Determining the diversity of nocturnal flying insects of the grassland in the Krugersdorp Nature Reserve
- Authors: Pretorius, Estherna
- Date: 2012-05-02
- Subjects: Nocturnal flying insects , Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site (South Africa) , Krugersdorp Nature Reserve (South Africa) , Grassland ecology , Bats - Ecology , Biodiversity conservation
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:2246 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/4685
- Description: M.Sc. , The grassland biome of South Africa harbours rich ecosystem diversity. Some of the distinctive features of grassland biodiversity in South Africa include globally significant centres of plant endemism, half of the country's endemic mammal species, a third of its endangered butterfly species and 10 of 14 of its globally threatened bird species. Grassland is one of the most inadequately maintained biomes in Southern Africa because 23% is under cultivation, 60% is irreversibly transformed and most of the remaining natural area is used as rangeland for livestock. Only 2% of the grassland biome is currently protected. Grasslands provide essential ecosystem services for economic development, but this biome also supports a large human population whose resource demands have serious environmental implications that threaten the grasslands‘ biodiversity. Urbanisation is possibly one of the major immediate threats to the grassland ecology in South Africa. This is also the case in the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site (COHWHS) and adjacent areas. New housing complexes and informal housing are encroaching on the COHWHS. Indigenous fauna and flora are being affected by ecologically insensitive urban development. This poses a major threat to the fauna of this region including the insects that occur in grassland habitats. The insects play a vital role as pollinators in grassland habitats and form an essential food source to a range of predators, including grass owls, shrews, bull frogs, lizards and bats. In order to conserve the insects and therefore the food web of which they form part, it is necessary to understand the diversity of the insects in the grassland in the dolomitic areas. The COHWHS is a world renowned heritage site devoted to the origin of humankind and is characterised by dolomitic caves. These caves are also the home of a large population of bats consisting of several species. The negative impact on the grasslands in the COHWHS and surroundings pose a threat to the survival of these bat populations if the food source they depend on is negatively affected. For this reason it is important to determine which flying nocturnal insect species are available in the grasslands surrounding bat roosts in the COHWHS and surroundings. 3 The choice of location for the primary trap site was made on the basis of its proximity to known bat roosts and the fact that it is situated in a nature reserve that, although the river is polluted, contains an otherwise relatively unspoilt grassland habitat. Sampling took place over a period of 14 months during which fluctuations in the insect population was observed. The fluctuations can be ascribed to seasonal climate changes and the three veld fires that occurred during this period. This fluctuation was most evident in the representatives of the Orders Lepidoptera and Coleoptera sampled.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Pretorius, Estherna
- Date: 2012-05-02
- Subjects: Nocturnal flying insects , Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site (South Africa) , Krugersdorp Nature Reserve (South Africa) , Grassland ecology , Bats - Ecology , Biodiversity conservation
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:2246 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/4685
- Description: M.Sc. , The grassland biome of South Africa harbours rich ecosystem diversity. Some of the distinctive features of grassland biodiversity in South Africa include globally significant centres of plant endemism, half of the country's endemic mammal species, a third of its endangered butterfly species and 10 of 14 of its globally threatened bird species. Grassland is one of the most inadequately maintained biomes in Southern Africa because 23% is under cultivation, 60% is irreversibly transformed and most of the remaining natural area is used as rangeland for livestock. Only 2% of the grassland biome is currently protected. Grasslands provide essential ecosystem services for economic development, but this biome also supports a large human population whose resource demands have serious environmental implications that threaten the grasslands‘ biodiversity. Urbanisation is possibly one of the major immediate threats to the grassland ecology in South Africa. This is also the case in the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site (COHWHS) and adjacent areas. New housing complexes and informal housing are encroaching on the COHWHS. Indigenous fauna and flora are being affected by ecologically insensitive urban development. This poses a major threat to the fauna of this region including the insects that occur in grassland habitats. The insects play a vital role as pollinators in grassland habitats and form an essential food source to a range of predators, including grass owls, shrews, bull frogs, lizards and bats. In order to conserve the insects and therefore the food web of which they form part, it is necessary to understand the diversity of the insects in the grassland in the dolomitic areas. The COHWHS is a world renowned heritage site devoted to the origin of humankind and is characterised by dolomitic caves. These caves are also the home of a large population of bats consisting of several species. The negative impact on the grasslands in the COHWHS and surroundings pose a threat to the survival of these bat populations if the food source they depend on is negatively affected. For this reason it is important to determine which flying nocturnal insect species are available in the grasslands surrounding bat roosts in the COHWHS and surroundings. 3 The choice of location for the primary trap site was made on the basis of its proximity to known bat roosts and the fact that it is situated in a nature reserve that, although the river is polluted, contains an otherwise relatively unspoilt grassland habitat. Sampling took place over a period of 14 months during which fluctuations in the insect population was observed. The fluctuations can be ascribed to seasonal climate changes and the three veld fires that occurred during this period. This fluctuation was most evident in the representatives of the Orders Lepidoptera and Coleoptera sampled.
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An investigation into student performance in first year biology at the University of Johannesburg
- Williamson, Janice, Pretorius, Estherna, Jacobs, Melanie
- Authors: Williamson, Janice , Pretorius, Estherna , Jacobs, Melanie
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: The Faculty of Science at the University of Johannesburg , Biology - Study and teaching - South Africa - Evaluation , Biology - Curricula - Evaluation
- Type: Article
- Identifier: uj:5510 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/13676
- Description: The transformation in South African higher education in the past 20 years has been earmarked by mass participation (almost 80% growth). The changes in the school curriculum and increased pass rates at school level place the transition from school to university under the magnifying glass. Universities are confronted with underprepared entering students and are designing interventions and models to maintain standards and increase graduation numbers. The latest suggestion of a Flexible curriculum proposes that an additional year (i.e. four year BSc degree) is more beneficial and advantageous to many first year students as opposed to the three year BSc. degree option. The Faculty of Science at the University of Johannesburg has been enrolling students in the BSc Life and Environmental Science programme (four year degree) which provides students with an opportunity to complete the one semester module in Biology (mainstream) over two semesters, in the four year offering. In the four year degree programme, students also start with the Biology module after completion of a generic first semester of bridging and not in the first semester when they enter university. This research compares the success of students in the two streams (three year programme where students complete the Biology module in one semester to the four year programme where the students complete the one module of Biology over two semesters. Appropriate inferential statistics were employed in the comparison of the 2011 – 2013 cohorts (sample of 389 foundation and 457 mainstream entries). It will be shown that the interventions implemented in the four year degree can be considered as effective in developing the students’ academic competency in biology relative to mainstream students.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Williamson, Janice , Pretorius, Estherna , Jacobs, Melanie
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: The Faculty of Science at the University of Johannesburg , Biology - Study and teaching - South Africa - Evaluation , Biology - Curricula - Evaluation
- Type: Article
- Identifier: uj:5510 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/13676
- Description: The transformation in South African higher education in the past 20 years has been earmarked by mass participation (almost 80% growth). The changes in the school curriculum and increased pass rates at school level place the transition from school to university under the magnifying glass. Universities are confronted with underprepared entering students and are designing interventions and models to maintain standards and increase graduation numbers. The latest suggestion of a Flexible curriculum proposes that an additional year (i.e. four year BSc degree) is more beneficial and advantageous to many first year students as opposed to the three year BSc. degree option. The Faculty of Science at the University of Johannesburg has been enrolling students in the BSc Life and Environmental Science programme (four year degree) which provides students with an opportunity to complete the one semester module in Biology (mainstream) over two semesters, in the four year offering. In the four year degree programme, students also start with the Biology module after completion of a generic first semester of bridging and not in the first semester when they enter university. This research compares the success of students in the two streams (three year programme where students complete the Biology module in one semester to the four year programme where the students complete the one module of Biology over two semesters. Appropriate inferential statistics were employed in the comparison of the 2011 – 2013 cohorts (sample of 389 foundation and 457 mainstream entries). It will be shown that the interventions implemented in the four year degree can be considered as effective in developing the students’ academic competency in biology relative to mainstream students.
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Developing skills of entering first year science students : focused first year seminar
- Jacobs, Melanie, Pretorius, Estherna
- Authors: Jacobs, Melanie , Pretorius, Estherna
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: School-to-university transition - South Africa , Science - Study and teaching (Graduate) , Scientists - Vocational guidance , Sciences - Curricula - Evaluation , First year students (FYS)
- Type: Article
- Identifier: uj:6149 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/13680
- Description: Concern at the failure rate of first year Science, Health Sciences and Engineering students is challenging first year lectures to interrogate the knowledge and skills gap of entering students. Underprepared students have entered higher education for centuries but the problems in transition from school to university seem to be increasing from year to year. Every cohort enter universities with high expectations and good school results and then they are confronted with challenges of transition, new content and an uninviting environment. The Faculty of Science has been presenting an academic First Year Orientation seminar since 2005 and refined the format of the current programme which is a two week (six hours per day) credit-bearing module, the First Year Seminar (FYS). The programme consists of a 10 hour Language course, a 6 hour Laboratory skills and 10 hour Problem Solving skills for 10 hours. These modules are presented by dedicated academics and support staff in the faculty, and student mentors (senior students) take responsibility to get to know the students better as they work with them on a daily basis. This study reports on research conducted to determine the influence and success of the FYS on the academic preparation of first- year students in 2014. The data set contains school results, biographical and personality profiles, results from a survey completed after the FYS and perceptions after interviews with students, mentors and lecturers. Appropriate inferential statistics were employed in the analysis of the survey response and interviews as indicators of the value added by the FYS. The results will indicate how the FYS enhanced the existing knowledge and skills of entering first year students in order to place diverse students on an equal platform when official lectures and practical sessions commence during the semester.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Jacobs, Melanie , Pretorius, Estherna
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: School-to-university transition - South Africa , Science - Study and teaching (Graduate) , Scientists - Vocational guidance , Sciences - Curricula - Evaluation , First year students (FYS)
- Type: Article
- Identifier: uj:6149 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/13680
- Description: Concern at the failure rate of first year Science, Health Sciences and Engineering students is challenging first year lectures to interrogate the knowledge and skills gap of entering students. Underprepared students have entered higher education for centuries but the problems in transition from school to university seem to be increasing from year to year. Every cohort enter universities with high expectations and good school results and then they are confronted with challenges of transition, new content and an uninviting environment. The Faculty of Science has been presenting an academic First Year Orientation seminar since 2005 and refined the format of the current programme which is a two week (six hours per day) credit-bearing module, the First Year Seminar (FYS). The programme consists of a 10 hour Language course, a 6 hour Laboratory skills and 10 hour Problem Solving skills for 10 hours. These modules are presented by dedicated academics and support staff in the faculty, and student mentors (senior students) take responsibility to get to know the students better as they work with them on a daily basis. This study reports on research conducted to determine the influence and success of the FYS on the academic preparation of first- year students in 2014. The data set contains school results, biographical and personality profiles, results from a survey completed after the FYS and perceptions after interviews with students, mentors and lecturers. Appropriate inferential statistics were employed in the analysis of the survey response and interviews as indicators of the value added by the FYS. The results will indicate how the FYS enhanced the existing knowledge and skills of entering first year students in order to place diverse students on an equal platform when official lectures and practical sessions commence during the semester.
- Full Text:
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