Browsing Ecology by Title
Now showing items 65-84 of 84
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Niche requirements and breeding system of Hypericum pseudohenryi, an invasive plant species in South Africa.
(2016)Invasive alien species threaten ecosystems throughout South Africa through alteration of the habitat and loss of biodiversity. Emerging invasive alien plants are those that have small populations, but have the potential ... -
Olfactory communication of the white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum)
(2017)Many mammal species communicate olfactorily via specialised scent glandular secretions, urine and/or dung. Despite a large body of work on olfactory communication, the extent to which mammals communicate via dung odours, ... -
Parthenium hysterophorus distribution and efficacy of control in Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, northern KwaZulu-Natal.
(2020)Abstract available in pdf. -
Pollination ecology and the functional significance of unusual floral traits in two South African stapeliads.
(2017)Carrion and dung mimicking plants often exhibit unusual floral traits which are believed to attract necro- and coprophagous insects as pollinators. Our understanding of these unusual traits and their functions is very ... -
Pollinator-driven divergence among populations of a self-fertilizing lily, Hesperantha coccinea (Iridaceae).
(2021)Two major trends in floral evolution – pollinator shifts and the evolution of autonomous selffertilisation – are generally considered alternative evolutionary responses to pollen-limitation of plant reproductive success. ... -
Population dynamics and relocation success of the oribi antelope (Ourebia ourebi) in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
(2015)In South Africa, oribi (Ourebia ourebi) antelope are listed as vulnerable. The lack of understanding of their population dynamics makes it difficult for oribi conservation. To address these gaps, I used the Oribi Working ... -
The potential overlap in habitat space of caracal (Caracal caracal) and blue duiker (Philantomba monticola) in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa : an environmental niche modelling approach.
(2016)According to the mesopredator release hypothesis, when apex predators disappear from an ecosystem, the number of mesopredators increase and thus predation of prey species increases. Since the extermination of large predators ... -
Protected area management and planning challenges: sustainability and integrity – a cursory investigation of the role of the management plan.
(2021)Formally established protected areas in South Africa date back to the turn of the 19th century, yet requirements for protected area management plans only became mandatory approximately a century later. Before the ... -
The relative tolerance of mesic grassland species to defoliation and competition.
(2018)Effective grazing management is dependent on understanding grass species responses to herbivory. These responses to herbivory can be broadly grouped into 3 categories, namely decreaser (plants that decline in abundance) ... -
Response of estuarine and freshwater macroinvertebrate assemblages to habitat, water quality, flow and land use change in the lowland Amatikulu/Nyoni catchment.
(2018)Water has become a scarce commodity in Sub-Saharan Africa and in drought prone South Africa. Due to the extensive utilization of water resources in South Africa, management and monitoring of our rivers and estuaries is ... -
Role and effects of wild southern African ungulates on seed dispersal of selected alien invasive plants.
(2021)Abstract available in PDF. -
Snake population declines and conservation: a global synthesis, and perspectives from southern Africa, based on long-term field observations.
(2018)Amphibian and reptile declines have been documented from across the globe in recent decades. This is a result of anthropogenically driven effects including transformation of the landscape, habitat destruction, environmental ... -
Spatial and reproductive ecology and population status of the Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) in the Lake St Lucia estuarine system, South Africa.
(2014)The Lake St Lucia estuarine system, Africa’s largest and oldest protected estuary, also contains the largest Nile Crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) population in a single waterbody in South Africa. We investigated the ... -
Taxonomic, functional, and avian community dynamics in selected Southern Mistbelt Forests of southern KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, South Africa.
(2020)Human population increase and landscape transformation result in the reduction of natural habitats, such as forests, causing changes in forest patch composition, habitat amount, patch size, isolation, shape, and edges. ... -
Understanding the effects of changing climate and land use on woody plant encroachment in South African grasslands and savannas.
(2017)The increase in dominance of woody species, observed in many grasslands and savannas worldwide, highlights the sensitivity of woody herbaceous biomass ratios to changed environmental conditions. While the major factors ... -
Urban ecology of the crowned eagle stephanoaetus coronatus in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
(2015)Urban environments comprise a complex and dynamic landscape, and urban sprawl is irreversibly transforming large areas of land globally. Increasingly, the need for incorporating ecosystem services into urban landscapes ... -
Use of freshwater fish to evaluate the wellbeing of selected rivers in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
(2017)Freshwater makes up just 0.01 % of the total water on earth but the fish species inhabiting it make up around 20 % of all vertebrate species. For centuries, human settlements have relied upon freshwater fish for food, ... -
Use of ground-dwelling arthropods as bioindicators of ecological condition in grassland and forest vegetation at eThekwini Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal.
(2018)Epigaeic arthropods are among the most diverse and abundant group of animals. They are important in the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems. Assemblages of arthropods may be affected by vegetation type, seasonality and ... -
Varying degrees of fear : how do large herbivores adjust their anti-predator behaviour in response to different predators?
(2016)Large predators are returning to areas where they have previously been absent through both predator reintroductions and natural range expansion. As a result, these re/introductions are changing the nature of predator-prey ... -
What drives the seasonal movements of african elephants (Loxodonta africana) in Ithala Game Reserve?
(2013)The changes in plant quality and availability in space and time present a substantial problem to mammalian herbivores. As a result, these herbivores need to alter their foraging behaviour to maximize their energy gain at ...