A review of factors influencing poor performance in matric examinations in Libode District, Eastern Cape
- Authors: Tsama, Vuyani
- Date: 2020-02
- Subjects: High school students , School improvement programs , Education--South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/20506 , vital:46029
- Description: The researcher reviewed the factors that influence poor performance in matriculation examinations in the Libode District, also referred to as the OR Tambo Coastal District. Okoye (1982) defines poor academic performance of the individual or candidate in the learning situation as one in which a candidate fails to attain a set standard of performance in a given evaluation exercise such as a test, an examination or a series of continuous assessment. The research used a mixed method approach in an explanatory and case study research design. A purposive sampling of sixty (60) participants, who were the principals in the schools selected, was used. The researcher distributed forty-five (45) questionnaires and fifteen (15) interviews were conducted. The data analysis was done using Microsoft Excel for the quantitative data and thematic analysis for the qualitative data. Furthermore, inferential statistics were done, validating some statements in the research, and approving or disproving statements in the findings of the research. The perceptions of the causes of poor performance showed that forty percent (40 percent) of respondents disagreed that good planning was being done by the Department of Basic Education. Thirty-eight (38 percent ) percent of the participants also disagreed that low motivation on the part of the children was a factor in the poor results, followed by thirty-five percent (35 percent ) who slightly agreed that matric learners are failing because of socio-economic factors. Furthermore, on the challenges affecting the Department of Education, eight-seven percent (87 percent ) of the respondents supported the impact of drugs on poor performance, sixty-nine percent (69 percent) cited the issue of shortages of Learner Teaching and Support Material (LTSM) and sixty-five percent (65 percent) of respondents attributed the erratic and unfair progression of learners at grade eight (8), nine (9) and ten (10) level, which ultimately affected the grade twelve (12) results. The interview findings showed that the average pass rate was fifty percent (50 percent) in most schools, and the administration and leadership issues of the schools had been poorly managed. This, coupled with a shortage of LTSM and societal issues, such as drugs, negatively affected the matriculates. The research findings pointed to the challenge of drugs as being the biggest societal contributor to poor performance in matriculation results in OR Tambo Coastal District. The inferential statistics showed that gender could not affect the principal’s role as administrators and leader. However, gender did impact on leadership style. Women’s leadership style, which was more participative and consultative, was found to produce lower results; while male principals, who used a more bureaucratic, authoritative style, tended to produce higher results. Among other issues, the task-oriented, emotional nature of the principal’s job showed effects on school performance overall and the education level of the grade twelves (12), but educators alone could not affect the matric results. Furthermore, alone, the department’s efforts to improve results were not found to be productive; rather a number of factors could be combined to produce results. Lastly, the researcher recommended that the OR Tambo Coastal District should train teachers through development programmes, adjust the leadership style to one that is situational and transformational, and improve dialogue with school principals through regular school visits. Again, underperforming schools should be provided with LTSM, and teachers should be recruited and deployed on time. , Thesis (MPA) -- University of Fort Hare, 2021
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- Date Issued: 2020-02
Abandoned buildings as breeding ground for criminal activities: a case study of Libode Town under Nyandeni Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape
- Authors: Baliwe, Mthuthuzeli Christopher
- Date: 2020-02
- Subjects: Abandoned buildings , Crime -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/19215 , vital:43032
- Description: Buildings and houses are neglected by their owners/ government for different reasons, but money tends to be the leading reason in most instances. That then needs minds to work hand in hand; owners of the buildings must co-partner with the government to reduce the crisis by ensuring that there are no abandoned buildings in the community as these have proved to be breeding ground for criminal activities. The study was conducted in Libode town, which is under Nyandeni Local municipality in the Eastern Cape. Around Libode town there are abandoned buildings that have not been used for years. In most cases criminals use these for their criminal activities and hide outs from the law. There have been multiple cases reported about crimes committed inside and around these buildings, and still no intervention from the local government has been instituted. The aim of this study was to explore the influence of abandoned buildings on criminal activities in Libode Town. The study used a qualitative design in data collection and in describing the results. A sample of 8 key informants, 10 members from Qhankqu and 10 members from Belmond Township formed participants of the study. These were selected using the Snowball sampling method. In-depth / one on one interviews were used to collect data from key informants and focus group interviews were used to interview two groups, one from Belmond and the other from Qhankqu. Data were analysed and drafted using thematic analysis and transcription. Interviews were recorded and notes were taken to collect data. Findings indicate that indeed abandoned buildings are the source of so many criminal activities as it was explained by the researcher that youth hangs on these buildings and formulate gangs. These gangs are utilised by drug dealers to distribute their merchandise. Findings also explained that these buildings are located on places which are dangerous and it motivates wrongdoers to even carry on their doings. Findings indicated that lack of attention to these buildings by the government and the relevant owners was the main factor that led criminals to utilise abandoned buildings for their wrongdoings. Findings further showed that the government failed to ensure that these buildings are checked at least twice a month in order to keep control on these buildings, causing criminals to target the abandoned buildings. The study recommends that SAPS and Nyandeni local municipality draft Laws/ restrictions for the use of these buildings so that if anyone wants to use these buildings they must follow these laws and restrictions, which will help to restrict criminal elements from using these buildings without permission. To solve the problem of criminals taking advantage of abandoned buildings, the study recommends, the buildings should be either destroyed or fixed. , Thesis (MSoc) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2020
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- Date Issued: 2020-02
Eastern Cape students’ barriers to well-being and academic success in higher education: A photovoice study
- Authors: Dilley, Jessica
- Date: 2020-02
- Subjects: Education, Higher , Educational change -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/20949 , vital:46862
- Description: The contemporary educational landscape in South Africa is characterised by prevailing inequities and disparities within higher education institutions and poor academic achievement. Although participation in higher education has increased over time, many students do not complete their courses within the required time and a high proportion of students continue to drop out, with few students progressing to postgraduate level. Majority of students who do not complete their courses are poor. Many students are faced with a number of barriers that stand in the way of academic success and, ultimately, graduation. However, through agency students often draw from a range of supports to promote their well-being and academic success. This study aims to balance the literature by investigating not only the barriers, but also the supports to success in university. This study addresses the notion that students from historically black universities are underrepresented in the literature. The current study explored Eastern Cape students’ barriers and supports to success within higher education. Five undergraduate female students participated in focus groups, which incorporated photovoice, adding to the participative nature of the research methodology. Focus group data were subjected to thematic analysis, informed by social constructionist theory. Three themes were prevalent: barriers within higher education, coping strategies positioned on a continuum and supports in higher education. Descriptions revealed that barriers and supports are reinforced by prevailing discourses, which are critiqued and/or used for the benefit of the students’ well-being. Barriers were limiting, yet also sites for personal growth and agency, whilst the engagement with supports was mediated predominantly by the intersection of social categories (race, gender, socio-economic status) occupied by students. , Thesis (MSoc) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2020
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- Date Issued: 2020-02
Evaluation of the utilisation of game liver and maize meal in the production of liver sausage
- Authors: Cairncross, Kelly Inga
- Date: 2020-02
- Subjects: Meat -- Preservation , Sausages
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/23743 , vital:59029
- Description: The study aimed to evaluate the utilisation of game liver and maize meal as a partial fat replacer in the production of liver sausage. Mixed game livers (Blesbok, Impala and Springbok) were purchased and processed into sausages with varying levels of maize meal (6percent, 8percent, 10percent and 12percent). The liver sausages were cooked in a water bath for 2 hours to an internal temperate of 70 °C. Cooked sausages were cooled in ice water before storage at 4 °C before vacuum packed and frozen at -20 °C for 30 days. Proximate and fatty acid composition, pH, water activity, texture, lipid oxidation, and microbial content was determined on both day 0 and 30 days after frozen storage. Of the proximate composition, carbohydrate content had significant differences (P≤0.05) and increased as maize meal inclusion increased. The pH of raw game liver sausage batter differed (P≤0.05) between treatments. The pH of cooked game liver sausage differed (P≤0.05) from the raw batter. Textural parameters showed an increase (P<0.01) for both hardness and chewiness after 30 days of frozen storage. A positive correlation was found between hardness and chewiness with an increase in maize meal inclusion. TBARS values of the 12percent treatment differed (P≤0.05) from the maize meal inclusion treatments, but no differences (P>0.05) were recorded over 30 days of frozen storage. No differences (P>0.05) were recorded for the fatty acid composition between treatments. No growth was observed for microbial quality indicators nor Campylobacter spp. for all treatments. This study showed that frozen storage only had a negative effect on some textural parameters, while the inclusion of maize meal affects most physicochemical characteristics. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science and Agriculture, 2020
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- Date Issued: 2020-02
Exploring the performance of four and five-year-old rural children on two and three-dimensional cognitive test items within the Raymond Mhlaba Municipality
- Authors: Sohena, Kholwani Bulelwa (https://orcid.org/ 0000-0001-6451-0446)
- Date: 2020-02
- Subjects: Creative thinking , Cognition
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/21178 , vital:47384
- Description: Digital assessment, in particular tablet-based assessment, is on the rise and holds favourable prospects, especially for the rural South African context. However, the use of two-dimensional test items, such as pictures or patterns, has been found to lead to test bias in rural African settings, where such formats are unfamiliar. Little is known whether this would also be the case for two-dimensional tablet-based items. Therefore, this study investigated four and five-year-old rural isiXhosa-speaking children’s performance on two-dimensional tablet-based items compared with three-dimensional replicas of the tablet-based items. A total of sixty-three children were assessed and the data collected through the two test modes was statistically analysed according to the objectives of the study using the statistical package for the social science (SPSS). Descriptive statistics were employed by computing frequencies to determine the total sample’s performance on the two-dimensional tablet-based items as well as the three-dimensional items. Furthermore, a cross tabulation, followed by a chi-square analysis was done to examine the association between the children’s performance and the two test modes. The findings indicate a similar performance for the sample on both test formats with a slightly stronger performance by the sample on tablet-based items. More than just dimensionality was found to influence test performance in this study. Overall tablet-based assessment seems to be a promising tool for assessing children’s cognitive development in the rural South African context. , Thesis (MSoc Sci) (Psychology) -- University of Fort Hare, 2021
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- Date Issued: 2020-02
Exploring young children’s tablet-based cognitive assessment within the Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality: a case study approach.
- Authors: Mdyogolo, Thandokazi
- Date: 2020-02
- Subjects: Human-computer interaction
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/21070 , vital:46947
- Description: The adaptation and development of tablet-based measures are on the rise and hold promising prospects particularly for the rural South African context. However, limited research has been done on tablet-based assessment and whether it can be applied to the psychological assessment of the rural isiXhosa speaking children. For this reason the purpose of the study was to explore and describe how South African rural isiXhosa speaking children respond to a set of newly developed tablet-based items. By gathering information of this kind, the study hopes to inform and contribute to a larger national project concerned with the development of a tablet-based cognitive measure for isiXhosa speaking children. A multiple-case study design was utilized in a qualitative research paradigm. The data was collected amongst ten isiXhosa speaking children between the ages of 4 years and 5 years. The qualitative data was thematically analysed and Lincoln and Guba’s (1985) model for assessing the trustworthiness of qualitative data was applied. Findings indicate that tablet-based assessment holds promising prospects for the cognitive assessment of isiXhosa speaking children. However a number of factors were identified that influenced the rural isiXhosa speaking children’s performance on the tablet-based cognitive items. , Thesis (MSoc Sci) (Psychology) -- University of Fort Hare, 2021
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- Date Issued: 2020-02
Fossil Shell Flour supplementation in the diet of Dohne Merino rams: effects on feed acceptability and heat stress tolerance
- Authors: Mwanda, Lwazi https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9503-6150
- Date: 2020-02
- Subjects: Sheep--Feeding and feeds , Animal feeding , Fossils
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/22567 , vital:52464
- Description: The objective of the current study was to evaluate the effects of feeding Dohne Merino rams with various inclusion levels of Fossil Shell Flour (FSF) as an additive supplement on feed preference and heat tolerance response of Dohne Merino rams. The FSF is used as an animal feed additive and is known to be rich in minerals. A total of twenty-four Dohne Merino rams (average 19.8 ± 0.43 kg body weight) were used to determine the feed preference of varying inclusion levels fossil shell flour (0g FSF/kg, 20g FSF/kg, 40g FSF/kg and 60g FSF/kg). The preference was assessed using feed intake and coefficient of preference. The feed intake, co-efficient of preference and physical attributes of feed (such as colour, smell and texture) was measured. The feed intake and coefficient of preference were higher in rams supplemented 60g FSF/kg (P < 0.05). The physical attributes of the experimental diets were adjudged based on the colour, smell and texture. The colour of experimental diets were brown in 0g FSF/kg while in 20g FSF/kg, 40g FSF/kg and 60g FSF/kg the colour of experimental diets were light brown (P< 0.05). All the experimental diets had a pleasant smell (P< 0.05). The texture of diets with 0g FSF/kg was moderately firm while diets 20g FSF/kg, 40g FSF/kg and 60g FSF/kg had a firm texture. The order of preference of diets supplemented with fossil shell flour in terms of feed intake by Dohne Merino rams was: 60g FSF/kg > 40g FSF/kg > 20gFSF/kg > 0g FSF/kg. In the second experiment, a total of twenty-four (n=24) Dohne Merino rams of about 8 to 9 months old, weighing 19.8 ± 0.43 kg were confined in individual pens for a period of 100 days. The rams were subjected to four varying inclusion levels of fossil shell flour (0g/kg, 20g/kg, 40g/kg and 60g/kg. Water and feed intake were recorded throughout the period of successive feeding. Blood samples were collected on days 0, 45 and 90. The parameters studied included the average daily water intake (ADWI), average feed intake (ADFI), skin temperature (ST), respiration rate (RR), pulse rate (PR), rectal temperature (RT), total plasma protein (TPP), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and mean corpuscular volume (MCV). The inclusion levels of FSF affected both the ADWI and ADFI, showing a high-water intake and feed intake in rams subjected to 40g/kg of FSF followed by 60g FSF/kg, 20g FSF/kg and 0g FSF/kg (P< 0.01) respectively. All the physiological parameters ST, RT, RR, HR and PR decreased with an increase in the inclusion levels of FSF (P< 0.01). The TPP increased as the levels of FSF increases (P< 0.01). The MCHC was low in rams subjected to 60g FSF/kg and in 0g to 40g FSF/kg TPP increases as levels of FSF increases (P< 0.01). This study concluded that supplementing with various inclusion levels of FSF had a positive effect on feed preference. The FSF also showed the ability to mitigate heat stress in Dohne Merino rams. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science and Agriculture, 2020
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- Date Issued: 2020-02
Leadership competencies of primary health care facility managers at Buffalo City Metropolitan District in the Eastern Cape Province
- Authors: Makinana, Noxolo Beauty
- Date: 2020-02
- Subjects: Primary health care -- Leadership , Facility management
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/22033 , vital:51954
- Description: The study explored and described the perceptions and experiences of Primary Health Care facility managers regarding their leadership and management competencies in the Buffalo City Metro Health District in the Eastern Cape Province. The objectives of this study were to explore and describe the leadership competencies required for facility managers to exercise their leadership in Primary Health Care facilities and to bring about the recommendation. The population of this study comprised of facility managers who are appointed in facility management position permanently or on acting basis during the time of the study, in rural, urban, and semi-urban Primary Health Care facilities (clinics) in Buffalo City Health District. Non-probability convenience sampling was used to select the participants. Two focus group interviews with 10 participants per group were held to collect data. Thematic data analysis was used to analyze the data. The findings were discussed according to themes and subthemes. Four themes and 9 subthemes were identified from the data. Themes include departmental factors, individual factors, and political factors. The subthemes include managers lack of support, need for capacitation of staff, lack of uniformity in exercising leadership, work positions, infrastructure, staff shortages, lack of involvement in decision making, lack of resources, feeling of being a failure, not meeting expectation (workload) role of managers, pressure, the resistance of staff members to change, absenteeism, teamwork, compliance to policies, the 80/20 principle, nurse-patient ratio, and consultation. The trustworthiness of the findings was ensured by focussing on dependability, confirmability, transferability, and credibility. The study concluded that facility managers receive very limited supervision to perform their management duties in their facilities. They also need adequate resources, induction, training and a habitable work environment to ensure that quality care is provided. The study recommended that the Department of Health should have a program for supervision, mentorship, and guiding the facility managers in the Primary Health Care facilities. It should also establish a training and development program on leadership, finance management and technology. Lastly, there should be more accountability by facility managers at the different departmental levels i.e. national, province, district subdistrict, and other internal and external stakeholders. , Thesis (MPH) -- Faculty of Health Sciences, 2020
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- Date Issued: 2020-02
School managers as catalysts of innovative culture and academic performance: A case of selected schools in the Cofimvaba District in the Eastern Cape Province
- Authors: Langa, Vuyani Goodman
- Date: 2020-02
- Subjects: School management and organization , Organizational change , Management
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/20318 , vital:45650
- Description: School managers have always been on the forefront of the administration of education system since they are the active agents who lead their schools towards wider goals of improving access and quality of education. The contemporary world has had a great deal of surmounting pressure from globalisation and other forces of a universalised society. These influences have become more and more pronounced with the inevitable influences of digitalisation and in the fourth industrial revolution. Information and Communication Technologies have transformed how things are done even within the settings of schools. Attempting to ignore this bold revolution for the so-called ‘tried and tested’ conventional methods of school management, assessment, learning, teaching and monitoring does not only leave a school or education system behind but inhibits leaners and stakeholders from enjoying the many benefits of innovation, creativity and flexibility. This study explores the role of school managers in creating and maintaining an innovative culture and academic performance in selected public schools of the Cofimvaba Education District which has become synonymous with declining pass rates post-1994. A qualitative research approach was used where existing literature collected, collated and thematically analysed. The findings of the study indicated that the school principals are not empowered or willing enough to catalyse the creation and sustaining of innovative cultures in schools. There was also a political willingness of the leaders of the education sector in the Cofimvaba Education District is deficient, the absence of sanctions for failure to innovate is a challenge to innovation. Other findings include evidence policy gaps on what is innovation and who must do what in schools which affects the efficacy of school managers. The study also established that the bureaucratisation of the education sector has done nothing by crippled school managers’ ability to innovate by school managers. The study recommends strategies on how school managers can become that active catalyst that they should be, to drive innovation include in-service training and setting minimum benchmarks for school managers eligibility. Also, policy interventions such as 4th industrial revolution aligned innovation regulations, exchange of ideas with countries which successful school innovation formulating a sanction model of non-performers, towards improving access and quality of education in the Cofimvaba Education District. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 2020
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- Date Issued: 2020-02
Special Economic Zones and Employment in Sub-Saharan Africa
- Authors: Mongi, Tshaka https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1492-5584
- Date: 2020-02
- Subjects: Africa, Sub-Saharan -- Economic policy , Free ports and zones
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/20230 , vital:45434
- Description: Developing countries, especially those in the Sub-Saharan African region are still marked with high and increasing rate of unemployment. To counter this, countries in the African countries introduced the Special Economic Zones programme in the 1970s which proliferated during the 1990s to date. However, there is scant academic literature on the role of SEZs’ contribution to job creation. Against this background, this study investigated the contribution of the SEZs to job creation in the SSA region in general and South Africa in particular. A mixed method approach was used wherein the qualitative data focused on the South Africa and the quantitative data focused on SSA in general. In-depth interviews with key informants in four operational SEZs and DTI in South Africa were complimented with document reviews and direct observation. Inductive thematic analysis was also used to analyse qualitative data, while the Panel Corrected Standard Errors was used to analyse the qualitative data. The results show that SEZs have made a positive contribution to job creation in South Africa. This contribution is constrained, inter alia, by stringent visa regulations, an ineffective one-stop-shop model, reliance on government funding and the lag between the signing and operation of investments. Nevertheless, incentives and support services seem to counteract some of these challenges. Similarly, the SEZs have a positive contribution to job creation in SSA. However, this impact has been largely insignificant. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 2020
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- Date Issued: 2020-02
The determinants of the currency deposit ratio of South Africa: an econometric analysis
- Authors: Chiwota, Richard
- Date: 2020-02
- Subjects: Econometricshttp://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85040763
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/19694 , vital:43169
- Description: The main objective of the study was to investigate the determinants of the currency deposit ratio of South Africa. The stability of the demand for money has been a recurring area of interest of empirical research on the South African economy. Underlying this interest in the behavior of money demand is the potential role of movement in monetary aggregates as indicators of future developments in inflation. Specifically, if a stable relationship exists between the demand for money and its determinants, changes in the money supply can provide useful information in the longer terms. While there has been considerable empirical research on estimating the money demand function for many less developed countries (LDCs), the currency demand function has been largely ignored. The study used secondary data sourced from the South African Reserve Bank, Statistics South Africa and Quantec. It also used annual data from 2000 to 2018 with an autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) technique used for regression purposes. The study opted for this model because the variables were a mixture of me (0) and me (1). The empirical results show that income had a positive relationship with currency deposit ratio. In other words, when income increases, the amount of currency in circulation increases relative to deposits. Results show that there is a negative relationship between inflation and currency demand ratio. The SARB has to monitor changes in income in order to keep pace with the demand for cash. They must also use other monetary policy operational variables such as M3 to ensure that there is a match between income and money demand and money supply. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 2020
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- Date Issued: 2020-02
Thermal studies on three common mangrove-associated ectotherms in Mngazana Estuary, with emphasis on the survival of the salt marsh crab, Parasesarma catenatum (Ortman 1897
- Authors: Nonyukela, Asandiswa Simamkele
- Date: 2020-02
- Subjects: Mangrove forests
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/20838 , vital:46627
- Description: Ecological data on the development and distribution of mangroves over time suggest that mangroves were strictly tropical in nature but have extended to higher latitudes during warmer periods. Species distribution models show that the mangrove range may have since 1963 expand by 17 km in 2020 and by as much as 68 km southwards by 2050. More climate data obtained, and modelling of future climate have increased interest in the thermal tolerance or organisms. Critical thermal maxima (CTMax) and thermal tolerance were employed to determine the thermal limits of common estuarine species associated with the mangrove forests at Mngazana Estuary. Three species were selected, each representing a medium within the mangrove environment: for water, i) Palaemon peringueyi; ii) for air, Cerithidea decollata; and iii) Parasesarma catenatum on the substratum. Animals were acclimated for 48 hrs following the thermal history of the environment. Each individual was exposed to constant rate of water temperature increase of 1°C.h-1. Different size classes (adult, sub-adult, juveniles) of crabs were used to determine the CTMax performance. Parasesarma catenatum showed intraspecific variability in CTMax in both air and water. Palaemon Peringueyi had a CTMax value of 33.8°C±1.96 while C. decollata had a CTMax of 39.6°C±2.76 and P. catenatum had a CTMax of 36,38 ±1,57 in water and 34,1 ±1,67 in air. Different size classes (Adult, Sub-adult, Juveniles) of crabs were used to further determine their CTMax performance. Parasesarma catenatum showed of intraspecific variability in CTMax in both air and water. Juvenile crabs showed higher CTMax in water than in air, while adult and sub-adults showed a higher CTMax in air. The size classes of P. catenatum (Adult, Sub-adult, Juveniles) were exposed to a range of salinity treatments from 5-65 for both shock and acclimated exposures. For acclimated exposures, crabs were acclimated down/up at change of 5-10 untill the test salinity was reached, at which point the crabs were exposed. For the shock exposure, the crabs were directly exposed to the test salinity from the holding salinity of 35. This study shows P. catenatum is euryhaline, tolerating salinities been 10 and 50. Survival was highest across all cohorts for the short-term (shock) exposure, suggesting prolonged exposure to hypo/hypersaline conditions may be detrimental for this keystone Mngazana Estuary species. Juven.ile populations showed the highest survival rate for both shock and acclimated exposure. This study highlights the importance of microhabitat variability and its effect on the tolerance of different species to abiotic factors and so may be useful in modelling the effects of climate change in these systems. , Thesis (MSc) (Zoology) -- University of Fort Hare, 2021
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- Date Issued: 2020-02