Commercial Banana and Macadamia Plantations in a Savanna Matrix Support High Levels of Arthropod Diversity
- Simba, Vhuawelo, Yekwayo, Inam, Mwabvu, Tarombera
- Authors: Simba, Vhuawelo , Yekwayo, Inam , Mwabvu, Tarombera
- Date: 2023
- Subjects: Agrocosystem , Ants , Beetles , Diversity , Natural landscapes , Spiders
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/14480 , vital:79590 , DOI: https://doi.org/10.17159/2254-8854/2023/a14047
- Description: Expansiona nd intensification of agroecosystems is one of the major causes of habitat loss in the savanna biome in South Africa. As such, this study sought to determine the influence of commercial subtropical fruit plantations (banana and macadamia) on species richness, abundance, and composition of surface-active arthropods compared to the savanna biome. Given that pesticides and herbicides are applied from spring to early autumn in banana and macadamia plantations, we sampled in winter to reduce the potential impact of pesticides and herbicides. Surface-active arthropods were sampled using pitfall traps. Habitat type did not affect species richness and abundance of ants and spiders, as well as species richness of beetles. However, significantly greater abundance of beetles was recorded in the macadamia plantation compared to the banana and savanna. This could have been due to greater abundance of herbivorous beetles and other insects, which would have increased the diversity of predatory beetles. Furthermore, unlike the banana plantation, the macadamia plantation was characterised by a deep leaf litter layer and the presence of weeds and grasses, which probably increased abundance of beetles. Species composition indicated that the studied arthropod taxa associate with specific habitats, as demonstrated by the three habitats supporting different species composition. Despite savanna habitat not supporting high species richness or abundance of surface-active arthropods, we recorded the highest number of unique species of ants and spiders in the savanna rather than in the plantation. These results highlight the importance of natural landscapes in conservation of surface-active arthropods.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023
- Authors: Simba, Vhuawelo , Yekwayo, Inam , Mwabvu, Tarombera
- Date: 2023
- Subjects: Agrocosystem , Ants , Beetles , Diversity , Natural landscapes , Spiders
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/14480 , vital:79590 , DOI: https://doi.org/10.17159/2254-8854/2023/a14047
- Description: Expansiona nd intensification of agroecosystems is one of the major causes of habitat loss in the savanna biome in South Africa. As such, this study sought to determine the influence of commercial subtropical fruit plantations (banana and macadamia) on species richness, abundance, and composition of surface-active arthropods compared to the savanna biome. Given that pesticides and herbicides are applied from spring to early autumn in banana and macadamia plantations, we sampled in winter to reduce the potential impact of pesticides and herbicides. Surface-active arthropods were sampled using pitfall traps. Habitat type did not affect species richness and abundance of ants and spiders, as well as species richness of beetles. However, significantly greater abundance of beetles was recorded in the macadamia plantation compared to the banana and savanna. This could have been due to greater abundance of herbivorous beetles and other insects, which would have increased the diversity of predatory beetles. Furthermore, unlike the banana plantation, the macadamia plantation was characterised by a deep leaf litter layer and the presence of weeds and grasses, which probably increased abundance of beetles. Species composition indicated that the studied arthropod taxa associate with specific habitats, as demonstrated by the three habitats supporting different species composition. Despite savanna habitat not supporting high species richness or abundance of surface-active arthropods, we recorded the highest number of unique species of ants and spiders in the savanna rather than in the plantation. These results highlight the importance of natural landscapes in conservation of surface-active arthropods.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023
Policy Imperatives: A Case of Gender Non-Conforming Learners
- Makena, Bulelwa, Feni, Lungisani Viwe
- Authors: Makena, Bulelwa , Feni, Lungisani Viwe
- Date: 2023
- Subjects: Policy , Gender , Non-conforming , Diversity
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/14217 , vital:79156 , DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.2023485
- Description: As the Bill of Rights prescribed by the South African Constitution stipulates, all people, irrespective of gender, race and religion, have a right to equal opportunities. This is articulated by the Gender Schema Theory as it stipulates that some cohorts of learners are aligned to socially accepted behaviours while other gender aschematic learners perform parallel to socially recognized behaviours. Therefore, all learners are entitled to equal treatment and they have a right to education, especially because South Africa is a country renowned for its rainbow-nation characteristic, allowing it to accommodate diverse citizens. It is for this reason that this paper investigated whether school policy logistics have an impact on gender non-conforming learners in one rural Senior Secondary in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Two teachers were purposefully sampled as participants for this qualitative case study research. To collect data, semi-structured interviews were administered. Using thematic analyses led to the formation of themes which were used to discuss findings. The study found that (i) there are dynamics in policy formulation and also that (ii) there is a violation of school policies. This subjects them to social exclusion and social control that marginalises gender minorities. The study recommends that gender specific school policies be redefined to promote gender neutral and inclusive schools, thus creating societies where everyone is welcome and protected as suggested by the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023
- Authors: Makena, Bulelwa , Feni, Lungisani Viwe
- Date: 2023
- Subjects: Policy , Gender , Non-conforming , Diversity
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/14217 , vital:79156 , DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.2023485
- Description: As the Bill of Rights prescribed by the South African Constitution stipulates, all people, irrespective of gender, race and religion, have a right to equal opportunities. This is articulated by the Gender Schema Theory as it stipulates that some cohorts of learners are aligned to socially accepted behaviours while other gender aschematic learners perform parallel to socially recognized behaviours. Therefore, all learners are entitled to equal treatment and they have a right to education, especially because South Africa is a country renowned for its rainbow-nation characteristic, allowing it to accommodate diverse citizens. It is for this reason that this paper investigated whether school policy logistics have an impact on gender non-conforming learners in one rural Senior Secondary in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Two teachers were purposefully sampled as participants for this qualitative case study research. To collect data, semi-structured interviews were administered. Using thematic analyses led to the formation of themes which were used to discuss findings. The study found that (i) there are dynamics in policy formulation and also that (ii) there is a violation of school policies. This subjects them to social exclusion and social control that marginalises gender minorities. The study recommends that gender specific school policies be redefined to promote gender neutral and inclusive schools, thus creating societies where everyone is welcome and protected as suggested by the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023
Response of Ants, Beetles and Spiders to Disturbance Varies Among Taxa in a South African Savannah Biome
- Mavasa, Risuna, Yekwayo, Inam, Tsvuura, Zivanal
- Authors: Mavasa, Risuna , Yekwayo, Inam , Tsvuura, Zivanal
- Date: 2023
- Subjects: Arthropods , Diversity , Natural landscapes , Transformed landscapes
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/14484 , vital:79591 , DOI: https://doi.org/10.17159/2254-8854/2023/a13244
- Description: Savannahs are structurally complex ecosystems consisting of a diverse community of plants and animals such as arthropods. Arthropods are essential in many ecosystem processes that help maintain life on Earth. The anthropogenic conversion of natural landscapes into croplands, residential and industrial areas has a negative impact on surface-active arthropods that have limited dispersal abilities and narrow habitat preferences. This study investigated the effect of disturbance on assemblages of ants, beetles and spiders in the savannah vegetation in Mpumalanga province, South Africa. We compared species richness, abundance and composition of these three taxa between the pristine savannah and the savannah that is exposed to a variety of anthropogenic activities (disturbed savannah). Arthropods were collected using pitfall traps in 15 sites in pristine savannah and 15 sites in disturbed savannah. We found that disturbance affects species richness and abundance of these taxa differently. Disturbance did not affect species richness of spiders and abundance of beetles, while greater species richness of ants and beetles, as well as abundance of ants and spiders was in disturbed than in pristine savannah. Furthermore, the species compositions of all taxa were different between disturbed and pristine savannah. The disturbed savannah had twice more unique indicator species than the pristine savannah. Differences in assemblages of arthropods between pristine and disturbed habitats suggest that it may be important to consider habitats in and outside protected areas in the conservation of arthropods, particularly in areas with greater percentage of natural and semi-natural landscapes occurring outside protected areas.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023
- Authors: Mavasa, Risuna , Yekwayo, Inam , Tsvuura, Zivanal
- Date: 2023
- Subjects: Arthropods , Diversity , Natural landscapes , Transformed landscapes
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/14484 , vital:79591 , DOI: https://doi.org/10.17159/2254-8854/2023/a13244
- Description: Savannahs are structurally complex ecosystems consisting of a diverse community of plants and animals such as arthropods. Arthropods are essential in many ecosystem processes that help maintain life on Earth. The anthropogenic conversion of natural landscapes into croplands, residential and industrial areas has a negative impact on surface-active arthropods that have limited dispersal abilities and narrow habitat preferences. This study investigated the effect of disturbance on assemblages of ants, beetles and spiders in the savannah vegetation in Mpumalanga province, South Africa. We compared species richness, abundance and composition of these three taxa between the pristine savannah and the savannah that is exposed to a variety of anthropogenic activities (disturbed savannah). Arthropods were collected using pitfall traps in 15 sites in pristine savannah and 15 sites in disturbed savannah. We found that disturbance affects species richness and abundance of these taxa differently. Disturbance did not affect species richness of spiders and abundance of beetles, while greater species richness of ants and beetles, as well as abundance of ants and spiders was in disturbed than in pristine savannah. Furthermore, the species compositions of all taxa were different between disturbed and pristine savannah. The disturbed savannah had twice more unique indicator species than the pristine savannah. Differences in assemblages of arthropods between pristine and disturbed habitats suggest that it may be important to consider habitats in and outside protected areas in the conservation of arthropods, particularly in areas with greater percentage of natural and semi-natural landscapes occurring outside protected areas.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023
The Impact of Linguistic Constituencies on Language Profiency
- Makena, Bulelwa, Matiso, Hilda Nomasomi
- Authors: Makena, Bulelwa , Matiso, Hilda Nomasomi
- Date: 2023
- Subjects: Proficiency , Linguistic , Constituencies , Diversity
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/14252 , vital:79170 , DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.20234134
- Description: This study inquired into whether linguistic constituencies have an impact on learner language proficiency. An appropriate approach that was used encompasses qualitative research methods as they permit extracting valuable information from small samples. Underpinning this qualitative inquiry is Participatory Action Research (PAR) with its added advantage of being considered to have an underlying characteristic of engaging with community members in action. The researchers and study participants collaborated to determine the investigated problem, in this case being learner linguistic constituencies in parallel or divergent to language proficiency. Data was gathered from five purposefully nominated English language teachers from one rurally located institution of higher learning in one of the Eastern Cape Education Districts. Semistructured interviews generated rich thematically analysed data as they contained openended types of items…
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023
- Authors: Makena, Bulelwa , Matiso, Hilda Nomasomi
- Date: 2023
- Subjects: Proficiency , Linguistic , Constituencies , Diversity
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/14252 , vital:79170 , DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.20234134
- Description: This study inquired into whether linguistic constituencies have an impact on learner language proficiency. An appropriate approach that was used encompasses qualitative research methods as they permit extracting valuable information from small samples. Underpinning this qualitative inquiry is Participatory Action Research (PAR) with its added advantage of being considered to have an underlying characteristic of engaging with community members in action. The researchers and study participants collaborated to determine the investigated problem, in this case being learner linguistic constituencies in parallel or divergent to language proficiency. Data was gathered from five purposefully nominated English language teachers from one rurally located institution of higher learning in one of the Eastern Cape Education Districts. Semistructured interviews generated rich thematically analysed data as they contained openended types of items…
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023
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