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Ecological status of species on grazing gradients on the shallow soils of the western grassland biome in South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: Journal of the Grassland Society of Southern Africa • Authors: O.J.H. Bosch --- Department Botany, F.P. Janse vanRensburg --- Department Botany,Grasses on the shallow soils of the western grassland biome of South Africa were classified on their ecological status on the basis of their reaction to grazing. Vegetation data were gathered in such a way that those of different successional... -
The influence of soil type, soil water content and temperature on atrazine persistence
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: South African Journal of Plant and Soil • Authors: C.F. Reinhardt --- Department of Plant Production, Republic of South Africa P.C. Nel --- Department of Plant Production, Republic of South AfricaMontmorillonite clay type soils have been implicated in cases where the excessive persistence of atrazine caused damage to sensitive follow-up crops. A study was conducted to evaluate the influence of temperature and soil water content on the persistence of atrazine... -
Long-term effects of conservation practices on the nitrogen fertility of a soil cropped annually to wheat
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: South African Journal of Plant and Soil • Authors: G.H. Wiltshire --- Department of Soil Science, Republic of South Africa C.C. du Preez --- Department of Soil Science, Republic of South AfricaSustainable farming in the semi-arid interior of South Africa requires the adoption of conservation practices to maintain and, if possible, increase soil fertility. The effects of some such practices on the nitrogen fertility of a hydromorphic sandy clay loam soil... -
Heat-shock protein synthesis in cotton is cultivar dependent
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: South African Journal of Plant and Soil • Authors: J.A. de Ronde --- , Republic of South Africa A. van der Mescht W.A. Cress --- Department of Botany, Republic of South AfricaThe synthesis of heat-related proteins in six cotton cultivars was examined. The protein profiles of heat-stressed plants were highly cultivar specific. Heat-related proteins did not result from protein degradation. Recovery to normal protein synthesis occurred within an hour after the... -
The effect of oven-drying on residual inorganic nitrogen in soils
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: South African Journal of Plant and Soil • Authors: G.H. Wiltshire --- Department of Soil Science, Republic of South Africa C.C. du Preez --- Department of Soil Science, Republic of South AfricaResidual ammonium nitrogen in soils which were dried in an oven increased, whereas residual nitrate nitrogen remained almost constant. This observation led to experiments which help to explain the accumulation of ammonium nitrogen in oven-dried soils. It was found that... -
Soils and the environment: the past 25 years
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: South African Journal of Plant and Soil • Authors: J.L. Schoeman --- , Republic of South Africa P.W. van Deventer --- , Republic of South AfricaLocal work on selected environmental impacts on soil quality and the role of soils in the attenuation of environmental pollution is reviewed. Examples of negative impacts from mining, industries, urbanization, agriculture and forestry abound. The safe and sustainable use of... -
FISH CONSERVATION IN SOUTH AFRICAN ESTUARIES: PRESSURES, PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: Southern African Journal of Aquatic Sciences • Authors: D.P. Cyrus --- Coastal Research Unit of Zululand, Zoology Department, South AfricaA review of the conservation status of fish in the estuarine environment around the South African coastline reveals that some species face serious problems associated either with habitat destruction, and its associated biological, physical and chemical components or exploitation. The... -
Defining function in rangelands of the Peddie district, Eastern Cape, using Landscape Function Analysis
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: AR Palmer FJ Killer AM Avis D TongwayPortions of natural rangeland in the Great Fish River Valley have been defined as degraded by several studies using vegetation analysis techniques. It was considered desirable that soil surface condition should also be described to provide an index of landscape... -
Tree canopies facilitate invasion of communal savanna rangelands by Lantana camara
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: J G Rodger W C TwineThis study investigated pattern in the distribution of the alien invasive shrub, Lantana camara L., in communal versus conservation land-use in a lowveld savanna. Pattern was investigated relative to land-use type, and sub- or inter-canopy micro-sites. Lantana was significantly more... -
Soil seed bank evaluation and seedling establishment along a degradation gradient in a semi-arid rangeland
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: HA SnymanThe effects of rangeland degradation on the size and species composition of the seed bank and seedling establishment in the field were quantified over a two year period (2000–2001 and 2001–2002 growing seasons). Soil seed bank sampling was carried out... -
Rangeland assessment and monitoring: the elusive elixir
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: P.J.K. Zacharias'Classical' rangeland monitoring is discussed in the context of its fitness-for-purpose. The theoretical or descriptive models that underpin global approaches are considered and reviewed. The needs and types of measurements are discussed as are developments in southern Africa over three... -
Remote sensing and change detection in rangelands
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: AnthonyR. Palmer Alex FortescueDuring the 20 th century, we have witnessed an improvement in the quality of imagery available for rangeland auditing, from the earliest mono-chromatic aerial photographs, followed by the first infra-red images, to the abundance of high resolution, multi-spectral imagery currently... -
A comparison of the effects of different rangeland management systems on plant species composition, diversity and vegetation structure in a semi-arid savanna
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: M Smet D WardMost of South Africa's land surface is arid or semi-arid rangeland. Three management systems exploit these areas: commercial livestock ranching, communal livestock ranching and game ranching. The ways in which these management systems affect rangeland ecology is contentious due to... -
Factors affecting in sacco dietary degradation by Ankole cattle grazing natural range pastures in Uganda
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: S Okello EN Sabiiti HJ SchwartzThe in sacco disappearance of dietary dry matter after 48h of incubation in the rumen (DMd) was examined for its relationship with seasonal changes in neutral detergent fibre (NDFd), crude protein (CPd), cellulose (CELL), hemicellulose (HCELL), acid detergent lignin (ADLd)... -
Effects of land tenure, geology and topography on vegetation and soils of two grassland types in South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: S Vetter WM Goqwana WJ. Bond WW TrollopeA national degradation audit conducted in South Africa in the late 1990s found communal land tenure to be the strongest predictor of vegetation and soil degradation, while abiotic factors such as geology, slope and aspect were also correlated with degradation... -
Brushpiles and dung as rehabilitation patches: effect on soil resources in degraded succulent thicket, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: WB Todkill GIH Kerley EE CampbellA substantial portion of the Thicket Biome in the Eastern Cape has been transformed by overgrazing. An experimental rehabilitation study of degraded succulent thicket was initiated to determine whether increasing the patchiness on the landscape would result in an increase... -
Rangeland condition and trend in the semi-arid Borana lowlands, southern Oromia, Ethiopia
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Gemedo-Dalle BL Maass J IsselsteinRangeland condition assessment was conducted in the Borana lowlands, southern Ethiopia to determine the current status and future trend of the grazing land with emphasis on comparing different functional land use units, called Kalo, Worra and Foora. An approach that... -
Using rain-use efficiency to explore livestock production trends in rangelands in the Transkei, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: AR Palmer A AinslieWe qualitatively describe the condition of communally managed rangelands in the Transkei, South Africa, using GIS and high resolution near-infrared imagery. Using livestock census data from 28 magisterial districts in the Transkei, we explored the trends in livestock biomass from... -
Dry matter yield of herbaceous rangeland plants and livemass gain of Tswana steers in eastern Botswana in response to stocking rate and phosphorus supplementation
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: G. Tacheba --- Department of Agricultural Research, Botswana W.N. Mphinyane --- Department of Agricultural Research, BotswanaTswana steers were continuously grazed at stocking rates of 3, 6, and 9 ha LSU‐1 in two blocks, and steers in one block were supplemented with phosphorus. Dry matter yield of herbaceous rangeland plants was measured at the end of... -
Implications of changes to the transhumance system for conservation of the mountain catchments in eastern Lesotho
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: T. Quinlan --- Institute for Social and Economic Research, Republic of South Africa C.D. Morris --- Agricultural Research Council, Republic of South AfricaThe mountain catchments above 2 750 m a.s.l. in eastern Lesotho are a proclaimed Managed Resource Area (MRA) as a result of official concern about degradation of the grasslands of the alpine belt, and of recent parastatal interventions in the... -
Impacts of high utilisation pressure on biodiversity components in Colophospermum mopane savanna
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: MC Rutherford --- SANBI, Applied Biodiversity Research Division, South Africa LW Powrie --- SANBI, Applied Biodiversity Research Division, South Africa DI Thompson --- NRF/SAEON, South AfricaThis study aimed to quantify and evaluate the effects of heavy land utilisation, mainly grazing, on plant species richness and diversity, species abundance, vegetation structure and soil characteristics in a communal area in Colophospermum mopane dominated savanna in southern Africa... -
Degradation of communal rangelands in South Africa: towards an improved understanding to inform policy
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: AnthonyR Palmer --- , South Africa JamesE Bennett --- Department of Geography, Environment and Disaster Management and Centre for Agroecology and Food Security, UKIn South Africa, the relative extent of range degradation under freehold compared to communal tenure has been strongly debated. We present a perspective on the processes that drive rangeland degradation on land under communal tenure. Our findings are based on... -
A description of rangeland on commercial and communal land, Peddie district, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: L.N. Kiguli A.R. Palmer A.M. AvisAnalysis of a Landsat TM image from a rangeland near Peddie, Eastern Cape, revealed differences in two vegetation indices (normalised difference vegetation index, NDVI, and moving standard deviation index, MSDI) between communal and commercial rangeland. It was suggested that the... -
Impact of abattoir waste on Woji Creek, Port Harcourt, Nigeria, using physicochemistry and macrozoobenthic diversity indices
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: N Zabbey --- Department of Animal Science and Fisheries, Nigeria I Etela --- Department of Animal Science and Fisheries, NigeriaThe impact of waste discharge from Zoo abattoir, Port Harcourt, on the environmental quality of Woji Creek was studied from April 2001 to March 2002 using physicochemistry and diversity of benthic animals as indicators. Priority physicochemical parameters (total suspended solid,... -
Organic matter fuel briquettes as a forest conservation tool in Lake Malawi National Park
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: The Southern African Forestry Journal • Authors: S. Rantala --- WWF Finland, Finland T. Tyynelä --- MTT Agrifood Research, Finland M. Vickers --- , USAEnvironmental degradation including deforestation is of great concern in the whole of sub-Saharan Africa, even in many protected areas. One of them is Lake Malawi National Park (LMNP), which encases the most populated village in Malawi, Chembe. The rise in... -
Human impact on lake ecosystems: the case of Lake Naivasha, Kenya
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: GeorgeE Otiang'a-Owiti Ignatius Abiya OsweLake Naivasha is a wetland of national and international importance. However, it is under constant anthropogenic pressures, which include the quest for socioeconomic development within the lake ecosystem itself as well as other activities within the catchment. The lake is... -
Response of resident bacteria in a tropical detergent effluent-polluted stream to linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS)
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: Kit EniolaBacteria were isolated from a tropical detergent-polluted stream, and their responses to linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) were investigated. The responses of the resident bacteria were assessed in terms of their ability or failure to grow in the presence of LAS... -
Spatial diversity of nematode and copepod genera of the coral degradation zone along the Kenyan coast, including a test for the use of higher-taxon surrogacy
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Marine Science • Authors: M De Troch M Raes A Muthumbi H Gheerardyn A VanreuselThe biodiversity of meiofauna in the coral degradation zone along the Kenyan coast was examined with special emphasis on the most abundant taxa, Copepoda and Nematoda. Communities from three microhabitat types (coralline sediment, coral gravel and coral fragments) at two... -
Climate change and desertification in South Africa—science and response
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: ERM Archer --- Climate Change, South Africa MA Tadross --- Climate Systems Analysis Group, South AfricaDespite significant attention paid to desertification and climate change in the last few decades, interactions between the phenomena, as well as implications thereof, have received less of a focus. Such a trend is particularly marked in the science– policy arena,... -
A conceptual tool for improving rangeland management decision-making at grassroots level: the local-level monitoring approach
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: K Kellner --- School of Environmental Sciences and Development, South Africa AS Moussa --- School of Environmental Sciences and Development, South AfricaFor many years, rangeland monitoring has mainly been the field of scientists, academics and extension workers trying to fine-tune methods to assess the condition of rangelands. Frameworks and monitoring systems developed with their associated indicators are often complex and inaccessible... -
Restoring bare patches in the Nama-Karoo of South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: N Visser C Morris MB Hardy JC BothaOften veld degrades to a point beyond which vegetation cover, plant density and species composition do not recover despite the removal of the grazing impact. In such cases restoration interventions become necessary to assist with the re-establishment of vegetation. The... -
A facilitated process towards finding options for improved livestock production in the communal areas of Sterkspruit in the Eastern Cape province, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: WM Goqwana C Machingura Z Mdlulwa R Mkhari O Mmolaeng AO SelomaneA participatory multi-stakeholder process of finding options for improving livestock production in the severely degraded communal grazing area of Sterkspruit in South Africa was conducted. Interviews were conducted with individual livestock keepers from two sites to gather data on their... -
Exploring differences of soil quality as related to management in semiarid rangelands in the western Bophirima District, North West province, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: AS Moussa L van Rensburg K Kellner A BationoDifferences in land-use management may result in different rangeland condition (soil, vegetation and biodiversity) and productivity. Vegetation condition in contrasting land-use management systems is well documented in semiarid rangelands, but relatively little information is available on soil quality. This study... -
Testing for a decline in secondary productivity under desertification in subtropical thicket, South Africa, using Angora goats: lessons for experimental design
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: TA Milne --- Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Department of Zoology, South Africa GIH Kerley --- Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Department of Zoology, South AfricaThere are few tests of the predicted decline of secondary productivity in desertified rangelands, despite this being one of the major concerns around desertification. Subtropical thicket, largely used for goat pastoralism, suffers extensive transformation typical of desertification. We measured body... -
The influence of South Africa's post-apartheid land reform policies on bush encroachment and range condition: a case study of Fort Beaufort's municipal commonage
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: James R Puttick --- Plant Conservation Unit, Department of Biological Sciences, South Africa M Timm Hoffman --- Plant Conservation Unit, Department of Biological Sciences, South Africa James Gambiza --- Department of Environmental Science, South AfricaWe examined the effect of changes in land use and land tenure on bush encroachment and vegetation condition. An analysis of aerial photographs from three time steps (1949, 1985 and 2004) was used to document changes in woody plant density... -
The impact of land use on woody plant cover and species composition on the Grahamstown municipal commonage: implications for South Africa's land reform programme
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: James R Puttick --- Plant Conservation Unit, Department of Biological Sciences, South Africa M Timm Hoffman --- Plant Conservation Unit, Department of Biological Sciences, South Africa James Gambiza --- Department of Environmental Science, South AfricaUsing an analysis of aerial photographs from 1942, 1985 and 2004 we assessed the impact of changing land tenure and land-use regimes on the cover of thicket vegetation on the Grahamstown commonage. Land-use impacts were examined by comparing plant species... -
Population decline of the black and white colobus monkey (Colobus guereza) in the Kakamega Forest, Kenya
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Zoology • Authors: Frank A. von Hippel --- Environment and Natural Resources Institute and Department of Biological Sciences, U.S.A. Howard Frederick --- Wildlife Awareness Foundation, Kenya Elsa Cleland --- Department of Biological Sciences, U.S.AGroups of black and white colobus monkeys, or guerezas (Colobus guereza), in a study site in the Kakamega Forest, Kenya, have declined in number from 18 groups in 1992 to 12 groups in 1998. This decline occurred largely in the... -
Determining adrenocortical activity as a measure of stress in African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) based on faecal analysis
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Zoology • Authors: A. Ganswindt --- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, South Africa A.S.W. Tordiffe --- National Zoological Gardens of South Africa, South Africa E. Stam --- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, South Africa M.J. Howitt --- National Zoological Gardens of South Africa, South Africa F. Jori --- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, South AfricaLittle is known about the levels of stress experienced by African buffalos affected by injury, disease, or socio-ecological and anthropogenic factors. To be able to start filling this gap, we examined the suitability of two 11-oxoaetiocholanolone enzyme-immunoassays (EIAs) detecting 11,17... -
Managing cultivated pastures for improving soil quality in South Africa: challenges and opportunities
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Pieter A Swanepoel --- Department of Agronomy, South Africa Philip R Botha --- Directorate Plant Services, Western Cape Department of Agriculture, South Africa Chris C du Preez --- Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences, South Africa Hennie A Snyman --- Animal, Wildlife and Grassland Sciences, South Africa Johan Labuschagne --- Directorate Plant Sciences, Western Cape Department of Agriculture, South AfricaLoss of productive agricultural land due to soil degradation poses a serious threat to agricultural output and sustainability. Soil degradation of cultivated pastures manifests as a long-term decline in production potential. There are concerns that soils under pastures in certain... -
A survey for the Critically Endangered Liben Lark Heteromirafra archeri in Somaliland, north-western Somalia
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: Ostrich: Journal of African Ornithology • Authors: Michael SL Mills --- Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST–NRF Centre of Excellence, South Africa Callan Cohen --- Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST–NRF Centre of Excellence, South Africa Julian Francis --- Tolpuddle Manor, UK Claire N Spottiswoode --- Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST–NRF Centre of Excellence, South AfricaThe Critically Endangered Archer's Lark (now Liben Lark) Heteromirafra archeri was formerly considered to be endemic to north-western Somalia and known only from the Tog Wajaale Plain, where 18 specimens were collected between 1918 and 1922. Fifteen visits between 1970... -
Population status of black and white colobus monkeys (Colobus guereza) in Kakamega Forest, Kenya: are they really on the decline?
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Zoology • Authors: Peter J. Fashing --- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology, U.S.AEastern black and white colobus monkeys, or guerezas (Colobus guereza), are among the few primate species that have traditionally been regarded as not being adversely affected by habitat degradation. This view was recently challenged by von Hippel et al. (2000)... -
The impact of livestock grazing management systems on soil and vegetation characteristics across savanna ecosystems in Botswana
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Olaotswe E Kgosikoma --- Department of Agricultural Research, Botswana Witness Mojeremane --- Botswana College of Agriculture, Botswana Barbra Harvie --- University of Edinburgh, UKThe objective of this study was to determine the impact of livestock grazing management systems on soil and vegetation dynamics under different environmental conditions of Botswana. Soil and vegetation were randomly sampled along transects located in three ranches and adjacent... -
Effect of integrated soil bunds on key soil properties and soil carbon stock in semi-arid areas of northern Ethiopia
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: South African Journal of Plant and Soil • Authors: Birhane Tadesse --- Natural Resource Management, Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ethiopia Shimbahri Mesfin --- Department of Land Resource Management and Environmental Protection, Ethiopia Girmay Tesfay --- Department of Natural Resource Economics and Management, Ethiopia Fetien Abay --- Department of Dryland Crop and Horticultural Science, EthiopiaLand degradation is a serious global problem. To reclaim degraded land, many soil bunds have been implemented. However, their effectiveness has not been studied in all regions of Ethiopia. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of... -
The scale effect of economic development and freshwater quality in Nigeria: Environmental pollution of the Lower River Niger Basin
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Science, Technology, Innovation and Development • Authors: Chigozie Damian Ezeonyejiaku --- Department of Zoology, Nigeria Maximilian Obinna Obiakor --- School of Environmental and Rural Science, Australia Dymphna Javier --- School of Environmental and Rural Science, Australia Ikem Innocent Ifedigbo --- Department of Zoology, Nigeria Hamilton Chukwuebuka Obiakor --- Department of Public Administration, NigeriaRiver Niger is the third-longest river in Africa and the longest river in West Africa. The river basin traverses West and Central African countries, and forms a coastal delta (in southern Nigeria) where it empties into the Atlantic Ocean. The... -
Carbon stocks and productivity of mangrove forests in Tanzania
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: Southern Forests: a Journal of Forest Science • Authors: Marco A Njana --- National Carbon Monitoring Centre, Tanzania Eliakimu Zahabu --- National Carbon Monitoring Centre, Tanzania Rogers E Malimbwi --- Department of Forest Mensuration and Management, TanzaniaMangroves offer a number of ecosystem goods and services, including carbon (C) storage. As a carbon pool, mangroves could be a source of CO2 emissions as a result of human activities such as deforestation and forest degradation. Conversely, mangroves may... -
An overview of themes in the agrarian and environmental history of the Karoo since c.1800
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: William Beinart --- African Studies Centre, UKThis article explores some themes in the agrarian and environmental history of the Karoo since 1800. It argues that environmental change cannot be understood without incorporating social, economic and political history. This is especially so in the case of the... -
Long-term impacts of livestock grazing and browsing in the Succulent Karoo: a 20-year study of vegetation change under different grazing regimes in Namaqualand
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Elelwani Nenzhelele --- Department of Biological Sciences, South Africa Simon W Todd --- South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON): Arid Lands Node, South Africa M Timm Hoffman --- Plant Conservation Unit, Department of Biological Sciences, South AfricaThis study used a fence-line contrast approach to investigate the long-term impact of high grazing pressure on the vegetation at a site in Namaqualand, South Africa. Forty pairs of permanently marked plots were surveyed in 1996, 2006 and 2016. The... -
Seabird breeding populantions decrease along the arid coastline of South Africa’s Northern Cape province
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: Ostrich: Journal of African Ornithology • Authors: Robert JM Crawford --- Branch Oceans and Coasts, Department of Environmental Affairs, South Africa Bruce M Dyer --- Branch Oceans and Coasts, Department of Environmental Affairs, South Africa Louise Geldenhuys --- Northern Cape Department of Environment and Nature Conservation, South Africa W Herman Oosthuizen --- Branch Oceans and Coasts, Department of Environmental Affairs, South Africa Azwianewi B Makhado --- Branch Oceans and Coasts, Department of Environmental Affairs, South AfricaNumbers of eight seabird species that have bred in coastal areas of South Africa’s arid Northern Cape province have all shown substantial decreases since initial estimates of their abundance were made in the latter part of the twentieth century. Likely... -
Effects of stockpiling on selected properties of opencast coal mine soils
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: South African Journal of Plant and Soil • Authors: D Garry Paterson --- Agricultural Research Council–Institute for Soil, Climate and Water, South Africa M Nicky Mushia --- Agricultural Research Council–Institute for Soil, Climate and Water, South Africa Siseko D Mkula --- Agricultural Research Council–Institute for Soil, Climate and Water, South AfricaSoil stockpiling is a necessary component of opencast coal mining and, because most of the soils involved have arable potential, this involves the possibility of serious soil degradation. A study at four mines on the Highveld of South Africa involved... -
Accounting for land cover changes and degradation in the Katse and Mohale Dam catchments of the Lesotho highlands
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Jane Turpie --- , South Africa Grant Benn --- , South Africa Mark Thompson --- , South Africa Nigel Barker --- , South AfricaRangeland conditions in the Lesotho highland dam catchment areas is important for local livelihoods and regional water supply. We investigated changes in land cover and condition from 1991 (before construction) to 2013, using Landsat imagery. The Normalised Difference Vegetation Index... -
Phytomass and ecological significance of Chrysocoma ciliata L. within the Lets’eng-la-Letsie catchment area of Lesotho, southern Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: GN Smit --- , South Africa G Janse van Rensburg --- , South AfricaThe Lets’eng-la-Letsie wetland is an official Ramsar site, but the wetland and upland catchment areas suffer from overgrazing, erosion and over exploitation. Chrysocoma ciliata has a reputation as an unpalatable invader and is particularly common on the drier northern slopes... -
A review of the populations of tilapiine species in lakes Victoria and Naivasha, East Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Aquatic Science • Authors: Edwine Yongo --- , Kenya Laurent Cishahayo --- , Peoples Republic of China Eunice Mutethya --- , Kenya Bonface Mnang’at Alkamoi --- , Kenya Kokwon Costa --- , Kenya Nzeyimana Jean Bosco --- , Peoples Republic of ChinaThis paper discusses the catch trends, population attributes and biological characteristics of tilapiine species that are both native and that have been introduced into Lake Victoria and Lake Naivasha. Predation by Lates niloticus, species hybridisation, overfishing, pollution and eutrophication have... -
A history of Conservation Agriculture in South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: South African Journal of Plant and Soil • Authors: JA Strauss --- , South Africa PA Swanepoel --- , South Africa H Smith --- , South Africa EH Smit --- , South AfricaConservation Agriculture (CA) is a holistic farming system aimed at the conservation of natural resources by halting soil erosion and increasing biodiversity in cropping systems, while still effecting sustainable production. Conservation agriculture is based on three principles, namely minimum soil... -
Soil quality index for extensive pastures in hilly landforms region of highly weathered soils in an Atlantic forest biome, Brazil
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: DL Burak --- , Brazil E de C Monteiro --- , Brazil RR Passos --- , Brazil E de Sá Mendonça --- , BrazilExtensive pasture systems established in highly weathered tropical soils on steep slopes are vulnerable to soil degradation. Soil degradation can be monitored using an soil quality index (SQI). The SQI can assess both environmental aspects and indices related to pasture... -
Changes in plant vegetation structure and diversity with distance from herder shelters in the Middle Atlas Mountains
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: A El Aich --- Institut Agronomique et Vétérinaire Hassan II, Morocco S Ghassan --- Institut Agronomique et Vétérinaire Hassan II, Morocco CL Alados --- Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología (CSIC), Spain S El Aayadi --- Institut Agronomique et Vétérinaire Hassan II, Morocco L Baamal --- Institut Agronomique et Vétérinaire Hassan II, MoroccoLivestock grazing intensity gradients associated with sheep holder shelters influenced the longevity of rangelands vegetation. This study aimed to examine the effects of livestock grazing pressure on vegetation structure and diversity with distance from herder shelters. Six shelters were sampled... -
Digital soil mapping enables informed decision-making to conserve soils within protected areas
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: South African Journal of Plant and Soil • Authors: George M van Zijl --- North-West University, South Africa Johan van Tol --- University of the Free State, South AfricaProtected areas are regarded as pristine land, but often they require rehabilitation and effective management to prevent increased land degradation. Soil management should be based on soil maps, which are difficult to create in protected areas due to their large... -
Estimation of standing crop biomass in rangelands of the Middle Atlas mountains using remote sensing data
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: S Boukrouh --- University Mohammed VI Polytechnic (UM6P), Morocco Y Bouazzaoui --- Institut Agronomique et Vétérinaire Hassan II, Morocco A El Aich --- Institut Agronomique et Vétérinaire Hassan II, Morocco H Mahyou --- Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Morocco M Chikhaoui --- Institut Agronomique et Vétérinaire Hassan II, Morocco M Ait Lafkih --- Institut Agronomique et Vétérinaire Hassan II, Morocco O N’Dorma --- Institut Agronomique et Vétérinaire Hassan II, Morocco CL Alados --- Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología (CSIC), SpainIn the Middle Atlas rangelands, traditional methods for estimating standing crop biomass are labour-intensive and impractical. Remote sensing offers an initiative for standing crop biomass large-scale monitoring. The aim of this study was to estimate standing crop biomass, comprising annual... -
Mammalian and avian community response to African elephant (Loxodonta africana) habitat disturbance in south-eastern Kenya
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Zoology • Authors: Dakota Vaccaro --- Western Kentucky University, United States Bruce A Schulte --- Western Kentucky University, United StatesAfrican elephants (Loxodonta africana) play a significant role in the modification of their habitat, foremost by decreasing woody vegetation cover and density. Little is known regarding the effects of elephant habitat disturbance (EHD) on medium-to-large mammal and bird communities. While... -
The challenge of using museum specimens to track the emergence of a pathogen: a case study from amphibian chytrid fungus in Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Herpetology • Authors: TM Doherty-Bone --- Natural History Museum London, M Perkins --- Zoological Society of London, AA Cunningham --- Zoological Society of London,Archived specimens can provide insights on emerging infectious diseases through the tracking of the progression or occurrence of a pathogen through time. Specimen fixation and preservation may however affect detectability of pathogens, obscuring the signal of emergence. A case study... -
Effects of artificial waterpoints on woody species composition and structure in semi-arid communal rangelands, northern Namibia
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Johannes Ndeyamo Nuuyoma --- University of Namibia, Namibia Jesaya Nakanyala --- University of Namibia, Namibia Ayana Angassa --- Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources,The provision of artificial water resources for livestock in communal rangelands in arid environments is a major driver of land degradation. This study examined the impact of waterpoints on woody plant species composition and structure in the Omuntele communal rangeland,... -
Pastoralist knowledge and perceptions on land degradation and forage diversity loss: a case study in the Bordj Bou Arreridj semi-arid region, Algeria
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Lounis Semara --- Mohamed El Bachir El Ibrahimi University of Bordj Bou Arreridj, Algeria Sofiane Bensefia --- Mohamed El Bachir El Ibrahimi University of Bordj Bou Arreridj, Algeria Farida Belkasmi --- Mohamed El Bachir El Ibrahimi University of Bordj Bou Arreridj, Algeria Charefeddine Mouffok --- Ferhat Abbas Setif 1 University, Algeria Abdelaziz Bouzegag --- University Centre of Mila, AlgeriaThis study assessed the level of knowledge and perception of pastoralists in the Bordj Bou Arreridj zone in the semi-arid region of Algeria regarding pastureland degradation and loss of forage species diversity. Through group discussions and field surveys, 100 pastoralists... -
The grazing paradox: assessing contradictions of continuous versus rotational grazing systems in southern Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Range & Forage Science • Authors: Katharina Meyer --- Institute of Plant Science and Microbiology, University of Hamburg, Germany Ute Schmiedel --- Institute of Plant Science and Microbiology, University of Hamburg, GermanyUnsustainable grazing practices result in degradation of arid and semiarid rangelands in southern Africa. Continuous grazing systems are often blamed for degradation, while rotational grazing systems are seen as more sustainable. The discussion about the impact of these grazing practices... -
Benthic macrofaunal changes in response to restoration efforts in the St Lucia estuarine lake, South Africa
Item type: Journal Article • Journal: African Journal of Marine Science • Authors: PC Moloi --- School of Agriculture and Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa GM Rishworth --- Department of Zoology, Institute for Coastal and Marine Research, Nelson Mandela University, South Africa MS Bird --- Department of Zoology, University of Johannesburg, South Africa NK Carrasco --- School of Agriculture and Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South AfricaThe St Lucia estuarine lake and Mfolozi River mouth on the Indian Ocean coast of South Africa were once a single, connected system but were artificially separated in 1952 to prevent siltation from the Mfolozi River catchment which risked shallowing...