Masters Degrees (Environmental Science)
Recent Submissions
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Modeling and explaining the distribution of Lantana camara in South African savanna ecosystems.
(2019)Globally, the Invasive Alien Plant (IAPs) species pose a great threat to global biodiversity, agro-ecological systems and socio-economic development. In particular, Lantana camara (L. camara) is amongst the most notorious ... -
Multi-date remote sensing assessment of invasive Lantana camara species distribution in semi-arid savanna rangelands of South Africa.
(2019)Invasive alien species pose a massive threat to biodiversity globally. A comprehensive analysis of the spatial distribution of invasive species, like Lantana camara, is essential for providing appropriate management ... -
The integration of biodiversity in local land-use planning: Gert Sibande District Municipality, South Africa.
(2020)Twenty-five years after the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), much emphasis has been placed on the integration of biodiversity priorities and concerns into the development sectors. South Africa has made substantial ... -
The use of machine learning algorithms to assess the impacts of droughts on commercial forests in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
(2020)Droughts are a non-selective natural disaster in that their occurrence can be in both high and low precipitation areas. However, this study acknowledged that droughts are more recurrent and a regular feature in arid and ... -
The utility of Sentinel-2 MSI to assess wetland vegetation chlorophyll content and leaf area index in wetland areas in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal.
(2020)Wetland ecosystems are being modified and threatened due to anthropogenic activities and climate change, hence the urgent need for wetland restoration. Wetland rehabilitation is important in the reversal of these dire ... -
People's perceptions of flood hazards and their attitudes towards resettlement: a case study of the community of Azalea in the Greater Edendale Complex, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
(1997)The thesis addresses flooding as a natural disaster which has, on occasions, occurred in many parts of South Africa, especially in KwaZulu-Natal and Orange Free State. The prevailing impression is that the flood ... -
Towards an understanding of the social learning dynamic in the advancement of rhinoceros anti-poaching in the iMfolozi Game Reserve.
(2012)In the iMfolozi Game Reserve, illegal rhinoceros killings have increased by an order of magnitude since 2007 when only 1 rhinoceros was poached. In the years since then 6 were killed in 2008, 10 in 2009, 14 in 2010 and 9 ... -
Sources of soil erosion in the Hazelmere catchment KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
(2002)Sedimentation of reservoirs is of major concern, particularly in South Africa where water resources are scarce. When a reservoir is filled with sediments, it is not only the water storage capacity which is reduced but ... -
Application of theory U to assess the implementation possibilities of a co-existence agenda at Panna Tiger Reserve, India.
(2012)This thesis develops understanding on the prospects of successfully implementing a co-existence buffer zone agenda around the Panna Tiger Reserve by its management. Fostering co-existence of humans and wildlife in the ... -
Climate change projections and public behaviour towards adopting integrated mitigation and adaptation approaches at a household level in urban areas, the eThekwini Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal.
(2018)Globally since the 1970s, the temperature has increased rapidly and remains unpredictable because of its accelerating pace (Thompson, 2010). This has increased the frequency and intensity of daily temperature, together ... -
Detecting and mapping the habitat suitability of the Cossid Moth, (Coryphodema tristis) on Eucalyptus nitens in Mpumalanga, South Africa.
(2018)Cossid moth (Coryphodema tristis) is an indigenous wood-boring insect that presents serious environmental, ecological and economic problems globally. An extensive analysis of the current spatial distribution ... -
Using remote sensing to estimate the impacts of wattle species on native grass vegetation.
(2018)This study was stimulated by the long standing challenge of the lack of suitable satellite data with optimal temporal, spectral, and spatial resolutions to monitor rangelands. The study, therefore, sought to evaluate the ... -
Commercial forest species discrimination and mapping using cost effective multispectral remote sensing in midlands region of KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa.
(2018)Discriminating forest species is critical for generating accurate and reliable information necessary for sustainable management and monitoring of forests. Remote sensing has recently become a valuable source of information ... -
Significance of local topographic variables in commercial forest operations in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
(2019)The planning and management of forest operations is a complex task. This complexity is attributed to the variability of forest plantations’ site and topographic conditions. Therefore, there is a need for an integrated ... -
Modelling biomass of the rehabilitation forest around the Buffelsdraai landfill site using remote sensing data, Durban, South Africa.
(2017)Forests have important roles in ecosystem service provisions and maintenance of the global carbon cycle hence they are one of the main subjects of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change which recommends strategies ... -
Use of remote sensing in landscape-scale vegetation degradation assessment in the semi- arid areas of the Save catchment, Zimbabwe.
(2019)The deteriorating condition of land in parts of the world is negatively affecting livelihoods, especially, in rural communities of the developing world. Zimbabwe has experienced significant vegetation cover losses, ... -
Reproductive biology of Canna species naturalized in southern Africa.
(2018)Invasive species have many deleterious effects, including ecological and economic impacts. Invasiveness of exotic plant species has been linked to various attributes, including reproductive traits such as potential for ... -
Spatial-temporal mapping of Parthenium (P. HysterophoruL) in the Mtubatuba municipality, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
(2017)Detecting and mapping the occurrence, spread, and abundance of Alien Invasive Plants (AIPs) have recently gained substantial attention, globally. Therefore, the present study aims to assess remote sensing application for ...