Rethinking the informal settlements upgrading programmes in the free state province, South Africa: a transformative and multi-faceted model
- Authors: Dintsi, Sive
- Date: 2022-04
- Subjects: Human settlements -- Free State , Squatter settlements
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/58352 , vital:59002
- Description: This thesis intended to reveal the factors that contributed to the formulation of the informal settlements upgrading programmes in the Free State, South Africa, from an institutional perspective; subsequently to conceptualise a transformative and multi-faceted model for the development and management of human settlements. The mixed methods exploratory research design has been applied in this study. This research design has allowed for the implementation of research methods including the qualitative inductive content analysis method, the case study method, and the semi-structured survey questionnaire method. The data collection methods used comprised both primary and secondary data. Primary data involved online surveys and field observations. Secondary data comprised of an inductive analysis of written sources. The main findings of the study were as follows. First, the policy design and implementation processes have been misaligned. Second, there has been inadequate stakeholder engagements. Third, the government has not prioritised the employment of specialists in the field of housing and human settlements. Fourth, corruption has caused the state to fail to provide adequate housing for all. Fifth, municipalities are unable to identify and define existing informal settlements. Lastly, illegal immigration is causing a rapid increase in the number of informal settlements. This thesis proffered key recommendations based on the conclusions drawn from these findings. First, there must be an implementation of an integrated model for the preparation of upgrading policy. Second, communication technology education for officials of the state must be enhanced. Third, the government must prioritise the employment of experts in upgrading work. Fourth, the upgrading policy must reflect the paradigm shift from housing to human settlements. Fifth, municipalities need to be systematically transformed and improved for their functions on upgrading. Finally, illegal immigration must be firmly monitored while legal immigration is discouraged. To this end, this thesis has presented a strong viewpoint that limits the influx of immigrants into unproclaimed urban land that leads to the growth of informal settlements. The study has also strongly advocated for the legal spatial placement of South African citizens and legal immigrants on strategically and socio-economically viable land, where it is suitably available and owned by the state. Housing in the thesis has been viewed as one of the essential instruments that must inevitably emerge as a prospect towards xiv effectively unlocking improved living conditions in informal settlements; rather than housing being perceived as human settlements. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Science, School of Environmental Sciences, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-04
Scenarios for South Africa’s ocean economy towards 2060
- Authors: Hadi, Nomtha
- Date: 2022-04
- Subjects: Sustainable development--South Africa , Economic development--South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/57676 , vital:58195
- Description: The ocean is becoming the new focal point in the discourse on growth and sustainable development, both at national and international levels. Scenario planning improves the quality of the strategic conversations that organisations need to have as a position in preparing for the future. In this research, scenarios for South Africa’s ocean economy towards 2060 were developed and explored by considering the six key ocean sectors as outlined in the Operations Phakisa Strategy, namely, Marine Transport and Manufacturing, Offshore Oil and Gas Exploration, Aquaculture, Small Harbours, Coastal and Marine Tourism, Marine Protection Services and Ocean Governance. The research process was guided by Inayatullah’s six pillars and linked methods towards scenario development. Existing studies do not take into consideration the various social, technological, economic, environmental, political, legislative and ethical factors influencing the growth of the ocean economy. With the ocean increasingly being considered a new economic frontier, sustainable development has become pertinent for supporting and facilitating continued economic growth areas without compromising on environmental, social, or economic factors. Sustainable development within the ocean economy is further supported by Goal 14 of the Sustainable Development Goals, which focuses on conservation and sustainable use of the ocean, sea and marine resources. A literature review was conducted to gain a better understanding of the ocean economy, and primary data was collected through a real-time Delphi platform and semi-structured interviews. The real-time Delphi collected information on the key megatrends that continue to shape the ocean economy and key drivers and wild cards that can affect the sustainability of the key ocean economy industries. In addition, semi-structured interviews collected information on the proposed scenarios and the capacity needed in growing and promoting a sustainable ocean economy for South Africa towards 2060. A scenario matrix was developed for South Africa’s ocean economy and four scenarios and their implications were analysed. The preferred scenario was a resilient ocean economy towards 2060. The study also took a step forward with a view to provide reference to stakeholders and governments in progressing towards a possible scenario and developed an integrated vision for a sustainable ocean economy for South Africa towards 2060. This proposed vision is to ABSTRACT v mitigate against future challenges, collaborate and proactively utilise the development opportunities offered by the ocean economy. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Business and Economic science, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-04
Seasonal changes of metals in the salt marsh and seagrass beds of the Swartkops Estuary
- Authors: Nel, Marelé Annette
- Date: 2022-04
- Subjects: Salt marshes--Effect of heavy metals on--South Africa--Swartkops River Estuary , Estuarine ecology --South Africa --Swartkops River Estuary
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/55734 , vital:53411
- Description: Estuaries are historically convenient places to build industries, as it was deemed a suitable place to dispose of large quantities of urban and industrial waste into the ocean. At the time it was judged to be appropriate, as rivers can transport and deposit waste into the ocean, which was considered so vast that it is insurmountable. Therefore, metal pollution in estuaries is a well-known occurrence. Coastal wetlands play an important role in the cycling of metals, and act as effective metal sinks. They provide an important ecosystem service acting as accumulators and phytostabilisers, which make toxic levels of the metals unavailable to the rest of the food chain. The overall aim of this study was to assess the metal pollution in the salt marsh (Salicornia tegetaria and Spartina maritima) and seagrass (Zostera capensis) of the heavily developed Swartkops Estuary. Assessing the metals in the estuary will provide information on effective environmental management strategies. Metal concentrations were measured in the rhizosediment of the three wetland plants, bare sediment, and in the tissues (leaves, shoots, and roots) of the selected plant species. Sampling occurred during one seasonal cycle (2019-2020), and in 5 sites along the middle and lower reaches of the estuary. Metal concentrations were not the highest closest to the point sources in the middle reaches, but the metals rather accumulated downstream in Site 3 (Tiger Bay launch site close to the WwTW) and Site 4 (Tippers’ Creek), which were depositional sites. Although these two sites generally displayed the highest metal concentrations, they also had the most seasonal fluctuations in their metal concentrations and sediment characteristics. Flushing events in spring/summer were likely the determining factor of these fluctuations. The mouth of the estuary (Site 5) consistently had much lower metal concentrations, with distinctly more sandy, low organic content sediment, due to marine-influenced flushing. Thus, spatial differences were distinct in the estuary, however seasonal differences did not play an important role in the metal concentrations, indicating that seasonal sampling was not as important as sampling in different sites. Assessing the metal concentrations in different rhizosediment gave important insights on intertidal accumulation and contrasted with the unvegetated (bare) sediment. The metals generally accumulated more, higher up the intertidal range, due to less frequent tidal inundation and flushing — so that metal accumulated in the vegetation in the following order: Z. capensis > S. maritima > S. tegetaria. Moreover, unvegetated (bare sediment) showed much lower metal concentrations compared to the rhizosediment, indicating that the vegetation trapped small particles, and changes the physical environment to concentrate metals in their rhizosphere. Lastly, the plant species all displayed good accumulation of metals in their roots, while Z. capensis also showed remarkable uptake to its leaves. The study identified S. maritima and S. tegetaria as good phytostabilisers, particularly the latter with its vi high metal stocks and slow root turnover rate. The compartmentalization in these plants were unique to each species, corroborating previous assessments that compartmentalization cannot be compared between similar life forms and genera. These results contribute to local and international research on biogeochemistry in wetlands, and assessment of pollution in developed estuaries. Of note is Z. capensis, an endemic Southern African species, which has not been analysed for compartmentalization of metals before. All three of the studied species have potential as metal accumulators, and therefore a sink of metals. They localize the metals, limiting bioaccumulation to the rest of the food chain, which reduces the ecotoxic effect of metals in the environment. Higher accumulation in vegetated (rhizosediment) over bare sediment, make these habitats valuable metal sinks. This increases their importance in estuaries receiving high pollution loads, and they should be prioritized in conservation efforts. Two sites within the Swartkops Estuary, Tippers’ Creek (Site 4) and the Launch Site (Site 3), are potential sites for long-term monitoring due their capacity to trap and accumulate metals. The results of this study will inform local management on the state of metals in the Swartkops Estuary, providing crucial information on the importance of preserving local wetlands for the purpose of regulating toxic levels of metals in the ecosystem. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Botany, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-04
Smart catchment management and application in the Swartkops River and Estuary
- Authors: Mmachaka,Thandi Nthabiseng
- Date: 2022-04
- Subjects: Estuarine ecology--South Africa--Swartkops River Estuary
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/55932 , vital:54401
- Description: The influence of urbanization and industrialization on natural resources results in complex water resource management. In South Africa, there has been escalating rural-urban migration, a growing population in urban areas, and the mushrooming of informal settlements in cities over the last five decades. In the pursuit of protecting water resources, these contextual realities create a significant challenge to policymakers, planners, and implementers. Due to rapid population growth, climate change, recent droughts, and growing competition among agricultural, industrial, commercial, environmental, and domestic sectors, water resources are presently under severe stress in South Africa. This situation necessitates the effective management of water resources. This study completed a situational assessment for the Swartkops Catchment to examine the extent of pollution, mapped sources of pollution, investigated water quality governance and identified hot spot areas to provide the foundation for effective and efficient catchment management. To determine the current water quality status of the Swartkops Catchment, this current study investigated spatial and temporal variation in physico-chemical parameters, nutrients, and faecal bacteria. This study applied a mixed-method research design using semi-structured interviews and focus groups discussions as data collection methods to investigate the water quality governance of the Swartkops Catchment. Following the situational assessment of the Swartkops Catchment, the effectiveness of applying innovative smart catchment practices to improve water quality was investigated. The word smart in this context refers to innovative mechanisms that will ensure effective and efficient water resources management. The PHP scripting language (Hypertext Preprocessor), Android studio, Wampserver, and JavaScript were used to develop the Water Use Screening System (WUSS) and Pollution Incident Reporting System (PRS). In South Africa, stormwater infrastructure suffers from unsustainable utilization. Stormwater systems discharge into many of the country‘s rivers and estuaries, including Swartkops, leading to water quality degradation. To improve the Recommended Ecological Category (REC) of the Swartkops Estuary to Category C, drivers that contribute to poor water quality must be understood to inform appropriate management interventions. Results from sampling in Markman Canal were compared with historical water quality data. The present study showed that the Markman Canal contributed faecal bacteria, nutrients, and trace metals to the Swartkops Estuary. The Markman Canal was the greatest source of trace metals to the Swartkops Estuary compared to the other point sources entering the estuary. The results show that arsenic and mercury levels in the Markman Canal and the Swartkops Estuary were higher than that previously measured. Iron and copper concentrations were higher in the Markman Canal whereas only copper increased in the Swartkops Estuary. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science, School of Environmental Sciences, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-04
The application of the prescription act in labour disputes
- Authors: Mncanca, Siyamthanda
- Date: 2022-04
- Subjects: Port Elizabeth (South Africa) , Eastern Cape (South Africa) , South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/55498 , vital:52375
- Description: It is inevitable that in an employment relationship grievances and conflicts may emerge.1 This is attested to by the large volume of 193 732 disputes that were referred to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) during the 2018/19 financial year.2 In the event where an employee is dismissed from work and he decides to challenge the dismissal, section 191 of the Labour Relations Act (LRA) grants the employee a right to refer the matter to the CCMA for conciliation or arbitration.3 The purpose of referring the disputes to the CCMA is to support an establishment of a voluntary, free of charge and expeditious mechanisms for labour disputes settlement and allow parties to resolve their disputes through a consensus based process before taking the route of a court process.4 There are time frames that are provided for the referral of disputes to the CCMA. Section 191 determines these time frames by stating that an employee must refer their alleged unfair dismissal to the CCMA within 30 days or 90 days when a dispute relates to an unfair labour practice in accordance with section 191(1)(b)(ii) of the LRA.5 The rationale behind these time frames was outlined in the Constitutional Court (CC) judgement of Toyota SA Motors (Pty) Ltd v CCMA,6 as a means to bring about the expeditious resolution of labour disputes which by their nature, require speedy resolution. , Thesis (L.L.M.) -- Faculty of Law, Mercantile Law, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-04
The criminal liability of health care practitioners for culpable homicide
- Authors: Dweba, Asavela
- Date: 2022-04
- Subjects: South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/55511 , vital:52594
- Description: South African health societies and associations have allied to call for reform in the criminal law system involving the prosecution of health care practitioners, specifically on charges of culpable homicide. Warranted by the spate of criminal prosecutions against healthcare practitioners and the need for reform, this treatise investigates the criminal liability of healthcare practitioners for culpable homicide. Overall, this study aims to determine the recognition of criminal liability of healthcare practitioners, requirements for culpability, the level of negligence that constitutes culpable homicide, and whether the South African law can adjust the threshold for criminal liability in culpable homicide. An analysis of the consequences of legal literature concerning the offence of culpable homicide and medical negligence is provided. In addition, this study examines pertinent case law to devise a strategy for law reform in South Africa and the development of common law. The study includes a comparative study of foreign jurisdictions to incorporate the position in England, Scotland, New Zealand, India, and Canada from which South Africa can adopt some principles within the South African context. The analysis revealed that South Africa has a low threshold in the form of ordinary negligence required to establish criminal liability in cases of culpable homicide while a higher threshold is required for the selected foreign jurisdictions. Furthermore, this treatise contends that the current South African criminal justice regime is lacking in identifying the ideal degree of fault required for criminal conduct. Thus, reform of South Africa’s approach in dealing with healthcare practitioners suspected/ accused of causing the death of patients under medical care is necessary. This study recommends that the South African criminal law justice system should be developed by way of legislative intervention in which ‘gross negligence or recklessness’ will serve as a measure to criminalise the conduct of healthcare practitioners. This study acknowledges the noble role played by healthcare practitioners in the society and notes that medicine is not an exact science. Therefore, this treatise does not advocate a mandatory exoneration of criminal liability of healthcare practitioners. Rather, for a fair and evidence-based prosecution of reckless medical practices. , Thesis (LLM) -- Faculty of Law, Department of Criminal and Procedural Law, 2021
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- Date Issued: 2022-04
The foraging ecology of female Cape fur seals (Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus) in South Africa
- Authors: Botha, Jonathan Aubrey , Kirkman, Stephen , Lombard, Amanda
- Date: 2022-04
- Subjects: Seals (Animals)--Habitat—Conservation , Marine ecology—South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/55965 , vital:54559
- Description: The marine environment is spatially and temporally dynamic and many marine ecosystems are experiencing impacts of broad-scale climate change. Within these ecosystems, marine predators play a crucial role in ecosystem function through their top-down influences on prey populations. These predators may also respond to bottom-up influences and changes at lower trophic levels. A thorough understanding of marine predator foraging ecology is thus important to improve our understanding of ecosystem function, inform conservation and management measures, and to predict the response of predators to future environmental change. The Cape fur seal (Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus) comprises a major proportion of the southern African marine predator biomass. However, little is known about the foraging distribution and behaviour of the species, despite its obvious importance within the ecosystem and increasing concerns regarding seal-fisheries conflict. Using a variety of technologies, including, GPS and satellite-linked tags, dive behaviour recorders, accelerometers and stable isotope analysis, this thesis investigated the foraging ecology of female Cape fur seals breeding on the coast of South Africa. First, to identify important foraging areas and assess the influence of geographic, temporal and environmental factors on these areas, lactating females from three breeding colonies were fitted with GPS or Argos-linked tracking devices, while individuals from two of these colonies were also fitted with dive behaviour recorders. Results revealed geographic differences in the foraging distributions and ranges of individuals between breeding colonies, which likely reflects a combined influence of ecological setting and density dependant competition. In addition, dive behaviour recorders revealed the occurrence of benthic foraging at both sites where they were deployed, and the dominance of this strategy in some individuals. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science, School of Environmental Sciences, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-04
The Impact of Institutional Quality on the Effectiveness of Fiscal Policy in Stimulating Economic Growth: Evidence from sub-Saharan Africa
- Authors: Moyo, Cecily
- Date: 2022-04
- Subjects: Fiscal policy , Africa, Sub-Saharan , Economic development
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/57947 , vital:58433
- Description: Over the last few decades since the independence of most African countries, which coincided with that of Asia, the economic growth between the two continents has not been the same. As an example, in the year 1965, exports and incomes per capita were much higher in Ghana compared to Korea and it was anticipated that this trend would continue into the future. But these projections were shown to be way off the mark as Koreas’ exports per capita overtook Ghana’s in 1972, and its income level surpassed Ghana’s four years later. Between 1965 and 1995 Korea’s exports increased by 400 times in current dollars. Meanwhile, Ghana’s increased only by 4 times, and real earnings per capita fell to a fraction of their earlier value (World Bank, 2000). This raises questions regarding the tools available for use in the pursuit of economic growth. This study then attempts to examine the role of institutional quality in moderating the impacts of fiscal policy on economic growth in sub-Saharan African economies. Objectives of the study firstly included the investigation of the effect of fiscal policy on economic growth, it then explored the effect of institutional quality on economic growth which was then followed by the analysis of whether the impact of fiscal policy on economic growth is dependent on institutional quality. This dissertation employs the Generalised Method of Moments to analyse the effect of fiscal policy on economic growth given institutional quality for sub-Saharan African countries for the period from 1996 to 2018. The findings show that the conduct of fiscal policy under improved institutional quality positively and significantly improve sub-Saharan African countries output. SSA countries should strengthen independent institutional bodies that prosecute economic crimes through employing participatory and transparent decision-making processes. Citizens should have freedom of association, expression and a free media. Also, African countries should support African agendas that are aligning with global development agenda. Sub-Saharan African countries should strengthen institutions that widen democratic space, civil liberty and the participation of citizen in the development agenda of a country. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Business and Economic sciences, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-04
The impact of leadership styles used by college heads on the functioning of TVET colleges in Limpopo
- Authors: Peter, Bandile
- Date: 2022-04
- Subjects: Management -- College heads , Decision-making -- post-secondary Education -- Limpopo
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , Thesis
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/56091 , vital:55321
- Description: This study sought to examine the impact of leadership styles used by college heads on the functioning of TVET colleges in Limpopo. The purpose of the study was to better understand the prevailing path-goal leadership styles among college heads, the development and communication of college’s goals, vision and mission, involvement of lecturers and students in decision-making processes, motivation of students and lecturers, and continuous monitoring in the TVET colleges. The key research question that this study was based on was: What is the impact of the leadership styles used by college heads on the functioning of Limpopo TVET colleges? A mixed methods approach was adopted with questionnaires, interviews, observations and document review as a means of data collection. College heads (campus managers and HODs), lecturers and students were participants in this study. The participants were purposefully selected in three of the seven TVET colleges in the Limpopo Province. The findings indicated that all the four path-goal leadership styles were prevalent in the college heads. However, there was poor communication of the colleges’ goals, vision and mission. The study further found that lecturers and students were not on many occasions involved in the decision-making processes. Poor monitoring by college heads was also discovered by the study. Moreover, the study uncovered that lecturers and students were not properly rewarded for good performance. The subsequent recommendations include, among others, that as in-service training, DHET should provide the opportunity for college heads to take guided leadership courses that promote path-goal leadership styles. DHET should also provide college heads with the opportunity to study and enhance their qualifications in the areas of educational management and leadership. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-04
The regulation of renewable energy in South Africa
- Authors: Van Huyssteen, Cornelis Roelof , Adelman, Sam
- Date: 2022-04
- Subjects: International law and human rights , Climatic changes -- Social aspects --South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/56382 , vital:56617
- Description: As a developing country, South Africa’s demand for electricity is accelerating in order to facilitate economic growth and provide the necessary basic services to its people. Historically, the South African government has primarily opted to cater for the country’s electricity needs by means of coal as an affordable fossil fuel-based energy source. However, amidst the world’s changing climate and the plummeting costs of renewable energy technologies, there is increasing global pressure to phase out the use of fossil fuels as the key contributor to anthropogenic climate change and to move towards renewables as the world’s main source of energy. The primary problem highlighted in this thesis is the fact that South Africa’s energy laws have been developed to accommodate fossil fuels as the main source of energy, effectively neglecting the need to incorporate provisions that support and regulate the renewable energy sector. The thesis argues for the need for South Africa to transition away from fossil-fuel and nuclear based energy solutions based on the potential of renewables not only to improve energy security, but also to contribute towards social, economic, and environmental development. However, the transition to renewables and the realisation of its associated benefits will only be realised by means of a regulatory framework dedicated to the development of the renewable energy sector. The researcher argues that, in their current form, South African laws and policies limits the growth of the renewable energy sector. In order to propose reform and to develop the law to support renewable energy sufficiently, the thesis explores international law as well as global best practice in the United Kingdom and Germany related to renewable energy regulation. The comparative analysis allows the researcher to make recommendations to inform the development of South Africa’s renewable energy legal framework. It is argued that, given South Africa’s status as a developing country, such reform must be based upon the fundamental principles of climate change mitigation and social development. Ultimately, it is submitted that, a law dedicated to renewable energy can, and must, play an imperative role in realising the concept of sustainable development in South Africa. , Thesis (LLD) -- Faculty of Law , School of Public Law, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-04
Zooplankton dynamics of Algoa Bay (South Africa) under varying oceanographic conditions
- Authors: Bizani,Mfundo
- Date: 2022-04
- Subjects: Marine zooplankton -- South Africa , Climate changes
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/55943 , vital:54554
- Description: the ecological significance of ocean plankton in terms of nutrient cycling and energy transfer is widely recognised, as is their mechanistic link with both oceanographic processes and climate. Consequently, plankton are widely regarded as sentinels of climate change, principally owing to their responsiveness to changing environmental conditions. Developing an understanding of the ecological as well as socio-economic consequences associated with changes in marine plankton dynamics has emerged as a key issue worldwide. Though many exciting advances in this respect have been attained with the aid of long-term plankton time series (>50 y), global environmental datasets and innovative meta-analyses, building deep knowledge of regional bio-physical dynamics and responses to specific perturbed states remains an essential component of the collective effort. Algoa Bay, situated on the warmtemperate south-east coast of South Africa presents a unique opportunity to study key elements of plankton ecology relevant to climate change problems in the regional sense. The embayment is locally subjected to frequent wind-driven upwelling and regionally, to periodic mesoscale oceanographic forcing (e.g., large solitary meanders, Agulhas Current intrusions), all of which culminate in a complex physical and biogeochemical environment. Using zooplankton as the focal component and drawing from a multi-year monthly dataset incorporating a bay-scale sampling framework, the present study addressed three key hypotheses pertaining to 1) drivers of spatio-temporal variability, 2) biomass rate of change over temporal scales using time-series analyses, and 3) community responses to a bay-scale biological perturbation event. Zooplankton biomass exhibited prominent seasonal patterns with bimodal peaks corresponding with near-consistent year-to-year autumn and spring blooms. Overall, the spatial trend showed no heterogeneity, though statistical significance between-station variability was noted per season. An analytical framework involving generalised additive models revealed zooplankton spatial heterogeneity in Algoa Bay to be a function of seasonal variation in a suite of physicochemical variables, including the combined effects of temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, total nitrogen and silicate, but not ammonium, phosphate or chlorophyll-a (as proxy for phytoplankton). Fronts (including river plumes), warm water intrusion from the Agulhas Current, and wind-driven upwelling were postulated to be key driving forces. Structural breaks analysis performed on station-specific time series revealed significant incremental increases in zooplankton biomass over time, which in turn, corresponded with a gradual decrease in thermocline depth. The most pronounced increasing effect was associated with a period (2013– 14) of amplified land-derived nutrient input and increasing harmful algal bloom (HAB) activity. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science, School of Environmental Sciences, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-04
An analysis of the internship programme in the Sarah Baartman Health District of the Eastern Cape: a model for effective implementation
- Authors: Feni, Monde Ludick
- Date: 2022-03
- Subjects: Internship programs , Public service employment , South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/23359 , vital:57617
- Description: The study’s main purpose was to evaluate the processes for Internship Programme Implementation in the Sarah Baartman Health District of the Eastern Cape Department of Health, to determine a Model that can be postulated for improving the Internship Programme Implementation in the Sarah Baartman Health District, wide Public Service and Private Sector. An empirical Study reveals the process for the Internship Programme Implementation has been marred with a significant number of challenges. As part of the recommendations, it was highly stressed that the Sarah Baartman Health District must adopt and embrace the Internship Programme Implementation Model in Figure 6.1 to effectively implement the Internship Programme as a means to deal with the challenges. Data was collected by the investigator from four main groups within the Sarah Baartman Health District. These were Senior Managers, Corporate Services Managers, Mentors, current and past interns. All these groups were directly involved in the internships in the Sarah Baartman Health District Health Department. The investigator got accurate and verified reflections, experiences and understandings of four constructs surrounding the internship programme and they include recruitment and employment of Interns using Best Practices, Training and Development Programmes for Interns Training, Performance Management and Development System for Interns and Mentoring as a Tool to Transfer Knowledge, Skills, Competencies and Attitudes required to Perform Optimally. During interviews, the researcher requested permission from the participants to record their responses digitally. This was done to make sure that no data was lost during the writing of responses from the participants. The questionnaires that were distributed to the interns and mentors had closed-ended questions, but the validity of the questionnaire was ensured by having a space for comments under each question to allow participants to support their answers. An analysis of the questionnaire was done by employing Microsoft Excel and statistics that are descriptive and inferential. The study findings revealed that the recruitment and employment of interns using best practices had a mean score above the required mean of 3, meaning that it is applied acceptably. As much as the construct is acceptable and meets the standard, the item in the construct that pertained to security checks for interns was not done and this is a worrying factor, meaning that the recruitment and employment of interns might be at risk of bringing in interns into the programme who are risky for the organisation. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-03
Determinants of Foreign Direct Investments into the Southern African Development Community Region: The case of financial sector development, institutional quality and financial openness
- Authors: Makalima, Sisonke
- Date: 2022-03
- Subjects: Investments, Foreign -- Africa , International finance , Monetary policy
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/21954 , vital:51855
- Description: The SADC region is a 15-member states grouping. Countries in the region have experienced low growth coupled with high levels of poverty and inequality. Attracting FDI to the region has been top priority. However, much is still to be realised. The study employed the Generalised Method of Moments (GMM) technique for the period 1980 to 2019. Empirical results show that financial sector development and financial openness are important determinants of foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows. The results also showed that institutional quality is also a very important variable in determining the inflow of FDI, even though its effect is conditional on financial sector development and financial openness. These results imply that countries with good institutional framework, as well as a developed financial sector and are financially open tend to attract more capital inflows in the form of FDI, thereby creating adequate conditions to boost private sector and investment abroad. Countries in the SADC region should therefore pursue policies which are aimed at improving the institutional framework, the level of financial sector development and further enhance the openness of their financial openness. , Thesis (MCom,) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-03
Determinants of foreign direct investments into the Southern African Development Community Region: the case of financial sector development, institutional quality and financial openness.
- Authors: Makalima, Sisonke
- Date: 2022-03
- Subjects: Investments, Foreign (International law)
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/21948 , vital:51856
- Description: The SADC region is a 15-member states grouping. Countries in the region have experienced low growth coupled with high levels of poverty and inequality. Attracting FDI to the region has been top priority. However, much is still to be realised. The study employed the Generalised Method of Moments (GMM) technique for the period 1980 to 2019. Empirical results show that financial sector development and financial openness are important determinants of foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows. The results also showed that institutional quality is also a very important variable in determining the inflow of FDI, even though its effect is conditional on financial sector development and financial openness. These results imply that countries with good institutional framework, as well as a developed financial sector and are financially open tend to attract more capital inflows in the form of FDI, thereby creating adequate conditions to boost private sector and investment abroad. Countries in the SADC region should therefore pursue policies which are aimed at improving the institutional framework, the level of financial sector development and further enhance the openness of their financial openness. , Thesis (MCom) (Economics) -- University of Fort Hare, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-03
Development of a strategy to promote prenatal physical activity participation among women in Buffalo City Municipality, South Africa
- Authors: Okafor, Uchenna Benedine https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0435-2041
- Date: 2022-03
- Subjects: Prenatal care , Exercise for pregnant women
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/22919 , vital:53218
- Description: Research has proven that prenatal physical activity practice is associated with multiple health benefits; however, most women in South Africa rarely participate in prenatal physical activity. In contrast to more developed countries, there is dearth of research focusing specifically on prenatal physical activity and exercise among South African women. Nevertheless, in order to effectively, and strategically promote such prenatal activity, such information is important to plan for an intervention strategy. The main aim of this study was to assess the level, patterns, and associated factors of prenatal physical activity; beliefs, knowledge, attitudes, perceived benefits, and sources of information women received during pregnancy; and, furthermore, to develop an effective and relevant intervention strategy to facilitate the participation in this particular activity in Buffalo City Municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Methods The study was a mixed-method, cross-sectional study design with both quantitative and qualitative data collection and analyses. The sequential explanatory design was adopted to merge and mix different datasets to be collected and analysed. The quantitative data involved a convenient sample of 1082 pregnant women in 12 randomly selected primary healthcare clinics offering antenatal health services in Buffalo City, Eastern Cape. The Pregnancy Physical Activity Questionnaire was interviewer-administered to women at each antenatal health clinic on pre-specified days, in a designated room allocated to the primary researcher by the health facility manager. The descriptive statistics were frequency distribution, percentages, mean and standard deviation. Furthermore, the bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed on two categories of participants, namely inactive or active, to determine the factors affecting prenatal physical activity behaviour. Furthermore, multiple logistic regression analyses were used to assess associations between physical activity and the predictor variables during pregnancy. Adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence interval were applied to estimate factors associated with physical activity levels, and the associations between prenatal physical activity levels and socio-demographic, lifestyle, and obstetrics characteristics were determined using a chi-squared analyses. The significance level was set at p = 0.05. In addition, a qualitative descriptive approach was applied, using semi-structured face-to-face interviews with 15 purposively selected pregnant women, as well as 17 midwives offering antenatal health-care services to pregnant women in the 12 selected healthcare clinics. Qualitative data were analysed using a thematic content analysis. To develop the physical activity strategy for the promotion of prenatal physical activity practice, three frameworks were applied, namely the Strength, Weakness, Opportunity and Threat (SWOT), the Political, Economic Growth, Socio-Cultural, Technological, Laws and Environmental (PESTLE), and, lastly, the Build, Overcome, Explore and Minimise (BOEM) analytical frameworks. To facilitate the validation of the strategy, the findings were additionally analysed, after which, appropriate intervention strategies promoting prenatal physical activity were developed by again using the SWOT and PESTLE analytical strategic frameworks. This process involved a purposive sampling of seven experts with knowledge of and a proven academic and scholarly background in prenatal physical activity and maternal health. Next, the developed physical activity strategy was presented to various stakeholders, which included six primary healthcare managers, two midwives, and pregnant women purposively selected in each of the 12 chosen antenatal health clinics for the validation process. The stakeholders discussed, deliberated on, and provided comments and opinions of the feasibility and implementation of the developed prenatal physical activity for promotion of physical activity practices in the Eastern Cape Province. Results The findings of this particular study demonstrated low levels of prenatal physical activity among pregnant women, and, further indicated that the most preferred form of activity was light-intensity and household activities. Only 278 of the women (25.7%) met recommendations for prenatal activity (≥150 min moderate intensity exercise per week). The average time spent in moderate–vigorous physical activity was 151.6 min (95% CI: 147.2– 156.0). Most of the women participated in light exercises with a mean of 65.9% (95% CI: 64.8–67.0), and 47.6% (95% CI: 46.3–48.9) participated in household activities. The majority of the women did not receive physical activity advice during prenatal care sessions (64.7%). Lower age (<19 years) (adjusted odd ratio (AOR) = 0.3; CI: 0.16–0.76), semi-urban residence (AOR = 0.8; CI: 0.55–1.03), lower educational level (AOR = 0.5; CI: 0.20–0.71), unemployment (AOR = 0.5; CI: 0.29–0.77) and nulliparity (AOR = 0.6; CI: 0.28–1.31) were negatively associated with prenatal physical activity, while prenatal physical activity was positively associated with starting physical activity in the first trimester (AOR = 1.9; CI: 1.06–3.31) compared to other trimesters. In addition, the pregnant women were aware of the safety (88.2%) and benefits of physical activity for both mother and baby (79.6%), improved labour and delivery (93.1%), promote energy (89.0%), and should be discontinued when tired (76.6%). However, they also held the contradictory belief that pregnancy is “a time to rest” (56.5%). Furthermore, the most common sources of information about prenatal physical activity were the media, television, the radio and Internet-based websites (70.2%). Most women affirmed that prenatal physical activity reduced infant weight (61.4%), lessen moodiness (90.4), decreased risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (92.9%), pregnancy-induced hypertension (92.5%), and complications at birth (97.8%), while common negative perceptions included musculoskeletal discomfort (82.7%), and back pain (85.7%). The majority of women indicated that prenatal physical activity improved self-image (95.7%), sleep patterns (94.2%), and respiratory function (95.8%). The results from the quantitative data revealed that the major modifiable barriers to prenatal physical activity were tiredness (73.3%), lack of advice from healthcare professionals (nurses/midwives) (64.7%), low energy (64.5%), and non-accessibility to physical activity facilities (63.0%). The results were confirmed in the qualitative data, based on the Ecological Model, in which women also mentioned tiredness, work and household responsibilities, a lack of motivation, and the lack of physical activity advice and information on the relevant recommendations and guidelines. Overall, 62.4% women had high knowledge regarding prenatal physical activity; and half of the women showed a positive attitude toward it (50.1%). Whilst participants had knowledge of other types of antenatal exercises, 80.9% of the women had no knowledge of swimming exercise. Negative attitudes towards physical activity included the feeling of tiredness (67.7%), lack of interest (64.8%), and inadequate information on physical activity (59.5%). In addition, the study highlighted that midwives rarely educate and counsel pregnant women about prenatal physical activity during scheduled antenatal visits, which was attributed largely to the shortage of midwives handling many responsibilities at clinics. Nevertheless, the midwives did express a willingness to provide effective physical activity education and counselling on prenatal physical activity, if supported by relevant training and workshops. Furthermore, they further recommended the use of the Mom Connect application, which is a technological device designed by the National Department of Health, to distribute relevant information about maternal and child health. The prenatal physical activity strategies developed to address the above-mentioned and other barriers associated with prenatal physical activity include the use of scientific and technological innovations to provide basic information on prenatal physical activity to pregnant women by means of Mom Connect, and, by collaborating with the various cellphone and network companies in South Africa. Another strategy was to integrate prenatal physical activity training into the curricula of the existing higher institutions of learning that provide teaching of maternal health in the Eastern Cape Province. Additional strategies included the documentation and subsequent clarification of misconceptions about the safety concerns often associated with prenatal physical activity by making the documents accessible to all women at the clinics in the form of a small pamphlet or booklet. Lastly, stakeholders suggested that the government offer periodic prenatal physical activity campaigns, which should be presented in local community town halls and clinics and by other stakeholders to address the current lack of awareness and effectively eliminate misrepresentations and falsehoods around the safety of prenatal physical activity within geographical setting of the Eastern Cape Province. Conclusion Despite the advantages of prenatal physical activity practices, most pregnant women in South Africa do not participate in moderate-intensity physical activity. Notably, while women perceive prenatal physical activity as beneficial to both mother and baby, such theoretical knowledge is not easily translatable into practice. The predominant sources of information on prenatal physical activity are the television, the radio, and other media, which may be potentially misleading or contradictory to evidence-based physical activity practice. Furthermore, tiredness, a lack of time, work and household responsibilities, and a lack of motivation were major modifiable barriers to prenatal physical activity by the women. In addition, pregnant women rarely receive information on prenatal physical activity. Consequently, to address the needs of the pregnant women as highlighted in this study, a prenatal physical activity intervention strategy was developed and validated by key stakeholders to promote prenatal physical activity and exercise practice among women, taken in account the local context. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Health Sciences, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-03
Threatened plant species in Vhembe Biosphere Reserve, Limpopo province, South Africa: Problems and prospects of conservation and utilization
- Authors: Ramarumo, Luambo Jeffrey https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2393-6982
- Date: 2022-03
- Subjects: Plants -- Extinction , Rare plants , Botany, Economic
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/22754 , vital:52738
- Description: Threatened plant species are those species that are vulnerable or at the risk of extinction. According to Version 3.1 of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)’s Red List Categories and Criteria, the three categories of threat in order of increasing risk of extinction are: Vulnerable (VU), Endangered (EN) and Critically Endangered (CR). These species are oftenly protected by both national and international obligations. Scientific evidence suggests that threatened plants are disappearing at an alarming rate. The current expansion of agricultural land, urbanization, over-exploitation of biological resources, climate change and invasive alien species are regarded as major drivers of biodiversity loss and high rate of species extinction worldwide. Scientists and conservation managers are seeking to understand and monitor plant species that are likely to be on the verge of extinction. Monitoring of threatened plants can be better achieved through insights about indigenous knowledge dynamics associated with such species. Scientific scholars including botanists, ethnobotanists, conservationists and anthropologists, all share common interest about the use of indigenous knowledge for livelihoods, scientific and economic growth. As a result, there is a growing interest on indigenous knowledge researches, particularly involving utilization and conservation of plant species. Given the fact that recent scientific evidence suggests that such studies are lacking in South African Biosphere Reserves, as well as the fact that scientist and conservation managers are seeking to understand species likely to be on the verge of extinction risk. It is within this context that this study is aimed at investigating threatened plant species utilization, conservation statuses and distribution in the Vhembe Biosphere Reserve, Limpopo Province in South Africa. The hypothesis of this study states that traditional knowledge about utilization, distribution and conservation statuses of threatened plant species provide suggestions for appropriate conservation practices. Since the current study is ethnobotanical in nature that is focusing on human interactions with plants, the research methods used addressed multidisciplinary aspects and involved disciplinary integration. An integrated participatory research approach focusing on shared learning, forging collaborative relations with participants, analyzing and validating the shared knowledge was used to document ethnobotanical data within the study area. This research approach was selected as it is considered to be a quick and effective way of acquiring data associated with indigenous knowledge systems. To offset the elements of bias during data collection, the research technique was designed to accommodate core principles that interlinked participatory rural appraisal (PRA) and rapid rural appraisal (RRA). Furthermore, the integrated core principles of participatory rural appraisal and rapid rural appraisal were used with conventional methods such as field surveys and interviews using questionnaires. Therefore, ethnobotanical data were collected through interviews with 203 participants. The data associated with threatened plant’s population size were gathered through literal counting of individual plants as per the IUCN’s Red List Criteria. Data associated with the conservation statuses were gathered from both the South African National Biodiversity Institute and IUCN databases. A total of 13 useful threatened plants belonging to 12 families were recorded with their conservation statuses ranging from being Vulnerable to Critically Endangered. The majority of the threatened plant species (46.0percent) were used for medicinal purposes only, followed by species used for medicinal purposes and as ornamentals (23.0percent). The frequently cited useful threatened species with use values (UV) > 0.024, relative frequency citation (RFC) > 0.059 and fidelity level percentage (FLpercent) > 5.911percent, included Asparagus sekukuniensis, Bowiea volubilis, Brackenridgea zanguebarica, Ocotea bullata, Rhynchosia vendae, Siphonochilus aethiopicus and Warburgia salutaris. About 47.0percent of the recorded useful threatened plants were distributed in remote areas of the Thathe Vonḓo and its surroundings. Threatened plants with population size < 100 adult individuals constituted the majority (61.54percent). Birdlime-making plant species were also documented in the current study. A total of 12 birdlime-making plants belonging to six families were recorded, including threatened Huernia nouhuysii, which is categorized as Vulnerable in South Africa. Amongst the recorded families, Loranthaceae and Euphorbiaceae were categorized as the most frequently utilized families. Among the recorded species, six of them were reported to being used in the birdlime-making for the first time and these species include Euphorbia pulvinata (17.2percent), followed by Tapinanthus forbesii (8percent), Tapinanthus rubromarginatus (7.2percent), Erianthemum ngamicum (7.2percent), Englerophytum magalismon-tanum (3.6percent), Huernia nouhuysii (2.0percent), and Euphorbia tirucalli (0.8percent). Only three plant parts were utilized for birdlime-making. The milky latex was preferred plant part (58.3percent), followed by fruit (33.3percent) and root bark (8.4percent). Birdlime-making techniques involved crushing, which accounted for 55.7percent, followed by air blown (29.6percent) and boiling (14.7percent). Furthermore, the complementary contribution of birdlime toward human development included, being used for bird hunting or trapping small birds (45.8percent), adhesion (23.2percent), teeth cleaning (17.2percent) and roof-waterproofing (13.8percent). The indigenous conservation strategies employed by participants included harvesting of single lateral root per individual medicinal plant (15.3percent), medicinal and timber materials are only harvested during winter season (16.7percent), the use of moist soil to cover injured plant part after bark harvest (18.2percent), prohibit harvesting of and/ or from an injured plant (11.8percent), collection of dried or fallen plants for firewood (8.4percent), issuing of permits by traditional council through the chief or headman to allow collection of medicinal materials and timber (9.9percent), prohibit chopping down of medicinal plant species (13.8percent) and collection of some Critically Endangered plant species such as Brackenridgea zanguebarica and Siphonochilus aethiopicus during the night by authorized people only (5.9percent). The hypothesis which stated that traditional knowledge about utilization, distribution and conservation statuses of threatened plant species provide suggestions for appropriate conservation practices can therefore, not be rejected as there is room for further and more detailed ethnobotanical investigations that is focused on human interactions with threatened plant species. The data presented in this thesis could be used as baseline information for formulating new conservation strategies, monitoring and management plans of threatened plant species not only in the Vhembe Biosphere Reserve, but in other regions of South African. This study provided insights associated with ethnomedicinal uses of Asparagus sekukuniensis, Protea laetans and Encephalartos hirsutus. Results of this study could also stimulate interest in other scientific disciplines such as the phytochemistry, pharmacology, bioprocessing, conservation and anthropology involving documentation threatened plant species. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science and Agriculture, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-03
Considering the scope of legal personality with special reference to the proposition of rights for non-human animals: the Al Shuwaikh Case and its implications for the development of South African Law
- Authors: Humpel, Daniel https://orcid.org/0009-0007-9961-6882
- Date: 2022-02
- Subjects: Animal welfare -- Law and legislation -- South Africa , Animal rights -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/28402 , vital:74290
- Description: The treatment of sheep during export processes involving the Al Shuwaikh case has raised questions again about the scope and depth of non-human animal protections in South Africa and in particular the increasingly contested legal status of non-human animals under modern South African law. Currently non-human animals are classified as legal objects/things, and thus deprived of the benefits and protections afforded human animals, who are classified as legal subjects. Legal subjectivity is in turn the exclusive attribute of one who is considered a legal person i.e., a being or entity recognized under law as having legal personality. Fromthis basic distinction and concept in the law, all of the rights duties and capacities of humans and their collective legal vehicles arise. Equally, it is from their lack of legal personality under this legal classification, that non-human animals do not have/bear rights duties and capacities, and as a consequence are subject to the treatment that would otherwise be unacceptable if they were human animals. However, while this fundamental classification might seem to be an absolute in the legal system, the concept of legal personality is in fact a malleable construct, and has in fact changed and been changed through the ages in response to changing social mores of each age. Animal rights activists suggest therefore that one solution for addressing concerns regarding animal welfare would be to extend the scope of legal personality to include non-human animals. While prima face theoretically legally possible, this suggestion has been resisted on a variety of practical and intellectual grounds, thus creating a still contested area of social, and thus by natural extension, jurisprudential debate. Differing perceptions of the full nature and current capacity of the concept of legal personality lie at the heart of the debate/this contestation. Inspired by the Al Shuwaikh case, which serves as a new millennium factual basis/lens through which to beg the question of the exclusive attribution of personality to human but not non-human animals (or indeed other living or non-living entities), this thesis thus revisits the notion of legal personality, tracking its historical development and highlighting its de facto capacity for adaptation over time to respond changing social mores. Key changes and expansions of the construct are isolated, collected and compiled to provide a grounded overview of its larger potential for adaptation. Thereafter, and as a consequence of the aforementioned, the thesis then reflects on the current animal protection regime in South Africa, with due reference to glosses, where appropriate, gained to the perspectives gained from other jurisdictions about the potential for the extension of the concept of legal personality. , Thesis (LLM) -- Faculty of Law, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-02
African birds as army ant followers
- Authors: Craig, Adrian J F K
- Date: 2022
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/448772 , vital:74759 , https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-022-01987-0
- Description: Ant-following birds have been studied extensively in the Neotropics, but much less information is currently available for the Afrotropics. There are published records of 168 African bird species from 37 families foraging in association with driver ants (Dorylus, sub-family Dorylinae). However, of 52 bird species assessed as regular ant-followers, 38 belong to three families, which are disproportionately represented compared to other large Afrotropical bird families: Muscicapidae (18 spp.), Pycnonotidae (13 spp.) and Turdidae (7 spp.). The extent to which these birds are dependent on ants through their annual cycle is not known. African driver ants forage primarily under shaded, humid conditions by day, and may spend a month or longer underground. Conservation assessments of African forest habitats suggest that both driver ants and ant-following birds may be especially sensitive to the loss of forest cover.
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- Date Issued: 2022
Can Local Knowledge of Small-Scale Fishers Be Used to Monitor and Assess Changes in Marine Ecosystems in a European Context?
- Authors: Piñeiro-Corbeira, Cristina , Barrientos, Sara , Barreiro, Rodolfo , Aswani, Shankar , Pascual-Fernández, José , De la Cruz-Modino, Raquel
- Date: 2022
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , book
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/391331 , vital:68642 , ISBN 978-3-031-01980-7 , https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-01980-7_24
- Description: Significance Statement In the last decades, many coastal areas have observed dramatic changes in marine ecosystems, due to anthropogenic and environmental alterations. The general absence of long-term data sets in the marine environment and, more specifically, on benthic and demersal communities represents a severe issue for management and conservation. We propose to incorporate the small-scale fishers’ knowledge and science for better policy recommendations, both in terms of fisheries optimization and resource conservation. Based on two different cases of study with diverse ecosystems, we explore the combination of quantitative and qualitative tools, and participative techniques used to incorporate fishers’ local ecological knowledge. The results highlight fishers’ capacity to identify coastal and marine landscapes resources and changes, reinforcing and complementing the scientific assessment.
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- Date Issued: 2022
Coastal fishes of the western Indian Ocean
- Authors: Heemstra, Phillip C. 1941- , Heemstra, Elaine , Ebert, Dave , Holleman, Wouter , Randall, John E
- Date: 2022
- Subjects: Marine fishes Indian Ocean , Marine fishes Indian Ocean Identification
- Language: English
- Type: text , book
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/310495 , vital:59157 , ISBN 978-1-990951-23-7 , ISBN 978-1-998950-35-5 , ISBN 978-1-990951-28-2
- Description: The primary purpose of this book is to provide a means of identifying the more than 3 200 species of coastal fishes known to occur in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO). Coastal fishes are those that inhabit waters generally less than ~200 m deep, the waters over continental and insular shelves, and upper continental slopes. The book also includes some oceanic species and species that live in deeper water, but are sometimes caught in trawls in less than 200 m, or that migrate into shallower waters at night to feed. The Western Indian Ocean (WIO), as treated in these volumes, is the area between Cape Point, South Africa, and 77°34' E, at Kanyakumari (formerly Cape Cormorin), the southernmost point of India, and to 40° S, just south of St Paul Island. Although considered as separate water bodies, the Red Sea and Persian/Arabian Gulf have been included. Some contributors have also chosen to include species from Sri Lanka. The region thus encompasses the entire east and southern coasts of Africa, Madagascar and the various island clusters of the Comoros, the Seychelles, the Maldive and Lakshadweep islands, the Chagos Archipelago and the islands and sea mounts of the Mascarene Plateau, to as far as 40° S, and thus some fishes from St Paul and Amsterdam Islands have been included. This large expanse, stretching from tropical waters of the northwestern Indian Ocean to the warm temperate waters of False Bay, South Africa, includes a number of poorly known biogeographic areas. A map of the entire Indian Ocean is placed on the inside front cover of each printed volume, with some areas in greater detail on the inside back cover. The book does not include distribution maps for species, but gives localities from which species are known, with emphasis on WIO localities; our understanding of distributions of many species is often incomplete. Fishes are the most abundant and diverse group of vertebrates and have colonised every aquatic habitat on Earth: the oceans, lakes, rivers and caves, from polar seas at –2 °C to hot, freshwater springs at 44 °C, and from tropical reefs and mangrove forests to the deepest ocean depths. Fishes are also the most poorly known group of vertebrates. In the 2006 edition of Joseph Nelson’s Fishes of the World the estimate of the number of species of extant fishes worldwide stood at about 23 000. This number is growing annually, and was thought to be about 33 460 species at the end of 2016 (www.fishwisepro.com). Between the years 2000 and 2015 an average of 150 new species of marine fishes were described each year – of which 10% of the total (156 species) were from the WIO. The WIO is home to about 15% of all the marine fish species in the world’s oceans. Another measure of the diversity of fishes of this area is its relatively high level of endemicity, particularly around southern Africa and in the Red Sea. About 13% of southern African marine fishes are endemic, most of these in only five families: Clinidae with about 44 endemic species, Gobiidae with 28, Sparidae with 28, Pentanchidae with 6, and Batrachoididae with 7 endemic species. In the Red Sea at least 170 of the more than 1100 species are endemic. The WIO region is also home to a large human population, representing a wide range of ethnic and cultural backgrounds. The area includes the countries of South Africa, Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya, Somalia, Eritrea, Sudan, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka, as well as the many island nations and territories. Many of the people living in coastal areas are dependent on fish catches and other marine resources for both sustenance and often a livelihood, as highly diversified artisanal fisheries make up the bulk of the fishing effort in the region. And, as elsewhere in the world, many of the fish resources have been compromised by commercial interests (including those of other countries), often leaving fish stocks in a poor state. This book has a number of purposes, all of which coalesce around providing users with a better understanding of the area’s fishes and their environment. Accordingly, it includes a number of background chapters covering subjects as diverse as the oceanography of the region, and the history and evolution of the bony fishes. In recent years genetic analysis has proved to be a powerful tool for taxonomists. In many instances molecular results have caused taxonomists to rethink both the definitions of certain taxa and the interrelationships of taxa. In some instances, what were long considered cohesive (monophyletic) taxa were found to include groups of fishes that are in fact not closely related (paraphyletic), while in other instances taxa thought to be distinct were found not to be, meriting their merging with other existing taxa. At times, long-accepted family groups have been divided into two or more distinct families, or separate families have been combined into a single one. Where possible such changes in our understanding of the relationships of fishes are reflected in these volumes. Where some contributors have taken a more conservative approach by awaiting more research and not adopting these changes, alternative taxonomies are noted (see also the introductory chapter on Naming organisms and determining their relationships). For each species in the book, the literature pertinent to that species in the WIO is given: the original species description reference, synonyms for the region and other important taxonomic and biological references. For many commercially important species or fishes of interest to anglers there is additional information on life history, size and capture, and for some but not all species, their IUCN conservation status if Near Threatened, Vulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered (in the first instance, valid at the time of writing. See www.iucnredlist.org for current information. Note: we have not included the IUCN conservation status where species are of Least Concern or Data Deficient). Most species are illustrated with photographs, drawings or paintings. Colour photographs and paintings are provided on plates for each volume. , 1st Edition
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- Date Issued: 2022