Using Facebook user photos to quantify surface water dependency in Southern African arid-zone bird species
- Authors: Dixon, Elizabeth A , Smit, Ben
- Date: 2023
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/441668 , vital:73905 , https://doi.org/10.1080/01584197.2023.2182223
- Description: Birds need to maintain their hydration by either gaining water from their food or by drinking surface water. Many arid-zone birds do not need to consume surface water to maintain body condition. Conservationists need to better understand avian use of surface water sources to inform management plans in a warming world. In this study, we explored the use of Facebook’s image search as a tool to predict interspecific variations in avian surface water use. There was a significant correlation between the proportion of Facebook photographs of each species associated with surface water, and surface water use indices for these species based on published field studies. These findings suggest that Facebook may be a useful source of data for determining the dependence of bird species on surface water. Future research could address the potential for Facebook and other social media platforms for answering a range of ecological questions relating to avian water dependency.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023
Nature-Based Solutions for Coastal Engineering and Management
- Authors: Slinger, Jill , Stive, Marcel , Luijendijk, Arjen
- Date: 2021
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/177521 , vital:42829 , https://doi.org/10.3390/w13070976
- Description: There is a growing scientific and engineering interest in exploring how natural processes can provide management solutions to resolve the degradation and vulnerability of coastal environments. Climate change and associated sea level rise together with drivers, such as subsidence, reduced sediment supply and coastal squeeze represent major risk factors for coastal systems sustainability. Using natural processes to deal with these risk factors presents a nontrivial challenge. This special issue focuses on nature-based solutions and state-of-the-art interventions in the coastal environment.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021
(Re) conceptualising poverty and informal employment
- Authors: Rogan, Michael , Cichello, Paul
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , book chapter
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/473673 , vital:77671 , ISBN 9780429200724 , https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/oa-edit/10.4324/9780429200724-15/re-conceptualising-poverty-informal-employment-michael-rogan-paul-cichello
- Description: There are roughly 839 million working poor in developing countries who survive on less than $2/day and about 80 per cent are employed in the informal economy. The conventional poverty approach therefore tends to frame the informal economy as a problem to be solved rather than as an important source of household income or a critical base of the modern economy. This chapter aims to reframe the link between informal employment and income poverty by examining the role of informal employment in reducing poverty. To explore the potential for measuring the link between informal employment and poverty reduction, the chapter presents the results of a poverty decomposition analysis using household survey data from South Africa. The findings suggest that a focus on low earnings in the informal economy belies the important contribution of this income to keeping workers and their households above the poverty line. The chapter concludes by considering whether or how policies might look different when they recognise and support the role of earnings from informal employment in the households of the working poor.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
Inter-population similarities and differences in predation efficiency of a mosquito natural enemy
- Authors: Cuthbert, Ross N , Dalu, Tatenda , Wasserman, Ryan J , Weyl, Olaf L F , Froneman, P William , Callaghan, Amanda , Dick, Jaimie T A
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/466928 , vital:76799 , https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjaa093
- Description: Predation is a critical factor that mediates population stability, community structure, and ecosystem function. Predatory natural enemies can contribute to the regulation of disease vector groups such as mosquitoes, particularly where they naturally co-occur across landscapes. However, we must understand inter-population variation in predatory efficiency if we are to enhance vector control. The present study thus employs a functional response (FR; resource use under different densities) approach to quantify and compare predatory interaction strengths among six populations of a predatory temporary pond specialist copepod, Lovenula raynerae, from the Eastern Cape of South Africa preying on second instar Culex pipiens complex mosquito larvae.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
Predicting non-target impacts:
- Authors: Paynter, Quentin , Paterson, Iain D , Kwong, Raelene M
- Date: 2020
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/149982 , vital:38921 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cois.2020.02.002
- Description: Biocontrol of invasive alien weeds has produced great benefits, but concerns over undesirable impacts on non-target plants and/or indirect interactions between biocontrol agents and other biota impede the implementation of biocontrol in some countries. Although great strides have been made, continuing uncertainties predicting the realized host range of candidate agents is probably resulting in some being erroneously rejected due to overestimation of risk. Further refinement of host-range testing protocols is therefore desirable. Indirect interactions are inherently harder to predict, and the risk of both direct and indirect non-target impacts may change over time due to biocontrol agents evolving or expanding their range under climate change. Future research directions to better understand the risk of non-target impacts over time are discussed.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
Social protection and informal workers: Rethinking the terms of inclusion
- Authors: Alfers, Laura C
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , book chapter
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/478217 , vital:78165 , ISBN 9780429200724 , https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/oa-edit/10.4324/9780429200724-37/social-protection-informal-workers-laura-alfers?context=ubxandrefId=35d31aaf-ac35-4bba-9f4f-2d69d56deb33
- Description: This chapter reflects on the concepts which may be brought to bear on the study of social protection in relation to informal workers, focusing on the nexus of inclusion and exclusion – concepts that are sometimes explicit, but also often implicit, within much of the social policy literature. Drawing on historical data, the chapter suggests two things. First, that in order to understand informal workers as workers, it is necessary to incorporate an analysis of the worker-capital relationship within social protection – something that is often ignored in favour of the citizen-state relationship. Second, that particularly in relation to informal workers in the context of rapid urbanisation, there is a need to think more widely about the exclusion/inclusion nexus across spheres of policy. Practically, this leads to consideration not only of how to include informal workers in systems from which they are excluded, but also to think about where, how and on what terms informal workers are already included in state systems, in particular, the local level of government, and how this inclusion interacts with the aims and goals of social protection.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
The impact of illustrated side effect information on understanding and sustained retention of antiretroviral side effect knowledge:
- Authors: Scheihing, Konstantin W , Tanner, Jane L , Weaver, Matthew J T , Schöniger, Matthias
- Date: 2020
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/156389 , vital:39985 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jup.2020.101043
- Description: About 7.5 million South Africans access gratuitous drinking water via communal taps provided by municipalities under a free basic water policy. Supplying running water for free to low-income communities is essential but can result in water wastage due to a potential indifference of non-paying end-consumers. The consequence is a loss of municipal water and financial resources. We outline a new strategy that rewards low-income communities for reducing water wastage. The incentive strategy promotes water conservation and community development and decreases recurring water-related public expenses. The concept is funded by a percentage of municipal cost savings yielded from the respective water conservation.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
The role of the flower-galling mite, Aceria lantanae, in integrated control of the light pink 163LP variety of Lantana camara (L.) in South Africa:
- Authors: Mukwevho, Ludzula , Mphephu, Tshililo E
- Date: 2020
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/149010 , vital:38795 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocontrol.2020.104309
- Description: We evaluated the impact of the gall-forming mite, Aceria lantanae (Cook) (Acari: Trombidiformes: Eriophyidae) on flower and fruit production by coppicing shoots, following pruning, of a widely distributed variety (light pink 163LP) of Lantana camara L. (Verbenaceae) in South Africa. Counts, at three different sites, of developed inflorescences, flowers and fruits and the extent of A. lantanae galling were done for coppicing shoots at four different stages of growth (3, 6, 9- and 12-months post-pruning).
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
Thermoluminescence properties of potassium fluoride:
- Authors: Ogundare, F O , Folley, Damilola E , Chithambo, Makaiko L , Arise, T O
- Date: 2020
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/160500 , vital:40451 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nimb.2020.09.009
- Description: This study is designed to examine the thermoluminescence characteristics of potassium fluoride for possible use as a thermoluminescence dosemeter. Thermoluminescence measurements were carried out at doses up to 20 Gy and heating rates between 0.2 and 4°C/s. The glow curve of the fluoride, readout at 1°Cs−1, exhibited two peaks at 130 and 250 °C. In addition, two shoulder peaks appeared at 70 and 200°C.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021–2030: what chance for success in restoring coastal ecosystems?
- Authors: Waltham, Nathan J , Elliott, Michael , Lee, Shing Yip , Lovelock, Catherine , Duarte, Carlos M , Buelow, Christina , Simenstad, Charles , Nagelkerken, Ivan , Claassens, Louw , Wen, Colin K-C , Barletta, Mario , Connolly, Rod M , Gillies, Chris , Mitsch, William J , Ogburn, Matthew B , Purandare, Jemma , Possingham, Hugh , Sheaves, Marcus
- Date: 2020
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/149836 , vital:38887 , https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2020.00071
- Description: On 1 March 2019, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly (New York) declared 2021–2030 the “UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.” This call to action has the purpose of recognizing the need to massively accelerate global restoration of degraded ecosystems, to fight the climate heating crisis, enhance food security, provide clean water and protect biodiversity on the planet. The scale of restoration will be key; for example, the Bonn Challenge has the goal to restore 350 million km2 (almost the size of India) of degraded terrestrial ecosystems by 2030. However, international support for restoration of “blue” coastal ecosystems, which provide an impressive array of benefits to people, has lagged. Only the Global Mangrove Alliance (https://mangrovealliance.org/) comes close to the Bonn Challenge, with the aim of increasing the global area of mangroves by 20% by 2030. However, mangrove scientists have reservations about this target, voicing concerns that it is unrealistic and may prompt inappropriate practices in attempting to reach this target (Lee et al., 2019). The decade of ecosystem restoration declaration also coincides with the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, which aims to reverse deterioration in ocean health. If executed in a holistic and coordinated manner, signatory nations could stand to deliver on both these UN calls to action.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
A novel technique for artificial pack formation in African wild dogs using odour familiarity:
- Authors: Marneweck, Courtney J , Marchal, Antoine F J , Marneweck, David G , Beverley, Grant , Davies-Mostert, Harriet T , Parker, Daniel M
- Date: 2019
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/150060 , vital:38935 , https://doi.org/10.3957/056.049.0116
- Description: Reintroductions are recognized tools for species recovery. However, operations are costly, difficult to implement, and failures are common and not always understood. Their success for group-living species depends on the mimicry of natural processes that promote social integration. Due to fragmented landscapes, human mediated (i.e. artificial) group formation is often required.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
An Evaluation of Text Mining Techniques in Sampling of Network Ports from IBR Traffic
- Authors: Chindipha, Stones D , Irwin, Barry V W , Herbert, Alan
- Date: 2019
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/427630 , vital:72452 , https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Stones-Chindi-pha/publication/335910179_An_Evaluation_of_Text_Mining_Techniques_in_Sampling_of_Network_Ports_from_IBR_Traffic/links/5d833084458515cbd1985a38/An-Evaluation-of-Text-Mining-Techniques-in-Sampling-of-Network-Ports-from-IBR-Traffic.pdf
- Description: Information retrieval (IR) has had techniques that have been used to gauge the extent to which certain keywords can be retrieved from a document. These techniques have been used to measure similarities in duplicated images, native language identification, optimize algorithms, among others. With this notion, this study proposes the use of four of the Information Retrieval Techniques (IRT/IR) to gauge the implications of sampling a/24 IPv4 ports into smaller subnet equivalents. Using IR, this paper shows how the ports found in a/24 IPv4 net-block relate to those found in the smaller subnet equivalents. Using Internet Background Radiation (IBR) data that was collected from Rhodes University, the study found compelling evidence of the viability of using such techniques in sampling datasets. Essentially, being able to identify the variation that comes with sampling the baseline dataset. It shows how the various samples are similar to the baseline dataset. The correlation observed in the scores proves how viable these techniques are to quantifying variations in the sampling of IBR data. In this way, one can identify which subnet equivalent best represents the unique ports found in the baseline dataset (IPv4 net-block dataset).
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
David Kolaone fought for the right to define himself and his art:
- Authors: Simbao, Ruth K
- Date: 2019
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/146981 , vital:38582 , https://theconversation.com/david-koloane-fought-for-the-right-to-define-himself-and-his-art-120687
- Description: Dr David Nthubu Koloane, who was born in South Africa in 1938, was an extraordinary pioneer in the visual arts who fiercely defied any form of categorisation. As an artist, teacher, mentor, curator, arts administrator and author, he fought for the human right to define oneself and to determine one’s own future.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Mulling over Art with Andrew Mulenga: Artnet “Intelligence Report” magnifies African Art Market
- Authors: Mulenga, Andrew
- Date: 2019
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/146826 , vital:38561 , https://www.themastonline.com/2019/09/24/mulling-over-art-artnet-intelligence-report-magnifies-african-art-market/
- Description: In its latest “Intelligence Report” released on 10th September titled Welcome to the Age of the Art Industry (The Art World Is Over) which coincides with its 30th anniversary, artnet News advances a thesis: that over the past 30 years, the art world has evolved into an art industry.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Mulling over Art with Andrew Mulenga: Lechwe celebrates 2 Zambian art icons
- Authors: Mulenga, Andrew
- Date: 2019
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/146868 , vital:38565 , https://www.themastonline.com/2019/10/29/mulling-over-art-lechwe-celebrates-2-zambian-art-icons/
- Description: LESS than a year after its official opening, the Lechwe Trust Art Gallery on Lagos Road in Lusaka is the venue for Art Lives On – ii, an exhibition of artworks by Lutanda S. Mwamba (1966-2014) and Flinto S. Chandia (1955-2017) which opens next week on Thursday 7th November and runs until the end of February.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
The impact of illustrated side effect information on understanding and sustained retention of antiretroviral side effect knowledge:
- Authors: Browne, Sara H , Barford, Kirsty-Lee , Ramela, Thato , Dowse, Roslind
- Date: 2019
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/156341 , vital:39980 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sapharm.2018.05.012
- Description: Prompt management of side effects is critical to supporting adherence to antiretroviral (ARV) medication. This study examines the impact of presenting side effect information using simple text combined with pictograms on sustained knowledge of ARV side effects over three months. Previously designed side effect pictograms, combined with simple text, were incorporated into a side effects panel within an ARV information leaflet. In a randomised controlled study, 116 limited literacy HIV patients taking ARVs were randomly allocated to either control (standard care) or intervention groups (standard care plus illustrated information). Side effect knowledge was assessed at baseline, and intervention patients received the illustrated leaflet. Knowledge was re-tested at one and three months. Interpretation of side effect pictograms was evaluated at one month.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
The speculative collectivity of the global transnational, or, social practice and the international division of labour:
- Authors: Tello, Verónica
- Date: 2019
- Language: English
- Type: text , book
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/146378 , vital:38520 , ISBN 9781351399111
- Description: Book abstract. The Routledge Companion to Theatre and Politics is a volume of critical essays, provocations, and interventions on the most important questions faced by today’s writers, critics, audiences, and theatre and performance makers. Featuring texts written by scholars and artists who are diversely situated (geographically, culturally, politically, and institutionally), its multiple perspectives broadly address the question "How can we be political now?".
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Capturing the Soweto Uprising: South Africa’s most iconic photograph lives on
- Authors: Simbao, Ruth K
- Date: 2018
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/147036 , vital:38587 , https://theconversation.com/capturing-the-soweto-uprising-south-africas-most-iconic-photograph-lives-on-98318
- Description: Sam Nzima, the photographer who captured the iconic image of the 1976 Soweto Uprising passed awayon May 12, 2018. The photograph was one of six frames showing Mbuyisa Makhubu carrying 12-year-old Hector Pieterson who was shot by police, and Hector’s sister, Antionette Pieterson (now Sithole) running alongside.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Isolation and Characterisation of Stigmasterol and β–Sitosterol from Anthocleista djalonensis A. Chev.
- Authors: Okoro, Ijeoma S , Tor-Anyiin, Terrumun A , Igoli, John O , Noundou, Xavier S , Krause, Rui W M
- Date: 2018
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/126191 , vital:35857 , https://doi.org/10.9734/AJOCS/2017/37147
- Description: Aim: Anthocleista djalonensis A. Chev. is a plant with several chemical constituents whichaccounts for its ethno-pharmacological uses. The present study is aimed at identifying and characterizing the active principles from the roots of the plant. Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out at the Department of Organic Chemistry,Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa between March and July 2016. Methodology: The root powder was subjected to maceration with methanol to obtain the crude extract. The methanol extract was fractionated using hexane, ethyl acetate and acetone successively. The acetone extract was thereafter subjected to column chromatography to isolate any pure components. Results: White needle-like crystals were obtained which on spectral analysis(IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, 2D- NMR, and ESI-MS ) were identified as a mixture of stigmasterol and β-sitosterol. Conclusion: The compounds isolated were identified as stigmasterol and β-sitosterol.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Meeting food security needs in very poor households in the Eastern Cape: The role of own agricultural production
- Authors: Rogan, Michael , Reynolds, John
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/477973 , vital:78142
- Description: Small-scale agriculture evokes strong views in terms of both its current and potential roles in rural development. We examine how many (or few) Black households in rural areas that are identified as ‘food poor’in terms of their income levels are able to meet their basic food needs–and the role of household agricultural production. We find that although rural households engaged in some form of farming are more likely to be very poor in terms of their incomes, they actually experience hunger less frequently than non-farming households.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018