time on the number of IOCs created. Using the automatically generated IOCs to create defence and detection mechanisms for the network was evaluated and proved successful, A proof of concept sharing platform developed for the STIX IOCs is showcased at the end of the research.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
New thiazolidine-2,4-dione derivatives combined with organometallic ferrocene: Synthesis, structure and antiparasitic activity
- Oderinlo, Ogunyemi O, Tukulula, Matshawandile, Isaacs, Michelle, Taylor, Dale, Smith, Vincent J, Khanye, Setshaba D, Hoppe, Heinrich C
- Authors: Oderinlo, Ogunyemi O , Tukulula, Matshawandile , Isaacs, Michelle , Taylor, Dale , Smith, Vincent J , Khanye, Setshaba D , Hoppe, Heinrich C
- Date: 2018
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/122978 , vital:35382 , https://doi.org/10.1002/aoc.4385
- Description: Favourable physicochemical properties of an organometallic ferrocene and antiplasmodial potency of compounds containing the thiazolidine‐2,4‐dione framework (TZD‐4) prompted us to explore compounds containing both the thiazolidine‐2,4‐dione core and the ferrocenyl unit with the primary aim of identifying compounds with promising antiprotozoal activities. Thus, a new series of rationally designed ferrocene‐based thiazolidine‐2,4‐dione derivatives, containing a selection of secondary cyclic amines, was synthesised and fully characterised using standard spectroscopic techniques. The resulting compounds were screened for their antiplasmodial and antitrypanosomal activities against both the chloroquine‐resistant (Dd2) strain of Plasmodium falciparum and the Nagana Trypanosoma brucei brucei 427. The general trend that emerged indicated that the target compounds were more selective towards T. b. brucei compared to the P. falciparum parasite. Moreover, the analogues bearing methylpiperazine (8a) and piperidine (8b) rings were more active against T. b. brucei compared to hit compound TZD‐4. Except compound 8b, which appeared promising, none of the synthesised compounds showed better activity than TZD‐4 against the P. falciparum parasite. All the synthesised compounds were non‐toxic and often showed >90% viability of the HeLa cell line screened.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Oderinlo, Ogunyemi O , Tukulula, Matshawandile , Isaacs, Michelle , Taylor, Dale , Smith, Vincent J , Khanye, Setshaba D , Hoppe, Heinrich C
- Date: 2018
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/122978 , vital:35382 , https://doi.org/10.1002/aoc.4385
- Description: Favourable physicochemical properties of an organometallic ferrocene and antiplasmodial potency of compounds containing the thiazolidine‐2,4‐dione framework (TZD‐4) prompted us to explore compounds containing both the thiazolidine‐2,4‐dione core and the ferrocenyl unit with the primary aim of identifying compounds with promising antiprotozoal activities. Thus, a new series of rationally designed ferrocene‐based thiazolidine‐2,4‐dione derivatives, containing a selection of secondary cyclic amines, was synthesised and fully characterised using standard spectroscopic techniques. The resulting compounds were screened for their antiplasmodial and antitrypanosomal activities against both the chloroquine‐resistant (Dd2) strain of Plasmodium falciparum and the Nagana Trypanosoma brucei brucei 427. The general trend that emerged indicated that the target compounds were more selective towards T. b. brucei compared to the P. falciparum parasite. Moreover, the analogues bearing methylpiperazine (8a) and piperidine (8b) rings were more active against T. b. brucei compared to hit compound TZD‐4. Except compound 8b, which appeared promising, none of the synthesised compounds showed better activity than TZD‐4 against the P. falciparum parasite. All the synthesised compounds were non‐toxic and often showed >90% viability of the HeLa cell line screened.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Niq Mhlongo told us# FeesMustFall, or why the surface matters in Dog Eat Dog:
- Authors: Dass, Minesh
- Date: 2018
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/142609 , vital:38095 , DOI: 10.4314/eia.v45i3.6
- Description: In this paper, I investigate some of the reasons for the relative paucity of scholarly attention given to Niq Mhlongo’s debut novel, Dog Eat Dog. I argue that this text anticipates and articulates themes that are vital to contemporary South African culture generally, and to the academic space of the university specifically. For this reason, I contend that it is a work worthy of consideration, both because of its unusual form (it is a novel of ordeal rather than a Bildungsroman), and its prescient depiction of issues to do with institutional racism and academic exclusion – subjects which were central during the student-led protests on South African campuses in 2015 and 2016. A principal thesis of this article is that one of the reasons for literary study’s unwillingness to engage with the novel is the discipline’s predisposition to a hermeneutics of suspicion, a method of analysis that I show is unsuited to Mhlongo’s text. Instead, I argue for the use of surface reading as a valid and appropriate praxis given the form and the content of Dog Eat Dog.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Dass, Minesh
- Date: 2018
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/142609 , vital:38095 , DOI: 10.4314/eia.v45i3.6
- Description: In this paper, I investigate some of the reasons for the relative paucity of scholarly attention given to Niq Mhlongo’s debut novel, Dog Eat Dog. I argue that this text anticipates and articulates themes that are vital to contemporary South African culture generally, and to the academic space of the university specifically. For this reason, I contend that it is a work worthy of consideration, both because of its unusual form (it is a novel of ordeal rather than a Bildungsroman), and its prescient depiction of issues to do with institutional racism and academic exclusion – subjects which were central during the student-led protests on South African campuses in 2015 and 2016. A principal thesis of this article is that one of the reasons for literary study’s unwillingness to engage with the novel is the discipline’s predisposition to a hermeneutics of suspicion, a method of analysis that I show is unsuited to Mhlongo’s text. Instead, I argue for the use of surface reading as a valid and appropriate praxis given the form and the content of Dog Eat Dog.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
NMR structural elucidation of channaine, an unusual alkaloid from Sceletium tortuosum:
- Veale, Clinton G L, Chen, Weiyang, Chaudhary, Sushil, Kituyi, Sarah N, Isaacs, Michelle, Hoppe, Heinrich C, Edkins, Adrienne L, Combrinck, Sandra, Mehari, Bewketu, Viljoen, Alvaro
- Authors: Veale, Clinton G L , Chen, Weiyang , Chaudhary, Sushil , Kituyi, Sarah N , Isaacs, Michelle , Hoppe, Heinrich C , Edkins, Adrienne L , Combrinck, Sandra , Mehari, Bewketu , Viljoen, Alvaro
- Date: 2018
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/164345 , vital:41110 , DOI: 10.1016/j.phytol.2017.11.018
- Description: Chemical interrogation of the Sceletium genus and Amaryllidaceae family of plants has yielded a diverse array of aryl-hydroindole containing alkaloids. Included in this class is channaine, which was tentatively identified, without comprehensive structural elucidation from Sceletium tortuosum in 1957. Following its isolation from S. strictum, the structure of channaine was eventually resolved by X-ray crystallographic analysis, which revealed an unusual cage-like ring structure at the interface of two aryl-hydroindole subunits. However, since this report in 1978, channaine has not re-appeared in the literature. In this letter, the full NMR characterisation of channaine, isolated from S. tortuosum collected from St Helena in the Western Cape Province of South Africa, is reported for the first time.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Veale, Clinton G L , Chen, Weiyang , Chaudhary, Sushil , Kituyi, Sarah N , Isaacs, Michelle , Hoppe, Heinrich C , Edkins, Adrienne L , Combrinck, Sandra , Mehari, Bewketu , Viljoen, Alvaro
- Date: 2018
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/164345 , vital:41110 , DOI: 10.1016/j.phytol.2017.11.018
- Description: Chemical interrogation of the Sceletium genus and Amaryllidaceae family of plants has yielded a diverse array of aryl-hydroindole containing alkaloids. Included in this class is channaine, which was tentatively identified, without comprehensive structural elucidation from Sceletium tortuosum in 1957. Following its isolation from S. strictum, the structure of channaine was eventually resolved by X-ray crystallographic analysis, which revealed an unusual cage-like ring structure at the interface of two aryl-hydroindole subunits. However, since this report in 1978, channaine has not re-appeared in the literature. In this letter, the full NMR characterisation of channaine, isolated from S. tortuosum collected from St Helena in the Western Cape Province of South Africa, is reported for the first time.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
No evidence for association between APOL1 kidney disease risk alleles and Human African Trypanosomiasis in two Ugandan populations:
- Kimuda, Magambo P, Noyes, Harry, Mulindwa, Julius, Enyaru, John, Alibu, Vincent P, Sidibe, Issa, Mumba Ngoyi, Dieuodonne, Hertz-Fowler, Christiane, MacLeod, Annette, Tastan Bishop, Özlem, Matovu, Enock
- Authors: Kimuda, Magambo P , Noyes, Harry , Mulindwa, Julius , Enyaru, John , Alibu, Vincent P , Sidibe, Issa , Mumba Ngoyi, Dieuodonne , Hertz-Fowler, Christiane , MacLeod, Annette , Tastan Bishop, Özlem , Matovu, Enock
- Date: 2018
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/162924 , vital:40997 , https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0006300
- Description: Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) manifests as an acute form caused by Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense (Tbr) and a chronic form caused by Trypanosoma brucei gambiense (Tbg). Previous studies have suggested a host genetic role in infection outcomes, particularly for APOL1. We have undertaken candidate gene association studies (CGAS) in a Ugandan Tbr and a Tbg HAT endemic area, to determine whether polymorphisms in IL10, IL8, IL4, HLAG, TNFA, TNX4LB, IL6, IFNG, MIF, APOL1, HLAA, IL1B, IL4R, IL12B, IL12R, HP, HPR, and CFH have a role in HAT.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Kimuda, Magambo P , Noyes, Harry , Mulindwa, Julius , Enyaru, John , Alibu, Vincent P , Sidibe, Issa , Mumba Ngoyi, Dieuodonne , Hertz-Fowler, Christiane , MacLeod, Annette , Tastan Bishop, Özlem , Matovu, Enock
- Date: 2018
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/162924 , vital:40997 , https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0006300
- Description: Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) manifests as an acute form caused by Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense (Tbr) and a chronic form caused by Trypanosoma brucei gambiense (Tbg). Previous studies have suggested a host genetic role in infection outcomes, particularly for APOL1. We have undertaken candidate gene association studies (CGAS) in a Ugandan Tbr and a Tbg HAT endemic area, to determine whether polymorphisms in IL10, IL8, IL4, HLAG, TNFA, TNX4LB, IL6, IFNG, MIF, APOL1, HLAA, IL1B, IL4R, IL12B, IL12R, HP, HPR, and CFH have a role in HAT.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Non-government organizations’ adoption of knowledge management systems to enhance service delivery of projects in Grahamstown in the Makana region of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
- Authors: Sherif, Nabiha Mohammed
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Knowledge management , Organizational learning , Non-governmental organizations South Africa Makhanda , Human services South Africa Makhanda
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/61723 , vital:28052
- Description: The object of this research is to enhance the performance of non-government organizations in the Makana region of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa by the use of knowledge management practices and principles. Non-government organizations face several service delivery challenges that affect their performance. Knowledge management assists in enhancing performance by means of organizational learning. However, the adoption of knowledge management systems has been limited to the profit-making sector. This study includes an evaluation of the contributing factors influencing the adoption of knowledge management and the extent to which non-government organizations use knowledge management to promote organizational learning. An interpretivist, qualitative case study approach was used on five non-government organizations cases from the Makana region of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. A suitability profile sampling method was developed to select the non-government organization cases. The participants in the research include non-government organizations’ managers, employees and volunteers. Literature was explored to gain a better understanding of the research area. The research was initiated by an open-ended questionnaire to gather data from the participants, followed by a focus group to enrich the interpretation of the findings. The research proposes a framework to facilitate the adoption of knowledge management systems in non-government organizations. The findings of the research are intended to enhance the performance of non-government organizations projects by means of the use of knowledge management systems.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Sherif, Nabiha Mohammed
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Knowledge management , Organizational learning , Non-governmental organizations South Africa Makhanda , Human services South Africa Makhanda
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/61723 , vital:28052
- Description: The object of this research is to enhance the performance of non-government organizations in the Makana region of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa by the use of knowledge management practices and principles. Non-government organizations face several service delivery challenges that affect their performance. Knowledge management assists in enhancing performance by means of organizational learning. However, the adoption of knowledge management systems has been limited to the profit-making sector. This study includes an evaluation of the contributing factors influencing the adoption of knowledge management and the extent to which non-government organizations use knowledge management to promote organizational learning. An interpretivist, qualitative case study approach was used on five non-government organizations cases from the Makana region of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. A suitability profile sampling method was developed to select the non-government organization cases. The participants in the research include non-government organizations’ managers, employees and volunteers. Literature was explored to gain a better understanding of the research area. The research was initiated by an open-ended questionnaire to gather data from the participants, followed by a focus group to enrich the interpretation of the findings. The research proposes a framework to facilitate the adoption of knowledge management systems in non-government organizations. The findings of the research are intended to enhance the performance of non-government organizations projects by means of the use of knowledge management systems.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Nontimber forest products as ecological and biocultural keystone species
- Shackleton, Charlie M, Ticktin, Tamara, Cunningham, Anthony B
- Authors: Shackleton, Charlie M , Ticktin, Tamara , Cunningham, Anthony B
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/180388 , vital:43359 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-10469-230422"
- Description: Nontimber forests products (NTFPs) are the mainstay of rural livelihoods and local economies the world over. As such they are of interest to a wide disciplinary range of researchers and development and government agencies seeking to promote livelihoods, incomes, and ecologically sustainable practices. With the attention on the various human uses of NTFPs, their role and networks in the broader biological communities in which they are located are frequently overlooked. Harvesting of many NTFPs has effects not only at the organism and population scales, but also on co-occurring species, some of which may also be NTFPs. Thus, reduction or loss of one NTFP population or species in a specific area may have cascade effects on other NTFP species, including those used for cultural purposes. We illustrate the little appreciated importance of NTFPs in broader ecological and social systems by assessing and illustrating the importance of NTFP species as ecological or biocultural keystones in providing regulating and supporting ecological services to other species and cultural services to people. We present a number of examples where NTFP species act as keystones in ecological and cultural systems, including food, pollination and dispersal, animal health, nutrients, shelter and protection, and cultural symbolism, most of which have not been considered by NTFP researchers and practitioners. From these examples we distill six propositions regarding NTFPs and discuss the value of recognizing some NTFPs as biocultural keystones to acknowledge and highlight their roles at broader scales.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Shackleton, Charlie M , Ticktin, Tamara , Cunningham, Anthony B
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/180388 , vital:43359 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-10469-230422"
- Description: Nontimber forests products (NTFPs) are the mainstay of rural livelihoods and local economies the world over. As such they are of interest to a wide disciplinary range of researchers and development and government agencies seeking to promote livelihoods, incomes, and ecologically sustainable practices. With the attention on the various human uses of NTFPs, their role and networks in the broader biological communities in which they are located are frequently overlooked. Harvesting of many NTFPs has effects not only at the organism and population scales, but also on co-occurring species, some of which may also be NTFPs. Thus, reduction or loss of one NTFP population or species in a specific area may have cascade effects on other NTFP species, including those used for cultural purposes. We illustrate the little appreciated importance of NTFPs in broader ecological and social systems by assessing and illustrating the importance of NTFP species as ecological or biocultural keystones in providing regulating and supporting ecological services to other species and cultural services to people. We present a number of examples where NTFP species act as keystones in ecological and cultural systems, including food, pollination and dispersal, animal health, nutrients, shelter and protection, and cultural symbolism, most of which have not been considered by NTFP researchers and practitioners. From these examples we distill six propositions regarding NTFPs and discuss the value of recognizing some NTFPs as biocultural keystones to acknowledge and highlight their roles at broader scales.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Novel nano-dyad of homoleptic sandwich-type phthalocyanines with nitrogen doped graphene quantum dots for nonlinear optics
- Oluwole, David O, Nwaji, Njemuwa, Nene, Lindokuhle C, Mokone, Lesedi, Dube, Edith, Nyokong, Tebello
- Authors: Oluwole, David O , Nwaji, Njemuwa , Nene, Lindokuhle C , Mokone, Lesedi , Dube, Edith , Nyokong, Tebello
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/233386 , vital:50086 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1039/C8NJ01707G"
- Description: The syntheses of neodymium(III) 2,9,16,23-tetrakis-(2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenoxy)phthalocyanine (2), bis europium(III) 2,9,16,23-tetrakis-(2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenoxy)phthalocyanine (3), bis dysprosium(III) 2,9,16,23-tetrakis-(2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenoxy)phthalocyanine (4) and their conjugated analogues with nitrogen doped quantum dots (NGQDs) are reported herein. The optical nonlinearity of the sandwich-type phthalocyanine complexes and their conjugates with NGQDs were studied in dimethyl sulfoxide using the open aperture Z-scan technique at an excitation wavelength of 532 nm with a 10 ns pulse. The nonlinear absorption coefficient (βeff) value of the samples ranges from 15 cm GW−1 to 89.6 cm GW−1. Complex 4 and its conjugates afforded a strong optical limiting behaviour compared to the other samples. These fabricated complexes and their conjugates with NGQDs could serve as a plausible nonlinear optical (NLO) material due to their fascinating NLO properties.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Oluwole, David O , Nwaji, Njemuwa , Nene, Lindokuhle C , Mokone, Lesedi , Dube, Edith , Nyokong, Tebello
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/233386 , vital:50086 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1039/C8NJ01707G"
- Description: The syntheses of neodymium(III) 2,9,16,23-tetrakis-(2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenoxy)phthalocyanine (2), bis europium(III) 2,9,16,23-tetrakis-(2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenoxy)phthalocyanine (3), bis dysprosium(III) 2,9,16,23-tetrakis-(2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenoxy)phthalocyanine (4) and their conjugated analogues with nitrogen doped quantum dots (NGQDs) are reported herein. The optical nonlinearity of the sandwich-type phthalocyanine complexes and their conjugates with NGQDs were studied in dimethyl sulfoxide using the open aperture Z-scan technique at an excitation wavelength of 532 nm with a 10 ns pulse. The nonlinear absorption coefficient (βeff) value of the samples ranges from 15 cm GW−1 to 89.6 cm GW−1. Complex 4 and its conjugates afforded a strong optical limiting behaviour compared to the other samples. These fabricated complexes and their conjugates with NGQDs could serve as a plausible nonlinear optical (NLO) material due to their fascinating NLO properties.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Occurrence of mugilid and sparid fishes in Zostera capensis and bare sediment habitats of the Knysna Estuary
- Authors: Pollard, Melissa
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Gray mullets South Africa Knysna Lagoon , Sparidae South Africa Knysna Lagoon , Seagrasses South Africa Knysna Lagoon , Eelgrass South Africa Knysna Lagoon , Gray mullets Habitat South Africa Knysna Lagoon , Sparidae Habitat South Africa Knysna Lagoon , Underwater videography in wildlife monitoring , Seining , Zostera capensis Setchel
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/54979 , vital:26641
- Description: Seagrass meadows are regarded as one of the most unique and valuable ecosystems in the biosphere, primarily because of the variety of services that they provide. Seagrass meadows serve as nursery grounds for many species and often play an important role in the juvenile stages of economically and recreationally important fish. Zostera capensis Setchell is one of the most dominant submerged macrophytes and the most common seagrass in South African estuaries and is often referred to as eelgrass. Zostera capensis meadows occupy a large area within the Knysna Estuary but little is known about their importance to associated fish assemblages. With Z. capensis meadows being under increased pressure from anthropogenic influences, it is important to establish which fish species and families utilize these habitats and what role they play in the ecology of fish assemblages within the Knysna Estuary. The primary objective of this study was to compare the use of Z. capensis and adjacent bare sediment areas by mainly large juvenile and subadult sparids and mugilids using different techniques. The two main hypotheses were as follows; 1) Mugilidae are likely to be more dominant in the unvegetated areas of the estuary littoral and Sparidae are likely to predominate within the Z. capensis bed areas of the estuary littoral. 2) The non-destructive underwater video monitoring method would yield similar fish composition data to seine netting sampling of the identical sites. Both hypotheses were assessed using data collected during this study and the analysis of historical unpublished data. Overall, Mugilidae were more abundant at bare unvegetated areas where they did most of their foraging. Sparidae were more abundant in the Z. capensis beds, which was also the habitat where they primarily foraged. With regards to the comparison of two different sampling methods, namely underwater video monitoring and seine netting, similar patterns arose with regards to the fish species observed in camera footage and those captured in the seine net, although the abundances were not always comparable.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Pollard, Melissa
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Gray mullets South Africa Knysna Lagoon , Sparidae South Africa Knysna Lagoon , Seagrasses South Africa Knysna Lagoon , Eelgrass South Africa Knysna Lagoon , Gray mullets Habitat South Africa Knysna Lagoon , Sparidae Habitat South Africa Knysna Lagoon , Underwater videography in wildlife monitoring , Seining , Zostera capensis Setchel
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/54979 , vital:26641
- Description: Seagrass meadows are regarded as one of the most unique and valuable ecosystems in the biosphere, primarily because of the variety of services that they provide. Seagrass meadows serve as nursery grounds for many species and often play an important role in the juvenile stages of economically and recreationally important fish. Zostera capensis Setchell is one of the most dominant submerged macrophytes and the most common seagrass in South African estuaries and is often referred to as eelgrass. Zostera capensis meadows occupy a large area within the Knysna Estuary but little is known about their importance to associated fish assemblages. With Z. capensis meadows being under increased pressure from anthropogenic influences, it is important to establish which fish species and families utilize these habitats and what role they play in the ecology of fish assemblages within the Knysna Estuary. The primary objective of this study was to compare the use of Z. capensis and adjacent bare sediment areas by mainly large juvenile and subadult sparids and mugilids using different techniques. The two main hypotheses were as follows; 1) Mugilidae are likely to be more dominant in the unvegetated areas of the estuary littoral and Sparidae are likely to predominate within the Z. capensis bed areas of the estuary littoral. 2) The non-destructive underwater video monitoring method would yield similar fish composition data to seine netting sampling of the identical sites. Both hypotheses were assessed using data collected during this study and the analysis of historical unpublished data. Overall, Mugilidae were more abundant at bare unvegetated areas where they did most of their foraging. Sparidae were more abundant in the Z. capensis beds, which was also the habitat where they primarily foraged. With regards to the comparison of two different sampling methods, namely underwater video monitoring and seine netting, similar patterns arose with regards to the fish species observed in camera footage and those captured in the seine net, although the abundances were not always comparable.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018