Masters Degrees (Botany and Zoology)
Recent Submissions
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Trophic interactions of the Guttural Toad (Sclerophrys gutturalis, Power 1927) along an invasion gradient
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2022-04)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Invasive amphibians have caused widespread negative ecological and socio- economic impacts globally, yet most of the research investigating this topic is focused on a small handful of species. The ... -
Biogeography, biodiversity, and barcodes: accounting for seagrass associated biodiversity along the South African coastline
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2022-04)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Environmental DNA metabarcoding is gaining momentum for global biodiversity studies. Many studies have demonstrated the ability of metabarcoding to characterize communities for biodiversity surveys, ... -
Camouflage as a driver of colour variation and diversity in the ‘stone’ plant genus, Lithops
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2021-12)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Lithops is a genus of succulent plants that exhibits exceptional diversity in the colouration of its leaves. The menagerie of leaf colours and patterns of the various species often bear a remarkable ... -
Monitoring deep-sea benthic biodiversity using environmental DNA approaches to compare trawled and untrawled sites
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2021-12)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The deep-sea is the largest environment on earth and yet it remains understudied. Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding provides a cost and time effective method to characterise and study deep-sea ... -
Mechanisms behind the death feigning behaviour in Tetramorium quadrispinosum in the Cape Floristic Region, Western Cape, South Africa
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2021-12)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Death feigning is a defense strategy where a prey responds to threat by pretending to be dead. The animal resembles the dead by remaining immobile, sometimes emitting a repulsive smell and assuming an ... -
Assessing the feasibility of assisted colonisation to reduce climate change extinction risk for Western Cape proteaceae
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2021-12)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Anthropogenic climate change may be testing certain species’ abilities to adapt via range migration, or natural selection in situ. Particularly vulnerable species have restricted ranges and limited ... -
Spatial reproductive separation in a handed flower: variation across space and time
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2021-12)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In many angiosperms, pollinator-driven selection has led to adaptive radiation, spe- cialisation and phenotypic variation over space and time. Most specialised floral adaptations function ... -
Urban plant invasions: how to classify, prioritize and manage invasive alien plants; Cape Town as a case study
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2021-04)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Urban areas are considered hotspots for invasions, with human activity being a major source of introduction and causing the dispersal of invasive alien plant species (IAPs). This makes natural and semi ... -
Assessing the phylogeography and metabolomic signatures of wild rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) ecological populations
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2021-04)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Aspalathus linearis (Burm. F.) R. Dahlgren, Fabaceae, is an entirely endemic fynbos species, limited to the Cape Floristic Region of South Africa. It is commonly known as rooibos, and is enjoyed as a ... -
Spill your guts: the invasive amphibian gut microbiome
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2021-03)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Invasive vertebrate species threaten global biodiversity, and significantly impact economic, agricultural and ecosystem services. Alarmingly, the number of introductions of species into non-native areas ... -
Evaluating detection efforts and management of alien and invasive species by citizens in Western Cape, South Africa
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2021-03)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Invasive alien species (IAS) are a growing threat globally and cause a variety of ecological, economic and social impacts. People play a key role in introducing IAS and facilitating their spread but also ... -
The gigas effect: A reliable predictor of ploidy? Case studies in Oxalis
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2021-03)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Whole Genome Duplication (WGD), or polyploidy is an important evolutionary process, but literature is divided over its long-term evolutionary potential to generate diversity and lead to lineage divergence. ... -
The spatial and temporal effect on the phytochemicals of Dodonaea viscosa var. angustifolia (L.f.) Benth
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2021-04)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Dodonaea viscosa var. angustifolia is extremely polymorphic and has a worldwide distribution. It is an important traditional medicinal plant in South Africa, that has been used for centuries for its ... -
The implications of climate change for the invasive tube worm Ficopomatus enigmaticus
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2021-04)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Climate change and biological invasions are recognised as important drivers of change and it is important to understand how these drivers of global change interact in marine systems. Ficopomatus enigmaticus ... -
Familiar mutualist interactions during biological invasions: Consequences for invaders and impacts on natives.
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2020-12)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Mutualisms are important for plant survival but are easily disrupted when plants are introduced into new environments. This acts as a strong barrier to establishment success. However, non-native plants ... -
Effects of warming on the early establishment of an African savanna tree
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2019-12)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study investigates the interactive effects of atmospheric warming and the presence of a C4 grass sward on the growth and mortality of establishing savanna tree seedlings (Senegalia nigrescens (Oliv.) ... -
Phylogeographic patterning of three co-distributed forest-dwelling reptile species along the east coast of South Africa
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2019-12)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study investigates the phylogeographic structure of three co-distributed forest-living reptile species, the Pondo flat gecko (Afroedura pondolia), the forest thread snake (Leptotyphlops sylvicolus) ... -
Taxonomy and distribution of moonshine worms (Diopatra sp.) in Knysna estuary
(2019-12)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Polychaetes as fish bait have become increasingly popular in the Knysna Estuary over the last decade. The presence of an unknown polychaete, Diopatra sp. was first reported in the Knysna Estuary ten years ... -
Deciphering the taxonomic status of parasitic sucking lice occurring on the Aethomys and Micaelamys rodent species complex : a comparative phylogenetic and phylogeographic approach
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2019-12)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The present study investigated the phylogenetic and phylogeographic structures of parasites and their hosts in an attempt to better understand the mechanisms involved in parasite evolution. Phylogenetic ... -
Assessment of genomic diversity and population sub-structuring of kingklip (Genypterus capensis) off Southern Africa
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2019-03)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Kingklip (Genypterus capensis) represents a valuable marine resource for both South Africa and Namibia. Historical exploitation levels led to substantial declines in abundance, resulting in the species ...
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