A5034219104- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Rangeland and Wildlife Management
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Avian ecology and behavior
- Fire effects on ecosystems
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Wildlife-Road Interactions and Conservation
- Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Primate Behavior and Ecology
- Rangeland Management and Livestock Ecology
- Spider Taxonomy and Behavior Studies
- Fish Ecology and Management Studies
Rhodes University
2017
The medically important spider genus Latrodectus Walckenaer 1805, commonly referred to as "button spiders" in South Africa, is represented by six species the country. Using morphology and COI barcoding gene we describe a new forest dwelling species, umbukwane n. sp. Wright, Lyle Engelbrecht. Females have red markings on both ventral posterior dorsal surfaces of abdomen, parallel spermathecae three loops copulatory ducts. Males an embolus with four diagnostic white surface abdomen that darken...
Abstract Variability in habitat selection can lead to differences fitness; however limited research exists on how of mid-ranking predators influence population-level processes multi-predator systems. For mid-ranking, or mesopredators, use might have strong demographic effects because mesopredators need simultaneously avoid apex and acquire prey. We studied spatially-explicit survival cheetahs ( Acinonyx jubatus ) the Mun-Ya-Wana Conservancy, South Africa, test hypotheses related spatial...
Abstract Fires are common in many ecosystems world‐wide, and frequently used as a management tool. Although the responses of herbivores to fire have been well‐studied, carnivores remain unclear. In particular, post‐fire habitat changes, associated changes prey availability, might affect coexistence or competition carnivore species within larger community, but few studies focused on how fires influence multiple simultaneously. Using South African our focal we explored relative intensity use...
Research on drivers of demographic rates has mostly focused top predators and their prey, comparatively less research considered the mesopredator demography. Of those limited studies, most top-down effects apex population dynamics, whereas studies investigating alternative mechanisms are common. In this study, we tested hypotheses related to top-down, bottom-up density-dependent regulation in an imperilled mesopredator, cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus). We used a 25-year dataset lion density,...
Abstract Expansion by expansive species can have severe ecological, social and economic impacts through the reduction of ecosystem goods services richness. However, expansion may also offer benefits to ecosystems humans, supply (such as firewood, fodder fruits), well potentially offering refugia in heavily used landscapes. Here, we examine effects four dwarf shrub ( Aspalathus subtingens , Dicerothamnus rhinocerotis Pteronia incana Oedera genistifolia ) on plant richness (at point scale),...
Abstract For large mammals, area expansion is a key conservation measure to prevent species’ decline and extinction. Yet, its success depends on whether animals discover later use these areas. Here, using GPS data, we investigated how herds of elephants detected used an made available them after the removal fence. We studied elephants’ behaviour before fence removal, accounting for seasonal changes in movement patterns. In contrast previous studies, visited newly within month maximum...