This thesis examines the role of agricultural activity in the process of invasion of west coast renosterveld fragments by annual alien grass species. This highly endangered vegetation type has less than 5% remaining, it ...

Using the World Conservation Union’s (formerly the International Union for the Conservation of Nature) IUCN 2001 categories and criteria, the conservation status of the South African butterfly fauna has been reassessed. ...

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The commercial cultivation of Proteaceae is an important industry in the Western Cape, however, farmers are challenged with arthropod infestation which compels them to solely rely on chemical pesticides. ...

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The grain chinch bug (GCB), Macchiademus diplopterus (Distant) (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae) is a key quarantine pest of South African export fruit and is endemic to the Western Cape Province. The pest is ...

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Invasive alien plants (IAPs) are known for their detrimental impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem goods and services. A substantial body of research has contributed to our understanding of their impacts ...

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In this study, the Fish Assemblage Integrity Index (FAll) was applied on three rivers within the southwestern Cape. This index uses fish as indicators of biological aquatic integrity and is based ...

Acacia karroo is widespread in southern Africa and displays remarkable phenotypic plasticity over its geographical range. However, it is currently unknown whether this phenomenon is merely phenotypic variation due to ...

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The privilege of utilising resources from the globe's marine ecosystems is threatened. Adequate regional and global conservation efforts are vital. Understanding species' distributions and the environmental ...

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: I investigated the impacts of the invasive wattle species (Acacia mearnsii, A. dealbata, A. decurrens), on the ecological function and productivity of rangelands in South Africa and their ability to sustain ...

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The invasive social wasp, Vespula germanica (Fabricius, 1793) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), stands out as a remarkably successful insect invader worldwide. It flourishes in newly invaded ecosystems, where it ...

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The export of South African fruit to some of its biggest international markets may be rejected if the phytosanitary pest, Phlyctinus callosus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is found in fruit consignments. ...

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Ant infestations comprising the Argentine ant Linepithema humile (Mayr), common pugnacious ant Anoplolepis custodiens (F. Smith) and cocktail ant Crematogaster peringueyi Emery are a widespread pest ...

The veld condition in the Little Karoo is in various states of degradation and grazing by domestic livestock is considered as the major anthropogenic force that changed the landscape. This region with its extremely rich ...

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Water quality analysis forms the basis in assessing and monitoring catchments. As urban development continuously increase, pollution sources increase in either point source (wastewater treatment works, ...

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis describes the findings of a survey to investigate the attitudes and behaviour of private landholders towards the conservation of Overberg Coastal Renosterveld, a highly endangered grassy-shrubland ...

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: There is increasing evidence that the rapid and anomalous changes in climate experienced in the last century have had widespread ecological impacts. Indeed, sub- Antarctic Marion Island has experienced ...

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Plants have been used for centuries to treat a wide range of ailments in the history of all civilizations. However, a growing interest in medicinal plants requires appropriate management to prevent ...

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Rûens Silcrete Renosterveld (RSR) is a critically endangered vegetation type in the Overberg region of the Western Cape Province of South Africa. In the last few centuries about 80% of it has been severely ...

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Habitat loss and fragmentation are major threats to global biodiversity. A cornerstone of traditional conservation involves setting aside land as formally protected areas (PAs). However, for effective ...

Biodiversity is under enormous pressure from an increasing human population. Urbanisation, agriculture, and mining are just some of the factors responsible for the continuous degradation of the natural environment. Of ...