Expand public works program on infrastructure : lessons from international public works programs 1920'S - 1950'S and 2004-2016
- Authors: Zuma, Siziwe Monica
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Public works--South Africa Labor--South Africa Job creation--South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , Public Administration
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/16102 , vital:40664
- Description: The Expanded Public Works Program on Infrastructure is a national program by the South African Government. It is intending to build and maintain public assets using labour intensive mechanisms. It seeks to offer short term employment and training to the labour participants so that when they exit they may be able to find employment. The program also has an economic sector program of the infrastructure sector called Vuk‘uphile for development of emerging contractors also it is a national program. The Expanded Public Works Program is the government main instrument to job creation in South Africa. Government also seeks to pursue policies that are pro-growth, with the hope that the economic growth will absorbed the unemployed into employment. It is also looking into the small business sector to be the main driver for job creation. Despite this the government‘s commitment, the unemployment rate and poverty rate are increasing and the economy is declining. The study sought to examine if the skills obtained by the participants in the Expanded Public Works Program enable the participants to obtain employment upon exiting the program. It also sought to find any challenges the participants encounter before and after living the program. It sought to look at other international public works programs and theories on public works to learn any lessons. I also sought to study if the program cannot be expanded into for it to create more sustainable employment for the enterprises and the labour participants in order to lengthen the period of work experience skills training, reduce the incidents of poverty and stimulate economic growth. This study followed a literature review methodology, using second source data from various literatures, empirical and non-empirical second source literature. The findings indicate that the skills and the duration of the training are not sufficient for the labour participants to be absorbed by the labour force. The short duration of working in the program is too short to make a meaningful income and work experience that can be sustainable. Upon exiting the program they cannot find employment a large majority of them. The program offered in the Zibambele in KwaZulu Natal offers work on a part time basis for the maintenance of roads over a longer period that acts as a safety net. The program is only in KwaZulu Natal and only on road maintenance; it is not big enough to make a meaningful difference to the amount of unemployment in the country. The Vuk‘uphile program however is offering good skills to the emerging contractor that enables their companies to grow. The international public works programs have been instrumental in creating employment to millions of participants and reduced incidents of poverty. The expanded public works program on infrastructure can be expanded to include asset management, maintenance and can expand to rural infrastructure and development and agricultural infrastructure. The study recommends that the government considers expanding the expanded public works program on infrastructure so that it can provide longer and more sustainable employment to labor participants and entrepreneurs. Also that it considers using the model used to develop emerging contractors in the Vuk‘uphile program to develop small medium businesses in the infrastructure and other areas.
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- Date Issued: 2016
Teachers' experiences of teacher-led professional development programs :an exploratory study of two clusters in the Mthatha district
- Authors: Zide, Lulama
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Teachers -- In-service training -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD (Education)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/10394 , vital:35444
- Description: Professional growth of teachers is not new, but in recent years, the way in which it is structured and delivered has been reconceptualised. As part of the education reform process, many nations are investing in teacher education as a major engine for driving the changes in the classrooms to ensure learners’ academic success. South Africa is no exclusion to this trend of education reforms, hence, the founding of many professional growth initiatives. Most of these initiatives are aimed at Science and Maths teachers. This was mostly because the majority of Science and Maths teachers in South Africa are considered either under-qualified or not qualified to teach the subject. Yet, despite the efforts and enthusiasm, very little seems to have shifted in the teachers’ practices. Much of the literature still shows that even clusters are not effective in changing the situation completely. Using a qualitative case study design, the researcher explored teachers’ views on their clustering experience, and the benefits such participation and experience brings to their classroom instruction. The major findings of the study show that teachers find clustering as a tool that enriches their teaching, thus, both the content knowledge as well as their pedagogical strategies. The findings also show a consensus of teachers who need the cluster programs done continuously. The researcher concludes that teachers are still not happy with the professional development that is offered to them, and therefore recommends that such programs be offered according to teacher’s need.
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- Date Issued: 2016
The philanthropic priorities of Chinese and Japanese Americans as they relate to Asian American culturally specific museums
- Authors: Yok, Larry Tom
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Museums -- Economic aspects -- United States Chinese Americans -- Development -- United States Non-governmental organizations -- Museums -- Economic aspects
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/13160 , vital:27157
- Description: Asian American culturally specific museums began forming in the United States in 1963. There are now 11 in existence. Four of these museums (two Chinese American, one Japanese American and one Pan Asian American) dramatically expanded their programs and constructed large new facilities. These culturally specific museums are private nonprofit organizations that are reliant on private donors for most of their financial support. Asian Americans comprise the majority of these Asian American museums’ donor bases. Understanding why donors support these museums may be useful to the museums’ abilities to raise funds.In this thesis I explore the reasons Chinese and Japanese Americans support these culturally specific museums. I used data from my qualitative study involving in-depth interviews of 16 Chinese and Japanese American current and former donors to a Pan Asian culturally specific museum in Seattle, Washington along with interviews of chief executives and other key informants of five other culturally specific museums in addition to primary documents provided by the museums and related secondary information available through the Internet. I also conducted a literature review in the fields of Development Studies, racial and ethnic identity, museology, and philanthropy. While identifying the reasons donors support these culturally specific museums, I also identify the philanthropic priorities and criteria of Chinese and Japanese Americans residing in Seattle and compare them with similar studies of Asian American philanthropy conducted in other cities in the 1990’s. I also examine the roles played by these culturally specific museums in the promotion of social capital, cultural capital and heritage capital in their communities. Chinese and Japanese Americans support these museums to preserve and educate their communities about the contributions their forebears made to the development of the United States. Asian American history has been marginalized in conventional narratives and one mission of the Asian American culturally specific museums is to bring their stories into the American history mainstream. Creating and operating these museums requires substantial networking within the Chinese and Japanese American communities and with other ethnic communities to bring in visitors and obtain financial and other support. The museums promote social capital development through collaboration in the museums’ operations. They increase the communities’ cultural capital by assembling the dispersed cultural and heritage capital of the Chinese and Japanese American communities into curated collections. These Asian American culturally specific museums face challenges stemming from attrition in their donor bases due to age. The museums need to develop activities that attract new supporters who may be mixed race or mixed ethnicity or who are interested in social activism that impacts society. The museums also must create programs that are relevant to younger generations. The findings of this study lay the groundwork for further inquiry into the ways culturally specific museums promote bonding and bridging capital in low and middle class Asian American communities and the degree to which they affect development in their neighbourhoods. Further research into the museums’ educational programs efficacy as they relate to correcting misperceptions about Asian Americans among non-Asian Americans may be desirable.
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- Date Issued: 2016
Strategies for the implementation of a total quality management approach for the South African Police Service
- Authors: Wolvaard, Irene Wilhelmina
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Total quality management in government -- South Africa Organizational effectiveness -- South Africa Police administration -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/13171 , vital:27158
- Description: This study focussed on drafting a framework for Total Quality Management (TQM) for the South African Police Service (SAPS) in the Eastern Cape as a public non-profit organisation where quality of services is fast becoming a key organisational imperative. The early pioneers of Quality laid the foundation for Total Quality Management (TQM). The literature review highlighted that TQM has its origins in the manufacturing industry where it has a proven track record, and that the theory could be purposely adapted use by a specific industry, i.e. SAPS. This study extends the applicability of the TQM theory to the SAPS by using a mixed method approach to gather information by means of interviews and questionnaires. A combination of primary and secondary data was used in determining the Critical Success Factors (CSF). The Primary CSF’s were originally identified as Leadership, Strategic Management, Empowerment of employees, Teamwork, Continuous improvement, Customer satisfaction and Culture. The Secondary factors were identified as Communication, Training, Partnership development, Support structures, Systems and Resources, Systems thinking, Selfassessment, Processes; Elimination of barriers, Adoption of a Prevention approach and Change management. Data was analysed using frequency and other means, as well as correlation analysis. After the data was analysed two CSF’s were discarded, i.e. Training and Elimination of Barriers. The results show support for the applicability of the theory to the SAPS. Critical Success Factors were determined and a framework for implementation specifically for this industry, was presented. The study identified Leadership as the most important primary factor with the ultimate goal of meeting the quality expectations as defined by the customer.
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- Date Issued: 2016
The impact of government expenditure on economic growth of the economic community of West African states (ECOWAS)
- Authors: Wanjuu, Lazarus Zungwe
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Economic development -- Africa Africa -- Economic conditions Developing countries -- Economic aspects
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/13261 , vital:27169
- Description: Available statistics on growth trends in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) are wanting, particularly net per capita growth rates. The analysis of available data from 1970 to 2012 by this study, for instance, shows that the net real GDP growth rate for the ECOWAS is 0.52%. Only four countries had net growth rates above 1% per annum mean growth rate of ECOWAS region. At the estimated growth rate, the prospect of accelerated growth in ECOWAS is very weak. The Barro endogenous growth model states that government provision of services can generate externalities to the private productive activities. Government’s provision of productive services in ECOWAS can ensure long-run per capita output growth without the per capita growth rate running into steady state growth. However, there are divergent views as to whether government provision of services induces long run economic growth. These views are based on different schools of thought. For instance, the economic freedom school argues for minimum government involvement (small governments) to ensure economic and political freedom to induce private investors invest and encourage economic growth. The optimal government school of thought (medium size governments) argues that government spending enhances private productivity growth through the provision of infrastructure, spending on research and development, public education, sewage, other public goods and protection through functional law and order systems. The optimal school of thought also acknowledges that government expenditure can also reduce economic growth through increases in taxation. An increase in taxation reduces the returns on investment of physical and human capital and in research and development (R&D) of private firms. This thesis investigates the impact of government expenditure on the provision of public services on economic growth in ECOWAS. To assess the impact of government expenditure on the provision of services on economic growth of ECOWAS, this thesis assesses whether the size of government, government expenditure and economic institutions promoted economic growth in ECOWAS. The thesis also determines whether per capita government capital expenditure, per capita government consumption expenditure, per capita private capital stock, per capita manufacturing output, per capita services output and per capita agricultural output have any impact on per capita real GDP growth in ECOWAS. To carry out this study, data were collected from United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) database and Transparency International (TI) database. The data used covered the period of 1970 – 2013. The statistical research methods applied are the time-series methods of panel unit root test, panel co-integration test, and panel regression analysis, using both panel OLS regression models and estimation and inferences in co-integrated panel data regression methods. The panel OLS regression models applied are the panel OLS regression; panel fixed effect model (FEM) regression and the panel random effect model (REM) regression. The estimation and inferences in co-integrated panel data regression models applied are panel VEC regression model, panel DOLS regression and panel FMOLS regression. The panel DOLS regression and panel FMOLS regression models do not have an intercept, unlike their pure time-series models, which have intercepted. To ensure that the parameters estimated are reliable, this thesis conducted diagnostic tests to subject the regression result to scrutiny. The estimated panel data regression using panel OLS regression, panel FEM regression and panel REM regression indicate that the results of the estimated parameters were spurious having both autocorrelations and heteroscedasticity. High values of adjusted R-squares that were approaching one and high significant values of t statistics but very low values of Durbin-Watson Statistics demonstrated the existence of heteroscedasticity and autocorrelation in residuals. The results of the diagnostic tests also show that the DOLS estimated regression model out-performed both VEC and FMOLS regression models based on both aggregate data and per capita data estimated parameters. The results of the parameter estimated using panel VEC and panel FMOLS regression models showed that both panel VEC and panel FMOLS regression models had the problems of their residuals having not only autocorrelations but heteroscedasticity. The panel DOLS regression results were satisfactory, having no multicollinearity, autocorrelations and heteroscedasticity. The estimated panel DOLS regression results were applied to test hypotheses formulated to guide this thesis. Results from panel DOLS estimated parameters show that the existing government size in ECOWAS stimulated economic growth. The results also showed that the government expenditure exhibited an inverted U-shape with respect to economic growth. The thesis also showed that existing government size in ECOWAS significantly stimulated economic growth in the region. The results of regression indicate that economic institutions contribute negatively to the economic growth of the ECOWAS. The results also established that government capital expenditure per capita has significantly engendered economic growth. Government consumption expenditure per capita stimulated economic growth. However, private capital stock per capita has not stimulated economic growth in ECOWAS. Service sector output per capita, agricultural output per capita and manufacturing output per capita stimulated significantly economic growth in the ECOWAS sub-region.
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- Date Issued: 2016
Borderline hospitality: homestays as a commercial hospitality development project in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape
- Authors: Von Lengeling, Volkher Heinrich Christoph
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/706 , vital:19983
- Description: This study started as an anthropological investigation of commercial hospitality from the point of view of the hands-on host. The chosen case study for this investigation was the Kwam eMakana Government Initiated Poverty Alleviation Project which offered homestays in the townships of Grahamstown East since 2004. Homestays are the most intimate form of commercial hospitality, one step removed from non-commercial or social hospitality. Even at the homestay level there is a conceptual conflict between poverty and (Westernized) commercial hospitality, however, Kwam homes are more middle class than poor. Later the investigation revealed the deeper-seated form of poverty of the Kwam participants being (almost) illiterate. Kwam was a development project like many others, in which huge amounts of money were spent in the name of the project but very little of the benefits reached the intended beneficiaries. Thus, as fieldwork ensued, the emphasis of research migrated from an empirical study of homestay hospitality, to actively assist with the struggle of the Kwam hostesses to maintain the project and gain autonomy for themselves. This study was from the outset reflexive, as the host’s point of view could technically only be presented by auto-ethnography. Then the investigation shifted to a form of engaged anthropology far exceeding advocacy as it is usually understood. The presentation of this can be called radical reflexivity, while it is simultaneously an ethnographical account in the sense of anthropology ‘at home’. It also implied, besides ethical concerns, revisiting literary sensibilities, such as the use of a third person narrative for the reflexive account. To conceptualize the development process of both Kwam and the research interventions Bourdieu’s ‘totality of capital’ (in which the strands of economic, symbolic, cultural and social capitals intertwine) proved most useful. By assessing the various capitals the development of the project and the power struggles central to it can be understood. This study confirms that long-term anthropological investigation is best suited to the study of development projects, if not necessary for real development to be effected. Reflexivity and ethnography are complementary methods to reveal truths which under certain research circumstances may have been very difficult or even impossible to research.
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- Date Issued: 2016
Assessment of monitoring and evaluation of non-financial performance of provincial departments in the province of the Eastern Cape with special reference to its impact on service delivery
- Authors: Vermaak, Ernest Paul
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Government productivity -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Evaluation Performance standards -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Evaluation Government accountability -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/4571 , vital:28423
- Description: In this research study an investigation was launched into the monitoring and evaluation system that the government introduced to monitor and evaluate the performance information produced by the Provincial Government Departments on the implementation of their annual performance plans. The Government Departments obtain budget approval from the Legislature and submit their three-year performance plans with their budgets. The government realized that service delivery was not improving against the back drop of annually increasing the budgets. The monitoring and evaluation system was introduced to assist the Government Departments with the implementation of their annual performance plans. Monitoring and evaluation serves as a control measure and deviations can be detected from the planned outputs of the Government Departments. Corrective measures must be instituted that will have the effect that the Government Departments meet the targets set in the indicators as approved in the annual performance plans. A literature review was conducted on monitoring and evaluation regarding the ideal manner in which it should be performed. The South African Government introduced a number of discussion documents from the Presidency and National Treasury on monitoring and evaluation. Several authors raised their views on the matter and it was captured in the research study. The methodology followed was based on the Systems Theory and a questionnaire was prepared and circulated amongst Political Office Bearers and Chief Officials in the Provincial Government Departments in the Eastern Cape on the issues that was researched. Interviews were conducted with selected participants to gain clarity on specific issues related to the questionnaire. The official annual report issued by the Auditor General to the Provincial Legislature served as official document in the research study. The data collected from the questionnaire, interviews and official documentation was analyzed and graphs were drawn and deductions were made from the results. Findings and recommendations were made from the data collected and a summary was compiled of the issues raised in the research study.
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- Date Issued: 2016
Estuarine species and habitat :distribution and connectivity
- Authors: Veldkornet, Dimitri Allastair
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Estuarine ecology -- Research -- South Africa Estuarine fishes -- Speciation -- South Africa , Aquatic plants -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PHD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/45388 , vital:38604
- Description: This study explored the distribution of estuarine macrophyte genetic lineages, species and habitats in relation to environmental gradients at various spatial scales. A database was assembled to determine the area and species composition of different estuarine habitats. This can now be used to retrieve information as a baseline for further monitoring and conservation planning. Research has shown that macrophytes occur over a wide range of physiochemical conditions, suggesting that these species have great genetic and phenotypic variation to occupy broad niche ranges. In eight estuaries along the South African coast, sediment and groundwater characteristics were measured in quadrants spanning the salt marsh, ecotone and terrestrial habitats. The results suggested that, in the absence of competition and disturbance at the salt marsh-terrestrial boundary, salt marshes would be unaffected by sea-level rise; and they would migrate landward. However, disturbance at the landward margin of salt marshes has already resulted in changes in species composition and altered environmental conditions. This promotes the encroachment of terrestrial alien invasive plants, leading to a loss of connectivity. A holistic assessment of land-cover changes showed that only 28% of South African estuaries still remain in a natural state. The delineation of all estuaries needs to be consistent and inclusive of all estuarine physical and biological processes, to curb future changes. The research results have been used in national assessments of estuarine health; and they have made a significant contribution to estuary-management plans. In addition, three scientific articles have been published from the thesis; and two more are currently under review.
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- Date Issued: 2016
Investigating the relationship between mathematical knowledge for teaching and self-efficacy of pre-service mathematical literacy teachers
- Authors: Van Zyl, Nicola Stephanie , Van Zyl, Marinda
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Mathematics teachers -- South Africa Mathematics -- Study and teaching -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/10849 , vital:26829
- Description: Although a good understanding of mathematical content knowledge is essential for effective mathematics teaching, this might not be enough. Mathematical knowledge for teaching (MKT) requires a kind of depth and detail special to teaching, and involves mathematical reasoning as well as thinking from a learners’ perspective. Educational outcomes are also influenced by teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs regarding their ability to teach effectively. This study was an investigation into the relationship between pre-service teachers’ mathematical knowledge for teaching (MKT) and their mathematical self-efficacy with regard to MKT. Participants in the study were 137 BEd (FET) students at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, specializing in Mathematical Literacy as teaching subject. The quantitative data used for the study were gathered using a questionnaire on MKT for the topics number concepts and operations. This questionnaire was designed by Deborah Ball’s Michigan research team, to which I added a question on self-efficacy for every item. An analysis of the data gathered from the questionnaire reveals interesting and disturbing trends. The results suggest that, in more than 80% of the cases, respondents were either completely sure their answer was correct, or tended to think their answer was correct, indicating high levels of self-efficacy. Since only about 40% of answers were in reality correct, this indicates that participants believed their answer to be correct, although their interpretation of the mathematical knowledge for teaching involved was incorrect. Hence: they don’t know that they don’t know! The results of this study suggest that there is a need for educators of teachers to help improve prospective mathematical literacy teachers’ mathematical knowledge for teaching. Pre-service teachers should be taught to use cognitive skills that will raise the likelihood of improved learner understanding. For this, robust understanding of the fundamental mathematics involved is needed, as well as high levels of self-efficacy with regard to the teaching of mathematics.
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- Date Issued: 2016
Organisational reputation management in South African Higher Education by means of social media policies
- Authors: Van den Berg, Amanda Elise
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Online social networks -- Law and legislation -- South Africa Corporate image -- Management , Education, Higher -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PHD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/45525 , vital:38640
- Description: This study investigates reputation management in South African higher education institutions by means of the development and implementation of social-media policies. While other policies, such as marketing, computing, intellectual property, ethics and staff, and student disciplinary policies may exist, higher education institutions need to respond to both the new challenges and the new risks posed by the social-media practices and to develop explicit social-media policies for staff and students that are unique to that industry. Existing social-media policies of SA HEIs, as well as those developed within the finance sector and by international institutions of higher education, are analysed by means of in-depth interviews and documentary analysis, by using the same coding structure. Telephonic interviews with key personnel provide insight into the social-media policy development process of SA HEIs. In order to ensure research trustworthiness and rigour, the analytical process employed Consensual Qualitative Research. The research reveals that it has become necessary for organisations to understand the important role played by the social media in corporate strategies, in order to obtain optimal results for sustained growth and development. Organisational reputation, including the social media, need to be managed, not only as an isolated function or activity of the organisation, but as an integral element of all parts or subsystems of the organisation. Social-media policy development is only the starting point of ensuring a positive return for the organisation. The organisation needs to be seen to actively engage in the benefits and risks – by understanding the role of the social media within the various sectors of the organisation. A more strategic corporate strategy is proposed to meet the full potential and to manage organisational risk. universities need to develop an attractive and well-maintained reputation – with the aim of attracting the most accomplished researchers, staff, students and funders. In addition, the research reveals that HEIs can be seen as high-risk operations by their external stakeholders, including clients (students), funders and communities. It is argued that their outputs (research and students) fundamentally impact on their communities and on the interconnected environment. Organisational stakeholders are seen as important role players within an organisation’s and policy on how to manage these relationships; and the potential and real-time risks associated with such relationships become central themes, when managing the organisational reputation.
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- Date Issued: 2016
Synthesis and exploration of resorcinol derivatives as Plasmodium falciparum Hsp90 inhibitors
- Authors: Umumararungu, Théoneste
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/717 , vital:19984
- Description: In this research project, we have synthesized a series of nine dimethyl ether resorcinol analogues of NMS-E973 (L-1) 38, a potent Hsp90 inhibitor. These analogues were chosen because they share the same pharmacophore with NMS-E973 (L-1) 38 and were thus expected to have a similar biological activity. Moreover, it is generally easier to synthesize the dimethyl ether resorcinol analogues of NMS-E973 (L-1) 38 as compared to their demethylated counterparts. Since other Hsp90 inhibitors such as geldanamycin 19 have demonstrated anti-plasmodial activity, we also expected our compounds to be Hsp90 inhibitors and to possess anti-plasmodial activity. However, our compounds were tested for growth inhibitory activity of Plasmodium falciparum and not for P. falciparum Hsp90 (PfHSP90) inhibitory activity. The synthesis involved a series of steps that led to the formation of the ester compound TU-011 (L-7) 43 that was then used as a precursor for different NMS-E973 (L-1) 38 analogues. The choice of analogues to be synthesized was dictated by binding affinity predictions obtained from molecular docking. The chosen synthetic analogues were active against chloroquine-sensitive Plasmodium falciparum (3D7 strain) in a Plasmodium lactate dehydrogenase assay and they were not generally cytotoxic to human cervical adenocarcinoma cell line HeLa. The most active of our compounds was TU-018 (L-103) 50 with an IC50 value of approximately 1.830 µM as compared to the standard, chloroquine, with an IC50 value of 0.01062 µM. Some of the compounds showed mild cytotoxicity towards HeLa cells with IC50 values higher than 25 µM as compared to the standard apoptosis inducer drug, emetine that had an IC50 value of 0.09948 µM. These results highlight the fact that the synthesized analogues are novel relatively non-toxic anti-plasmodial agents.
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- Date Issued: 2016
The survival of micro -enteprises in Kampala, Uganda :a substainable livelihoods approach
- Authors: Twinorugyendo,Penninah
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Microfinance -- Uganda -- Kampala New Business Enterprises -- Uganda -- Kampala -- Finance , Small business -- Uganda -- Kampala
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PHD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/45333 , vital:38571
- Description: This purpose of this thesis was to explain the resilience of certain micro-enterprises (MEs) in Kampala, Uganda – by focusing on their vulnerability, the assets that they brought to bear on the situation, the role of non-governmental organizations and government institutions in supporting MEs, and the strategies used by ME owners, themselves. As such, it adopts the Sustainable-Livelihoods approach – an approach that has not been used in Kampala before. Thus, it makes a valuable contribution to the field. Designed as a qualitative study, it used in-depth interviews and focus-group discussions. The major findings on vulnerability were linked to: the rising cost of materials; unfair licensing; the struggle to win tenders; local and foreign competition; and the disruption of utilities. The assets used to sustain the welfare of the MEs included: making use of a range of skill-acquisition strategies; leveraging networks; and pooling resources. Financial assets used by MEs revolved around informal savings and credit schemes; but the support given to the MEs through government agencies and NGOs was difficult to assess. Several important strategies were used by ME owners. One of these involved linking with formal construction companies. In addition, temporary workshops constructed out of wood-and-iron, were common. This increased mobility and allowed the re-use of materials. Furthermore, MEs manufactured their own tools, developed new marketing techniques, and diversified their income-generating activities. The significance of this study is two-pronged. It demonstrates that the resilience of MEs does depend on their own positive qualities, but also on an increasingly business-friendly national and international economic environment.
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- Date Issued: 2016
The development of a counselling intervention for people living HIV and AIDS experiencing stress-related psychological conditions in the Eastern Cape province
- Authors: Twaise, Nomvula Virginia
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: AIDS (Disease) -- Patients -- Counseling of -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , HIV-positive persons -- Counseling of -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/7927 , vital:24322
- Description: People living with HIV and AIDS (PLHIV) suffer from a number of stress-related psychological disorders. The aim of this study was to develop an integrative intervention, which combined Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Body-Mind Therapy and Multicultural perspectives to assist health care workers in identifying and treating stressrelated psychological disorders among people living with HIV and AIDS. The study employed an intervention research design using both qualitative and quantitative methods. The quantitative data was collected from PLHIV attending HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT) and Anti-retroviral therapy clinics in the Buffalo City Municipality (BCM) of the Eastern Cape Province. The qualitative data was collected from the health care workers of the selected study sites. Purposive sampling was used to select the study sample. Instruments used included a biographical questionnaire, the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), Medical Outcome Study- HIV (MOS-HIV) and focus group interviews to gather data for the development of an intervention model that would address reported stress-related psychological disorders. Findings showed that people living with HIV and AIDS endure stress in their lives on daily basis rather than episodes of severe or clinical depression. Many of the PLHIV are dealing with a number of psychosocial problems that compromise their quality of life and health status. In conclusion, the study illustratively interpreted and discussed the results in relation to the objectives of the study. The study recommends that PLHIV should be exposed to stress management programmes, and health care workers (HCWs) should be offered training in basic counselling skills, stress management and/or debriefing.
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- Date Issued: 2016
Exploring functionings and conversion factors in biodiversity teacher professional learning communities
- Authors: Tshiningayamwe, Sirkka Alina Nambashun
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:2080 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1021313
- Description: The study explores the conversion factors, functionings (valued beings and doings), agency and structures in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) for Life Sciences teachers’ biodiversity knowledge. The teachers’ valued beings and doings as well as conversion factors associated with these beings and doings were discussed within the conceptual framework of the capability approach using three PLCs in South Africa. Two PLCs were in the Eastern Cape Province (Grahamstown and Idutywa district), and one PLC was in the Western Cape (Cape Town) province. The PLCs involved in this study were course initiated and were positioned in the Fundisa for Change national teacher education programme. Fundisa for Change is a partnership programme that aims to enhance transformative environmental learning through teacher education. To illuminate constrained capabilities and how and to what extent the Life Sciences teachers’ empirical actions are related to these, the concepts of the capability approach were underlaboured with critical realism’s causal view of human action. A critical realist theory of causation was useful in explaining how the teachers’ valued beings and doings, conversion factors and capability sets can be partly accounted for via an understanding of underlying mechanisms that are generative of events and empirical experience. The study used a qualitative case study research methodology. Interviews, questionnaires, observations (of PLC activities), document reviews (of teachers’ portfolios of evidence, Fundisa for Change implementation plan, evaluation forms and resources materials, and policy documents) and reflection tools were used to collect data. Using the critical realism modes of inference (induction, abduction and retroduction), the data was analysed in two phases. Phase one analysis was primarily inductive and used thick descriptions (mainly in the form of quotes) to present and discuss the teachers’ valued beings and doings and associated conversion factors in the PLCs. This phase of analysis was abductive. The study reported four main functionings valued by teachers: subject content knowledge, teaching practices, assessment practices, and use of teaching and learning support materials. These valued functionings were discussed in light of the beings and doings in the PLCs and the underlying mechanisms related to teachers’ biodiversity teaching. Conversion factors that were associated with the teachers’ valued beings and doings in the PLCs were discussed in line with capability approach’s environmental, social and personal conversion factors. The study found that most of the conversion factors within the PLCs and the Fundisa for Change professional development programme (good facilitation, collaborative learning space, site where PLC activities happened, individual teachers’ capabilities, teaching and learning support materials and policy documents) were enablers to the teachers’ capabilities for biodiversity teaching, and thus enhanced teachers’ knowledge for biodiversity teaching. The study further found that teachers realised some of their achieved functionings in their actual teaching of biodiversity content in the Life Sciences curriculum, and that factors such as lack of resources, large class sizes, learners’ abilities and lack of interest among some teachers were amongst the factors that constrained teachers’ realisation of their achieved functionings in the PLCs. The study therefore revealed that if professional development programmes take account of underlying mechanisms and respond to teachers’ capabilities i.e. their valued functionings for biodiversity teaching in the Life Sciences curriculum, the professional development programmes can be an important conversion factor that enables the expansion of teachers’ capabilities (especially their biodiversity knowledge, pedagogical and assessment practice but also other capabilities) in ways that have the potential to reshape teachers’ classroom practices related to the teaching of biodiversity.
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- Date Issued: 2016
The gendered appropriation of the mobile phone for online health information by youths in Zimbabwean tertiary learning institutions
- Authors: Tsarwe, Stanley Zvinaiye
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/738 , vital:19986
- Description: The study uses domestication of technology and Cultural Studies theories to investigate how youth in three institutions of tertiary learning in Harare, Zimbabwe are accessing health-related information online using their smart phones. The study critically examines how youths deploy these digital media technologies to construct their identities in a context where social and political power is unevenly distributed. To understand these issues, the study uses a triangulated research design comprising a social survey, in-depth individual interviews and field observation for data collection. Results from this data gathering showed that the use of digital media technologies differ across gender, at least in terms of the distribution of online health seeking practices between male and female youths. According to the survey results, more women tend to use their mobile phones to access health-related information. Data from the individual in-depth interviews showed that the most significant site of social change (social disruption) relates to how digital media facilitates emerging new identities (i.e. identity in the broader sense as well as health-related and sexual health identities). For both young men and young women, mobile phones are used precisely for image management, peer acceptance and the desire to define respective feminities and masculinities within their social networks. Both male and female youths assert they are able to access a variety of information online, and some of this information would not easily accessible when sought from traditional structures such as their parents. This way, youth feel that digital media technologies allow them to cultivate their own preferred identities outside the purview of parental authority and social control. Drawing on postmodern literature, such emerging identities are predicated on cultural volatility, unpredictability, decentralisation and refusal to fixation and conformity to socially constructed identities about being a youth, or being a young Zimbabwean woman or man, for example. Thus, the use of mobile phones and mobile Internet by youths in Zimbabwe to access health-related information has sociopolitical significance, because it allows young people to fashion preferred identities that resists entrenched regimes of social power. For young people in Zimbabwe, online health seeking practices precisely reflects attempt towards negotiating with and circumvent the structural limitations of either an expensive health care system or the general curiosity associated with growing up. That way, it is arguable that youth use digital media technologies to help them exercise some level of social autonomy and agency in dealing with everyday life. Individual in-depth interviews demonstrated that mobile phones and mobile Internet can thus be seen as opening up more spaces for youth to learn more about issues about growing up, sexuality and adolescents that a conservative society such as Zimbabwe traditionally consider as ‘inappropriate’ for youth consumption. They argued that the inability of parents to discuss with them issues about growing up often result in them “finding out on our own” using digital media technologies to satisfy the desire to wean themselves from what they view as arbitrary and asymmetrical social power. The study demonstrated that youth use the mobile phone to challenge the social world of adults and to show resistance to it, thereby strengthening a subculture as well as constructing an identity. However, despite the positive attributes of social capital, connectivity and personalised experience afforded by the mobile phone, the mobile phone is sometimes a source of conflict in relationships between young men and women; that is, between unmarried partners. Young women reported that their boyfriends often force them to disclose who they communicate with using their mobile phones. They also reported that their boyfriends often did some random surveillance of their social media contacts and activities. Thus, whilst one of the mobile phone’s most powerful attribute is its ability to offer personalised experience, as well as offer synchronised and unlimited access to distant connections, results from in-depth interviews showed that some unwritten expectations and norms dictated that young men closely watch their ‘girlfriends’ social media activities, including their online search activities. As a result, privacy as well as the much touted relationship between mobile phone and women’s autonomy becomes contested arenas. Even at young ages, and before marriage, women are socialised to show subservience to their partners by allowing them access to their mobile phones.
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- Date Issued: 2016
The Contribution of fruit from trees to improve household nutritional security in the context of deforestation in Cameroon
- Authors: Tata epse Ngome, Precillia Ijang
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/793 , vital:19991
- Description: Cameroon needs healthy citizens to archive emergence by 2035. Malnutrition and undernourishment is the highest burden in the World in recent times and a silent crisis facing most rural communities in forest areas of Cameroon. Its abstruseness makes extremely fragile political, social and economic planning to foster development in such areas. Therefore, it is time we bring appropriate understanding and new strategies on unpacking the complexities of food and nutritional security and define practical solutions to food insecurity. Working in the context of increasing deforestation, this thesis brings evidence on the situation of household food insecurity (FIS) access experience in forest areas which is not reported in current discussions at the national level. It further investigates the knowledge and awareness of households on the availability, accessibility, utilisation, vulnerability and consumption of nutrient rich food items using the example of fruits from trees. Thus, the aim of this research was to investigate strategies for addressing household FIS through increased domestic supply and consumption of fruits from trees in the context of deforestation in Cameroon. Data were collected through four rounds of structured interviews completed between August 2013 and October 2014. Analysis was done using simple citations and ordering, Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Likert scale, χ2-test of association and Cramer's V coefficient to test the strength of the association and means and ANOVA. The HFIAS approach used to determine household FIS. Only 1% of the population were food secure and the moderately deforested zone showed the worst trends in food insecurity. Therefore, the effect of deforestation was nuanced. Diverse fruit trees were registered. Households said they required fruits only 2.4 ± 1.5 times per week. Recently, the intake of 400 g of fruit per person per day for good health was announced as a priority of international recognition. However, households were not aware of the importance and frequency of fruit consumption with less than 50% of households eating fruits daily during the harvesting season. Fruit tree nurseries where scarce and seeds where obtained from local sources. Fruit tree diseases where rampant and up to 50% harvest lost was registered for some fruits species. This study has shown that food availability does not necessarily mean adequate food intake. Three opinions about fruit trees and the prevalence of food insecurity in Cameroon has been raised in this thesis. First, there is ineffectiveness in the eradication of FIS because even in agricultural conducive environments, hunger and food insecurity are still prevalent at high rates. Therefore, effective and efficient targeting of food insecured groups need to be promoted in all clusters of the population. Secondly, the national nutrition program is neglecting sensitisation on food consumption patterns and therefore people are not making use of nutrient rich foods even when this maybe found around their environments - taking the case of fruits from trees. Thus, very few people ate fruits and at irregular frequencies of consumption. Thus, there is need to design special campaign programs to promote the consumption of fruits from trees. Thirdly, the word-of-mouth or neighbour-to-neighbour dissemination approach on fruit trees planting has not been efficient across communities. As such nurseries where scarce and people obtained fruit trees plants from natural regeneration or found them on the field when establishing the field. Therefore, in this research, it is postulated that no matter the nature of efforts and level of intervention, what is certain is that addressing FIS requires effective targeting of the vulnerable population and the implementation of novel and practical approaches on promoting access to and consumption of fruits in the right frequencies. This research further revealed that poor eating habits was a problem and lack of knowledge about the frequency and intake of nutrient rich food was serious. For instance, people were not aware on the recommended frequency of fruit consumption and people ate infested fruit while reserving the healthy ones for sale. This is the trap of the food insecurity problem in some regions – knowledge about foods and ways of food utilisation. This is neither a problem of availability nor accessibility, but rather a problem of lack of knowledge and lack of sensitisation. From FAO reports on the state of food insecurity in the world and other studies of food intake in most developing nation, poor food consumption is a global problem in most poor regions and even in rich areas affected by obesity. Thus, there is a need to establish a high level policy framework maybe in the form of a convention or an intergovernmental panel at the level of the United Nations and/or the African Union on ‘reducing malnutrition in all its forms (rates, drivers and consequences on human health and the environment)’. This structure will promote setting priorities, strategies, monitoring on peoples eating habits, setting nutritional standards, and principles and indicators for observing under nutrition, over nutrition and associated problems within all population strata.
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- Date Issued: 2016
Clothing fashion design students' workplace learning experiences in a university of technology in Zimbabwe : towards an enhanced workplace learning role
- Authors: Tarirai, Dandira
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Fashion design Fashion--Study and teaching Fashion design--Study and teaching
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , Education
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/16080 , vital:40662
- Description: The focus of this study was to explore Clothing Fashion Design students’ workplace learning experiences at one university of technology in Zimbabwe. Underpinned by Kolb’s (1984) experiential learning theory, the study was located in the interpretivist research paradigm and followed a qualitative research approach, which utilised a descriptive case study design. The research sample was purposively drawn from third year Clothing Fashion Design students on workplace learning, university lecturers and workplace mentors. It included nine third year students, six workplace mentors and six University lecturers. Two major methods were employed to collect data namely; in-depth face–to-face individual interviews with students, university lecturers and workplace mentors and document analysis as a secondary method of data collection method. The data were analysed for content using thematic data analysis technique. Major findings of the study are that third year Clothing Fashion Design students at the University under study applied knowledge and skills learnt from University in Pattern Design, Garment Cutting and Making, Fashion Illustration, Fashion marketing and Retailing and Communication Skills. However, they did not design new patterns neither were they guided in Fashion Illustration since these were not done in industry as mentors lacked knowledge in these critical areas. In garment cutting and making they did not use specialised machinery due to the scarcity of such machinery and in other cases limited access. Knowledge and skills acquired from workplace learning included pattern design, garment cutting and making, fashion quality management and fashion marketing and retailing. Students did not gain skills in fashion designing and use of specialised machinery since most industries had no such machinery. Students also learnt to value time and put emphasis on production of quality products at the workplace. Dress was also valued but not by all the students since it was not uniformly considered in all industries. The factors that hindered workplace learning included strikes by mentors, shortage of material resources such as fabrics, under qualified mentors, sexual harassment and improper supervision, financial challenges and inadequacy of time to attend to university academic work. Factors that promoted workplace learning included assistance by mentors, availability of basic resources for use, good student-mentor relationships and self- motivation. Findings also reflected the guidance that was offered to students by lecturers and workplace mentors which included preparation of students for workplace learning, discipline, counselling and guidance in research projects and in practical work. Support that was offered to students by lecturers and workplace mentors included assessment, moral support, student welfare and, in some cases material support. There was very little of financial support. The study concludes that while students generally appeared to benefit from workplace learning, there were challenges that negatively affected workplace learning. The study recommends improved university/industry partnership to enhance workplace learning, among other recommendations. A model for enhancing students’ workplace learning is also proposed.
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- Date Issued: 2016
Effects of grazing and housing management systems on greenhouse gas emissions, blood profiles and meat quality of Nguni goats
- Authors: Tapiwa, Chikwanda Allen
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Goats Goats -- Feeding and feeds Greenhouse gas mitigation , Grazing -- Environmental aspects
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/2314 , vital:27752
- Description: The broad objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of grazing and housing management systems on greenhouse gas emissions, blood profiles and meat quality of Nguni goats. A total of 64 castrated Nguni goats were used and a housing structure was designed to accommodate the goats as well as evaluate effects of type of floor on greenhouse gases, meat quality, blood metabolites and fatty acid profiles. In the first experiment: Forty-eight castrated Nguni goats, at 6-7 months old were used for herding (H) or tethering (T) management systems and randomly allocated to pens with earth (E) or slatted (S) floors. Gas sampling was done using static chambers and analysed using a SRI 8610C gas chromatography machine. The highest CH4 fluxes were from the manure of herded goats on earth floors (HE). The highest CO2 fluxes were from manure of herded goats that were housed on slatted floors (HS): The highest N2O fluxes were from the manure of tethered goats that were sheltered on slatted floors (TS). It was concluded from the first experiment that goat manure is an important source of GHG that is influenced by grazing and floor type management systems. The second experiment was done to evaluate greenhouse gas (GHG) emission from disused (DP) vs occupied goat pens (OP) with earth (EF) or slatted (SF) floors. Eight previously occupied pens were used in this study. Sixteen goats were randomly put in the pens labelled occupied pens with earth floors (OPEF) and occupied pens with slatted floors (OPSF) resulting in four goats per OP. There were month by pen use; month by floor type; and use by floor type interaction effects (P < 0.05) on CH4 production. Floor type, use (DP vs OP) and month affected (P < 0.05) CH4 production. Manure on earth floors of occupied pens (OPEF) emitted the highest (P < 0.05) methane followed by earth floors of disused pens (DPEF). The least CH4 was emitted from DPSF. There was pen use (DP vs OP) by floor type interaction effect (P < 0.05) on CO2 emission. Floor type and pen use affected (P < 0.05) CO2 production. Manure in occupied pens with slatted floors (OPSF) produced the highest CO2 and the least CO2 was from disused pens with slatted floors (DPSF). Floor type and month influenced (P < 0.05) N2O production. It was concluded that continued use of goat pens increased GHG emissions. However, disused goat pens with manure remain an important source of GHG as they continued to emit quantifiable levels of CH4, CO2 and N2O. The third experiment was done to determine the effects of grazing and housing management systems on the concentrations of blood metabolites, activity of creatine kinase, body weight (BW), body condition score (BCS) and carcass characteristics using 48 castrated Nguni goats. Tethered goats had higher (P<0.05): urea, creatinine, total protein, globulin concentrations and more activity of CK than herded goats. On the other hand, herded goats had higher (P<0.05) plasma glucose (H: 3.39±0.020 vs T: 3.23±0.020 mmol/L), serum albumin (H: 15.30±0.147 vs T: 14.82±0.144 g/L) concentration. It was concluded that serum concentrations of all the metabolites and the activity of CK were sensitive to grazing system. Herding of goats promoted more glucose concentration and preservation of muscle protein and hence superior body weights and BCS than tethered goats. The fourth experiment was done to determine the effects of grazing and housing management systems on the activity of creatine kinase (CK) and cortisol concentration, and chevon quality. Further, the effect of muscle type [Muscularis longissimus thoracis et. Lumborum (LTL) and triceps brachii (TB)] on chevon quality was also investigated. Forty eight castrated Nguni goats aged 6- 7 months were randomly allocated to tethering (n=24) and herding (n=24) treatments. Floor type affected meat (P<0.05) pH24. Tethered goats had higher (P < 0.05) L* and CL percent than herded goats. Muscle type had a significant influence (P < 0.05) on a*, WBSF and pH. It was observed and concluded that T resulted in higher L* and more CL percent whilst SF lowered the pH24 of chevon; at the same time meat from the TB muscle was more tender, despite having a higher pH24 and more CL percent relative to LTH cuts. The fifth experiment was done to determine the effect of grazing and floor type on fatty acid composition of chevon from tethered and herded Nguni goats. Floor type had no effect on fatty acid composition. Oleic, stearic, palmitic and linoleic were the major fatty acids. Chevon from tethered goats had higher (P < 0.05) proportions of long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs): eicosapentaenoic, docosapentaenoic, docosahexaenoic, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and more total SFA, total PUFA, total Omega- 6 and total omega 3 fatty acids than herded goats. On the other hand, chevon from herded goats had more (P < 0.05) C18:1c9, C18:2t9, 12 (n-6), C20:3c11, 14, 17 (n-3) and total MUFA than tethered goats. However, there was no difference (P > 0.05) in the PUFA: SFA and n-6/n-3 fatty acid ratios between the herded and tethered goats. It was concluded that tethering promoted higher proportions of beneficial PUFAs which were more in TB than LTH muscle. The overall conclusions from the whole study were that goat manure is an important source of GHG with high CH4 being emitted from earth floors of herded goats. High CO2 and N2O are emitted from SF of herded and tethered goats, respectively. There were no major differences in meat quality between herded and tethered goats. However, herding promoted more live weight gain than tethering. On the other hand, tethering promoted more beneficial fatty acids. Therefore depending on the objective of the enterprise, smallholder farmers can safely tether or herd their goats. Further, there is need to develop technologies to harness CH4 from goat manure.
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- Date Issued: 2016
Phylogenetics of the keratin-feeding beetle family Trogidae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea)
- Authors: Strümpher, Werner Petrus
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/1232 , vital:20037
- Description: Trogidae constitute a monophyletic and biologically unique family within the Scarabaeoidea, being the only keratinophagous group in its superfamily. Traditionally, the family has been divided into three distinctive genera, Omorgus Erichson, Polynoncus Burmeister, and Trox Fabricius. Although the taxonomy of the group is relatively well studied, recently changes to the existing classification have been proposed without the family as currently constituted being subjected to phylogenetic analyses. In this study I present the first molecular phylogeny for this cosmopolitan family, based on three partially sequenced gene regions: 16SrRNA, 18S rRNA and 28S rRNA domain 2. Analyses resolved relationships between and within genera and subgenera that are largely congruent with existing taxonomic hypotheses based on morphology. I recovered four well-supported radiations: Polynoncus, Omorgus, Holarctic Trox and Afrotropical Phoberus. One of the more surprising results was the monophyly of Phoberus. Based on the evidence, I propose reinstating the genus Phoberus to accommodate all Afrotropical (including Madagascan endemic) species. The results re-emphasise the validity of Scholtz’s (1986a) classification system for the genus Omorgusand its subgeneraand provide evidence of an African origin for Madagascan trogids. Divergence analysis was able to date the major events for the origin of extant lineages of Trogidae. The subsequent diversification of the major lineages is largely attributed to Pangaean and Gondwanan vicariance events in the Mid-Jurassic and early Late Cretaceous, respectively. The separation of the landmasses resulted in the evolution of four distinct groups: Omorgus, Polynoncus, Trox and Phoberus. The monophyletic subgenus Phoberus MacLeay is of particular interest; about one-third (14 of 40) of the species in the Afrotropical region have lost the ability to fly. To gain insights into the evolution of flightlessness in this clade, phylogenetic relationships among species were inferred using molecular sequence data. Four partial sequences of four genes (COI, 16S, 18S and 28S domain 2) were obtained for 27 species, covering all of the recognised species-groups. Estimated times of divergence were based on published mutation rates for COI. The results recovered eight monophyletic lineages, supporting the morphology-based subdivisions of the genus. Flightlessness evolved at least five times within the subgenus. There is no strong support for the re-acquisition of functional wings once they are lost. Diversification, and the present relictual distributions, in African Phoberus can be linked to climatic and geological events associated with the Miocene and Pliocene Climate Optimum in southern Africa. The evolution of flightlessness in Phoberus is consistent with the habitat stability hypothesis. All flightless species occupy refugial areas with relatively long-term environmental stability. Phoberus is a promising model group for studying evolutionary trends relating to flightlessness, speciation and biogeography. Flightlessness is a counterintuitive evolutionary development, given the many advantages of flight. To interpret the diversification in the flightless Phoberus capensis Scholtz, the phylogenetic relationships among several populations of P. capensis are investigated. Phylogenetic relationships among populations were inferred using molecular sequence data that suggested three distinct evolutionary lineages, which was also supported by morphological characters. Divergence time estimates suggest a Pliocene-Pleistocene diversification. Based on these results, it is suggested that P. capensis experienced climatically-driven allopatric speciation with sheltered Afrotemperate forests and high mountain peaks serving as important refugia in response to climatic exacerbations. The P. capensis complex thus represents a speciation process in which flight-restricted populations evolved in close allopatry, possibly as recently as the Pleistocene. Two of the three divergent and geographically distinct lineages are described as novel species. This study represents the most recent comprehensive work on the Trogidae. On the basis of this study, it is proposed that taxonomic changes to the generic classification of the family be made. Trogidae are formally divided into two subfamilies, Omorginae and Troginae. The subgenus Phoberus is restored to genus rank to include all the Afrotropical species, and Afromorgus is confirmed at subgeneric rank. The genus Madagatrox is synonymised with Phoberus.
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- Date Issued: 2016
Adaptations in allopatric populations of Triakis megalopterus isolated by the Benguela Current: steps towards understanding evolutionary processes affecting regional biodiversity
- Authors: Soekoe, Michelle
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:5389 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1021264
- Description: This study was initiated to gain a better understanding of evolution and adaptation of elasmobranchs by investigating how a putative biogeographic barrier, the Benguela Current, had influenced populations of a demersal shark species, Triakis megalopterus. It was hypothesized that the Benguela Current formed a biogeographic barrier in the distribution of T. megalopterus and was responsible for the divergence between South African (SA) and Angolan (AN) populations. Since elasmobranchs are generally characterized by a slow rate of evolutionary change and conservative morphology and life history traits, it was hypothesized that there would be limited genetic, morphological and life history divergence between the populations. Both mtDNA Control Region (mtCR) and microsatellites (nDNA) were used to assess population connectivity and structure of T. megalopterus. The mtCR predominantly showed a northern (Angola, AN, and Namibia, NA) versus southern (Western Cape, WC, and Eastern Cape, EC) Benguela subsystem arrangement. This suggested that the formation of the Benguela Current had an influence on the genetic structure of T. megalopterus during the early Pleistocene. The nDNA, however, showed a distinct transoceanic, Atlantic (AN, NA, WC) versus Indian Ocean (EC) arrangement, and this was attributed to the more recent exposure of the Agulhas Bank and reduced rocky shore habitat during the glaciations of the late Pleistocene. Traditional morphological analyses on full body and tooth morphology were used to assess phenotypic plasticity and/or adaptability of T. megalopterus. A novel method of geometric morphology, with potential for non-lethal application, was developed and tested to examine interpopulation divergence in shape. Traditional morphometrics showed significant divergence between populations and this variation was congruous with the mtCR haplotypes. However, the divergence in the truss variables was not concomitant to the haplotypes and suggested that differences in shape may be attributed to phenotypic plasticity. There was limited divergence in the tooth morphology between populations. The divergence in several morphological characters associated with swimming speed and manoeuvrability may be attributed to both habitat structure and dominant prey in the different biogeographic zones. The diet of T. megalopterus consisted primarily of crustaceans, teleosts and molluscs. The significant variation in the diet between populations suggested a generalist tooth configuration and broad trophic adaptability. There was significant divergence in the interpopulation life history parameters. The AN population had the fastest growth, smallest size at maturity, and shortest longevity. Individuals in the EC population had the youngest age at maturity, while the WC population had the earliest parturition. This divergence may be attributed to the contrasting thermal regimes in the three biogeographic regions and the dissimilar exploitation rates of the three populations. The results of this thesis demonstrated that a combination of the formation of the Benguela Current and sea level change most likely contributed to vicariance of three populations of T. megalopterus. The significant interpopulation morphological and life history divergence appeared to be both phenotypic and genetic, and suggested that contrasting environmental drivers can result in relatively rapid change in elasmobranchs.
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- Date Issued: 2016