Ecology
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Snake population declines and conservation: a global synthesis, and perspectives from southern Africa, based on long-term field observations.
(2018)Amphibian and reptile declines have been documented from across the globe in recent decades. This is a result of anthropogenically driven effects including transformation of the landscape, habitat destruction, environmental ... -
Habitat use of Long-crested Eagles in human-modified landscapes of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
(2019)Loss of natural habitats due to land use change is threatening biodiversity globally, a cause for concern given the resulting loss of essential ecosystem services. Conservation of biodiversity within human-modified landscapes ... -
Management of multiple stressors to the lower reach of the Thukela River ecosystem.
(2019)South Africa is a water scarce country which is experiencing an increase in the demand and development of water resources. The Thukela River in KwaZulu-Natal is the second largest river in South Africa and the largest in ... -
Aspects of the ecology of African woolly-necked storks (Ciconia microscelis) in an anthropogenic changing landscape in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
(2018)Urbanisation is the fastest-growing forms of anthropogenic land use change and a major threat to biodiversity worldwide. However, despite the negative impacts of urbanisation on native species, some species persist in ... -
Assessment of spatial and temporal variation in water quality of the Pienaars River, Limpopo water management area.
(2018)Abstract available in pdf. -
Managing nesting hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) on a small tropical island.
(2018)Although human impact has caused the hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) to be on the brink of extinction, conservation efforts are on the increase and management strategies are being re-defined to manage the species ... -
The relative tolerance of mesic grassland species to defoliation and competition.
(2018)Effective grazing management is dependent on understanding grass species responses to herbivory. These responses to herbivory can be broadly grouped into 3 categories, namely decreaser (plants that decline in abundance) ... -
Understanding the effects of changing climate and land use on woody plant encroachment in South African grasslands and savannas.
(2017)The increase in dominance of woody species, observed in many grasslands and savannas worldwide, highlights the sensitivity of woody herbaceous biomass ratios to changed environmental conditions. While the major factors ... -
The effects of fragmentation and forest structural components on the diversity of forest bird species in Durban, South Africa.
(2018)The pressure to meet the demands of the growing human population has resulted in the conversion of a large proportion of the Earth’s natural habitats into modified landscapes. With increasing urbanisation, generalist ... -
The competitive effect of vetiver grass on native grasses and implications for grassland rehabilitation in South Africa.
(2018)Astract available in PDF file. -
Use of freshwater fish to evaluate the wellbeing of selected rivers in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
(2017)Freshwater makes up just 0.01 % of the total water on earth but the fish species inhabiting it make up around 20 % of all vertebrate species. For centuries, human settlements have relied upon freshwater fish for food, ... -
Aspects of the ecology of Cape porcupines on farmlands, peri-urban and suburban areas in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
(2018)The unprecedented changes in the environmental and ecological processes of the biosphere have led some to believe that we have transitioned into a new geological era from the Holocene. This current era is known as the ... -
Response of estuarine and freshwater macroinvertebrate assemblages to habitat, water quality, flow and land use change in the lowland Amatikulu/Nyoni catchment.
(2018)Water has become a scarce commodity in Sub-Saharan Africa and in drought prone South Africa. Due to the extensive utilization of water resources in South Africa, management and monitoring of our rivers and estuaries is ... -
Macroinvertebrates as ecological indicators of the wellbeing of the lower uMvoti and Thukela Rivers, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
(2018)The excessive use of water resources and climate change stressors is impacting the quality and quantity of surface aquatic ecosystems in South Africa, a semi-arid country. Although South Africa is considered to be a ... -
Monitoring and assessment of macroinvertebrate communities in support of river health management in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
(2017)Conservation of freshwater systems is globally weak and generally declining, with rivers and wetlands being the most threatened ecosystems by anthropogenic impacts. Though they are highly import, freshwater ecosystems ... -
The conservation ecology of the African tigerfish Hydrocynus vittatus in the Kavango River, Namibia.
(2017)Abstract available in PDF file. -
Use of ground-dwelling arthropods as bioindicators of ecological condition in grassland and forest vegetation at eThekwini Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal.
(2018)Epigaeic arthropods are among the most diverse and abundant group of animals. They are important in the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems. Assemblages of arthropods may be affected by vegetation type, seasonality and ... -
Olfactory communication of the white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum)
(2017)Many mammal species communicate olfactorily via specialised scent glandular secretions, urine and/or dung. Despite a large body of work on olfactory communication, the extent to which mammals communicate via dung odours, ... -
A biogeographic study of the KwaZulu-Natal sandstone sourveld patches within the eThekwini Municipal Area.
(2016)KwaZulu-Natal Sandstone Sourveld (KZNSS) is an endangered vegetation type in South Africa. Approximately 68% of KZNSS is transformed, with remaining patches existing within an urban and suburban matrix. Fragmented patches ... -
Varying degrees of fear : how do large herbivores adjust their anti-predator behaviour in response to different predators?
(2016)Large predators are returning to areas where they have previously been absent through both predator reintroductions and natural range expansion. As a result, these re/introductions are changing the nature of predator-prey ...
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