A new galago species for South Africa (Primates: Strepsirhini: Galagidae)

The primate fauna of South Africa has historically been viewed as comprising three diurnal cercopithecoid taxa – chacma baboons (Papio ursinus), vervet (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) and samango monkeys (Cercopithecus albogularis) – and two nocturnal lorisoid species – the thick-tailed greater galago (Otolemur crassicaudatus) and the southern lesser galago (Galago moholi). Here we report the positive identification of a third galago species within South Africa’s borders: the Mozambique dwarf galago or Grant’s galago, Galagoides granti (Thomas and Wroughton, 1907). The taxon was previously held to be restricted to Mozambique, eastern Zimbabwe, Malawi and Tanzania, but we have also observed it in the sand forest of Tembe Elephant Park and the Tshanini Community Reserve, near the Mozambique border. The species was formerly mistaken for Galago moholi, erroneously (we believe) extending the range of the latter species into northern KwaZulu-Natal. In South Africa the two small galagos are unlikely to have overlapping ranges: Galago moholi prefers dry savanna woodlands, whereas Galagoides granti is apparently confined to dry sand forest. However, both species may coexist with the larger and more widespread Otolemur crassicaudatus, an inhabitant of moist savanna, forest edge and thicket. The true South African ranges of both small galago species need to be ascertained.     

A review of some characteristics,socio-economic aspects and utilization of Zulu sheep: implications for conservation

Zulu sheep are Nguni sheep of Zululand and are adapted to the harsh conditions of KwaZulu-Natal. They are used by rural farmers for economic purposes. Their numbers are declining, indicating a potential extinction threat. Knowledge of their phenotypic and genotypic characteristics is essential for conservation planning. In this review, there is a focus on the utilization, socio-economic aspects, phenotypic and genotypic characteristics as well as a proposed breeding programme. A survey has shown that rural farmers in the areas of northern KwaZulu-Natal prefer to keep this breed for its adaptability, resistance to diseases and meat quality. Zulu sheep are small-framed multi-coloured animals. Mature males weigh up to 38 kg and females up to 32 kg. Based on four morphological traits and live weight, phenotypic diversity between three populations was estimated at 48%. A genetic diversity between these three populations was estimated at 22%. Live weight of Zulu sheep can be estimated using the heart girth and wither height measurements. Scrotum circumference of young rams (up to 22 months old) is reliable for estimating the live weight. Animals that were characterized in the studies were grazed extensively and no supplements were provided. There is therefore a potential of weight increase if these animals are reared in a semi-extensive environment. An open nucleus breeding scheme is thus recommended for a sustainable use and conservation of this breed. For more conclusive results, larger numbers of phenotypic and genetic characteristics, in larger numbers of Zulu sheep populations, should be investigated.     

Tree-grass coexistence in a flood-disturbed, semi-arid savanna system

The coexistence of trees and grasses in savanna ecosystems is a contentious phenomenon. Fire and herbivory disturbances are often cited as major structuring forces that create a sustainable tree–grass relationship. However, periodic flooding of savanna patches may also enable coexistence. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of flood-disturbance on the recruitment patterns of Acacia karroo trees in a semi-arid savanna system in South Africa. We analysed the spatial coincidence of A. karroo seedlings with tussocks of the tall spiny grass Stipagrostis namaquensis in the riverbed and related herbivory intensity to spatial position. The data showed that A. karroo seedlings were significantly positively associated with S. namaquensis (Chi-square test, $ \chi_{1}^{2} = 4 5. 20 $ , n = 118, P < 0.001); A. karroo seedlings growing inside of tussocks experienced less browsing pressure than those growing in the floodplain (Kruskal–Wallis test, H = 11.90, n = 118, P < 0.01); and recruitment success of A. karroo trees was spatially discrete (K–S test, D = 0.78, n = 196, P < 0.01). We suggest that floods create an enemy-free zone, which S. namaquensis colonises and then facilitates successful A. karroo establishment. High levels of A. karroo recruitment in the riverbed may replenish the woodlands fringing the river, which appear to be sink areas for A. karroo seedlings. Thus, the interaction between disturbances at different spatial and temporal scales (flooding versus herbivory) seems to maintain the inherently unstable coexistence of tree and grass species in this ecosystem. These findings also suggested that flood disturbances alter the tree–grass relationship.     

Identifying and mapping biodiversity processes for conservation planning in islands: A case study in Réunion Island (Western Indian Ocean)

Over the last century, island biodiversity has become one of the most threatened in the world. Although many island conservation plans address biodiversity requirements at the species level, few plans address the spatial requirements of the biodiversity processes that underpin the persistence of these species. Using systematic conservation planning principles, we map the spatial components of biodiversity processes (SCBPs) and use these to design broad-scale conservation corridors for Réunion Island. Our method is based upon a literature review, expert knowledge, spatially explicit base data, conservation planning software, and spatial modelling. We combine a target-driven algorithm with least-cost path analyses to delineate optimal corridors for capturing key biodiversity processes while simultaneously considering biodiversity pattern targets, conservation opportunities, and future threats. We identify five SCBPs: the oceanic-terrestrial interface; riverine corridors; macrohabitat interfaces; the boundaries of isolated topographic units; and lowland-upland gradients. A large proportion of the SCBPs (81.3%) is currently untransformed, whereas 3% is irreversibly transformed by urbanisation and 15.7% is transformed but restorable. However, SCBPs are almost fully disrupted by urbanisation in the lowlands, thereby compromising functional corridors along full altitudinal gradients. This study is a contribution toward the reconciliation of conservation versus development objectives on Réunion Island but we believe that the delineation method is sufficiently general to be applied to other islands. Our results highlight the need for integrating marine, coastal and terrestrial conservation planning as a matter of urgency, given the rapid transformation of coastal areas on islands.     

Effect of Long-Term in Vitro Sub-culturing on Quality Degeneration of Sweet Potato Varieties： Morpho- Anatomic Assessment and Simple Sequence Repeats Analysis

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of long-term in vitro sub-culturing on the varietal degeneration of three sweet potato varieties, namely, Monate, Mokone and Ndou which were sub-cultured for 32, 23 and 12 generations, respectively. Each generation was cultured in a media which is made from 4.43 g/L Murashige and Skoog （MS）, 30 g/L sucrose and 2 g/L gelrite, respectively, and grown under 16 h light and 8 h dark photoperiod for 30 d. For each generation, 45 plantlets were acclimatized for two months in a glasshouse. Data on in vitro growth performance and 11 morphological characteristics during acclimatization were recorded. Early root and shoot formation was observed after the 27th and 21st sub-cultured generations of Monate and Mokone, respectively. During acclimatization, plantlets from the same variety showed differences in morphological traits such as leaf colour, abaxial leaf pigmentation, vine pigmentation, petiole pigmentation, leaf wrinkling and flowering. However, the rate of these morphological differences is random and irrespective to increase in sub-culturing. Therefore, to understand the genetic base of these morphological variability, two plantlets from each variety were subjected to genetic analysis by using five simple sequence repeat （SSR） primers （IB-242, IB-318, IB-255F, 1B-248 and IB-255）. Although SSR loci IB-255F and IB-318 could distinguish between the three varieties, there were no allelic polymorphisms detected in plantlets from the same varieties. Therefore, long-term sub-culturing do not leads to quality degeneration in the three sweet potato varieties.