Pleistocene vertebrate trace fossils from the Cape south coast of South Africa: inferences and implications
- Authors: Helm, Charles William
- Date: 2023-04
- Subjects: Geology, Stratigraphic -- Pleistocene , Vertebrates, Fossil -- South Africa , Paleontology -- Pleistocene
- Language: English
- Type: Doctor's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/60589 , vital:65942
- Description: Palaeoichnology, the study of fossil tracks and traces, has had a relatively late start on the Cape south coast of South Africa. Since its inception in 2007 the Cape south coast ichnology project has led to the identification of 326 Pleistocene vertebrate ichnosites in aeolianites (cemented dunes) and cemented foreshore deposits between the community of Arniston in the west and the Robberg Peninsula in the east, a distance of approximately 350 kilometres. As a result, significant palaeoevironmental, palaeocological and palaeoanthropological inferences have been made. This thesis brings together this corpus of work, and attempts to answer the question of how ichnology can inform the understanding of the Cape south coast Pleistocene environment, and how the trace fossil record can complement the body fossil record. Achieving this objective involves the development of a definitive regional account. This includes descriptions of the regional geological context, Quaternary sea-level changes, and the state of knowledge of the region’s Pleistocene palaeoenvironment, palaeoanthropology, and body fossil record, along with an understanding of the roles of substrate and taphonomy in regional ichnology. A discussion of geochronology includes the age results from specimens submitted for dating through optically stimulated luminescence – dated deposits range in age from Marine Isotope Stage 11 through Marine Isotope Srage 3. The body of the thesis is formed by systematic descriptions of the vertebrate ichnosites, accompanied by interpretation and comments. Three databases have been compiled: ichnosites, photographs, and photogrammetry images. In synthesizing this data, four underlying questions are addressed: what is the global relevance of the Cape south coast ichnosites, how can these studies complement the vertebrate body fossil record, how can they contribute to the understanding of Pleistocene palaeoenvironments and palaeocology, and how can they contribute to palaeoanthropology? The Cape south coast is of global ichnological importance. Unanticipated findings which augment the sparse reptilian body fossil record include tracks and traces of crocodiles, monitor lizards, very large tortoises (the first of their kind in the global record), and hatchling sea turtles. Two new ichnogenera have been erected to describe the sea turtle tracks, each containing a new ichnospecies: ustralochelichnus agulhasii and Marinerichnus latus. Avian ichnosites are the oldest in southern v Africa, and include the presence of tracks of larger-than-expected birds, which may represent large chronosubspecies or may suggest the possibility of extinctions which are not evident from the body fossil record. Unique examples of the non-hominin mammalian ichnosites include sand-swimming traces that resemble those of the ‘Namib mole’: as a result a new ichnogenus (Natatorichnus) has been erected, containing two ichnospecies, N. subarenosa and N. sulcatus. The first elephant trunk-drag impressions and the first pinniped ichnosites in the global record have been identified. The role of elephant tracks as precursors to coastal potholes was previously unsuspected. Equid tracksites indicate a widespread presence of the extinct giant Cape horse (Equus capensis). The identification of a giraffe tracksite represents a major range extension. In particular, tracks and traces of giraffe, crocodiles, breeding sea turtles, and sand-swimming golden moles have significant palaeoenvironmental implications. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science, School of Environmental Sciences, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-04
- Authors: Helm, Charles William
- Date: 2023-04
- Subjects: Geology, Stratigraphic -- Pleistocene , Vertebrates, Fossil -- South Africa , Paleontology -- Pleistocene
- Language: English
- Type: Doctor's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/60589 , vital:65942
- Description: Palaeoichnology, the study of fossil tracks and traces, has had a relatively late start on the Cape south coast of South Africa. Since its inception in 2007 the Cape south coast ichnology project has led to the identification of 326 Pleistocene vertebrate ichnosites in aeolianites (cemented dunes) and cemented foreshore deposits between the community of Arniston in the west and the Robberg Peninsula in the east, a distance of approximately 350 kilometres. As a result, significant palaeoevironmental, palaeocological and palaeoanthropological inferences have been made. This thesis brings together this corpus of work, and attempts to answer the question of how ichnology can inform the understanding of the Cape south coast Pleistocene environment, and how the trace fossil record can complement the body fossil record. Achieving this objective involves the development of a definitive regional account. This includes descriptions of the regional geological context, Quaternary sea-level changes, and the state of knowledge of the region’s Pleistocene palaeoenvironment, palaeoanthropology, and body fossil record, along with an understanding of the roles of substrate and taphonomy in regional ichnology. A discussion of geochronology includes the age results from specimens submitted for dating through optically stimulated luminescence – dated deposits range in age from Marine Isotope Stage 11 through Marine Isotope Srage 3. The body of the thesis is formed by systematic descriptions of the vertebrate ichnosites, accompanied by interpretation and comments. Three databases have been compiled: ichnosites, photographs, and photogrammetry images. In synthesizing this data, four underlying questions are addressed: what is the global relevance of the Cape south coast ichnosites, how can these studies complement the vertebrate body fossil record, how can they contribute to the understanding of Pleistocene palaeoenvironments and palaeocology, and how can they contribute to palaeoanthropology? The Cape south coast is of global ichnological importance. Unanticipated findings which augment the sparse reptilian body fossil record include tracks and traces of crocodiles, monitor lizards, very large tortoises (the first of their kind in the global record), and hatchling sea turtles. Two new ichnogenera have been erected to describe the sea turtle tracks, each containing a new ichnospecies: ustralochelichnus agulhasii and Marinerichnus latus. Avian ichnosites are the oldest in southern v Africa, and include the presence of tracks of larger-than-expected birds, which may represent large chronosubspecies or may suggest the possibility of extinctions which are not evident from the body fossil record. Unique examples of the non-hominin mammalian ichnosites include sand-swimming traces that resemble those of the ‘Namib mole’: as a result a new ichnogenus (Natatorichnus) has been erected, containing two ichnospecies, N. subarenosa and N. sulcatus. The first elephant trunk-drag impressions and the first pinniped ichnosites in the global record have been identified. The role of elephant tracks as precursors to coastal potholes was previously unsuspected. Equid tracksites indicate a widespread presence of the extinct giant Cape horse (Equus capensis). The identification of a giraffe tracksite represents a major range extension. In particular, tracks and traces of giraffe, crocodiles, breeding sea turtles, and sand-swimming golden moles have significant palaeoenvironmental implications. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science, School of Environmental Sciences, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-04
A design method for end-user engagement and interaction with social media technologies
- Authors: Oyedele, Yemisi
- Date: 2022-04
- Subjects: Social media , End-user computing
- Language: English
- Type: Doctor's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/58451 , vital:59284
- Description: Social media technologies are ubiquitous and have become essential information and communication technology applications for society. These technologies provide end-users with the experience of interacting with different social media platforms and socialising with other end-users on these platforms. They also contribute towards the personal development of end-users and the development of the social media community, which has become an important part of their everyday lives. As social media technology evolves, measuring end-user engagement becomes challenging. In the existing literature, the measured engagement, such as the end-user’s activities, typically represents an aspect of the experience that the end-users have with the technology. This view is a single dimension of the end-user’s engagement and, at the same time, a limited representation of the actual interaction the end-users have with the technology. In addition to the behavioural aspect, other dimensions that occur during the interaction are the emotional and cognitive aspects. Together, these three aspects of end-user engagement occur simultaneously during the interaction period. Therefore, there is a need to define and design a broader view of the end-user’s engagement with social media technology. The main research objective of this thesis is to develop an artefact that informs the design of social media technology based on the knowledge or understanding of the end-user’s perspectives of the emotional, cognitive, and behavioural aspects when engaging with social media technology. Also, this study has three sub-research objectives. The first sub-research objective is to define end-user’s engagement and interaction using a concept called User experience engagement and interaction. This concept is proposed to holistically represent the three-dimensional engagement that end-users have with social media technology. The second sub-research objective is to identify an approach to derive some design guidelines and heuristics for social media technology engagement and interaction. The third sub-research objective is to determine how to constitute the end-users experience and design elements into a method. Moreover, this study follows a design science research paradigm. This approach, which combines a literature review, a case study, and an illustrative scenario, was used in the research process to achieve the three sub-research objectives. Specifically, the literature viii review and the case study focus on defining the end-users’ emotional, cognitive and behavioural engagement with social media technology. Findings were used to interpret end user engagement and develop the design method that would aid designers and developers to enhance end user engagement and interaction with social media technologies. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Engineering, the Built Environment, and Technology, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-04
- Authors: Oyedele, Yemisi
- Date: 2022-04
- Subjects: Social media , End-user computing
- Language: English
- Type: Doctor's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/58451 , vital:59284
- Description: Social media technologies are ubiquitous and have become essential information and communication technology applications for society. These technologies provide end-users with the experience of interacting with different social media platforms and socialising with other end-users on these platforms. They also contribute towards the personal development of end-users and the development of the social media community, which has become an important part of their everyday lives. As social media technology evolves, measuring end-user engagement becomes challenging. In the existing literature, the measured engagement, such as the end-user’s activities, typically represents an aspect of the experience that the end-users have with the technology. This view is a single dimension of the end-user’s engagement and, at the same time, a limited representation of the actual interaction the end-users have with the technology. In addition to the behavioural aspect, other dimensions that occur during the interaction are the emotional and cognitive aspects. Together, these three aspects of end-user engagement occur simultaneously during the interaction period. Therefore, there is a need to define and design a broader view of the end-user’s engagement with social media technology. The main research objective of this thesis is to develop an artefact that informs the design of social media technology based on the knowledge or understanding of the end-user’s perspectives of the emotional, cognitive, and behavioural aspects when engaging with social media technology. Also, this study has three sub-research objectives. The first sub-research objective is to define end-user’s engagement and interaction using a concept called User experience engagement and interaction. This concept is proposed to holistically represent the three-dimensional engagement that end-users have with social media technology. The second sub-research objective is to identify an approach to derive some design guidelines and heuristics for social media technology engagement and interaction. The third sub-research objective is to determine how to constitute the end-users experience and design elements into a method. Moreover, this study follows a design science research paradigm. This approach, which combines a literature review, a case study, and an illustrative scenario, was used in the research process to achieve the three sub-research objectives. Specifically, the literature viii review and the case study focus on defining the end-users’ emotional, cognitive and behavioural engagement with social media technology. Findings were used to interpret end user engagement and develop the design method that would aid designers and developers to enhance end user engagement and interaction with social media technologies. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Engineering, the Built Environment, and Technology, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-04
Representations of trauma by three women writers from the global south
- Authors: Pabel, Annemarie Luise
- Date: 2020-04
- Subjects: Women authors (South Africa) , Eastern Cape (South Africa) , South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Doctor's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/55128 , vital:49131
- Description: This study examines modalities of psychological trauma in selected works by three women writers from the global South: the Scottish-Sierra Leonean writer Aminatta Forna, the ChileanAmerican author Isabel Allende and Anuradha Roy from India. It aims to examine textual manifestations of complex and prolonged experiences of trauma and the ways in which literary forms facilitate such representations. Specifically, I am interested in multi-layered and interrelated forms of trauma which exceed the conventional, event-based conceptualization of trauma as an “overwhelming experience of sudden or catastrophic events” (Caruth 1996:11). 1 Such experiences include war, exile, extensive childhood sexual abuse, maternal bereavement and familial disintegration. I have selected three texts from each author’s body of literary work: Forna’s memoir The Devil that Danced on the Water: a Daughter’s Quest (2003) and her novels The Memory of Love (2010) and Happiness (2010), Allende’s memoirs Paula (1994), My Invented Country (2004) and Portrait in Sepia (2000) and Roy’s novels An Atlas of Impossible Longing (2008), Sleeping on Jupiter (2015) and All the Lives We Never Lived (2018). The study’s focus on women writers from different contexts in the global South is motivated by an imbalance in critical attention and validation extreme forms of suffering receive globally. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Language, Media and Communication, 2020
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020-04
- Authors: Pabel, Annemarie Luise
- Date: 2020-04
- Subjects: Women authors (South Africa) , Eastern Cape (South Africa) , South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Doctor's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/55128 , vital:49131
- Description: This study examines modalities of psychological trauma in selected works by three women writers from the global South: the Scottish-Sierra Leonean writer Aminatta Forna, the ChileanAmerican author Isabel Allende and Anuradha Roy from India. It aims to examine textual manifestations of complex and prolonged experiences of trauma and the ways in which literary forms facilitate such representations. Specifically, I am interested in multi-layered and interrelated forms of trauma which exceed the conventional, event-based conceptualization of trauma as an “overwhelming experience of sudden or catastrophic events” (Caruth 1996:11). 1 Such experiences include war, exile, extensive childhood sexual abuse, maternal bereavement and familial disintegration. I have selected three texts from each author’s body of literary work: Forna’s memoir The Devil that Danced on the Water: a Daughter’s Quest (2003) and her novels The Memory of Love (2010) and Happiness (2010), Allende’s memoirs Paula (1994), My Invented Country (2004) and Portrait in Sepia (2000) and Roy’s novels An Atlas of Impossible Longing (2008), Sleeping on Jupiter (2015) and All the Lives We Never Lived (2018). The study’s focus on women writers from different contexts in the global South is motivated by an imbalance in critical attention and validation extreme forms of suffering receive globally. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Humanities, School of Language, Media and Communication, 2020
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020-04
An ICT framework to support a patient-centric approach in public healthcare : A case study of Malawi
- Authors: Pankomera, Richard
- Date: 2022-04
- Subjects: Technological innovations -- Malawi
- Language: English
- Type: Doctor's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/58462 , vital:59285
- Description: The proliferation of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) worldwide has enhanced the amelioration of the quality of healthcare services. There is evidence that the adoption of electronic health (e-health) and mobile health (m-health) technologies has transformed the healthcare domain by improving the efficiency of healthcare service delivery. Digitising health ecosystems has culminated in increased access to healthcare services, even for remote rural areas. The application of ICTs in the healthcare sector has reduced the overall costs of healthcare services. However, developing countries, such as Malawi, face a plethora of challenges in implementing ICT initiatives in the public health sector. Although Malawi deploys several e-health systems, most are fragmented and, therefore, not interoperable. In addition, many m-health interventions are still in the pilot phase, and the Government does not manage them centrally. These challenges are further exacerbated by a lack of appropriate policy and regulatory framework, insufficient human capacity and development, inadequate financial resources, and poor ICT governance in the public healthcare sector. Furthermore, the current provider-centred approach to healthcare service delivery does not fully meet the needs of health consumers. It is, therefore, not surprising that the dearth of an ICT framework for patient-centric healthcare services has made coordination and management of ICT interventions less sustainable, less health consumer-centric and less cost-effective. Unlike the provider-centred approach, patient-centric healthcare empowers health consumers with health information to control their own health and well-being. A patient-centric healthcare approach provides treatment and care to health consumers based on their preferences, values, and beliefs. It is, therefore, cost-effective as it takes a preventive approach rather than a curative one. An ICT framework is proposed to support patient-centric healthcare services in the public healthcare sector in Malawi. A comprehensive literature review and analysis was succinctly conducted to gain an understanding of the Malawi health landscape and patient healthcare approaches. Semi-structured interviews were also undertaken to solicit information from various key v stakeholders such as policymakers, software developers, health consumers, and healthcare providers. Design science research paradigm coupled with pragmatism was then followed to develop the ICT framework, which will ultimately support patient-centric healthcare services in the public sector in Malawi. This methodology assists in solving social problems in a specific context by providing technology-based solutions in the form of an artefact. Experts in various disciplines domiciled in Malawi validated the ICT framework, as an artefact, for its relevance and applicability. The results showed that the framework is appropriate and relevant in the public healthcare sector in Malawi. This study contributes to design science research methodology as it addressed the improvement quadrant described by Gregor and Hevner. It also contributes to the existing body of knowledge by providing a design science artefact in the form of an ICT framework. It is envisaged that the proposed ICT framework will assist the Ministry of Health and other key stakeholders in providing quality patient-centric healthcare services in the public healthcare in Malawi. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Engineering, the Built Environment, and Technology, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-04
An ICT framework to support a patient-centric approach in public healthcare : A case study of Malawi
- Authors: Pankomera, Richard
- Date: 2022-04
- Subjects: Technological innovations -- Malawi
- Language: English
- Type: Doctor's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/58462 , vital:59285
- Description: The proliferation of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) worldwide has enhanced the amelioration of the quality of healthcare services. There is evidence that the adoption of electronic health (e-health) and mobile health (m-health) technologies has transformed the healthcare domain by improving the efficiency of healthcare service delivery. Digitising health ecosystems has culminated in increased access to healthcare services, even for remote rural areas. The application of ICTs in the healthcare sector has reduced the overall costs of healthcare services. However, developing countries, such as Malawi, face a plethora of challenges in implementing ICT initiatives in the public health sector. Although Malawi deploys several e-health systems, most are fragmented and, therefore, not interoperable. In addition, many m-health interventions are still in the pilot phase, and the Government does not manage them centrally. These challenges are further exacerbated by a lack of appropriate policy and regulatory framework, insufficient human capacity and development, inadequate financial resources, and poor ICT governance in the public healthcare sector. Furthermore, the current provider-centred approach to healthcare service delivery does not fully meet the needs of health consumers. It is, therefore, not surprising that the dearth of an ICT framework for patient-centric healthcare services has made coordination and management of ICT interventions less sustainable, less health consumer-centric and less cost-effective. Unlike the provider-centred approach, patient-centric healthcare empowers health consumers with health information to control their own health and well-being. A patient-centric healthcare approach provides treatment and care to health consumers based on their preferences, values, and beliefs. It is, therefore, cost-effective as it takes a preventive approach rather than a curative one. An ICT framework is proposed to support patient-centric healthcare services in the public healthcare sector in Malawi. A comprehensive literature review and analysis was succinctly conducted to gain an understanding of the Malawi health landscape and patient healthcare approaches. Semi-structured interviews were also undertaken to solicit information from various key v stakeholders such as policymakers, software developers, health consumers, and healthcare providers. Design science research paradigm coupled with pragmatism was then followed to develop the ICT framework, which will ultimately support patient-centric healthcare services in the public sector in Malawi. This methodology assists in solving social problems in a specific context by providing technology-based solutions in the form of an artefact. Experts in various disciplines domiciled in Malawi validated the ICT framework, as an artefact, for its relevance and applicability. The results showed that the framework is appropriate and relevant in the public healthcare sector in Malawi. This study contributes to design science research methodology as it addressed the improvement quadrant described by Gregor and Hevner. It also contributes to the existing body of knowledge by providing a design science artefact in the form of an ICT framework. It is envisaged that the proposed ICT framework will assist the Ministry of Health and other key stakeholders in providing quality patient-centric healthcare services in the public healthcare in Malawi. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Engineering, the Built Environment, and Technology, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-04
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