Updating the ionospheric propagation factor, M(3000)F2, global model using the neural network technique and relevant geophysical input parameters
- Oronsaye, Samuel Iyen Jeffrey
- Authors: Oronsaye, Samuel Iyen Jeffrey
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Neural networks (Computer science) , Ionospheric radio wave propagation , Ionosphere , Geophysics , Ionosondes
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:5434 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001609 , Neural networks (Computer science) , Ionospheric radio wave propagation , Ionosphere , Geophysics , Ionosondes
- Description: This thesis presents an update to the ionospheric propagation factor, M(3000)F2, global empirical model developed by Oyeyemi et al. (2007) (NNO). An additional aim of this research was to produce the updated model in a form that could be used within the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) global model without adding to the complexity of the IRI. M(3000)F2 is the highest frequency at which a radio signal can be received over a distance of 3000 km after reflection in the ionosphere. The study employed the artificial neural network (ANN) technique using relevant geophysical input parameters which are known to influence the M(3000)F2 parameter. Ionosonde data from 135 ionospheric stations globally, including a number of equatorial stations, were available for this work. M(3000)F2 hourly values from 1976 to 2008, spanning all periods of low and high solar activity were used for model development and verification. A preliminary investigation was first carried out using a relatively small dataset to determine the appropriate input parameters for global M(3000)F2 parameter modelling. Inputs representing diurnal variation, seasonal variation, solar variation, modified dip latitude, longitude and latitude were found to be the optimum parameters for modelling the diurnal and seasonal variations of the M(3000)F2 parameter both on a temporal and spatial basis. The outcome of the preliminary study was applied to the overall dataset to develop a comprehensive ANN M(3000)F2 model which displays a remarkable improvement over the NNO model as well as the IRI version. The model shows 7.11% and 3.85% improvement over the NNO model as well as 13.04% and 10.05% over the IRI M(3000)F2 model, around high and low solar activity periods respectively. A comparison of the diurnal structure of the ANN and the IRI predicted values reveal that the ANN model is more effective in representing the diurnal structure of the M(3000)F2 values than the IRI M(3000)F2 model. The capability of the ANN model in reproducing the seasonal variation pattern of the M(3000)F2 values at 00h00UT, 06h00UT, 12h00UT, and l8h00UT more appropriately than the IRI version is illustrated in this work. A significant result obtained in this study is the ability of the ANN model in improving the post-sunset predicted values of the M(3000)F2 parameter which is known to be problematic to the IRI M(3000)F2 model in the low-latitude and the equatorial regions. The final M(3000)F2 model provides for an improved equatorial prediction and a simplified input space that allows for easy incorporation into the IRI model.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Oronsaye, Samuel Iyen Jeffrey
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Neural networks (Computer science) , Ionospheric radio wave propagation , Ionosphere , Geophysics , Ionosondes
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:5434 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001609 , Neural networks (Computer science) , Ionospheric radio wave propagation , Ionosphere , Geophysics , Ionosondes
- Description: This thesis presents an update to the ionospheric propagation factor, M(3000)F2, global empirical model developed by Oyeyemi et al. (2007) (NNO). An additional aim of this research was to produce the updated model in a form that could be used within the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) global model without adding to the complexity of the IRI. M(3000)F2 is the highest frequency at which a radio signal can be received over a distance of 3000 km after reflection in the ionosphere. The study employed the artificial neural network (ANN) technique using relevant geophysical input parameters which are known to influence the M(3000)F2 parameter. Ionosonde data from 135 ionospheric stations globally, including a number of equatorial stations, were available for this work. M(3000)F2 hourly values from 1976 to 2008, spanning all periods of low and high solar activity were used for model development and verification. A preliminary investigation was first carried out using a relatively small dataset to determine the appropriate input parameters for global M(3000)F2 parameter modelling. Inputs representing diurnal variation, seasonal variation, solar variation, modified dip latitude, longitude and latitude were found to be the optimum parameters for modelling the diurnal and seasonal variations of the M(3000)F2 parameter both on a temporal and spatial basis. The outcome of the preliminary study was applied to the overall dataset to develop a comprehensive ANN M(3000)F2 model which displays a remarkable improvement over the NNO model as well as the IRI version. The model shows 7.11% and 3.85% improvement over the NNO model as well as 13.04% and 10.05% over the IRI M(3000)F2 model, around high and low solar activity periods respectively. A comparison of the diurnal structure of the ANN and the IRI predicted values reveal that the ANN model is more effective in representing the diurnal structure of the M(3000)F2 values than the IRI M(3000)F2 model. The capability of the ANN model in reproducing the seasonal variation pattern of the M(3000)F2 values at 00h00UT, 06h00UT, 12h00UT, and l8h00UT more appropriately than the IRI version is illustrated in this work. A significant result obtained in this study is the ability of the ANN model in improving the post-sunset predicted values of the M(3000)F2 parameter which is known to be problematic to the IRI M(3000)F2 model in the low-latitude and the equatorial regions. The final M(3000)F2 model provides for an improved equatorial prediction and a simplified input space that allows for easy incorporation into the IRI model.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
Uphando-nzulu lweempendulo ezibhaliweyo zabafundi bamabakala aphezulu emfundo kuncwadi lwesiXhosa
- Authors: Mavela, Xolani Sikhomo
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Discourse analysis , Anthropological linguistics , Academic writing Study and teaching , Academic writing Evaluation , Linguistics Research
- Language: Xhosa
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/63176 , vital:28370
- Description: Kwiziphumo zakutsha nje ezivezwe kwiigridi zocazululo zohlolo loncwadi kwinqanaba lemfundo ephakamileyo (FET), kufumaniseke ukuba abafundi beli nqanaba abaqhubi kakuhle tu kwaphela xa becelwa ukuba babhale iimpendulo zabo kwanezo zimandundu nezikhwencayo kwiitekisi zoncwadi. Ngenxa yesi sizathu, eyona njongo iphambili yolu phando kukuzama ukuyila nokuvelisa isixhobo esinokusetyenziswa ekwaziseni nasekuxhobiseni abafundi besiXhosa abakwinqanaba leFET, ngezakhono zokubhala eziphuhlileyo nezikumgangatho wobhalo lwamaziko emfundo enomsila. Kule meko, ingcali yophando kwezobhalo lolwimi uMartin (2009) uhlomla ngelithi ubhalo olujolise ekunikeni iimpendulo, lubonwa njengohlobo lokubhala oluneengcambu ezimiliselwe ekufundisweni nasekungeneleleni ngokugqibeleleyo ngezakhono zokubhala, bhalo olu lunokuthi emva kwethuba elithile, luphelele kwincochoyi yokushicilelwa, lube ngamaxwebhu ahlelwe ngokusesikweni. Iindlela okanye izixhobo zokubhala eziyilwe ngeenjongo zokunikeza iimpendulo, nezithathwe kuphando lukaFeez noJoyce (1998), zizo eziza kusetyenziswa njengenxalenye yoqeqesho nakumaphulo ongenelelo oluza kuxhasa abafundi besiXhosa benqanaba leFET, nanjengoko ezi zixhobo zibonakala zinegalelo elincomekayo kwindlela ekubhalwa ngayo iimpendulo zeetekisi zoncwadi, ngokuthi zigxile kwezi njongo zilandelayo: (i) Ukunika abafundi ulwazi lokuzuza ulwazi olunzulu nolugqibeleleyo ngokuphathelele kwiinjongo zetekisi. (ii) Ukunika inkcazelo ecacileyo ngokubaluleka kwesakhiwo setekisi kwanokubunjwa kwayo. (iii) Ukuxhobisa abafundi ukuze bakwazi ukuchonga ulwimi oluxabisayo, iimpawu zobume bamagama negrama, kuquka nemiba ephambili yamasiko kwiitekisi zoncwadi. Ngenxa yezi njongo, kufikelelwa kuqikelelo oluthi, kuya kuthi ngokusetyenziswa kwesixhobo sikaFeez noJoyce seZakhono zokuBhala, sixhobo eso sayame kwiinqobo zeNgcingane yokuXabisa okufundwayo nedandalaziswa nguMartin noWhite (2006; 2005 no-2003) nayo le ngcingane eluncedo ekufundisweni kokubhala, abafundi abaninzi boncwadi lwesiXhosa kukholeleka ukuba bakukwazi ukuphuhlisa izakhono zokubhala iitekisi ezinika iimpendulo ezihlahlela imiba ephambili yoncwadi abalufundisiweyo. Olu phando lukwahlabela mgama lubonisa nokuba nezinye izixhobo zoyilo lweetekisi zikaGrabe noKaplan (1996), zinakho ukusetyenziswa ngaxesha linye neenqobo zeNgcingane yokuXabisa okufundwayo, kuquka nemiba yeZakhono zokuBhala, ukuze kwandiswe oku kuphuhliswa kwezakhono zokubhala kubafundi besiXhosa, kungaphelelanga kumabanga aphezulu, koko kufikelelwe nakumabanga asezantsi, nanjengoko kuveziwe kwiziphumo, kwizishwankathelo nakwisiphelo solu phando.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Mavela, Xolani Sikhomo
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Discourse analysis , Anthropological linguistics , Academic writing Study and teaching , Academic writing Evaluation , Linguistics Research
- Language: Xhosa
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/63176 , vital:28370
- Description: Kwiziphumo zakutsha nje ezivezwe kwiigridi zocazululo zohlolo loncwadi kwinqanaba lemfundo ephakamileyo (FET), kufumaniseke ukuba abafundi beli nqanaba abaqhubi kakuhle tu kwaphela xa becelwa ukuba babhale iimpendulo zabo kwanezo zimandundu nezikhwencayo kwiitekisi zoncwadi. Ngenxa yesi sizathu, eyona njongo iphambili yolu phando kukuzama ukuyila nokuvelisa isixhobo esinokusetyenziswa ekwaziseni nasekuxhobiseni abafundi besiXhosa abakwinqanaba leFET, ngezakhono zokubhala eziphuhlileyo nezikumgangatho wobhalo lwamaziko emfundo enomsila. Kule meko, ingcali yophando kwezobhalo lolwimi uMartin (2009) uhlomla ngelithi ubhalo olujolise ekunikeni iimpendulo, lubonwa njengohlobo lokubhala oluneengcambu ezimiliselwe ekufundisweni nasekungeneleleni ngokugqibeleleyo ngezakhono zokubhala, bhalo olu lunokuthi emva kwethuba elithile, luphelele kwincochoyi yokushicilelwa, lube ngamaxwebhu ahlelwe ngokusesikweni. Iindlela okanye izixhobo zokubhala eziyilwe ngeenjongo zokunikeza iimpendulo, nezithathwe kuphando lukaFeez noJoyce (1998), zizo eziza kusetyenziswa njengenxalenye yoqeqesho nakumaphulo ongenelelo oluza kuxhasa abafundi besiXhosa benqanaba leFET, nanjengoko ezi zixhobo zibonakala zinegalelo elincomekayo kwindlela ekubhalwa ngayo iimpendulo zeetekisi zoncwadi, ngokuthi zigxile kwezi njongo zilandelayo: (i) Ukunika abafundi ulwazi lokuzuza ulwazi olunzulu nolugqibeleleyo ngokuphathelele kwiinjongo zetekisi. (ii) Ukunika inkcazelo ecacileyo ngokubaluleka kwesakhiwo setekisi kwanokubunjwa kwayo. (iii) Ukuxhobisa abafundi ukuze bakwazi ukuchonga ulwimi oluxabisayo, iimpawu zobume bamagama negrama, kuquka nemiba ephambili yamasiko kwiitekisi zoncwadi. Ngenxa yezi njongo, kufikelelwa kuqikelelo oluthi, kuya kuthi ngokusetyenziswa kwesixhobo sikaFeez noJoyce seZakhono zokuBhala, sixhobo eso sayame kwiinqobo zeNgcingane yokuXabisa okufundwayo nedandalaziswa nguMartin noWhite (2006; 2005 no-2003) nayo le ngcingane eluncedo ekufundisweni kokubhala, abafundi abaninzi boncwadi lwesiXhosa kukholeleka ukuba bakukwazi ukuphuhlisa izakhono zokubhala iitekisi ezinika iimpendulo ezihlahlela imiba ephambili yoncwadi abalufundisiweyo. Olu phando lukwahlabela mgama lubonisa nokuba nezinye izixhobo zoyilo lweetekisi zikaGrabe noKaplan (1996), zinakho ukusetyenziswa ngaxesha linye neenqobo zeNgcingane yokuXabisa okufundwayo, kuquka nemiba yeZakhono zokuBhala, ukuze kwandiswe oku kuphuhliswa kwezakhono zokubhala kubafundi besiXhosa, kungaphelelanga kumabanga aphezulu, koko kufikelelwe nakumabanga asezantsi, nanjengoko kuveziwe kwiziphumo, kwizishwankathelo nakwisiphelo solu phando.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Uphicotho lweencwadi zabantwana ezikhethiweyo eziguqulelwe esiXhoseni
- Authors: Madolo, Yolisa
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Children's literature, South African , Xhosa fiction -- Juvenile literature , Xhosa language -- Juvenile literature , Translating and interpreting in literature , Xhosa literature , Xhosa language -- Translating
- Language: Xhosa
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/150515 , vital:38981
- Description: Appraisal of African languages’ children’s literature and its translation seems to be developing at a slow pace. This literary genre seems to be the last on the literary critics’ list. As a result, children’s literature translators seem to do as they please, with no fear that there is someone to critique the work. Translation for children is more than just literary translation, because it is meant for a special audience, whose language skills are still developing. The translator, therefore, needs to be someone dedicated in target language development. This translation needs a translator with a deep knowledge of both the source and target languages and their cultures. This will result in a translation that is readable and acceptable in the target language. The aim of this study was to critically analyse 20 selected isiXhosa translated stories, looking at how they have been translated in order to sound original in the target language. A sample of five stories were taken and analysed looking at their macrostructure. The findings of the analysis were that the isiXhosa stories resembled the English ones. Even the equivalence of the translated versions showed that the translation transferred the message in the source texts. However there were challenges as indicated. The study was done using Skopos theory, which advocates for the translator to always keep their audience in mind. It suggests that the translator should always strive for a translation that is acceptable to the target language. Various strategies can be used by the translator to fulfil this. Some of the strategies found to have been used in the translations are adaptation through omission, addition, addition of target culture specific terms, and changing sentence mode. Generally, the source language message seems to have been successfully transferred to the target language. However, errors in some stories were a cause for concern, as they could deter the target reader’s interest in the stories. Such errors are spelling mistakes, word division errors, incorrect concord use, etc. These errors are a matter of concern in literature, more especially children’s literature where children are still developing their reading skills.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
- Authors: Madolo, Yolisa
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Children's literature, South African , Xhosa fiction -- Juvenile literature , Xhosa language -- Juvenile literature , Translating and interpreting in literature , Xhosa literature , Xhosa language -- Translating
- Language: Xhosa
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/150515 , vital:38981
- Description: Appraisal of African languages’ children’s literature and its translation seems to be developing at a slow pace. This literary genre seems to be the last on the literary critics’ list. As a result, children’s literature translators seem to do as they please, with no fear that there is someone to critique the work. Translation for children is more than just literary translation, because it is meant for a special audience, whose language skills are still developing. The translator, therefore, needs to be someone dedicated in target language development. This translation needs a translator with a deep knowledge of both the source and target languages and their cultures. This will result in a translation that is readable and acceptable in the target language. The aim of this study was to critically analyse 20 selected isiXhosa translated stories, looking at how they have been translated in order to sound original in the target language. A sample of five stories were taken and analysed looking at their macrostructure. The findings of the analysis were that the isiXhosa stories resembled the English ones. Even the equivalence of the translated versions showed that the translation transferred the message in the source texts. However there were challenges as indicated. The study was done using Skopos theory, which advocates for the translator to always keep their audience in mind. It suggests that the translator should always strive for a translation that is acceptable to the target language. Various strategies can be used by the translator to fulfil this. Some of the strategies found to have been used in the translations are adaptation through omission, addition, addition of target culture specific terms, and changing sentence mode. Generally, the source language message seems to have been successfully transferred to the target language. However, errors in some stories were a cause for concern, as they could deter the target reader’s interest in the stories. Such errors are spelling mistakes, word division errors, incorrect concord use, etc. These errors are a matter of concern in literature, more especially children’s literature where children are still developing their reading skills.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
Uphononongo nzulu lwamasiko nezithethe kwiincwadi ezichongiweyo zesiXhosa: "Ityala lamawele no "Ukuba ndandazile"
- Authors: Diko, Mlamli
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Xhosa (African people) , Mqhayi, S E K -- Ityala lamawele , Tamsanqa, Witness K -- Ukuba ndandazile , Xhosa (African people) -- Social life and customs , Authors, South African -- 19th century -- Criticism and interpretation , Xhosa (African people) -- Rites and ceremonies , Mqhayi, S E K -- Critisicism and interpretation , Tamsanqa, Witness, K -- Criticism and interpretation , Xhosa literature -- Criticism and interpretation , Xhosa fiction -- History and criticism
- Language: Xhosa
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/145232 , vital:38420
- Description: Olu phando lujolise ekubhentsiseni nasekuphononongeni nzulu indima yamasiko nezithethe kwiincwadi ezichongiweyo zesiXhosa ezizezi, “Ityala Lamawele” (1914) ibhalwe nguSamuel Edward Krune Mqhayi kunye no “Ukuba Ndandazile” (1967) ibhalwe nguWitness Kholekile Tamsanqa. Amasiko nezithethe aya kuthi aphononongwe ngala: ukulobola, ingqithi nesithembu. Kwakhona, la masiko nezi zithethe ziya kuthi ziphicothwe kugudlwa kwizinto zesiNtu ezinobuzaza eziqhushekwe zaze zancathama phantsi kwawo. Umzekelo, phantsi kwesiko lokulobola kukho izithethe ezithiwe qhushe phantsi kwalo ezifana nokuhota, ukuyalwa komtshakazi nezinye. Zonke ezi zinto ziya kuthi zivelelwe. La masiko nezi zithethe zichongwe kuba kukholeleka into ethi zitshatshele ngokwendima eziyidlalayo kwezi ncwadi zimbini. Ukubalasela kwawo la masiko nezithethe akwaneli ekubeni indima yawo ityhilwe kwezi ncwadi kuphela, koko indima yawo ithi ityhile banzi ngentlalo kaXhosa. Lilonke, aba babhali babini ababhali ngezinto ezingaziwayo okanye ezibuntsomirha, koko babhala ngemiba echaphazela amaXhosa ngqo. Umphandi uya kuthi aqhaqhe iindlela la masiko nezithethe aqhutywa ngazo, iinjongo zokwenziwa kwawo kwakunye neziphumo xa ethe la masiko enziwa okanye angenziwa ngokusesikweni. Konke oku kuya kuthi kwenziwe egameni lobuXhosa bemveli. Umphandi uya kukwenza oku ngeenjongo zokuphicotha nzulu intsingiselo ngokwamasiko nezithethe zamaXhosa ezama ukutyhila obona bunyani bufihlakeleyo bamasiko nezithethe kunye nokuzalana kwawo nentlalo yamaXhosa. Ngaphezulu, kukutyhila into ethi kwaXhosa amasiko nezithethe ziintsika zokuphila, ngako oko ananto ithile ayithethayo kuthi thina maXhosa ungaphiki nje kuba ezakwaLizwi zidungadungile ngendlela yazo kumzi kaPhalo ze zasahlukanisa nezinto zoobawo bethu. Kunamhlanje nje azinqabanga iintetho ezithi ukunqula iminyanya nezinyanya bubuhedeni, ukuxhela ibhokhwe kuyongxengxezwa bubudimoni. Kule ngxoxo, kuya kujongwa isakhono nobuchule bababhali abathe babusebenzisa njengesixhobo sokukhusela inkcubeko yamaXhosa eyathi yabhunyulwa ngamaNgesi yasala nje ibhityile, yiyo ke ngoku le esele igululwa okwamathumbu ngurhulumente wenkululeko. Lilonke, kwa kolu phando kunconywa ababhali abaziingcungela ekubeni basebenzise ulwazi lwabo lolwimi ekukhuseleni inkcubeko yamaXhosa athi xa ahlomla ngayo uMkonto (2005: v) athi: The study of the survival of cultural traditional customs in isiXhosa literature is an overdue task facing literary critics. Le ngcali ingentla apha ihlaba ikhwelo kubaphandi besiXhosa ukuba banyathelele phezulu bephanda bebhentsisa ubunyani bamasiko nezithethe kuncwadi lwesiXhosa. Olu phando, ngaphezu kwazo zonke izizathu, lusabela elo khwelo. Kwelinye icala, uthi uSaule (1996) xa ethetha ngoMqhayi, nangona uMqhayi lo wayenobuhlobo nabefundisi bezakwaLizwi nokhanyo kodwa akazange ayivumele ingqondo nentliziyo yakhe ithwetyulwe ziinkolo neenkcubeko zasemzini. Ukutsho ngokwakhe oku uSaule (1996: 20) xa ahambisa enjenje: Although Mqhayi was obviously a brain child of the missionaries, he did not, unlike many writers at that time, allow their influence to engulf his thoughts. He uses a Bible as a technique rather than as an instrument that guides him towards predestined objectives. Le ngcinga kaSaule ingentla igxininisiwe kwilixa elingaphambili nguDikeni (1992: 12) xa wayesithi: It is clear that Mqhayi as one of the early writers could not address the political situation of the South Africa directly in his novel. He had to use an extended metaphor to avoid the strict laws of censorship. This he did by using a Biblical story and adapting it to his culture. Ngokwezi ngcali zimbini, kuyaqapheleka ukuba nangona uMqhayi lo ifuthe laseNtshona lazama kangangoko linako ukumthwebula kodwa ukuhlakanipha kwakhe kwamenza wagwencela okwesikhwenene kwiingcambu zakhe, kwisizwe sakhe, kumasiko nezithethe zakwaXhosa. Kungani ke ukuba singangamphakamiseli phezulu lo mbhali ngokuthi simane sindwendwela iimbalo zakhe sihlaba sikhangela ukuba zithetha ukuthini na kuthi sizwe sikaXhosa xa sikule ndawo sikuyo nje? Kwelinye icala, uMkonto (2005) umqhwabela izandla uTamsanqa xa athi nangona wayefundile akazange ayivumele imfundo imntywilisele eludakeni lwaseNtshona hleze buthi obu buncwane bezi ncwadi zakhe zifana no “Buzani Kubawo” (1958), “Ukuba Ndandazile” (1967), “Imitha Yelanga” (1967) kunye nezinye zaziya kufela engqondweni yakhe engakhange afundise umzi kaXhosa ngobuXhosa bawo. UMkonto (2005: 17) uhambisa athi xa ethetha ngoTamsanqa: Most of his experiences which he shared with people at the time were of hardships ... probably these were some of the experiences that triggered the themes expressed in ‘Buzani kubawo’ and ‘Ukuba ndandazile’ Ngokwala mazwi angentla, okona kuncomekayo ngoTamsanqa kukuba uthe nokuba sele ehlangabezana neenzingo zobomi kodwa wabona kukuhle ukuba afundise umzi kaXhosa ngaloo mahla ndinyuka kuba kakade lisiko kwaXhosa into yokuba xa uye wagileka endaweni ethile uze ufundise abanye ukwenzela ukuba bangangeni kulaa mgibe ubuwele kuwo. Bubuntu ke obo. Ubukhulu becala bezinto athe wadlula kuzo uTamsanqa zicazululwe kwisahluko sesibini esidandalazisa ubunzululwazi mlando mbali wobom ngababhali. Okunye, uTamsanqa sesinye sezizukulwana esathi saneTamsanqa lokukhula ngeliya xesha amasiko nezithethe kwaXhosa bezisaqhutywa ngendlela encomekayo kunangoku, kodwa umfundi makaqaphele ukuba umphandi akazami kuthelekisa amaxesha amasiko nezithethe ezaziqhutywa kodwa ubona kubalulekile ukuba icace inkolelo ethi amasiko nezithethe namaxesha awayeqhutywa ngawo awasafani. Kolu phando nzulu okunye okuphambili kukuthi nangona aba babhali babini bathi basebenzisa ulwimi oluntsokothileyo nezagwelo zokubhala ezifihlakeleyo ngendlela enomkhitha kodwa loo nto ibe lulutho kumzi kaPhalo kuba ushiyeke ufumbethe ulwimi lwesiXhosa. Ngaphezu koko amaXhosa ashiyeke efumbethe ulwazi ngamasiko nezithethe ekusafuneka efundisiwe. Ingcambu yolu phando ke ingamasiko nezithethe kusetyenziswa isiThako samaSiko neziThethe esiza kuchazwa banzi kwimihlathi engezantsi. Ngaphandle kokuphonononga nzulu intsingiselo yamasiko nezithethe, olu phando lukwayinkuthazo kwabanye ababhali ukuba bazeke mzekweni benjenjeya ukuzalisa umphanda kaXhosa ngamasiko nezithethe kunye nolwimi olusulungekileyo khona ukuze izizukulwana ngezizukulwana zibe nento yokufunda. Ukongeza, kukukhuthaza abo babhali baneembalo ezintlakekileyo nezibutenxarha ngokwamasiko nezithethe, nolwimi ke, ukuba baziqhelanise nokufunda iincwadi zesiXhosa, bafunde isiXhosa, baphande ngokuzinikela ngemiba yesiXhosa. Njengamntu mtsha, olu phando lukhuthaza olunye ulutsha ngokubaluleka kokulondolozwa kwenkcubeko ukuze isizukulwana esizayo sibe nokufunda kuyo. Uphando olu lujolise ekukhuliseni iimbalo zesiXhosa ingakumbi ke xa sele lubhalwe ngesiXhosa. Likho iqaqobana elibhalileyo ngesiXhosa kodwa ezinye zezo mbalo ziyakhwinisa ngenxa yegrama etenxileyo, umgangatho ophantsi wokusetyenziswa kolwimi ukunonga iintetho, nezinye iziphene. Masibe sisithi ziinzame ekukhucululeni nasekuphuculeni oko kwenziwa ngabeLungu; masingaligxeki kakhulu elo gcuntswana. Enye yezinto ezikhwinisayo kuluncwadi lwesiXhosa kukunqongophala kweencwadi ezibonisa isiNtu sethu ngendlela egqibeleleyo nemsulwa. Iyathuthumba into yokunqongophala kweencwadi ezingembali yethu ebhalwe sithi. Oku kunqongophala kufika kube negalelo elibi kubafundi neetitshala zesiXhosa ezona kufuneka zingcamle ubuncwane benkcubeko yazo kunye nabafundi jikelele. Iincwadi eziya kuthi zisetyenziswe zezo zababhali abaziinjojeli kubhalo lwesiXhosa, uS.E.K. Mqhayi noW.K. Tamsanqa. Isizathu soko asikokuba umphandi uzama ukuthelekisa ababhali koko uya kubachonga, okokuqala, ngenxa yokuba bengababhali abaphume izandla kuncwadi lwesiXhosa. Okwesibini, kunconywa ubuchule babo ekusebenziseni ulwimi nesakhono njengesixhobo sokuphakamisa umgangatho woncwadi lwesiNtu ngokuyeleleneyo namasikonezithethe. Okwesithathu, iimbalo zabo zezinye zeembalo ezithe zaphakanyiswa kakhulungabaphandi de zafumana amawonga ngamawonga. Okwesine, kudederhu lweencwadizesiXhosa ezingaka andinokwazi ukuthi ndilume umthamo omkhulu endizojika ndixakane nawo ndingakwazi ukuwuhlafuna ndiwucokisise hleze ndomiwe emqaleni ndingabisalugqiba kwa olo phando.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
- Authors: Diko, Mlamli
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Xhosa (African people) , Mqhayi, S E K -- Ityala lamawele , Tamsanqa, Witness K -- Ukuba ndandazile , Xhosa (African people) -- Social life and customs , Authors, South African -- 19th century -- Criticism and interpretation , Xhosa (African people) -- Rites and ceremonies , Mqhayi, S E K -- Critisicism and interpretation , Tamsanqa, Witness, K -- Criticism and interpretation , Xhosa literature -- Criticism and interpretation , Xhosa fiction -- History and criticism
- Language: Xhosa
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/145232 , vital:38420
- Description: Olu phando lujolise ekubhentsiseni nasekuphononongeni nzulu indima yamasiko nezithethe kwiincwadi ezichongiweyo zesiXhosa ezizezi, “Ityala Lamawele” (1914) ibhalwe nguSamuel Edward Krune Mqhayi kunye no “Ukuba Ndandazile” (1967) ibhalwe nguWitness Kholekile Tamsanqa. Amasiko nezithethe aya kuthi aphononongwe ngala: ukulobola, ingqithi nesithembu. Kwakhona, la masiko nezi zithethe ziya kuthi ziphicothwe kugudlwa kwizinto zesiNtu ezinobuzaza eziqhushekwe zaze zancathama phantsi kwawo. Umzekelo, phantsi kwesiko lokulobola kukho izithethe ezithiwe qhushe phantsi kwalo ezifana nokuhota, ukuyalwa komtshakazi nezinye. Zonke ezi zinto ziya kuthi zivelelwe. La masiko nezi zithethe zichongwe kuba kukholeleka into ethi zitshatshele ngokwendima eziyidlalayo kwezi ncwadi zimbini. Ukubalasela kwawo la masiko nezithethe akwaneli ekubeni indima yawo ityhilwe kwezi ncwadi kuphela, koko indima yawo ithi ityhile banzi ngentlalo kaXhosa. Lilonke, aba babhali babini ababhali ngezinto ezingaziwayo okanye ezibuntsomirha, koko babhala ngemiba echaphazela amaXhosa ngqo. Umphandi uya kuthi aqhaqhe iindlela la masiko nezithethe aqhutywa ngazo, iinjongo zokwenziwa kwawo kwakunye neziphumo xa ethe la masiko enziwa okanye angenziwa ngokusesikweni. Konke oku kuya kuthi kwenziwe egameni lobuXhosa bemveli. Umphandi uya kukwenza oku ngeenjongo zokuphicotha nzulu intsingiselo ngokwamasiko nezithethe zamaXhosa ezama ukutyhila obona bunyani bufihlakeleyo bamasiko nezithethe kunye nokuzalana kwawo nentlalo yamaXhosa. Ngaphezulu, kukutyhila into ethi kwaXhosa amasiko nezithethe ziintsika zokuphila, ngako oko ananto ithile ayithethayo kuthi thina maXhosa ungaphiki nje kuba ezakwaLizwi zidungadungile ngendlela yazo kumzi kaPhalo ze zasahlukanisa nezinto zoobawo bethu. Kunamhlanje nje azinqabanga iintetho ezithi ukunqula iminyanya nezinyanya bubuhedeni, ukuxhela ibhokhwe kuyongxengxezwa bubudimoni. Kule ngxoxo, kuya kujongwa isakhono nobuchule bababhali abathe babusebenzisa njengesixhobo sokukhusela inkcubeko yamaXhosa eyathi yabhunyulwa ngamaNgesi yasala nje ibhityile, yiyo ke ngoku le esele igululwa okwamathumbu ngurhulumente wenkululeko. Lilonke, kwa kolu phando kunconywa ababhali abaziingcungela ekubeni basebenzise ulwazi lwabo lolwimi ekukhuseleni inkcubeko yamaXhosa athi xa ahlomla ngayo uMkonto (2005: v) athi: The study of the survival of cultural traditional customs in isiXhosa literature is an overdue task facing literary critics. Le ngcali ingentla apha ihlaba ikhwelo kubaphandi besiXhosa ukuba banyathelele phezulu bephanda bebhentsisa ubunyani bamasiko nezithethe kuncwadi lwesiXhosa. Olu phando, ngaphezu kwazo zonke izizathu, lusabela elo khwelo. Kwelinye icala, uthi uSaule (1996) xa ethetha ngoMqhayi, nangona uMqhayi lo wayenobuhlobo nabefundisi bezakwaLizwi nokhanyo kodwa akazange ayivumele ingqondo nentliziyo yakhe ithwetyulwe ziinkolo neenkcubeko zasemzini. Ukutsho ngokwakhe oku uSaule (1996: 20) xa ahambisa enjenje: Although Mqhayi was obviously a brain child of the missionaries, he did not, unlike many writers at that time, allow their influence to engulf his thoughts. He uses a Bible as a technique rather than as an instrument that guides him towards predestined objectives. Le ngcinga kaSaule ingentla igxininisiwe kwilixa elingaphambili nguDikeni (1992: 12) xa wayesithi: It is clear that Mqhayi as one of the early writers could not address the political situation of the South Africa directly in his novel. He had to use an extended metaphor to avoid the strict laws of censorship. This he did by using a Biblical story and adapting it to his culture. Ngokwezi ngcali zimbini, kuyaqapheleka ukuba nangona uMqhayi lo ifuthe laseNtshona lazama kangangoko linako ukumthwebula kodwa ukuhlakanipha kwakhe kwamenza wagwencela okwesikhwenene kwiingcambu zakhe, kwisizwe sakhe, kumasiko nezithethe zakwaXhosa. Kungani ke ukuba singangamphakamiseli phezulu lo mbhali ngokuthi simane sindwendwela iimbalo zakhe sihlaba sikhangela ukuba zithetha ukuthini na kuthi sizwe sikaXhosa xa sikule ndawo sikuyo nje? Kwelinye icala, uMkonto (2005) umqhwabela izandla uTamsanqa xa athi nangona wayefundile akazange ayivumele imfundo imntywilisele eludakeni lwaseNtshona hleze buthi obu buncwane bezi ncwadi zakhe zifana no “Buzani Kubawo” (1958), “Ukuba Ndandazile” (1967), “Imitha Yelanga” (1967) kunye nezinye zaziya kufela engqondweni yakhe engakhange afundise umzi kaXhosa ngobuXhosa bawo. UMkonto (2005: 17) uhambisa athi xa ethetha ngoTamsanqa: Most of his experiences which he shared with people at the time were of hardships ... probably these were some of the experiences that triggered the themes expressed in ‘Buzani kubawo’ and ‘Ukuba ndandazile’ Ngokwala mazwi angentla, okona kuncomekayo ngoTamsanqa kukuba uthe nokuba sele ehlangabezana neenzingo zobomi kodwa wabona kukuhle ukuba afundise umzi kaXhosa ngaloo mahla ndinyuka kuba kakade lisiko kwaXhosa into yokuba xa uye wagileka endaweni ethile uze ufundise abanye ukwenzela ukuba bangangeni kulaa mgibe ubuwele kuwo. Bubuntu ke obo. Ubukhulu becala bezinto athe wadlula kuzo uTamsanqa zicazululwe kwisahluko sesibini esidandalazisa ubunzululwazi mlando mbali wobom ngababhali. Okunye, uTamsanqa sesinye sezizukulwana esathi saneTamsanqa lokukhula ngeliya xesha amasiko nezithethe kwaXhosa bezisaqhutywa ngendlela encomekayo kunangoku, kodwa umfundi makaqaphele ukuba umphandi akazami kuthelekisa amaxesha amasiko nezithethe ezaziqhutywa kodwa ubona kubalulekile ukuba icace inkolelo ethi amasiko nezithethe namaxesha awayeqhutywa ngawo awasafani. Kolu phando nzulu okunye okuphambili kukuthi nangona aba babhali babini bathi basebenzisa ulwimi oluntsokothileyo nezagwelo zokubhala ezifihlakeleyo ngendlela enomkhitha kodwa loo nto ibe lulutho kumzi kaPhalo kuba ushiyeke ufumbethe ulwimi lwesiXhosa. Ngaphezu koko amaXhosa ashiyeke efumbethe ulwazi ngamasiko nezithethe ekusafuneka efundisiwe. Ingcambu yolu phando ke ingamasiko nezithethe kusetyenziswa isiThako samaSiko neziThethe esiza kuchazwa banzi kwimihlathi engezantsi. Ngaphandle kokuphonononga nzulu intsingiselo yamasiko nezithethe, olu phando lukwayinkuthazo kwabanye ababhali ukuba bazeke mzekweni benjenjeya ukuzalisa umphanda kaXhosa ngamasiko nezithethe kunye nolwimi olusulungekileyo khona ukuze izizukulwana ngezizukulwana zibe nento yokufunda. Ukongeza, kukukhuthaza abo babhali baneembalo ezintlakekileyo nezibutenxarha ngokwamasiko nezithethe, nolwimi ke, ukuba baziqhelanise nokufunda iincwadi zesiXhosa, bafunde isiXhosa, baphande ngokuzinikela ngemiba yesiXhosa. Njengamntu mtsha, olu phando lukhuthaza olunye ulutsha ngokubaluleka kokulondolozwa kwenkcubeko ukuze isizukulwana esizayo sibe nokufunda kuyo. Uphando olu lujolise ekukhuliseni iimbalo zesiXhosa ingakumbi ke xa sele lubhalwe ngesiXhosa. Likho iqaqobana elibhalileyo ngesiXhosa kodwa ezinye zezo mbalo ziyakhwinisa ngenxa yegrama etenxileyo, umgangatho ophantsi wokusetyenziswa kolwimi ukunonga iintetho, nezinye iziphene. Masibe sisithi ziinzame ekukhucululeni nasekuphuculeni oko kwenziwa ngabeLungu; masingaligxeki kakhulu elo gcuntswana. Enye yezinto ezikhwinisayo kuluncwadi lwesiXhosa kukunqongophala kweencwadi ezibonisa isiNtu sethu ngendlela egqibeleleyo nemsulwa. Iyathuthumba into yokunqongophala kweencwadi ezingembali yethu ebhalwe sithi. Oku kunqongophala kufika kube negalelo elibi kubafundi neetitshala zesiXhosa ezona kufuneka zingcamle ubuncwane benkcubeko yazo kunye nabafundi jikelele. Iincwadi eziya kuthi zisetyenziswe zezo zababhali abaziinjojeli kubhalo lwesiXhosa, uS.E.K. Mqhayi noW.K. Tamsanqa. Isizathu soko asikokuba umphandi uzama ukuthelekisa ababhali koko uya kubachonga, okokuqala, ngenxa yokuba bengababhali abaphume izandla kuncwadi lwesiXhosa. Okwesibini, kunconywa ubuchule babo ekusebenziseni ulwimi nesakhono njengesixhobo sokuphakamisa umgangatho woncwadi lwesiNtu ngokuyeleleneyo namasikonezithethe. Okwesithathu, iimbalo zabo zezinye zeembalo ezithe zaphakanyiswa kakhulungabaphandi de zafumana amawonga ngamawonga. Okwesine, kudederhu lweencwadizesiXhosa ezingaka andinokwazi ukuthi ndilume umthamo omkhulu endizojika ndixakane nawo ndingakwazi ukuwuhlafuna ndiwucokisise hleze ndomiwe emqaleni ndingabisalugqiba kwa olo phando.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
Uphuhliswano lwezikolo zaseRhini
- Authors: Badat, Saleem
- Date: 2006-10-23 , 2014-06-10
- Subjects: Education, Secondary , Leadership -- Study and teaching
- Language: English
- Type: text
- Identifier: vital:7601 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011757
- Description: Preliminary notes on addressing the challenges of developing effective secondary schools in the historically black areas of Rhini/Grahamstown
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006-10-23
- Authors: Badat, Saleem
- Date: 2006-10-23 , 2014-06-10
- Subjects: Education, Secondary , Leadership -- Study and teaching
- Language: English
- Type: text
- Identifier: vital:7601 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011757
- Description: Preliminary notes on addressing the challenges of developing effective secondary schools in the historically black areas of Rhini/Grahamstown
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006-10-23
Uphuhliswano lwezikolo zaseRhini
- Authors: Badat, Saleem
- Date: 2007-02-23 , 2014-06-13
- Language: English
- Type: Text
- Identifier: vital:7625 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011845
- Description: Address at the Department of Education Grahamstown District Matric Awards, PJ Olivier High School, 23 February 2007
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007-02-23
- Authors: Badat, Saleem
- Date: 2007-02-23 , 2014-06-13
- Language: English
- Type: Text
- Identifier: vital:7625 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011845
- Description: Address at the Department of Education Grahamstown District Matric Awards, PJ Olivier High School, 23 February 2007
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007-02-23
Urban agriculture: advocacy and practice: a discursive study with particular reference to three Eastern Cape centres
- Authors: Webb, Nigel Leigh
- Date: 1997
- Subjects: Urban agriculture -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Land use, Urban -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Agriculture -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:2095 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002658
- Description: The purpose of this thesis is to explain the continued advocacy of 'urban agriculture' (UA) in the literature in the face of the seemingly modest role played by cultivation in practice. The analytical framework adopted isrthat of discourse, the theoretical underpinnings of which are derived from the early works of Foucault, and applications such as those of Escobar (1989; 1991) and Ferguson (1990). Using a discursive orientation involves two main tasks - an explanation of how 'UA' has gained some prominence and the man~er in which its currency is able to be maintained. The investigation included an in-depth analysis of the literature and empirical research in th!"e~Eastern Cape centres. The function of the empirical findings is to expose the discourse, as well as to extend the empirical base relating to 'urban agricultural' research in general. The thesis suggests that the growth in interest in 'UA' is a result of a Foucaultian "gap" opening in the discourse. Changes in the conceptualisation of development, the rise-in prominence of the urban poor and emerging ecodevelopment views, among others, have given proponents of "UA' greater room for manoeuvre. However, most case studies promote 'UA' despite providing little evidence of its role in household welfare. The way the discourse maintains its' currency is in the manner in which the objects of 'UA' are constituted. Firstly, the people are characterised as poor, largely divorced from their rural origins, and mainly female. Each of these assertions is questioned on the basis of the literature itself and the empirical findings. Secondly, in the practice of cultivation, emphasis is placed on the inputs used, and the crops that are produced. The treatment of both the inputs and the crops by the literature is cursory. Investigations show that land availability, garden size and irrigation water are e~pecially problematic and vegetable consumption remains low. Four types of alleged benefit associated with 'UA' are analysed - environmental and ecological, psychological and social, financial, and nutritional. In each case commonly held assumptions are undermined by closer investigation. Thus, the thesis contends that the role played by cultivation is a modest one. Most of the claims made on behalf of 'UA' are more congruent with development discourse than actual cultivation practice.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1997
- Authors: Webb, Nigel Leigh
- Date: 1997
- Subjects: Urban agriculture -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Land use, Urban -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Agriculture -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:2095 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002658
- Description: The purpose of this thesis is to explain the continued advocacy of 'urban agriculture' (UA) in the literature in the face of the seemingly modest role played by cultivation in practice. The analytical framework adopted isrthat of discourse, the theoretical underpinnings of which are derived from the early works of Foucault, and applications such as those of Escobar (1989; 1991) and Ferguson (1990). Using a discursive orientation involves two main tasks - an explanation of how 'UA' has gained some prominence and the man~er in which its currency is able to be maintained. The investigation included an in-depth analysis of the literature and empirical research in th!"e~Eastern Cape centres. The function of the empirical findings is to expose the discourse, as well as to extend the empirical base relating to 'urban agricultural' research in general. The thesis suggests that the growth in interest in 'UA' is a result of a Foucaultian "gap" opening in the discourse. Changes in the conceptualisation of development, the rise-in prominence of the urban poor and emerging ecodevelopment views, among others, have given proponents of "UA' greater room for manoeuvre. However, most case studies promote 'UA' despite providing little evidence of its role in household welfare. The way the discourse maintains its' currency is in the manner in which the objects of 'UA' are constituted. Firstly, the people are characterised as poor, largely divorced from their rural origins, and mainly female. Each of these assertions is questioned on the basis of the literature itself and the empirical findings. Secondly, in the practice of cultivation, emphasis is placed on the inputs used, and the crops that are produced. The treatment of both the inputs and the crops by the literature is cursory. Investigations show that land availability, garden size and irrigation water are e~pecially problematic and vegetable consumption remains low. Four types of alleged benefit associated with 'UA' are analysed - environmental and ecological, psychological and social, financial, and nutritional. In each case commonly held assumptions are undermined by closer investigation. Thus, the thesis contends that the role played by cultivation is a modest one. Most of the claims made on behalf of 'UA' are more congruent with development discourse than actual cultivation practice.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1997
Urbanisation, foraging and household food security in urban South Africa
- Authors: Garekae, Hesekia
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Food sovereignty -- South Africa , Food security -- South Africa , Urban density -- South Africa , Urban agriculture -- Law and legislation -- South Africa , Sustainable urban development -- South Africa , Urban ecology (Sociology) -- South Africa , Nutrition surveys -- South Africa -- Potchefstroom , Nutrition surveys -- South Africa -- Thabazimbi , Wild plants, Edible -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/167054 , vital:41433
- Description: Over the past several decades, the world’s population has been rapidly urbanising, which has resulted in a marked shift of global population from rural to urban areas. About half of the global population now reside in urban areas and is projected to increase to two-thirds by the year 2050. However, the majority of the future urban population growth is projected to be largely concentrated in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Despite the economic prospects normally synonymous with urbanisation, the current speed and scale of urban transformation comes with formidable challenges to contemporary urban society in these two continents. Urbanisation may presents social, economic, health and environmental challenges in urban areas, not least being a shift of the locus of food insecurity from rural to urban areas, leading to poor dietary diversity among many urban dwellers. Similarly, urbanisation alters key ecosystem services and drives habitat alteration and fragmentation, biodiversity loss, proliferation of non-native species and changes on species diversity and richness. The aforementioned changes can result in a deterioration of living conditions and decline on the quality of life for the urban dwellers. However, on the other hand, urban green infrastructure is posed as vital tool in promoting liveable cities and enhancing livelihood resilience. Against this backdrop, this study portrays wild plants, a component of urban green infrastructure, as a key resource in promoting food security and dietary diversity, thereby promoting livelihood resilience and reduced vulnerability, especially of the urban poor. Framed under the ‘right to the city’ approach, this study examined urban foraging practices and their potential contribution to dietary diversity and how they are shaped by and respond to urbanisation in two medium-sized South African towns. The study was conducted in the towns of Potchefstroom and Thabazimbi, South Africa. An explanatory sequential mixed method design was employed for data collection. Multi-stage sampling was employed in selecting the study participants. Firstly, the study towns were stratified into four socio-economic zones: informal, reconstruction and development programme, township and affluent. These zones resemble high density (informal, reconstruction and development programme), medium density (township) and low density (affluent) areas. Then, a total of 374 households were randomly sampled across the socio-economic zones for the main survey (Chapter 3 and 5). A subset of this sample, i.e. 72 participants was considered for dietary recalls, alongside with a random sample of 65 non-foragers (Chapter 4). An inventory of plant species available in a given foraging space was conducted from a total of 136 plots spread across different urban spaces (Chapter 2). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a total of 81 participants (sub population of the main survey) for elucidating data on urban dynamics (Chapter 6). Lastly, complementary in-depth interviews with 46 participants were conducted. The findings showed that different urban spaces were constituted by diverse vegetation, with 262 distinct plant species encountered across the spaces. The majority (60.7%) were indigenous to South Africa. Species composition and diversity varied with space type, being significantly high in protected areas as compared to the other space types. About half (53%) of the identified plant species had at least one documented use, with medicine, food and firewood being modal, in order of frequency. Species composition and diversity differed between forageable and non-forageable species, being significantly high for forageable species. Urban foraging was widespread, about 68% of the respondents reported foraging. Foraging provided food, fuel energy, medicine, and cultural affirmation, among others. Despite the high prevalence rate of foraging, the study did not find any meaningful contribution of wild foods to overall diets. Nonetheless, wild foods demonstrated a substantial contribution in diversifying diets within particular food groups consumed such as vegetables, thus emerging essential in mitigating monotonous urban diets, particularly of the urban poor. Besides, the prevalence of foraging differed significantly between and within towns, being high for Thabazimbi (54.7%) and residents in the outskirts of town (86.2%) than Potchefstroom (45.3%) and residents in the inner part of town (33.3%). Participation in foraging was primarily a function of childhood (91.8%) exposure and experience with foraging, positive perceptions (79%) towards practice, resident in the outskirts of town (86.2%) and low household income (49.2%). The findings indicated that foraging was driven by multifaceted motivations, with culture (91.8%), health (88.7%), livelihoods needs (75.0%) and leisure (73.8%) being the most common. Vacant spaces (54.7%), riparian areas (30%), and domestic gardens (17.9%) were the most preferred foraging spaces, albeit with differences within towns. Similarly, the mean frequency of access varied with foraging spaces, being slightly high for vacant spaces than riparian areas and domestic gardens. The majority of the respondents were unaware of both formal and informal regulations managing urban landscapes, with those acknowledging some awareness falling short of articulating on the specificities of the regulations. Besides, the findings showed that foraging practice was threatened by urban transformation. Foragers perceived that the practice has changed over time, in terms of spaces, participants and regulations. There was a decreasing trend on the number and size of foraging spaces as well as shifting demographic trends of foragers. Moreover, urban transformation brought about a new set of regulations used for managing certain spaces within the urban landscape. However, some regulations prohibited or restricted access and rights to certain spaces for foraging. Hence, this prompted foragers to devise adaptation strategies to cope with the said changing dynamics. Exploring new foraging sites within and outside forager’s neighbourhoods and negotiating access entry were the most frequently mentioned adaptation strategies. This study contributes to the emerging body of knowledge on urban foraging, which has being seldom understood in the Global South.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
- Authors: Garekae, Hesekia
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Food sovereignty -- South Africa , Food security -- South Africa , Urban density -- South Africa , Urban agriculture -- Law and legislation -- South Africa , Sustainable urban development -- South Africa , Urban ecology (Sociology) -- South Africa , Nutrition surveys -- South Africa -- Potchefstroom , Nutrition surveys -- South Africa -- Thabazimbi , Wild plants, Edible -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/167054 , vital:41433
- Description: Over the past several decades, the world’s population has been rapidly urbanising, which has resulted in a marked shift of global population from rural to urban areas. About half of the global population now reside in urban areas and is projected to increase to two-thirds by the year 2050. However, the majority of the future urban population growth is projected to be largely concentrated in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Despite the economic prospects normally synonymous with urbanisation, the current speed and scale of urban transformation comes with formidable challenges to contemporary urban society in these two continents. Urbanisation may presents social, economic, health and environmental challenges in urban areas, not least being a shift of the locus of food insecurity from rural to urban areas, leading to poor dietary diversity among many urban dwellers. Similarly, urbanisation alters key ecosystem services and drives habitat alteration and fragmentation, biodiversity loss, proliferation of non-native species and changes on species diversity and richness. The aforementioned changes can result in a deterioration of living conditions and decline on the quality of life for the urban dwellers. However, on the other hand, urban green infrastructure is posed as vital tool in promoting liveable cities and enhancing livelihood resilience. Against this backdrop, this study portrays wild plants, a component of urban green infrastructure, as a key resource in promoting food security and dietary diversity, thereby promoting livelihood resilience and reduced vulnerability, especially of the urban poor. Framed under the ‘right to the city’ approach, this study examined urban foraging practices and their potential contribution to dietary diversity and how they are shaped by and respond to urbanisation in two medium-sized South African towns. The study was conducted in the towns of Potchefstroom and Thabazimbi, South Africa. An explanatory sequential mixed method design was employed for data collection. Multi-stage sampling was employed in selecting the study participants. Firstly, the study towns were stratified into four socio-economic zones: informal, reconstruction and development programme, township and affluent. These zones resemble high density (informal, reconstruction and development programme), medium density (township) and low density (affluent) areas. Then, a total of 374 households were randomly sampled across the socio-economic zones for the main survey (Chapter 3 and 5). A subset of this sample, i.e. 72 participants was considered for dietary recalls, alongside with a random sample of 65 non-foragers (Chapter 4). An inventory of plant species available in a given foraging space was conducted from a total of 136 plots spread across different urban spaces (Chapter 2). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a total of 81 participants (sub population of the main survey) for elucidating data on urban dynamics (Chapter 6). Lastly, complementary in-depth interviews with 46 participants were conducted. The findings showed that different urban spaces were constituted by diverse vegetation, with 262 distinct plant species encountered across the spaces. The majority (60.7%) were indigenous to South Africa. Species composition and diversity varied with space type, being significantly high in protected areas as compared to the other space types. About half (53%) of the identified plant species had at least one documented use, with medicine, food and firewood being modal, in order of frequency. Species composition and diversity differed between forageable and non-forageable species, being significantly high for forageable species. Urban foraging was widespread, about 68% of the respondents reported foraging. Foraging provided food, fuel energy, medicine, and cultural affirmation, among others. Despite the high prevalence rate of foraging, the study did not find any meaningful contribution of wild foods to overall diets. Nonetheless, wild foods demonstrated a substantial contribution in diversifying diets within particular food groups consumed such as vegetables, thus emerging essential in mitigating monotonous urban diets, particularly of the urban poor. Besides, the prevalence of foraging differed significantly between and within towns, being high for Thabazimbi (54.7%) and residents in the outskirts of town (86.2%) than Potchefstroom (45.3%) and residents in the inner part of town (33.3%). Participation in foraging was primarily a function of childhood (91.8%) exposure and experience with foraging, positive perceptions (79%) towards practice, resident in the outskirts of town (86.2%) and low household income (49.2%). The findings indicated that foraging was driven by multifaceted motivations, with culture (91.8%), health (88.7%), livelihoods needs (75.0%) and leisure (73.8%) being the most common. Vacant spaces (54.7%), riparian areas (30%), and domestic gardens (17.9%) were the most preferred foraging spaces, albeit with differences within towns. Similarly, the mean frequency of access varied with foraging spaces, being slightly high for vacant spaces than riparian areas and domestic gardens. The majority of the respondents were unaware of both formal and informal regulations managing urban landscapes, with those acknowledging some awareness falling short of articulating on the specificities of the regulations. Besides, the findings showed that foraging practice was threatened by urban transformation. Foragers perceived that the practice has changed over time, in terms of spaces, participants and regulations. There was a decreasing trend on the number and size of foraging spaces as well as shifting demographic trends of foragers. Moreover, urban transformation brought about a new set of regulations used for managing certain spaces within the urban landscape. However, some regulations prohibited or restricted access and rights to certain spaces for foraging. Hence, this prompted foragers to devise adaptation strategies to cope with the said changing dynamics. Exploring new foraging sites within and outside forager’s neighbourhoods and negotiating access entry were the most frequently mentioned adaptation strategies. This study contributes to the emerging body of knowledge on urban foraging, which has being seldom understood in the Global South.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
Use of bioindicators and biomarkers to assess aquatic environmental contamination in selected urban wetlands in Uganda
- Authors: Naigaga, Irene
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Indicators (Biology) Biochemical markers Environmental monitoring -- Uganda Water quality biological assessment -- Uganda Water -- Pollution -- Uganda Wetlands -- Monitoring -- Uganda Wetland management -- Uganda Aquatic resources -- Uganda Aquatic resources conservation -- Uganda Aquatic resources -- Management -- Uganda Fishes -- Histopathaology -- Uganda Urban ecology (Biology) -- Uganda
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:5198 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002603
- Description: Pollution of aquatic resources in Uganda is on the increase and the trends are expected to increase with increase in population size and urbanisation. Assessment and mitigation of the environmental impacts on water quality and biodiversity have now become necessary. The aim of the study was to integrate invertebrate and fish as bioindicators and fish histopathology as a biomarker in the assessment of water quality deterioration in urban wetlands in Uganda. The integration harnesses the advantages and counteracts the shortcomings of each method and thus builds a more robust diagnostic tool that gives a better view of the impacts to the entire ecosystem. Four endpoints which included, physicochemical variables, benthic macroinvertebrate bioindicators, fish bioindicators and fish histopathology biomarkers were compared between varied effluent-impacted wetlands (Murchison Bay in Kampala, and Kirinya, Masese and Winday Bay in Jinja) and a non-impacted reference wetland (Lwanika in Mayuge). Results from the effluent-impacted sites differed from the less impacted reference site. The two sampling locations at Murchison Bay (inshore and offshore) and one sampling location at Kirinya (inshore), that were highly impacted with urban effluent, showed elevated nutrient levels, low pH, dissolved oxygen and secchi depth readings. This corresponded with low invertebrate taxa and fish species diversity and richness; and severe histopathological responses in liver, gonads and gills of O. niloticus. Sensitive taxa such as ephemeroptera and trichoptera were completely absent while pollution tolerant taxa Chironomus sp, Corbicula and Oligochaeta were present. Also notable was the absence of many native haplochromines and presence of mainly Brycinus sadleri, Oreochromis niloticus and leucostictus. The organs manifested high prevalence of severe inflammatory and regressive changes and higher organ indices that fell within the pathological category. These sites were consistently classified as highly polluted under the four endpoints. The reference site was classified as least polluted while Masese and Winday Bay were moderately polluted. Results suggested that the approach of using invertebrate and fish as bioindicators and the fish histopathology as a biomarker, in relation to water quality physicochemical variables was a useful tool in highlighting the spatial differences in environmental quality.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Naigaga, Irene
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Indicators (Biology) Biochemical markers Environmental monitoring -- Uganda Water quality biological assessment -- Uganda Water -- Pollution -- Uganda Wetlands -- Monitoring -- Uganda Wetland management -- Uganda Aquatic resources -- Uganda Aquatic resources conservation -- Uganda Aquatic resources -- Management -- Uganda Fishes -- Histopathaology -- Uganda Urban ecology (Biology) -- Uganda
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:5198 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002603
- Description: Pollution of aquatic resources in Uganda is on the increase and the trends are expected to increase with increase in population size and urbanisation. Assessment and mitigation of the environmental impacts on water quality and biodiversity have now become necessary. The aim of the study was to integrate invertebrate and fish as bioindicators and fish histopathology as a biomarker in the assessment of water quality deterioration in urban wetlands in Uganda. The integration harnesses the advantages and counteracts the shortcomings of each method and thus builds a more robust diagnostic tool that gives a better view of the impacts to the entire ecosystem. Four endpoints which included, physicochemical variables, benthic macroinvertebrate bioindicators, fish bioindicators and fish histopathology biomarkers were compared between varied effluent-impacted wetlands (Murchison Bay in Kampala, and Kirinya, Masese and Winday Bay in Jinja) and a non-impacted reference wetland (Lwanika in Mayuge). Results from the effluent-impacted sites differed from the less impacted reference site. The two sampling locations at Murchison Bay (inshore and offshore) and one sampling location at Kirinya (inshore), that were highly impacted with urban effluent, showed elevated nutrient levels, low pH, dissolved oxygen and secchi depth readings. This corresponded with low invertebrate taxa and fish species diversity and richness; and severe histopathological responses in liver, gonads and gills of O. niloticus. Sensitive taxa such as ephemeroptera and trichoptera were completely absent while pollution tolerant taxa Chironomus sp, Corbicula and Oligochaeta were present. Also notable was the absence of many native haplochromines and presence of mainly Brycinus sadleri, Oreochromis niloticus and leucostictus. The organs manifested high prevalence of severe inflammatory and regressive changes and higher organ indices that fell within the pathological category. These sites were consistently classified as highly polluted under the four endpoints. The reference site was classified as least polluted while Masese and Winday Bay were moderately polluted. Results suggested that the approach of using invertebrate and fish as bioindicators and the fish histopathology as a biomarker, in relation to water quality physicochemical variables was a useful tool in highlighting the spatial differences in environmental quality.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
Use of eco-art education in supporting the establishment of sustainability competencies in basic education: an interventionist case study
- Authors: Da Silva, Juliana Schmidt
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Environment (Art) , Environmental education -- Brazil , Sustainable development -- Brazil , Education -- Curricula -- Brazil , Eco-art education
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/166127 , vital:41331
- Description: Recent socioecological approaches in Environmental Education acknowledge the complexity of “real-world situations”, which include environmental problems. One response to the challenge of enabling people to develop sustainability is the key competencies in sustainability framework. It can be faced as a guide to planning Environmental Education actions. On the other side, art practices hold potential to expand learning in varied ways. Art can offer the strategies employed in learning processes directed to sustainability, constituting the field of eco-art education. This research aims to investigate the integration of the visions of the key competencies in sustainability and the eco-art education in an Environmental Education project at high school level. Horta and Gastronomia (Vegetable Garden and Gastronomy) is an extra-curricular activity which happens every year at Irmão Jaime Biazus high school in Porto Alegre, Brazil. It addresses food security and sustainability associating the garden, the kitchen and exploration of sustainability issues using eco-art strategies. Action research approach is used, defining two research cycles to explore the effectiveness of eco-art for the development of key competencies in sustainability. The first cycle focuses on the eco-art activities applied in Horta and Gastronomia (2017 group) while the second cycle deals with a post-project intervention designed to observe indicators of the sustainability competencies and further explore eco-art strategies. This study adds to the field of sustainability competencies by exploring teaching strategies through eco-art education. Insight into key competencies in sustainability is given by presenting the investigation of the group of students about a situation of their reality. The activities implemented, classified according to their objectives, are contextualized regarding the competencies and in learning sequences. This research also contributes to the development of the sustainability competencies framework by applying the theory to a basic education level, adapting the work originally proposed to higher education contexts.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
- Authors: Da Silva, Juliana Schmidt
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Environment (Art) , Environmental education -- Brazil , Sustainable development -- Brazil , Education -- Curricula -- Brazil , Eco-art education
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/166127 , vital:41331
- Description: Recent socioecological approaches in Environmental Education acknowledge the complexity of “real-world situations”, which include environmental problems. One response to the challenge of enabling people to develop sustainability is the key competencies in sustainability framework. It can be faced as a guide to planning Environmental Education actions. On the other side, art practices hold potential to expand learning in varied ways. Art can offer the strategies employed in learning processes directed to sustainability, constituting the field of eco-art education. This research aims to investigate the integration of the visions of the key competencies in sustainability and the eco-art education in an Environmental Education project at high school level. Horta and Gastronomia (Vegetable Garden and Gastronomy) is an extra-curricular activity which happens every year at Irmão Jaime Biazus high school in Porto Alegre, Brazil. It addresses food security and sustainability associating the garden, the kitchen and exploration of sustainability issues using eco-art strategies. Action research approach is used, defining two research cycles to explore the effectiveness of eco-art for the development of key competencies in sustainability. The first cycle focuses on the eco-art activities applied in Horta and Gastronomia (2017 group) while the second cycle deals with a post-project intervention designed to observe indicators of the sustainability competencies and further explore eco-art strategies. This study adds to the field of sustainability competencies by exploring teaching strategies through eco-art education. Insight into key competencies in sustainability is given by presenting the investigation of the group of students about a situation of their reality. The activities implemented, classified according to their objectives, are contextualized regarding the competencies and in learning sequences. This research also contributes to the development of the sustainability competencies framework by applying the theory to a basic education level, adapting the work originally proposed to higher education contexts.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
Use of the internet in newsgathering : a case study of The Post newspaper in Zambia
- Authors: Hamachila, Alphonsius
- Date: 2013-06-10
- Subjects: Post (Lusaka, Zambia) Electronic news gathering -- Zambia -- Case studies Journalism -- Data processing -- Zambia -- Case studies Reporters and reporting -- Zambia -- Case studies
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3518 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1008075
- Description: The Internet and World Wide Web have become dominant newsgathering tools in a sholi period of time. While the body of research, particularly in the First World, has developed quickly along with the Web, many unanswered questions remain on how journalists in developing countries make use of the Internet for newsgathering purposes. This study combined social constructivist theory with the socio-organisational and cultural approaches to news production in order to critically investigate how journalists at The Post newspaper in Zambia relate to, and make use of, the Internet as a newsgathering resource, in the context of Third World conditions. The study critiqued technological detelminism perspectives on journalists' use of the new information technology. The technological determinism theory, which has largely been advanced by some scholars from the developed world, takes a celebratory approach to journalists' use of the Internet in the newsroom. Using qualitative semi-structured interviews and observations, the study established that while journalists at The Post acknowledged the lnternet's potential in news gathering, factors such as unreliable telecommunications infrastructure, poor Internet skills, lack of local content on the World Wide Web, and organisational and occupational demands inhibited the use of the Internet as a journalistic newsgathering resource. The study established further that online reporting is only a tool within the broader news gathering and production process; and in the case of The Post, it does not replace the traditional news gathering techniques used by journalists, particularly direct contacts with human sources. The respondents cited face-to-face interviews, a traditional means of newsgathering, as the main driving force in news gathering routines at the newspaper. However, although the respondents saw some mixed blessings in the Internet as a reporting tool, they also believed that the benefits outweighed the problems. , KMBT_363 , Adobe Acrobat 9.54 Paper Capture Plug-in
- Full Text:
- Authors: Hamachila, Alphonsius
- Date: 2013-06-10
- Subjects: Post (Lusaka, Zambia) Electronic news gathering -- Zambia -- Case studies Journalism -- Data processing -- Zambia -- Case studies Reporters and reporting -- Zambia -- Case studies
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3518 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1008075
- Description: The Internet and World Wide Web have become dominant newsgathering tools in a sholi period of time. While the body of research, particularly in the First World, has developed quickly along with the Web, many unanswered questions remain on how journalists in developing countries make use of the Internet for newsgathering purposes. This study combined social constructivist theory with the socio-organisational and cultural approaches to news production in order to critically investigate how journalists at The Post newspaper in Zambia relate to, and make use of, the Internet as a newsgathering resource, in the context of Third World conditions. The study critiqued technological detelminism perspectives on journalists' use of the new information technology. The technological determinism theory, which has largely been advanced by some scholars from the developed world, takes a celebratory approach to journalists' use of the Internet in the newsroom. Using qualitative semi-structured interviews and observations, the study established that while journalists at The Post acknowledged the lnternet's potential in news gathering, factors such as unreliable telecommunications infrastructure, poor Internet skills, lack of local content on the World Wide Web, and organisational and occupational demands inhibited the use of the Internet as a journalistic newsgathering resource. The study established further that online reporting is only a tool within the broader news gathering and production process; and in the case of The Post, it does not replace the traditional news gathering techniques used by journalists, particularly direct contacts with human sources. The respondents cited face-to-face interviews, a traditional means of newsgathering, as the main driving force in news gathering routines at the newspaper. However, although the respondents saw some mixed blessings in the Internet as a reporting tool, they also believed that the benefits outweighed the problems. , KMBT_363 , Adobe Acrobat 9.54 Paper Capture Plug-in
- Full Text:
User interface design guidelines for digital television virtual remote controls
- Authors: Wentzel, Alicia Veronica
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Remote control , User interfaces (Computer systems) , Television broadcasting , Human-computer interaction
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:1158 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1020617
- Description: The remote control is a pivotal component in households worldwide. It helps users enjoy leisurely television (TV) viewing. The remote control has various user interfaces that people interact with. For example, the physical user interface includes the shape of the remote and the physical buttons; the logical user interface refers to how the information is laid out; and the graphical user interface refers to the colours and aesthetic features of the remote control. All of the user interfaces together with the context of use, cultural factors, social factors, and prior experiences of the user influences the ways people interact with their remote control and ultimately has an effect on their user experiences. Advances in the broadcasting sector and transformations of the TV physical remote control have compounded the simple remote control into a multifaceted, indispensable device, overcrowded with buttons. The usability and ultimately the user experience of physical remote controls (PRCs) have been affected by the overloaded functionality and small button sizes. The usability issues with current PRCs, the evolution of mobile phones into touchscreen smartphones, and the trend of global companies moving towards virtual remote controls (VRCs) have prompted this research to discover what user interface design features will contribute towards an enhanced user experience for digital TV VRCs. This research used the design science research process model (DSRP), which comprised six steps, to investigate this topic area further. A review of the domain literature pertaining to mobile user experiences (MUX) and all the encompassing factors, mobile human computer interaction (MHCI) and the physical, logical, graphical and natural user interfaces was completed, as well as a review of the literature regarding the usability issues of PRCs and VRCs. A contextual task analysis (CTA) of a single South African digital TV PRC was used to identify how users utilise PRCs to perform tasks, and the usability issues they encountered during the tasks. Brainstorming focus groups were used to understand how to represent certain user interface elements and attempted to source ideas from users about what potential functionality digital TV VRCs should contain. Together with all the other results gathered from the previous chapters amalgamated into a set of user interface design guidelines for digital TV VRCs. The proposed user interface guidelines were used to instantiate a digital TV VRC prototype that underwent usability testing in order to validate the proposed user interface design guidelines. The results of the usability testing revealed that the user interface design guidelines for digital TV VRCs were successful, with the addition of one guideline that was discovered during the usability testing.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Wentzel, Alicia Veronica
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Remote control , User interfaces (Computer systems) , Television broadcasting , Human-computer interaction
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:1158 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1020617
- Description: The remote control is a pivotal component in households worldwide. It helps users enjoy leisurely television (TV) viewing. The remote control has various user interfaces that people interact with. For example, the physical user interface includes the shape of the remote and the physical buttons; the logical user interface refers to how the information is laid out; and the graphical user interface refers to the colours and aesthetic features of the remote control. All of the user interfaces together with the context of use, cultural factors, social factors, and prior experiences of the user influences the ways people interact with their remote control and ultimately has an effect on their user experiences. Advances in the broadcasting sector and transformations of the TV physical remote control have compounded the simple remote control into a multifaceted, indispensable device, overcrowded with buttons. The usability and ultimately the user experience of physical remote controls (PRCs) have been affected by the overloaded functionality and small button sizes. The usability issues with current PRCs, the evolution of mobile phones into touchscreen smartphones, and the trend of global companies moving towards virtual remote controls (VRCs) have prompted this research to discover what user interface design features will contribute towards an enhanced user experience for digital TV VRCs. This research used the design science research process model (DSRP), which comprised six steps, to investigate this topic area further. A review of the domain literature pertaining to mobile user experiences (MUX) and all the encompassing factors, mobile human computer interaction (MHCI) and the physical, logical, graphical and natural user interfaces was completed, as well as a review of the literature regarding the usability issues of PRCs and VRCs. A contextual task analysis (CTA) of a single South African digital TV PRC was used to identify how users utilise PRCs to perform tasks, and the usability issues they encountered during the tasks. Brainstorming focus groups were used to understand how to represent certain user interface elements and attempted to source ideas from users about what potential functionality digital TV VRCs should contain. Together with all the other results gathered from the previous chapters amalgamated into a set of user interface design guidelines for digital TV VRCs. The proposed user interface guidelines were used to instantiate a digital TV VRC prototype that underwent usability testing in order to validate the proposed user interface design guidelines. The results of the usability testing revealed that the user interface design guidelines for digital TV VRCs were successful, with the addition of one guideline that was discovered during the usability testing.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Using a classroom library to promote extensive reading in a Grade 8 class in a Fort Beaufort District School, Eastern Cape : an action research case study.
- Authors: Bushula, Bruce Simphiwe
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Classroom libraries -- South africa -- Eastern Cape -- Case studies , Reading (Secondary) , Literacy -- Study and teaching (Secondary) , Literacy programs
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:2022 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1017333
- Description: This thesis reports on a collaborative action research case study with Grade 8 learners in a rural high school in Fort Beaufort District, Eastern Cape, South Africa. The goals of the case study were firstly, to understand best practices for promoting extensive reading using a classroom library, and secondly, to use these insights to put an extensive reading programme in place with a view to improving my practice as a language teacher and to gain better understanding of ways of enhancing my Grade 8 learners’ literacy skills. The following qualitative methods were used to collect data: observation, semi-structured interviews, class discussion, questionnaires, journal reflections and document analysis. Analysis of data involved identification of emerging themes and patterns. The findings suggest that the strategies used in the extensive reading intervention improved my learners’ levels of engagement with reading. Putting these strategies into practice, and reflecting critically on how to refine them helped enrich my own professional insight and development in relation to the implementation of extensive reading programmes. Since action research is usually designed in spirals of action, this research serves as a first spiral and a foundation upon which to build second and subsequent spirals (which do not form part of this research). The study highlighted the fact that certain challenges that emerged (for example, shortage of books at the learners’ level, and a lack of parental cooperation) need to be addressed in a second spiral of intervention. The study further suggested that the implementation of effective extensive reading programmes by teachers in the middle and upper phases of secondary schooling requires further investigation.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
- Authors: Bushula, Bruce Simphiwe
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Classroom libraries -- South africa -- Eastern Cape -- Case studies , Reading (Secondary) , Literacy -- Study and teaching (Secondary) , Literacy programs
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:2022 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1017333
- Description: This thesis reports on a collaborative action research case study with Grade 8 learners in a rural high school in Fort Beaufort District, Eastern Cape, South Africa. The goals of the case study were firstly, to understand best practices for promoting extensive reading using a classroom library, and secondly, to use these insights to put an extensive reading programme in place with a view to improving my practice as a language teacher and to gain better understanding of ways of enhancing my Grade 8 learners’ literacy skills. The following qualitative methods were used to collect data: observation, semi-structured interviews, class discussion, questionnaires, journal reflections and document analysis. Analysis of data involved identification of emerging themes and patterns. The findings suggest that the strategies used in the extensive reading intervention improved my learners’ levels of engagement with reading. Putting these strategies into practice, and reflecting critically on how to refine them helped enrich my own professional insight and development in relation to the implementation of extensive reading programmes. Since action research is usually designed in spirals of action, this research serves as a first spiral and a foundation upon which to build second and subsequent spirals (which do not form part of this research). The study highlighted the fact that certain challenges that emerged (for example, shortage of books at the learners’ level, and a lack of parental cooperation) need to be addressed in a second spiral of intervention. The study further suggested that the implementation of effective extensive reading programmes by teachers in the middle and upper phases of secondary schooling requires further investigation.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
Using a multi-method approach to understand the movement patterns and the associated environmental correlates of an iconic West African recreational fish
- Authors: Winkler, Alexander Claus
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Carangidae fishing , Carangidae -- Migration , Carangidae -- Namibia , Carangidae -- Angola , Fish tagging , Carangidae -- Benguela Current , Underwater acoustic telemetry , Ocean temperature -- Physiological effect , Fishes -- Effect of temperature on
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/76530 , vital:30597
- Description: The leerfish (Lichia amia), is a large, primarily coastal recreational fish species with a distribution extending from Portugal down the west coast of African to southern Mozambique. Owing to its large size (30 kg), strong fighting abilities and habit of taking surface artificial lures, this species has taken on an iconic stature among shore-based recreational anglers. Its reputation has made it an important angling tourism species that makes an important contribution to the economy of developing countries. For example, the species brought US$243 per harvested kilogramme into the local southern Angola economy. Despite its high value, little is known about its movement patterns in the northern Benguela coastal region, a region which includes southern Angola and northern Namibia. While much is known about the migratory patterns of the South African stock of L. amia, recent molecular studies have shown that the northern Benguela stock of L. amia has been isolated from the South African population for at least two million years, a consequence of the development of the cold Lüderitz upwelling cell in southern Namibia. Although the global population of L. amia is considered a single species, prominent biogeographic barriers within its distribution and subtle morphological differences between specimens captured within its tropical versus warm-temperate distribution suggest otherwise. A multi-method approach incorporating passive acoustic telemetry (PAT), recreational catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) and conventional tagging (CT) in southern Angola, as well as recreational fisher-ecological knowledge (FEK) from Namibia, was used to investigate the large-scale movement patterns of L. amia within the northern Benguela coastal region. While each method had its own associated limitations, the combination provided a holistic picture of the population's seasonal migratory patterns. Furthermore, PAT successfully identified partial migration with 25% vs 75% of monitored fish exhibiting resident (movements < 100 km) or migratory (movements > 100 km) behaviour, respectively. Further behavioural diversity was observed with ‘resident’, ‘roaming’ and ‘embayment’ contingents identified based on varying levels of affinity to certain habitats. The presence of both resident and migratory individuals within the northernmost study during June and July, combined with available biological information, suggested that area-specific spawning may take place. While PAT, CPUE and CT largely aligned in determining area specific high-area use, results from network analyses and mixed effects models conducted on the PAT data supported the spawning hypothesis, with anomalous behaviour around specific receivers during the spawning season. All fish, regardless of behavioural contingent, displayed similar movement behaviour during the spawning season and this was driven by factors generally associated with reproduction, such as lunar illumination. Interestingly, these drivers were different from those that determined the area specific use of individuals outside of the spawning season. The environmental drivers of longshore migration into the northern study site were identified as a decline in water temperature and shorter day lengths. The results of this study highlight the importance of using a multi-method approach in determining migratory movement behaviour, area specific area use, and stock structure of key fisheries species. The identification of different behavioural contingents highlights the importance of acknowledging individual variation in movement and habitat-use patterns. This is particularly relevant as future climate change and spatiotemporal variation in fishing effort may artificially skew natural selection processes to favour certain behavioural groups. This study also highlighted the importance of scientists forming relationships with resource-users, such as recreational angling lodges in areas where limited research has been conducted. This is particularly relevant within the West African context where little is known about many of the fish species that are being increasingly targeted by tourism angling ventures.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Winkler, Alexander Claus
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Carangidae fishing , Carangidae -- Migration , Carangidae -- Namibia , Carangidae -- Angola , Fish tagging , Carangidae -- Benguela Current , Underwater acoustic telemetry , Ocean temperature -- Physiological effect , Fishes -- Effect of temperature on
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/76530 , vital:30597
- Description: The leerfish (Lichia amia), is a large, primarily coastal recreational fish species with a distribution extending from Portugal down the west coast of African to southern Mozambique. Owing to its large size (30 kg), strong fighting abilities and habit of taking surface artificial lures, this species has taken on an iconic stature among shore-based recreational anglers. Its reputation has made it an important angling tourism species that makes an important contribution to the economy of developing countries. For example, the species brought US$243 per harvested kilogramme into the local southern Angola economy. Despite its high value, little is known about its movement patterns in the northern Benguela coastal region, a region which includes southern Angola and northern Namibia. While much is known about the migratory patterns of the South African stock of L. amia, recent molecular studies have shown that the northern Benguela stock of L. amia has been isolated from the South African population for at least two million years, a consequence of the development of the cold Lüderitz upwelling cell in southern Namibia. Although the global population of L. amia is considered a single species, prominent biogeographic barriers within its distribution and subtle morphological differences between specimens captured within its tropical versus warm-temperate distribution suggest otherwise. A multi-method approach incorporating passive acoustic telemetry (PAT), recreational catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) and conventional tagging (CT) in southern Angola, as well as recreational fisher-ecological knowledge (FEK) from Namibia, was used to investigate the large-scale movement patterns of L. amia within the northern Benguela coastal region. While each method had its own associated limitations, the combination provided a holistic picture of the population's seasonal migratory patterns. Furthermore, PAT successfully identified partial migration with 25% vs 75% of monitored fish exhibiting resident (movements < 100 km) or migratory (movements > 100 km) behaviour, respectively. Further behavioural diversity was observed with ‘resident’, ‘roaming’ and ‘embayment’ contingents identified based on varying levels of affinity to certain habitats. The presence of both resident and migratory individuals within the northernmost study during June and July, combined with available biological information, suggested that area-specific spawning may take place. While PAT, CPUE and CT largely aligned in determining area specific high-area use, results from network analyses and mixed effects models conducted on the PAT data supported the spawning hypothesis, with anomalous behaviour around specific receivers during the spawning season. All fish, regardless of behavioural contingent, displayed similar movement behaviour during the spawning season and this was driven by factors generally associated with reproduction, such as lunar illumination. Interestingly, these drivers were different from those that determined the area specific use of individuals outside of the spawning season. The environmental drivers of longshore migration into the northern study site were identified as a decline in water temperature and shorter day lengths. The results of this study highlight the importance of using a multi-method approach in determining migratory movement behaviour, area specific area use, and stock structure of key fisheries species. The identification of different behavioural contingents highlights the importance of acknowledging individual variation in movement and habitat-use patterns. This is particularly relevant as future climate change and spatiotemporal variation in fishing effort may artificially skew natural selection processes to favour certain behavioural groups. This study also highlighted the importance of scientists forming relationships with resource-users, such as recreational angling lodges in areas where limited research has been conducted. This is particularly relevant within the West African context where little is known about many of the fish species that are being increasingly targeted by tourism angling ventures.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Using a social-ecological systems approach to investigate hillslope seep wetlands ecosystem structure and functionality in the Tsitsa River catchment, Eastern Cape, South Africa
- Authors: Libala, Notiswa
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Wetland management -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Wetland ecology -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Wetland conservation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Slopes (Physical geography) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Vegetation management -- South Africa -- Tsitsa River Catchment , Land degradation -- Control -- South Africa -- Tsitsa River Catchment , Grazing -- Environmental aspects -- South Africa -- Tsitsa River Catchment , Ecosystem management -- South Africa -- Tsitsa River Catchment , Wetland plants -- Effect of grazing on
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/115936 , vital:34270
- Description: Wetlands are critical ecosystems that can provide services of great social, economic and environmental value to the society. Yet, in South Africa, hillslope seep wetlands are among the most threatened ecosystems due to human-induced activities and are disappearing rapidly. Further, despite the potential vulnerability of hillslope seep wetland to disturbances, and their criticality in relation to all year round provision of forage for livestock grazing, they are among the most poorly studied wetland systems. Using a social-ecological system framing, and drawing on a range of ecological and social sciences methods, this study shed light on ways in which an integrative approach can contribute to sustainable utilisation of hillslope seep wetlands in the Tsitsa River catchment in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The study specific objectives were to i) evaluate the performance of Floristic Quality Assessment Index (FQAI), WET-Health and Floristic Assessment Quotient for Wetlands Index (FQAWet) indices for assessing hillslope seep wetlands ecological health ii) develop a trait-based approach for assessing the potential resilience and vulnerability of hillslope seep wetland plant species to disturbances, iii) assess the role of hillslope seep wetlands in the local communities in relation to livestock, and explore understanding of local people about the value of hillslope seep wetlands, iv) demonstrate collaborative insights emerging from an integrative social-ecological system research process to inform sustainable management of hillslope seep wetlands. A total of 11 hillslope seep wetlands were visually classified based on the level of erosion. Plant species composition within the wetlands was determined along a 100 m line transects across the hillslope wetland sites. 5 quadrats of 0.2m2 were also placed along transect for vegetation collection and cover. The plant species collected were used to calculate (FQAI) and FQAWet scores to evaluate the condition of hillslope seep wetlands. The degree of human disturbances was assessed using the Anthropogenic Activity Index (AAI), an index for qualitatively assessing the degree of human disturbance based on visual inspection of a wetland site. Factors represented in the AAI, include: (i) surrounding land use intensity; (ii) soil disturbance; (iii) hydrological alteration; (iv) habitat alteration within wetland; (v) vegetation community quality. The vegetation samples were collected in summer 2016 and winter 2017. All assessed indices were regressed against AAI to evaluate their performances. All assessed indices FQAI, FQAWet and WET-Health showed that hillslope seep wetland were impacted by human activities. FQAIall and WET-Health showed the strongest response to AAI in winter, while FQAIdom and FAQWet showed a weak response to AAI in all seasons. Overall, the findings of this study suggest that FQAIall and WET-Health are potentially better tools for assessing the biological conditions of hillslope seep wetland in South Africa. A novel trait-based approach was developed using seven plant traits and 27 trait attributes. Based on the developed approach, plant species were grouped into three potentially vulnerable groups in relation to grazing pressure. It was then predicted that species belonging to the highly vulnerable group would be less dominant at the highly disturbed sites, as well as in the winter season when grazing pressure is at its highest. The result corresponds largely with the seasonal predictions; however this was not the case for sites. The approach developed in this study worked and it was useful for predicting the potential responses of plant species in hillslope seep wetlands to grazing pressure. The success of the approach seasonally could be attributed to the careful selection of the traits, reflecting the mechanistic relationship between the grazing mode of stress on vegetation and trait-mediated biotic response. However, this still need to be refined using accurate vegetation cover methods that might have had impact on the lack of correspondence within sites. The results of the present study revealed that communities largely perceive hillslope seep wetlands as important ecosystems for their livelihoods. They recognise that the importance stems from services provided by the wetlands, particularly for livestock grazing during the dry season. Although hillslope seep wetlands are viewed as important ecosystems for livelihoods, the communities also perceive these wetlands as highly eroded ecosystems. Community members indicate willingness to strengthen local natural resource governance systems, which could lead to better management of hillslope seep wetlands. A range of protective strategies for hillslope seep were suggested by community members, including fencing, active herding and rotational grazing. The study suggests that active involvement of local communities is critical to the successful management of natural resources. The study highlights the need to consider the role of local people as influential components within social-ecological systems in order to promote effective management and conservation interventions of hillslope seep wetlands. Overall, the study highlights the criticality of an integrative social-ecological system approach for holistic management of hillslope seep wetlands within the studied catchment.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Libala, Notiswa
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Wetland management -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Wetland ecology -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Wetland conservation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Slopes (Physical geography) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Vegetation management -- South Africa -- Tsitsa River Catchment , Land degradation -- Control -- South Africa -- Tsitsa River Catchment , Grazing -- Environmental aspects -- South Africa -- Tsitsa River Catchment , Ecosystem management -- South Africa -- Tsitsa River Catchment , Wetland plants -- Effect of grazing on
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/115936 , vital:34270
- Description: Wetlands are critical ecosystems that can provide services of great social, economic and environmental value to the society. Yet, in South Africa, hillslope seep wetlands are among the most threatened ecosystems due to human-induced activities and are disappearing rapidly. Further, despite the potential vulnerability of hillslope seep wetland to disturbances, and their criticality in relation to all year round provision of forage for livestock grazing, they are among the most poorly studied wetland systems. Using a social-ecological system framing, and drawing on a range of ecological and social sciences methods, this study shed light on ways in which an integrative approach can contribute to sustainable utilisation of hillslope seep wetlands in the Tsitsa River catchment in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The study specific objectives were to i) evaluate the performance of Floristic Quality Assessment Index (FQAI), WET-Health and Floristic Assessment Quotient for Wetlands Index (FQAWet) indices for assessing hillslope seep wetlands ecological health ii) develop a trait-based approach for assessing the potential resilience and vulnerability of hillslope seep wetland plant species to disturbances, iii) assess the role of hillslope seep wetlands in the local communities in relation to livestock, and explore understanding of local people about the value of hillslope seep wetlands, iv) demonstrate collaborative insights emerging from an integrative social-ecological system research process to inform sustainable management of hillslope seep wetlands. A total of 11 hillslope seep wetlands were visually classified based on the level of erosion. Plant species composition within the wetlands was determined along a 100 m line transects across the hillslope wetland sites. 5 quadrats of 0.2m2 were also placed along transect for vegetation collection and cover. The plant species collected were used to calculate (FQAI) and FQAWet scores to evaluate the condition of hillslope seep wetlands. The degree of human disturbances was assessed using the Anthropogenic Activity Index (AAI), an index for qualitatively assessing the degree of human disturbance based on visual inspection of a wetland site. Factors represented in the AAI, include: (i) surrounding land use intensity; (ii) soil disturbance; (iii) hydrological alteration; (iv) habitat alteration within wetland; (v) vegetation community quality. The vegetation samples were collected in summer 2016 and winter 2017. All assessed indices were regressed against AAI to evaluate their performances. All assessed indices FQAI, FQAWet and WET-Health showed that hillslope seep wetland were impacted by human activities. FQAIall and WET-Health showed the strongest response to AAI in winter, while FQAIdom and FAQWet showed a weak response to AAI in all seasons. Overall, the findings of this study suggest that FQAIall and WET-Health are potentially better tools for assessing the biological conditions of hillslope seep wetland in South Africa. A novel trait-based approach was developed using seven plant traits and 27 trait attributes. Based on the developed approach, plant species were grouped into three potentially vulnerable groups in relation to grazing pressure. It was then predicted that species belonging to the highly vulnerable group would be less dominant at the highly disturbed sites, as well as in the winter season when grazing pressure is at its highest. The result corresponds largely with the seasonal predictions; however this was not the case for sites. The approach developed in this study worked and it was useful for predicting the potential responses of plant species in hillslope seep wetlands to grazing pressure. The success of the approach seasonally could be attributed to the careful selection of the traits, reflecting the mechanistic relationship between the grazing mode of stress on vegetation and trait-mediated biotic response. However, this still need to be refined using accurate vegetation cover methods that might have had impact on the lack of correspondence within sites. The results of the present study revealed that communities largely perceive hillslope seep wetlands as important ecosystems for their livelihoods. They recognise that the importance stems from services provided by the wetlands, particularly for livestock grazing during the dry season. Although hillslope seep wetlands are viewed as important ecosystems for livelihoods, the communities also perceive these wetlands as highly eroded ecosystems. Community members indicate willingness to strengthen local natural resource governance systems, which could lead to better management of hillslope seep wetlands. A range of protective strategies for hillslope seep were suggested by community members, including fencing, active herding and rotational grazing. The study suggests that active involvement of local communities is critical to the successful management of natural resources. The study highlights the need to consider the role of local people as influential components within social-ecological systems in order to promote effective management and conservation interventions of hillslope seep wetlands. Overall, the study highlights the criticality of an integrative social-ecological system approach for holistic management of hillslope seep wetlands within the studied catchment.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Using a spatial resilience lens to understand alignments and misalignments in South Africa’s marine governance system
- Authors: Hardisty, Shannon
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Marine parks and reserves -- South Africa , Marine parks and reserves -- South Africa -- Management , Marine parks and reserves -- Government policy -- South Africa , Table Mountain National Park (South Africa) , Spatial ecology -- South Africa , Coastal zone management -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/164649 , vital:41152
- Description: In marine protected areas (MPAs), the radically open nature of marine ecosystems, the seemingly contradictory short-term goals of fisheries management (resource use) and conservation efforts (biodiversity protection), the variety of stakeholders, and the inherently political nature of space ha ve contributed to a disconnect between policy and practice. Many groups operate in an MPA at various spatial and socio-political scales, from national government bodies to local community groups, as such an MPA can be viewed as a complex, multi-scale and multi-level social-ecological system (SES). A greater understanding of the multi-scale processes driving the spatial resilience of SES can help address scale mismatches between continuous ecological change and the long-term governance of a seascape. South Africa has a long history of spaces and natural resources being politicised and faces high levels of unemployment and political frustration. Marine governance has been characterised as being siloed, lacking transparency regarding government processes and even between departments, and not properly addressing the needs of local communities; resulting in scale and level mismatches throughout the multi-scale processes (from national policies to local regulations)therefore, it is pertinent to understand the interactions between various national policies, their implementation, and their impacts. Using a spatial resilience lens, I set out to understand scale alignment in South Africa’s marine governance systems as it relates to MPAs. A spatial resilience lens emphasises analysis of both spatial and temporal scales, thus highlighting the multi-scale variables and interactions that occur within a system. I first sought to understand the policy and management across national and regional scales by conducting a series of semi-structured interviews with experts which were analysed using thematic analysis. I then approached the question of alignment from a local to national scale by using the Table Mountain National Park Marine Protected Area as a case study, here I carried out a series of workshops and interviews with line fishers, women’s groups, and eco-tourism operators from three different communities. Experts identified six themes when describing the structure of gove rnance in South African MPAs; they consisted of: government departments and marine legislation, management level factors, communication and information sharing, local level factors, biophysical factors, and scale. Communication and information sharing was the most mentioned referenced theme (40.26 %). The relationships between the communities and other actors (i.e. how communities are impacted, or impact on, the Department of Environmental Affairs , the Department of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries, and Park Authorities) contributed 67.27 % to the total number of mentions, 91 % of which were from the following themes: communication and information sharing, local level factors, biophysical factors, and scale. My results indicate that weak, top-down relationships dominate the governance system in South Africa. During the Cape Town workshops I applied the spatial resilience lens in three ways. Firstly, the participants collaborated on a mapping exercise discussing the existing zone types within the MPA, as well as developing their own. There was an 87.87 % overlap of community designed zones on the existing MPA zones, however the types of zones designed by the community were different. Secondly, I carried out a document analysis and used information from the workshops to analyse the status and rights designation of important species for different user groups. The results show that the various stakeholder groups, while all active in the marine environment, interact with the ecosystem at different scales and with differing species. The differing interactions between groups result in challenges such as representation and complicated power dynamics between user groups. Finally, I asked participants to discuss factors that affect their ability to gain a livelihood from the sea. The external elements and their effects differed between the user groups, identifying important socio-political interactions. Whilst the external elements were all geographically distinct and localised, the spatial resilience lens allowed for a cross-scale, and to a certain extent cross-sector, understanding of these elements thus producing a more holistic understanding. My thesis shows that user groups operate on different spatial scales within the marine environment as a result of social, economic, and political influences leading to several scale-based challenges. The identified scale-based challenges have contributed to misalignments in marine governance in South Africa. My study shows that scale mismatches have important implications for understanding how marine policy influences user groups and identified pathways that affected policy implementation , and identifies future research application of a spatial resilience lens within social-ecological systems, for example it’s potential use in understanding the gendered nature of MPAs
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
- Authors: Hardisty, Shannon
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Marine parks and reserves -- South Africa , Marine parks and reserves -- South Africa -- Management , Marine parks and reserves -- Government policy -- South Africa , Table Mountain National Park (South Africa) , Spatial ecology -- South Africa , Coastal zone management -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/164649 , vital:41152
- Description: In marine protected areas (MPAs), the radically open nature of marine ecosystems, the seemingly contradictory short-term goals of fisheries management (resource use) and conservation efforts (biodiversity protection), the variety of stakeholders, and the inherently political nature of space ha ve contributed to a disconnect between policy and practice. Many groups operate in an MPA at various spatial and socio-political scales, from national government bodies to local community groups, as such an MPA can be viewed as a complex, multi-scale and multi-level social-ecological system (SES). A greater understanding of the multi-scale processes driving the spatial resilience of SES can help address scale mismatches between continuous ecological change and the long-term governance of a seascape. South Africa has a long history of spaces and natural resources being politicised and faces high levels of unemployment and political frustration. Marine governance has been characterised as being siloed, lacking transparency regarding government processes and even between departments, and not properly addressing the needs of local communities; resulting in scale and level mismatches throughout the multi-scale processes (from national policies to local regulations)therefore, it is pertinent to understand the interactions between various national policies, their implementation, and their impacts. Using a spatial resilience lens, I set out to understand scale alignment in South Africa’s marine governance systems as it relates to MPAs. A spatial resilience lens emphasises analysis of both spatial and temporal scales, thus highlighting the multi-scale variables and interactions that occur within a system. I first sought to understand the policy and management across national and regional scales by conducting a series of semi-structured interviews with experts which were analysed using thematic analysis. I then approached the question of alignment from a local to national scale by using the Table Mountain National Park Marine Protected Area as a case study, here I carried out a series of workshops and interviews with line fishers, women’s groups, and eco-tourism operators from three different communities. Experts identified six themes when describing the structure of gove rnance in South African MPAs; they consisted of: government departments and marine legislation, management level factors, communication and information sharing, local level factors, biophysical factors, and scale. Communication and information sharing was the most mentioned referenced theme (40.26 %). The relationships between the communities and other actors (i.e. how communities are impacted, or impact on, the Department of Environmental Affairs , the Department of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries, and Park Authorities) contributed 67.27 % to the total number of mentions, 91 % of which were from the following themes: communication and information sharing, local level factors, biophysical factors, and scale. My results indicate that weak, top-down relationships dominate the governance system in South Africa. During the Cape Town workshops I applied the spatial resilience lens in three ways. Firstly, the participants collaborated on a mapping exercise discussing the existing zone types within the MPA, as well as developing their own. There was an 87.87 % overlap of community designed zones on the existing MPA zones, however the types of zones designed by the community were different. Secondly, I carried out a document analysis and used information from the workshops to analyse the status and rights designation of important species for different user groups. The results show that the various stakeholder groups, while all active in the marine environment, interact with the ecosystem at different scales and with differing species. The differing interactions between groups result in challenges such as representation and complicated power dynamics between user groups. Finally, I asked participants to discuss factors that affect their ability to gain a livelihood from the sea. The external elements and their effects differed between the user groups, identifying important socio-political interactions. Whilst the external elements were all geographically distinct and localised, the spatial resilience lens allowed for a cross-scale, and to a certain extent cross-sector, understanding of these elements thus producing a more holistic understanding. My thesis shows that user groups operate on different spatial scales within the marine environment as a result of social, economic, and political influences leading to several scale-based challenges. The identified scale-based challenges have contributed to misalignments in marine governance in South Africa. My study shows that scale mismatches have important implications for understanding how marine policy influences user groups and identified pathways that affected policy implementation , and identifies future research application of a spatial resilience lens within social-ecological systems, for example it’s potential use in understanding the gendered nature of MPAs
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
Using action cameras to assess habitat use by Pseudobarbus afer and Sandelia capensis in the Swartkops River, Eastern Cape, South Africa
- Authors: Hannweg, Bianca
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Freshwater biodiversity -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Freshwater biodiversity conservation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Freshwater ecology -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Freshwater fishes -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Freshwater fishes -- Behavior -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Freshwater fishes -- Habitat -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Underwater videography , Anabantidae -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Cyprinidae -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Pseudobarbus afer , Sandelia capensis
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/62039 , vital:28098
- Description: Currently, freshwater systems are facing various threats, freshwater biota are declining and there is an increased need to monitor freshwater fauna and flora using non-invasive methods. This thesis aimed to evaluate the potential of using action cameras as a tool for the monitoring of freshwater fish populations and the collection of habitat utilisation data. This evaluation was conducted in headwater tributaries of the Swartkops River in South Africa, using two threatened species that have not been extensively studied, Pseudobarbus afer (Peters, 1864) and Sandelia capensis (Cuvier, 1831). The aims of this study were to: (1) assess the use of underwater video analysis (UWVA) using action cameras (videos and still photographs) in comparison to estimates derived from snorkel surveys, to estimate the abundance of P. afer in headwater streams; (2) use estimates derived from UWVA (videos and photographs) to assess the habitat use of two imperilled species, P. afer and S. capensis; and (3) assess habitat use by these two species in the presence of an artificial habitat. This work demonstrated that: (1) estimates derived from videos and photographs were strongly correlated to estimates derived from snorkel surveys, provided multiple cameras were used; (2) estimates derived from videos and photographs were not significantly different to estimates derived from snorkel surveys; (3) a filming period of 15 minutes was sufficient at detecting 0.9 of the cumulative mMaxN (mean MaxN) within one of the five habitats; and (4) still photographs, which are less time consuming to process than videos, could be used in preference to videos. Based on these findings, techniques using action cameras to assess habitat utilisation and behaviour in situ of the two-focal species, were developed using six habitat types (inflow, outflow, woody debris, fern root, middle and artificial) in four pools. It was demonstrated that: (1) there was a significant difference in proportional occupancies across habitats for both P. afer and S. capensis; (2) Pseudobarbus afer were mainly observed schooling in the middle of the pool and feeding on detritus material in fern root, woody debris and off the artificial structure; and (3) Sandelia capensis rapidly colonised the artificial structure and were observed utilising it for refuge. In conclusion, this work demonstrated that still photographs from action cameras can be used in place of videos to estimate the abundance of freshwater fishes and assess their habitat use and behaviour in clear headwater streams. This work also demonstrated how action cameras could be used to evaluate the effect of the introduction of artificial habitat as a restoration measure for headwater fish communities.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Hannweg, Bianca
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Freshwater biodiversity -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Freshwater biodiversity conservation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Freshwater ecology -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Freshwater fishes -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Freshwater fishes -- Behavior -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Freshwater fishes -- Habitat -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Underwater videography , Anabantidae -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Cyprinidae -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Pseudobarbus afer , Sandelia capensis
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/62039 , vital:28098
- Description: Currently, freshwater systems are facing various threats, freshwater biota are declining and there is an increased need to monitor freshwater fauna and flora using non-invasive methods. This thesis aimed to evaluate the potential of using action cameras as a tool for the monitoring of freshwater fish populations and the collection of habitat utilisation data. This evaluation was conducted in headwater tributaries of the Swartkops River in South Africa, using two threatened species that have not been extensively studied, Pseudobarbus afer (Peters, 1864) and Sandelia capensis (Cuvier, 1831). The aims of this study were to: (1) assess the use of underwater video analysis (UWVA) using action cameras (videos and still photographs) in comparison to estimates derived from snorkel surveys, to estimate the abundance of P. afer in headwater streams; (2) use estimates derived from UWVA (videos and photographs) to assess the habitat use of two imperilled species, P. afer and S. capensis; and (3) assess habitat use by these two species in the presence of an artificial habitat. This work demonstrated that: (1) estimates derived from videos and photographs were strongly correlated to estimates derived from snorkel surveys, provided multiple cameras were used; (2) estimates derived from videos and photographs were not significantly different to estimates derived from snorkel surveys; (3) a filming period of 15 minutes was sufficient at detecting 0.9 of the cumulative mMaxN (mean MaxN) within one of the five habitats; and (4) still photographs, which are less time consuming to process than videos, could be used in preference to videos. Based on these findings, techniques using action cameras to assess habitat utilisation and behaviour in situ of the two-focal species, were developed using six habitat types (inflow, outflow, woody debris, fern root, middle and artificial) in four pools. It was demonstrated that: (1) there was a significant difference in proportional occupancies across habitats for both P. afer and S. capensis; (2) Pseudobarbus afer were mainly observed schooling in the middle of the pool and feeding on detritus material in fern root, woody debris and off the artificial structure; and (3) Sandelia capensis rapidly colonised the artificial structure and were observed utilising it for refuge. In conclusion, this work demonstrated that still photographs from action cameras can be used in place of videos to estimate the abundance of freshwater fishes and assess their habitat use and behaviour in clear headwater streams. This work also demonstrated how action cameras could be used to evaluate the effect of the introduction of artificial habitat as a restoration measure for headwater fish communities.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Using aspects of game theory for enhanced stakeholder participation perspectives in integrated water resource management: a Kat River Valley case study
- Authors: Mbatha, Cyril
- Date: 2005
- Subjects: Water resources development -- Case studies , Water-supply -- South Africa -- Kat River Valley -- Management , Economic development -- Case studies , Water-supply -- Government policy -- South Africa , Economic development -- South Africa -- Kat River Valley , Game theory
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:971 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002705 , Water resources development -- Case studies , Water-supply -- South Africa -- Kat River Valley -- Management , Economic development -- Case studies , Water-supply -- Government policy -- South Africa , Economic development -- South Africa -- Kat River Valley , Game theory
- Description: South Africa is a water poor region and yet, like in many other developing countries, water resources are a valuable production input in socially important industries such as agriculture and mining (Nieuwoudt et al., 2004:162-182). With a mean annual rainfall and runoff of 502mm and 42mm (420m³ per hectare per annum) respectively, Briers and Powell (1993:1) speculate that water shortages will limit South Africa’s economic development in the twenty-first century. In response to the challenges of water resource scarcity and socio-economic inequalities, in 1997 the South African Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF), following international trends, formulated a National Water Policy (NWP) based on Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) principles (Palmer et al., 2003). The main objectives of the NWP (1997) are to protect national water resources from degradation, provide economically disadvantaged communities with access to water resources and promote economic development, through the devolution of water management responsibilities to locally established water institutions (NWP, 1997). The pursuit of these objectives requires a thorough investigation of biophysical, sociopolitical and economic characteristics of the demarcated water areas. For such an investigation to provide accurate and locally relevant results, broad stakeholder participation is of paramount importance. The thesis discusses economic measures required in pursuing enhanced stakeholder participation levels at local levels. A socio-economic survey investigation describing major participation trends against reported property rights and Willingness to Pay values was conducted in the Kat River Valley, Eastern Cape province. From the investigation, observed participation trends driven by economic interests were identified and used in recommendations proposed for the policy implementation process. Using game theoretic arguments as guidelines in soliciting cooperative behaviour in the use and consumption of common resources (Ostrom, 1990), the thesis proposes the introduction of water related public works projects as employment creating vehicles for individuals and communities targeted for economic empowerment and participation in the water policy. However, for sustainable stakeholder participation levels, it is argued that the employment positions created through the projects need to be designed in a manner that would encourage an evolution of long-term relationships between stakeholders and the water management institutions.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2005
- Authors: Mbatha, Cyril
- Date: 2005
- Subjects: Water resources development -- Case studies , Water-supply -- South Africa -- Kat River Valley -- Management , Economic development -- Case studies , Water-supply -- Government policy -- South Africa , Economic development -- South Africa -- Kat River Valley , Game theory
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:971 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002705 , Water resources development -- Case studies , Water-supply -- South Africa -- Kat River Valley -- Management , Economic development -- Case studies , Water-supply -- Government policy -- South Africa , Economic development -- South Africa -- Kat River Valley , Game theory
- Description: South Africa is a water poor region and yet, like in many other developing countries, water resources are a valuable production input in socially important industries such as agriculture and mining (Nieuwoudt et al., 2004:162-182). With a mean annual rainfall and runoff of 502mm and 42mm (420m³ per hectare per annum) respectively, Briers and Powell (1993:1) speculate that water shortages will limit South Africa’s economic development in the twenty-first century. In response to the challenges of water resource scarcity and socio-economic inequalities, in 1997 the South African Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF), following international trends, formulated a National Water Policy (NWP) based on Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) principles (Palmer et al., 2003). The main objectives of the NWP (1997) are to protect national water resources from degradation, provide economically disadvantaged communities with access to water resources and promote economic development, through the devolution of water management responsibilities to locally established water institutions (NWP, 1997). The pursuit of these objectives requires a thorough investigation of biophysical, sociopolitical and economic characteristics of the demarcated water areas. For such an investigation to provide accurate and locally relevant results, broad stakeholder participation is of paramount importance. The thesis discusses economic measures required in pursuing enhanced stakeholder participation levels at local levels. A socio-economic survey investigation describing major participation trends against reported property rights and Willingness to Pay values was conducted in the Kat River Valley, Eastern Cape province. From the investigation, observed participation trends driven by economic interests were identified and used in recommendations proposed for the policy implementation process. Using game theoretic arguments as guidelines in soliciting cooperative behaviour in the use and consumption of common resources (Ostrom, 1990), the thesis proposes the introduction of water related public works projects as employment creating vehicles for individuals and communities targeted for economic empowerment and participation in the water policy. However, for sustainable stakeholder participation levels, it is argued that the employment positions created through the projects need to be designed in a manner that would encourage an evolution of long-term relationships between stakeholders and the water management institutions.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2005
Using bioinformatics tools to screen for trypanosomal cathepsin B cysteine protease inhibitors from the SANCDB as a novel therapeutic modality against Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT)
- Authors: Mokhawa, Gaone
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/3304 , vital:20470
- Description: Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT), also known as sleeping sickness, is a fatal chronic disease that is caused by flagellated protozoans, Trypanosoma brucei gambiense and Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense. HAT is spread by a bite from an infected tsetse fly of the Glosina genus. Up to 60 million people in 36 countries in sub-Saharan Africa are at a risk of infection from HAT with up to 30 000 deaths reported every year. Current chemotherapy for HAT is insufficient since the available drugs exhibit unacceptable side effects (toxicity) and parasite resistance. Novel treatments and approaches for development of specific and more potent drugs for HAT are therefore required. One approach is to target vital proteins that are essential to the life cycle of the parasite. The main interest of this study is to explore Trypanosoma brucei cathepsin B-like protease (TbCatB) structural and functional properties with the primary goal of discovering non peptide small molecule inhibitors of TbCatB using bioinformatics approaches. TbCatB is a papain family C1 cysteine protease which belongs to clan CA group and it has emerged as a potential HAT drug target. Papain family cysteine proteases of Clan CA group of Trypanosoma brucei (rhodesain and TbCatB) have demonstrated potential as chemotherapeutic targets using synthetic protease inhibitors like Z-Phe-Ala-CHN2 to kill the parasite in vitro and in vivo. TbCatB has been identified as the essential cysteine protease of T. brucei since mRNA silencing of TbCatB killed the parasite and resulted in a cure in mice infected with T. brucei while mRNA silencing of rhodesain only extended mice life. TbCatB is therefore a promising drug target against HAT and the discovery and development of compounds that can selectively inhibit TbCatB without posing any danger to the human host represent a great therapeutic solution for treatment of HAT. To understand protein-inhibitor interactions, useful information can be obtained from high resolution protease-inhibitor crystal structure complexes. This study aims to use bioinformatics approaches to carry out comparative sequence, structural and functional analysis of TbCatB protease and its homologs from T. congolense, T, cruzi, T. vivax and H. sapien as well as to identify non-peptide small molecule inhibitors of TbCatB cysteine proteases from natural compounds of South African origin. Sequences of TbCatB (PDB ID: 3HHI) homologs were retrieved by a BLAST search. Human cathepsin B (PDB ID: 3CBJ) was selected from a list of templates for homology modelling found by HHpred. MODELLER version 9.10 program was used to generate a hundred models for T. congolense, T, cruzi and T. vivax cathepsin B like proteases using 3HHI and 3CBJ as templates. The best models were chosen based on their low DOPE Z scores before validation using MetaMQAPII, ANOLEA, PROCHECK and QMEAN6. The DOPE Z scores and the RMSD (RMS) values of the calculated models indicate that the models are of acceptable energy (stability) and fold (conformation). Results from the different MQAPs indicate the models are of acceptable quality and they can be used for docking studies. High throughput screening of SANCDB using AutoDock Vina revealed nine compounds, SANC00 478, 479, 480, 481, 482, 488, 489, 490 and 491, having a strong affinity for Trypanosoma spp. cathepsin B proteases than HsCatB. SANC00488 has the strongest binding to Trypanosoma spp. cathepsin B proteases and the weakest binding to HsCatB protease. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations show that the complexes between SANC00488 and TbCatB, TcCatB, TcrCatB and TvCatB are stable and do not come apart during simulation. The complex between this compound and HsCatB however is unstable and comes apart during simulation. Residues that are important for the stability of SANC00488-TbCatB complex are Gly328 of the S2 subsite, Phe208, and Ala256. In conclusion SANC00488 is a good candidate for development of a drug against HAT.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Mokhawa, Gaone
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/3304 , vital:20470
- Description: Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT), also known as sleeping sickness, is a fatal chronic disease that is caused by flagellated protozoans, Trypanosoma brucei gambiense and Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense. HAT is spread by a bite from an infected tsetse fly of the Glosina genus. Up to 60 million people in 36 countries in sub-Saharan Africa are at a risk of infection from HAT with up to 30 000 deaths reported every year. Current chemotherapy for HAT is insufficient since the available drugs exhibit unacceptable side effects (toxicity) and parasite resistance. Novel treatments and approaches for development of specific and more potent drugs for HAT are therefore required. One approach is to target vital proteins that are essential to the life cycle of the parasite. The main interest of this study is to explore Trypanosoma brucei cathepsin B-like protease (TbCatB) structural and functional properties with the primary goal of discovering non peptide small molecule inhibitors of TbCatB using bioinformatics approaches. TbCatB is a papain family C1 cysteine protease which belongs to clan CA group and it has emerged as a potential HAT drug target. Papain family cysteine proteases of Clan CA group of Trypanosoma brucei (rhodesain and TbCatB) have demonstrated potential as chemotherapeutic targets using synthetic protease inhibitors like Z-Phe-Ala-CHN2 to kill the parasite in vitro and in vivo. TbCatB has been identified as the essential cysteine protease of T. brucei since mRNA silencing of TbCatB killed the parasite and resulted in a cure in mice infected with T. brucei while mRNA silencing of rhodesain only extended mice life. TbCatB is therefore a promising drug target against HAT and the discovery and development of compounds that can selectively inhibit TbCatB without posing any danger to the human host represent a great therapeutic solution for treatment of HAT. To understand protein-inhibitor interactions, useful information can be obtained from high resolution protease-inhibitor crystal structure complexes. This study aims to use bioinformatics approaches to carry out comparative sequence, structural and functional analysis of TbCatB protease and its homologs from T. congolense, T, cruzi, T. vivax and H. sapien as well as to identify non-peptide small molecule inhibitors of TbCatB cysteine proteases from natural compounds of South African origin. Sequences of TbCatB (PDB ID: 3HHI) homologs were retrieved by a BLAST search. Human cathepsin B (PDB ID: 3CBJ) was selected from a list of templates for homology modelling found by HHpred. MODELLER version 9.10 program was used to generate a hundred models for T. congolense, T, cruzi and T. vivax cathepsin B like proteases using 3HHI and 3CBJ as templates. The best models were chosen based on their low DOPE Z scores before validation using MetaMQAPII, ANOLEA, PROCHECK and QMEAN6. The DOPE Z scores and the RMSD (RMS) values of the calculated models indicate that the models are of acceptable energy (stability) and fold (conformation). Results from the different MQAPs indicate the models are of acceptable quality and they can be used for docking studies. High throughput screening of SANCDB using AutoDock Vina revealed nine compounds, SANC00 478, 479, 480, 481, 482, 488, 489, 490 and 491, having a strong affinity for Trypanosoma spp. cathepsin B proteases than HsCatB. SANC00488 has the strongest binding to Trypanosoma spp. cathepsin B proteases and the weakest binding to HsCatB protease. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations show that the complexes between SANC00488 and TbCatB, TcCatB, TcrCatB and TvCatB are stable and do not come apart during simulation. The complex between this compound and HsCatB however is unstable and comes apart during simulation. Residues that are important for the stability of SANC00488-TbCatB complex are Gly328 of the S2 subsite, Phe208, and Ala256. In conclusion SANC00488 is a good candidate for development of a drug against HAT.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Using captive seabirds to assess knowledge gaps in stable isotope analysis of diets
- Authors: Micklem, Isabel Andrea
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Stable isotopes -- Analysis African penguin -- South Africa Breeding
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/65101 , vital:28686
- Description: Stable isotope (SI) ratios of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) are now widely used as biomarkers in ecological studies to provide information about food web structuring. However, understanding trophic relationships using SI analysis requires not only knowledge of SI values of predator and prey, but also accurate discrimination factors (DFs), which can differ among species and by physiological state. This thesis examined three questions using captive birds from the South African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB). First, the effects of ontogeny on δ13C and δ15N ratios of African penguins (Spheniscus demersus) were assessed. Blood samples were collected from penguins in four age classes (P3 chicks, blues, juveniles and adults) concurrently with their diet (sardine (Sardinops sagax) and formula). Second, to assess the influence of breeding physiology on SI ratios, the blood of ten breeding pairs of penguins was sampled over a five-month period from June to October 2016. Following laying, each pair was categorised into one of three (four for whole blood) egg production phases (initial yolk deposition, rapid yolk deposition and post-laying) and their influences on SI ratios were tested. Third, species differences in DFs were evaluated for African penguins, kelp and Hartlaub’s gulls (Larus dominicanus and L. hartlaubii), greater crested terns (Thalasseus bergii) and Cape cormorants (Phalacrocorax capensis). Flying birds were mostly fed sardine with a small but unknown amount of sardinella (Sardinella aurita), DFs were therefore estimated for a 50:50 sardine:sardinella diet, a 75:25 sardine:sardinella diet and a 100% sardine diet for each flying bird species. The DFs were assessed for the whole blood (WB), red blood cells (RBC), plasma (PL) and delipidated plasma of the penguins, and only WB for the flying birds as well as flesh, whole fish, delipidated flesh and delipidated whole fish for fish species, and for formula. Results indicated that age influenced both the δ13C and δ15N of WB, only the δ15N of RBC and the δ13C of delipidated PL. The assessment of breeding physiology yielded a significant interaction between the effects of egg production phase and sex on the δ13C of WB; females had significantly lower δ13C in the rapid yolk deposition phase than the other two phases and all males. The δ13C of PL was affected only by sex, with females having a significantly lower δ13C value than males. Neither physiological state nor sex influenced the other blood components. Differences were found among the three DFs in the non-penguin species, but not for all consumer – prey tissue combinations. There were also significant differences among species with a DF calculated from a diet with the most probable prey proportions eaten. Depending on the combination of consumer and prey tissue used to calculate the DF, a different conclusion regarding trophic information can be reached. A literature review updated with the present data showed that no general pattern or grouping of similar species with regards to DF values could be drawn, highlighting the importance of determining species- and tissue-specific DFs. Thus age, egg production, tissue and species all influenced the SI values of bird blood and therefore their DFs. Not all physiological conditions affect all blood components in the same way, making different components more or less sensitive to physiological influences. Though their influence is at a small enough scale that it is unlikely to hamper correct conclusion in ecological studies, it is crucial that these factors are considered when using SI analysis (SIA). When uncertainties exist for some coefficients in wild studies, SIA should therefore be combined to other dietary techniques to determine the food web structure as best as possible.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Micklem, Isabel Andrea
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Stable isotopes -- Analysis African penguin -- South Africa Breeding
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/65101 , vital:28686
- Description: Stable isotope (SI) ratios of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) are now widely used as biomarkers in ecological studies to provide information about food web structuring. However, understanding trophic relationships using SI analysis requires not only knowledge of SI values of predator and prey, but also accurate discrimination factors (DFs), which can differ among species and by physiological state. This thesis examined three questions using captive birds from the South African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB). First, the effects of ontogeny on δ13C and δ15N ratios of African penguins (Spheniscus demersus) were assessed. Blood samples were collected from penguins in four age classes (P3 chicks, blues, juveniles and adults) concurrently with their diet (sardine (Sardinops sagax) and formula). Second, to assess the influence of breeding physiology on SI ratios, the blood of ten breeding pairs of penguins was sampled over a five-month period from June to October 2016. Following laying, each pair was categorised into one of three (four for whole blood) egg production phases (initial yolk deposition, rapid yolk deposition and post-laying) and their influences on SI ratios were tested. Third, species differences in DFs were evaluated for African penguins, kelp and Hartlaub’s gulls (Larus dominicanus and L. hartlaubii), greater crested terns (Thalasseus bergii) and Cape cormorants (Phalacrocorax capensis). Flying birds were mostly fed sardine with a small but unknown amount of sardinella (Sardinella aurita), DFs were therefore estimated for a 50:50 sardine:sardinella diet, a 75:25 sardine:sardinella diet and a 100% sardine diet for each flying bird species. The DFs were assessed for the whole blood (WB), red blood cells (RBC), plasma (PL) and delipidated plasma of the penguins, and only WB for the flying birds as well as flesh, whole fish, delipidated flesh and delipidated whole fish for fish species, and for formula. Results indicated that age influenced both the δ13C and δ15N of WB, only the δ15N of RBC and the δ13C of delipidated PL. The assessment of breeding physiology yielded a significant interaction between the effects of egg production phase and sex on the δ13C of WB; females had significantly lower δ13C in the rapid yolk deposition phase than the other two phases and all males. The δ13C of PL was affected only by sex, with females having a significantly lower δ13C value than males. Neither physiological state nor sex influenced the other blood components. Differences were found among the three DFs in the non-penguin species, but not for all consumer – prey tissue combinations. There were also significant differences among species with a DF calculated from a diet with the most probable prey proportions eaten. Depending on the combination of consumer and prey tissue used to calculate the DF, a different conclusion regarding trophic information can be reached. A literature review updated with the present data showed that no general pattern or grouping of similar species with regards to DF values could be drawn, highlighting the importance of determining species- and tissue-specific DFs. Thus age, egg production, tissue and species all influenced the SI values of bird blood and therefore their DFs. Not all physiological conditions affect all blood components in the same way, making different components more or less sensitive to physiological influences. Though their influence is at a small enough scale that it is unlikely to hamper correct conclusion in ecological studies, it is crucial that these factors are considered when using SI analysis (SIA). When uncertainties exist for some coefficients in wild studies, SIA should therefore be combined to other dietary techniques to determine the food web structure as best as possible.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019