A comparison of two sampling methods for surveying mammalian herbivore impacts on beetle communities in the canopy of Acacia drepanolobium in Kenya
- Kuria, K S, Villet, Martin H, Palmer, T, Stanton, M
- Authors: Kuria, K S , Villet, Martin H , Palmer, T , Stanton, M
- Date: 2010
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6860 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011150
- Description: Even though several methods are used to sample and monitor canopy arthropods, there are no studies to indicate which of these methods is more effective.We compared the efficacy of the beating and canopy fogging methods in collecting beetles that inhabit Acacia drepanolobium (Harms) tree canopies at Mpala Research Centre in Laikipia district, Kenya. These trees grow naturally on the black cotton soils of the Laikipia ecosystem, accounting for more than 98%of the overstorey at the study site, and are important for local cattle and wildlife production. The ultimate objective of this study was to determine the effect of differential grazing and browsing pressure from large mammalian herbivores on the beetle communities of A. drepanolobium. Seven hundred and twenty trees 1.0–2.5 m tall were sampled using each method, making a total of 1440 trees. Sampling using the two methods was done concurrently and repeated quarterly over a period of 14 months. In total, 4320 individuals were collected, 1456 by beating and 2864 by fogging. The methods jointly yielded beetle specimens from 13 families and 55 morphospecies. Fogging collected significantly more beetle morphospecies than beating, and there was a significant interaction effect between method and sampling date. We found that numerically Anthicidae and Curculionidae responded positively to the presence of cattle.We also found that Anthicidae sp. A and Myllocerus sp. A numbers significantly increased in plots where livestock were grazed.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Kuria, K S , Villet, Martin H , Palmer, T , Stanton, M
- Date: 2010
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6860 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011150
- Description: Even though several methods are used to sample and monitor canopy arthropods, there are no studies to indicate which of these methods is more effective.We compared the efficacy of the beating and canopy fogging methods in collecting beetles that inhabit Acacia drepanolobium (Harms) tree canopies at Mpala Research Centre in Laikipia district, Kenya. These trees grow naturally on the black cotton soils of the Laikipia ecosystem, accounting for more than 98%of the overstorey at the study site, and are important for local cattle and wildlife production. The ultimate objective of this study was to determine the effect of differential grazing and browsing pressure from large mammalian herbivores on the beetle communities of A. drepanolobium. Seven hundred and twenty trees 1.0–2.5 m tall were sampled using each method, making a total of 1440 trees. Sampling using the two methods was done concurrently and repeated quarterly over a period of 14 months. In total, 4320 individuals were collected, 1456 by beating and 2864 by fogging. The methods jointly yielded beetle specimens from 13 families and 55 morphospecies. Fogging collected significantly more beetle morphospecies than beating, and there was a significant interaction effect between method and sampling date. We found that numerically Anthicidae and Curculionidae responded positively to the presence of cattle.We also found that Anthicidae sp. A and Myllocerus sp. A numbers significantly increased in plots where livestock were grazed.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
Framework for local government to implement integrated water resource management linked to water service delivery
- Haigh, Eliria H, Fox, Helen E, Davies-Coleman, H D
- Authors: Haigh, Eliria H , Fox, Helen E , Davies-Coleman, H D
- Date: 2010
- Language: English
- Type: text , Article
- Identifier: vital:7097 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1012440
- Description: The Water Services Act (No. 8 of 1997) of South Africa states that water service delivery is the responsibility of local government as Water Services Authorities. The principal legal responsibility is to complete a Water Services Development Plan (WSDP) every 5 years with annual review. The WSDP encapsulates all the responsibilities and tasks required in water service delivery. However, it does not spell out local government’s role in water resource protection or its responsibilities as far as integrated water resource management is concerned. It is well known in South Africa that there is a challenging level of inadequate capacity in technical and administrative skills in local government to adequately fulfil water service delivery. This paper highlights the consequences of this incapacity for municipalities and their difficulties in fulfilling their responsibilities as service providers. A framework is provided within which improvements can be brought about, with guidance on how to engage in the practice of integrated water resource management (IWRM) in the context of the legal framework for water services. The additional tasks and changes required to practise IWRM are set in the context of the WSDP. The framework provides a guide for a municipality to first accomplish an adequate WSDP, and then to gradually implement IWRM. A discussion on the skills needed to accomplish, firstly, a comprehensive WSDP, and secondly, IWRM, is included.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Haigh, Eliria H , Fox, Helen E , Davies-Coleman, H D
- Date: 2010
- Language: English
- Type: text , Article
- Identifier: vital:7097 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1012440
- Description: The Water Services Act (No. 8 of 1997) of South Africa states that water service delivery is the responsibility of local government as Water Services Authorities. The principal legal responsibility is to complete a Water Services Development Plan (WSDP) every 5 years with annual review. The WSDP encapsulates all the responsibilities and tasks required in water service delivery. However, it does not spell out local government’s role in water resource protection or its responsibilities as far as integrated water resource management is concerned. It is well known in South Africa that there is a challenging level of inadequate capacity in technical and administrative skills in local government to adequately fulfil water service delivery. This paper highlights the consequences of this incapacity for municipalities and their difficulties in fulfilling their responsibilities as service providers. A framework is provided within which improvements can be brought about, with guidance on how to engage in the practice of integrated water resource management (IWRM) in the context of the legal framework for water services. The additional tasks and changes required to practise IWRM are set in the context of the WSDP. The framework provides a guide for a municipality to first accomplish an adequate WSDP, and then to gradually implement IWRM. A discussion on the skills needed to accomplish, firstly, a comprehensive WSDP, and secondly, IWRM, is included.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
Present day challenges in understanding the geomagnetic hazard to national power grids
- Thompson, A W P, Kotze, P, Ngwira, C M, Lotz, Stefanus I, Gaunt, C T, Cilliers, P, Wild, J A, Opperman, Ben D L, McKinnell, Lee-Anne, Lotz, S I
- Authors: Thompson, A W P , Kotze, P , Ngwira, C M , Lotz, Stefanus I , Gaunt, C T , Cilliers, P , Wild, J A , Opperman, Ben D L , McKinnell, Lee-Anne , Lotz, S I
- Date: 2010
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6812 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004305
- Description: Power grids and pipeline networks at all latitudes are known to be at risk from the natural hazard of geomagnetically induced currents. At a recent workshop in South Africa, UK and South African scientists and engineers discussed the current understanding of this hazard, as it affects major power systems in Europe and Africa. They also summarised, to better inform the public and industry, what can be said with some certainty about the hazard and what research is yet required to develop useful tools for geomagnetic hazard mitigation.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Thompson, A W P , Kotze, P , Ngwira, C M , Lotz, Stefanus I , Gaunt, C T , Cilliers, P , Wild, J A , Opperman, Ben D L , McKinnell, Lee-Anne , Lotz, S I
- Date: 2010
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6812 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004305
- Description: Power grids and pipeline networks at all latitudes are known to be at risk from the natural hazard of geomagnetically induced currents. At a recent workshop in South Africa, UK and South African scientists and engineers discussed the current understanding of this hazard, as it affects major power systems in Europe and Africa. They also summarised, to better inform the public and industry, what can be said with some certainty about the hazard and what research is yet required to develop useful tools for geomagnetic hazard mitigation.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
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