Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology
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Scientists warning to humanity on insect extinctions
(2020-02)Here we build on the manifesto 'World Scientists' Warning to Humanity, issued by the Alliance of World Scientists. As a group of conservation biologists deeply concerned about the decline of insect populations, we here ... -
Solutions for humanity on how to conserve insects
(2020-02)The fate of humans and insects intertwine, especially through the medium of plants. Global environmental change, including land transformation and contamination, is causing concerning insect diversity loss, articulated in ... -
Evaluating the success of phased-release reintroductions for captive-born cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) in South Africa
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2022-04)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The global cheetah population has declined to an estimated 7,100 individuals, with half the global population currently found in southern Africa. Where natural metapopulation dynamics are no longer ... -
Exploring the social-ecological drivers and impacts of the blueberry boom in South Africa
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2022-04)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Since 2015 there has been a rapid increase in blueberry production within South Africa, with most of the industry focused on exporting the fresh fruit. Despite the recent emergence of the blueberry ... -
Fungal endophyte assemblages associated with twigs of olives in the Core Cape Subregion, South Africa
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2022-04)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Fungal endophytes are increasingly gaining recognition for their role in plant health. In the face of global change and unprecedented biodiversity loss, it has become an urgent concern to understand these ... -
Structural and functional attributes of Heuweltjies in the fynbos and succulent Karoo biomes: the interaction of termites, vegetation and geochemistry
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2022-04)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The structural and functional attributes of heuweltjies in the Fynbos and Succulent Karoo biomes were studied with the aim of investigating the interaction amongst vegetation, termites, and geochemistry ... -
Climate change perceptions, knowledge and adaptation responses of smallholder, crop-livestock farmers in Mediterranean-type ecosystems: case studies from the Overberg District, South Africa
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2022-04)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Smallholder farmers must adapt their farming practices to sustain livelihoods, as a result of the changing climate. It is known that climate change may cause significant adverse effects on the agricultural ... -
Utilisation of landscape features for overwintering by grassland epigaeic arthropods in timber plantation conservation corridors
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2022-04)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Although plantation timber is an important crop for the South African economy, providing many jobs to low-income communities, it does come at a high environmental cost. The loss of biodiversity through ... -
A mixed method approach towards the evaluation and assessment of integrative research programme outputs: the case of the invasive alien plant management programme working for water
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2022-04)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The pervasiveness of threats posed by biological invasions presents significant challenges to human well-being, biodiversity conservation, and natural resource management, which has contributed to the ... -
Assessment of the pathogenicity of fusarium euwallaceae to grapevine and deciduous fruit trees in South Africa and its rapid detection in woody tissues
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2022-04)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: A myriad of different tree species in South Africa are under threat from the invasive woodboring beetle, Euwallacea fornicatus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), the polyphagous shot hole borer, ... -
Exploring the concept of applied nucleation as a restoration tool in a previously invaded Mediterranean climate vegetation type
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2022-04)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: There is a need to scale-up ecological restoration efforts. The urgency to restore degraded habitats means that we, as researchers, need to be at the forefront of new and innovative restoration techniques. ... -
Guidelines for restoring Lowland Sand Fynbos ecosystems
(2022-02)Lowland Sand Fynbos ecosystems are among the most threatened terrestrial systems in South Africa. Of the ten Sand Fynbos veld types, seven are Critically Endangered or Endangered according to the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems. ... -
Assessing the role of natural open spaces in ecosystem service provision for enhanced urban planning in the global south
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2022-04)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Natural open space plays an important role in maintaining biodiversity and providing essential ecosystem services, i.e. the contributions we get from nature. Yet, natural systems within urban areas ... -
Conservation of ant (Formicidae) and springtail (Collembola) diversity in South African timber production landscapes
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2022-04)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Soil invertebrates are excellent indicators of soil health and play significant roles in soil ecosystem processes. Globally, information on their distribution and response to environmental factors ... -
Biodiversity assessments using remote sensing and integrative modelling for improved conservation management
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2022-04)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Insect diversity is declining globally, threatening ecosystem collapse and human well-being. Accurate information on biodiversity dynamics is needed to guide landscape management. This is important ... -
Postharvest insect pest disinfestation in export Proteaceae cut flowers - the potential of new disinfestation strategies
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2021-12)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Proteaceae family are associated with a wide range of insect pests which feed both externally and internally. International agricultural trade of fresh plant material increases the risk of introducing ... -
Contextualizing waterscape health in a subtropical rangeland
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2021-12)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Freshwater ecosystems are threatened globally by environmentally impactful agriculture. An ever- increasing population drives intensive agricultural production, putting immense pressure ... -
The importance of heuweltjies for arthropod biodiversity in the succulent Karoo
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2021-12)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Succulent Karoo biome of South Africa is home to unique patches of vegetation which are distinct from the surrounding homogenous matrix, locally known as heuweltjies. ... -
Human dependence on natural resources in rapidly urbanising South African regions
(IOP Publishing, 2019-03-29)Enhancing the governance of social-ecological systems for more equitable and sustainable development is hindered by inadequate knowledge about how different social groups and communities rely on natural resources. We used ... -
Global climate change as a driver of bottom-up and top-down factors in agricultural landscapes and the fate of host-parasitoid interactions
(Frontiers Media, 2019-03-28)The global climate is rapidly changing and the evidence is increasingly manifesting across various biological systems. For arthropods, several studies have demonstrated how changing climates affect their distribution through ...