https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Index en-us 5 https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:71911 Wed 27 Mar 2024 10:39:41 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:74098 Wed 10 Jul 2024 16:02:39 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:72811 Tue 28 May 2024 15:52:21 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:74333 Tue 16 Jul 2024 11:50:52 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:74329 Tue 16 Jul 2024 11:22:02 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:74324 Tue 16 Jul 2024 10:40:44 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:74319 Tue 16 Jul 2024 10:26:02 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:74310 Tue 16 Jul 2024 09:37:40 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:74307 Tue 16 Jul 2024 09:09:40 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:73282 Tue 11 Jun 2024 19:37:17 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:73249 Tue 11 Jun 2024 12:18:11 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:73245 Tue 11 Jun 2024 11:50:51 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:73244 Tue 11 Jun 2024 11:31:01 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:73240 Tue 11 Jun 2024 10:47:39 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:72935 Tue 04 Jun 2024 09:17:19 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:72934 Tue 04 Jun 2024 08:40:58 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:72821 Thu 30 May 2024 15:19:48 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:72757 Thu 23 May 2024 12:35:37 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:72754 Thu 23 May 2024 12:33:21 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:72736 Thu 23 May 2024 10:26:18 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:72728 Thu 23 May 2024 10:00:39 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:72675 Thu 23 May 2024 08:54:53 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:72007 Thu 11 Apr 2024 11:27:43 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:73179 Sun 09 Jun 2024 18:24:39 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:73178 Sun 09 Jun 2024 18:16:01 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:73175 Sun 09 Jun 2024 17:39:23 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:73171 Sat 08 Jun 2024 22:47:50 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:73164 Sat 08 Jun 2024 21:19:27 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:73153 Sat 08 Jun 2024 19:25:33 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:73147 Sat 08 Jun 2024 18:08:29 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:73122 Sat 08 Jun 2024 11:36:09 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:73118 Sat 08 Jun 2024 11:01:35 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:73116 Sat 08 Jun 2024 10:54:57 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:72779 Mon 27 May 2024 13:13:53 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:72778 hawksbills > loggerheads > leatherbacks). However, sightings per unit effort (SPUE) showed that loggerheads were more prevalent than hawksbills in iSimangaliso, likely due to its proximity to this loggerhead rookery. Reefs supported mixed size aggregations with juvenile to adult-sized green turtles (straight carapace lengths, SCLs of 44.9–99.2 cm), whilst hawksbills were mostly juveniles or subadults (SCL range: 37.4–73.4 cm) and loggerheads were mostly adult-sized (SCL range: 66.9–81 cm). Adult sex ratios were slightly female-biased but not significantly different from 1:1. The longest minimum residence periods recorded for individual subadult green and hawksbill turtles (676 and 675 days respectively) and adult-sized loggerheads (621 days) were suggestive of residency. Resident sea turtle activities were typical; they wereobserved foraging, resting, cleaning and interacting year-round, whilst only loggerheads and leatherbacks were observed in breeding behaviour (e.g., patrolling and mating) just after the seasonal arrival of transient individuals. This study thus reveals that the east coast of South Africa hosts regionally important resident and transient sea turtle aggregations with some of the highest SPUE results recorded for the region. This first attempt at monitoring foraging grounds using a variety of techniques and stakeholder groups can serve as the baseline assessment for future work and the foundation for a long-term in-water monitoring programme, allowing for expansion along the entire coastline.]]> Mon 27 May 2024 12:24:52 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:73109 Mon 24 Jun 2024 17:33:01 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:74296 Mon 15 Jul 2024 16:03:02 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:74292 Mon 15 Jul 2024 15:06:59 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:74291 Mon 15 Jul 2024 14:59:26 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:74288 Mon 15 Jul 2024 14:18:21 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:74287 Mon 15 Jul 2024 14:04:22 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:74283 Mon 15 Jul 2024 13:14:27 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:74282 Mon 15 Jul 2024 12:54:09 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:74273 Mon 15 Jul 2024 11:23:05 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:74271 Mon 15 Jul 2024 10:20:16 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:74270 Mon 15 Jul 2024 09:58:43 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:74268 Mon 15 Jul 2024 09:37:47 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:73212 Mon 10 Jun 2024 19:14:50 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:72933 Mon 03 Jun 2024 15:51:46 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:72932 Mon 03 Jun 2024 15:36:53 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:72931 200 m depth) are challenging to access and remain poorly studied globally. Epifaunal invertebrates comprise a critical trophic level in benthic ecosystems and can serve as indicators of the overall health and functioning. There is limited knowledge of South Africa’s offshore marine environment and benthic ecosystem functioning due to limitations in funding, resources, and the lack of suitable science-based monitoring tools which are vital for sustainable management into the future. The aim of this research was to improve the understanding of epifaunal functioning as well as their potential physical drivers in 13 South African offshore biogeographic ecotypes. The objectives of this study were threefold: 1) to investigate the functional composition of benthic epifauna from 13 biogeographic ecotypes, 2) to quantify the Functional Diversity (FD) associated with epifaunal traits between the different assemblages (i.e. biogeographic ecotypes), and 3) to evaluate the relationship between physical variables and epifaunal functional traits at the biogeographic ecotype level. Biological trait-based approaches were applied to a subset of 80 benthic epifaunal species collected from 909 offshore stations along the west and south coasts of South Africa. Nine biological traits (associated with life history, morphology and behavioural characteristics exhibited by each species) were classified into 39 modalities and weighted with biomass. Community Weighted Means (CWMs) were used to evaluate the benthic epifaunal functional trait composition of the 13 biogeographic ecotypes. Functional composition across the 13 ecotype assemblages on the west and south coast appeared to be dominated by species with similar trait compositions, such as large, long-lived, surface crawling/burrowing/filter-feeding epifauna with medium to no mobility, however, their percentage of contribution to trait expression (CWMs) was higher on the west coast. Functional diversity indices (alpha and beta) showed higher overall FD for west coast ecotypes, with most ecotypes on the continental shelf (except slopes and canyons) being significantly different (p<0.05) from ecotypes on the south coast. The global RLQ (three-table co-inertia) test did not reveal a significant relationship between biomass and physical variables or between biomass and traits (p>0.05). The fourth-corner method was used to test the significance of individual traitenvironment relationships. The fourth-corner results were similar overall to the RLQ analysis, revealing that three physical variables (temperature, depth, and fluorescence) were significantly correlated to two trait modalities belonging to the feeding mode filter-feeders (FM1) and scavengers (FM5). Scavengers were positively correlated with depth and negatively with temperature, while filter-feeders were positively correlated with fluorescence levels. This indicated that the presence of scavenging epifauna increased with a decrease in temperature and an increase in depth. While a positive significant correlation between filter-feeders and fluorescence suggested their potential tolerance or preference for environmental conditions with high levels of fluorescence. This research was the first such study to explore the functional composition and diversity of benthic epifauna and their relationship with potential physical drivers in offshore west and south coast benthic biogeographic ecotypes of South Africa. The application of new tools to quantify the functional diversity of epifauna as indicators of ecosystem health, and their potential physical drivers. This provided a platform on which to advance our understanding of benthic communities and the roles they play in ecosystem functioning under changing environments. Functional trait-based approaches such as those applied in this study can provide us with vital information on the relationship between biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, and physical drivers. Environmental stressors and changing climate patterns threaten to impact marine ecosystems and their functioning. Benthic epifauna are especially sensitive to changes in their environment and these fluctuations could potentially lead to the loss of certain benthic functionality, altering the thresholds these ecosystems have to response to disturbances. This undermines the stability of these ecosystems which can have ripple effects on the health of these ecosystems and their ability to provide the ecosystem services humans dependent on. Having suitable tools to track current and predict future changes will therefore be vital to inform management and conservation strategies for sustainable ocean utilisation.]]> Mon 03 Jun 2024 15:17:03 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:72925 Mon 03 Jun 2024 14:40:41 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:72907 Mon 03 Jun 2024 12:33:03 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:72887 Mon 03 Jun 2024 12:06:31 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:72906 Mon 03 Jun 2024 11:17:32 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:72899 100 years) and harbours forest species, many of which were vertical growers. The second unit, thicket, is exposed to moderate levels of fire frequency (50-100 years) and is dominated by lateral spreaders. The last unit, fynbos-thicket, is exposed to high levels of fire frequency (10-50 years) and here hedge-forming shrubs dominate the canopy cover. Forest-thicket and fynbos-thicket had a diverse set of shrub species with many being restricted to their respective vegetation type, whereas thicket had a lower diversity with no unique shrub species.]]> Mon 03 Jun 2024 09:44:46 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:72828 Fri 31 May 2024 14:09:47 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:72827 Fri 31 May 2024 13:48:47 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:72826 Fri 31 May 2024 13:20:48 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:72825 Fri 31 May 2024 12:52:54 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:72824 Fri 31 May 2024 10:41:16 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:72823 Fri 31 May 2024 10:32:54 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:72822 Fri 31 May 2024 10:11:48 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:74295 Fri 19 Jul 2024 10:12:20 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:74237 Fri 12 Jul 2024 15:55:39 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:74236 Fri 12 Jul 2024 15:41:56 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:74234 Fri 12 Jul 2024 15:07:28 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:74231 Fri 12 Jul 2024 14:32:43 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:74228 Fri 12 Jul 2024 14:04:43 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:74221 Fri 12 Jul 2024 13:01:15 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:74217 Fri 12 Jul 2024 12:40:19 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:74213 Fri 12 Jul 2024 12:27:26 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:74206 Fri 12 Jul 2024 12:05:58 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:74204 Fri 12 Jul 2024 11:50:53 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:74200 Fri 12 Jul 2024 11:29:36 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:74199 Fri 12 Jul 2024 10:54:51 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:74193 Fri 12 Jul 2024 09:51:51 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:74186 Fri 12 Jul 2024 09:03:19 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:74185 Fri 12 Jul 2024 08:42:22 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:73107 Fri 07 Jun 2024 20:31:16 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:73104 Fri 07 Jun 2024 20:00:15 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:73103 Fri 07 Jun 2024 19:45:57 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:73098 Fri 07 Jun 2024 18:49:59 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:73097 Fri 07 Jun 2024 18:42:51 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:73085 Fri 07 Jun 2024 14:21:25 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:73084 Fri 07 Jun 2024 14:09:22 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:73081 Fri 07 Jun 2024 13:35:40 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:73080 Fri 07 Jun 2024 13:19:40 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:73078 Fri 07 Jun 2024 12:59:51 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:73074 Fri 07 Jun 2024 11:41:56 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:73071 Fri 07 Jun 2024 11:29:32 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:73070 0.05). Gender and the responses to who is at risk of getting infected with intestinal parasites had a statistically significant (p<0.05) relationship. Intestinal parasite prevalence from 2012 to 2020 in SBDM was 46.37% which means it was close to half of the sampled population. Males had the highest prevalence as compared to females, with a prevalence of 53.1% xvi in males and 46.9% in females. The highest disease infection was found between ages one and six years. Conclusion: The researcher concluded that the overall awareness, attitudes and practices on intestinal parasites in SBDM were poor. The intestinal parasites present in SBDM were Cytoisospora belli (35.4%) and Giardia lamblia (35.4%), Ascaris lumbricoides (17.7%), Trichuris trichiura (3%), and Taenia species (2%). The study also revealed that the prevalence of intestinal parasites was low from 2012 to 2020. Recommendations were made with an emphasis on education to increase disease prevention and control awareness.]]> Fri 07 Jun 2024 11:22:47 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:73067 Fri 07 Jun 2024 11:11:41 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:73065 Fri 07 Jun 2024 11:04:04 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:73062 Fri 07 Jun 2024 11:01:30 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:73061 Fri 07 Jun 2024 10:47:31 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:73059 Fri 07 Jun 2024 10:40:28 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:73057 Fri 07 Jun 2024 10:34:08 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:73055 Fri 07 Jun 2024 10:32:51 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:73046 Fri 07 Jun 2024 09:57:51 SAST ]]>