Comparative morphology of the digestive system of 19 species of Southern African myomorph rodents in relation to diet and evolution

Trends in digestive system-morphology have been examined in 19 species of Southern African myomorph rodents. Structure was related to function, diet, and evolution. Characters related to an ancestral proteinaceous diet, and specialized characters associated with herbivory, were recognized. All stomachs were of the unilocular hemiglandular type with increasing degrees of cornification of the corpus, although the stomach of Saccostomus compestris approached the bilocular discoglandular condition. Those of Thallomys paedulcus and Mystromys albicaudatus were highly modified in containing numerous papillae in the corpus, possibly associated with gastric fermentation. The most complex caeca, of the herbivorous Otomyids, possessed numerous haustra and internal papillae probably associated with caecal microbial fermentation.     

Competition for shifting resources in the southern Benguela upwelling: Seabirds versus purse-seine fisheries

In the southern Benguela upwelling ecosystem off the west coast of South Africa, seabird populations are decreasing dramatically because of reduced availability of pelagic fish. We tested the hypothesis that the west coast fishing industry is competing for the remaining stocks of anchovy and sardine with the largest colony of Vulnerable Cape Gannets (Morus capensis) along the Atlantic coast. Using GPS-tracking of the birds, echo-sounding of pelagic fish, and vessel log books, we located overlap areas between bird foraging ranges, pelagic fish distribution, and fishing activities. We then compared fish catches by gannets and vessels within their joint foraging zones. In October 2007, purse-seine fishing grounds and gannet foraging areas overlapped by only 13%. However, for a 1-month period, the amount of fish removed from this area by purse-seine boats amounted to 41% of the food requirements of the 72,000 gannets breeding on Malgas Island (25% of the world population). The fishery’s catch in this area is significant in terms of its potential impact on gannets, but comprises only 3.6% of total fishery catch. Based on this finding, the rapidly decreasing size of the gannet colony and the stated objectives of South Africa’s Marine Living Resources Act of 1998, the case for considering and experimenting with at-sea ‘no-take’ areas for the purse-seine fishery is strong. Efforts to establish whether ‘no-take’ fishing zones increase food availability for top predators is an important next step in conservation of the southern Benguela Ecosystem.     

Field measurement of the sheltering effect of vegetation on erodible land surfaces

Natural vegetation on erodible land surfaces, such as the loose sandy soils found in the southwestern United States and in Soviet Central Asia, absorbs part of the wind momentum flux (stress) and thus protects the erodible soil to a degree that depends on the geometry of plant distribution and profile. The sheltering effect of natural plants may be expressed as the ratio, R, of threshold friction velocity for the bare soil (determined in the laboratory or in specially prepared areas of bare soil in the field) to that for the naturally vegetated surface. We used new automated instrumentation to detect erosion thresholds in locations where erosion events are widely separated in time. Measured values of R were low for our most vegetated sites and nearer unity for the sparsely vegetated site.     

Detection of lethal yellowing phytoplasma in embryos from coconut palms infected with Cape St Paul wilt disease in Ghana

This study investigated the potential of seed transmission of Cape St. Paul wilt disease (CSPWD) in coconuts. PCR amplification was used to assess the distribution of phytoplasmas in parts of West African Tall (WAT) palms infected with CSPWD. Employing phytoplasma universal primer pair P1/P7 in standard PCR, or followed with a nested PCR using CSPWD–specific primer pair G813f/AwkaSR, phytoplasma infection was detected in the trunks, peduncles, spikelets, male and female flowers of four infected WAT coconut palms. Through nested PCR, phytoplasma was also detected in four of 19 embryo DNA samples extracted individually from fruits harvested from three of the four infected palms and was confirmed as CSPWD by cloning and sequencing. Subsequently, CSPWD phytoplasma was again detected in five of 33 embryos from nine infected palms, and in one of eight fruits from two symptomless palms. Fruits from infected palms recorded higher percentage germinations in two field nurseries (average of 71·0%) compared to fruits from healthy palms (average of 57·6%), and matured fruits that had dropped from infected palms showed the same levels of germination as those harvested directly from the palms. This indicates that infected fruits retain the ability to germinate whether harvested or dropped. No phytoplasmas were detected in any of the resulting seedlings and plantlets obtained through embryo in-vitro culture. Therefore, although phytoplasma DNA can be detected in embryos, there is as yet no evidence that the pathogen is seed transmitted through to the seedling to cause disease in progeny palms.     

Notes on the Bathypelagic Fauna of the Seas Around South Africa

The preliminary results of a study of the endemic giant tortoise population of Aldabra Atoll in the Indian Ocean (Geochehne gigantea Schweigger) are briefly described. Their number would appear to have increased dramatically since the turn of the century to their present level of some 141 000 individuals. Crude estimates of mortality and reproductive rates are also given.     

Developing environmental principles, criteria, indicators and norms for potato production in South Africa through field surveys and modelling

The sustainability of agricultural production is linked to the environment from which it draws its resources. Potato production in the Sandveld in the South African Western Cape occurs in the Cape Floral Kingdom: a vulnerable and globally significant biodiversity hotspot. A scientific approach defining and monitoring sustainability criteria and indicators is required to improve the sustainability of potato production in such a sensitive area. In this paper we propose principles related to the ecological impact of potato production (nature preservation, water preservation and the minimization of chemical and carbon-dioxide emissions) and their derived criteria related to land clearing, irrigation, emissions, and others. Next we defined calculable and measurable indicators of the efficiency with which resources are used, such as proportion of land cleared, water use by the crop, amount of biocides used, the embodied energy of biocides, and the energy needed for farming operations versus the potato yields obtained. In-depth interviews were held with 14 farmers representing 20% of the total potato production area to obtain the current values of these indicators. These were compared to model outcomes of two main sustainability indicators: land and water use efficiency. The land use efficiency varied least between growers, from (36 to 58 Mg (tonnes) ha⁻¹), water use efficiency returned values between 3 and 9 g potato l⁻¹ water, while chemical fertilizer phosphorus use efficiency varied most at 98 and 995 g potato g⁻¹ P applied. Model outcomes confirmed some of the trends revealed by the survey, e.g. growing potatoes in winter and growing them with less than optimal water offers possibilities to double water use efficiency. Ways to derive indicator threshold norms are proposed based on the knowledge of physical and biological processes determining resource availability, the observed variation among farmers and the model outcomes. Knowing indicator values, their range and the means to improve resource use efficiency will aid in establishing sustainability norms by providing a quantitative approach to any environmental certification scheme that wishes to licence the delivery of potatoes from the Sandveld.     

The leaves of Pelargonium sidoides may substitute for its roots in the treatment of bacterial infections

Pelargonium sidoides (Geraniaceae) is a medicinal plant used for the treatment of various infections including tuberculosis and bronchitis. Traditionally, only the roots of the plant are used for medicinal formulations in the Eastern Cape. In addition to traditional uses, there is a great demand for the plant for export, therefore, the rate of its harvesting and the number of its collector has increased in recent years. This has led to a drastic drop in the population of the species in the wild. A method that could achieve the sustainable harvesting of P. sidoides would be to substitute its shoot for the roots in medicinal formulations. A comparative study of the antibacterial activities of the leaves and the roots of the plant was conducted on the materials collected from three different populations. Generally, both the shoot and the roots of P. sidoides have antimicrobial properties. There was no significant observable difference between the MIC of extracts from both parts. The choice of the root by the traditional healers over the leaves may be arbitrary or due to easy collection. The leaves of P. sidoides may, as well, substitute for its roots in medicinal formulations especially in the treatment of bacterial diseases like tuberculosis and bronchitis.     

Phylogeography of the African common toad,Amietophrynus regularis,based on mitochondrial DNA sequences: inferences regarding the Cape Verde population and biogeographical patterns

The amphibian Amietophrynus regularis is distributed throughout equatorial Africa, with presumed introduced populations in the Cape Verde archipelago. Portions of the 12S and 16S rRNA mitochondrial regions of 30 specimens from Kenya, Uganda, Niger, Mali, Burkina-Faso, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde were used to assess genetic diversity and to identify the most probable geographic origin for the introduction of this toad on the latter archipelago. Two lineages with 1.4% genetic divergence between them were identified in western and eastern Africa. All sequences from the different Cape Verde Islands were identical to each other and to the Guinea-Bissau samples, indicating, together with other historical evidences, that an anthropogenic introduction event probably occurred, possibly from Guinea-Bissau, but further work is needed to confirm this. As previously noted, several individuals from previous genetic studies seem to have been misidentified.     

西南区域水稻关键生育期界限温度起始期的预测研究

保证作物安全生产是种植制度的根本要求,也是作物稳产、高产的基础。本文基于西南水稻种植区317个气象台站1961-2015年的日平均气温和最高气温资料,分析了近55年来该区域不同保证率下水稻安全播种期、水稻开花期高温热害和低温冷害的最早发生期,并建立了西南区域水稻各关键生育期界限温度起始期预测模型。预测结果表明：80%~95%保证率下,云南南部的水稻育秧安全播种期最早,平均在2月20日左右;云南北部、四川攀西南部和盆地中部、重庆大部和贵州部分地区在3月10日-4月10日;而其余大部地区在4月10日-5月20日。80%~95%保证率下中稻开花期高温热害主要发生在四川盆地、重庆、贵州北部和东南部,大部地区最早出现在7月15日-8月20日。80%~95%保证率下再生稻或晚稻开花期低温冷害最早出现在云南和贵州大部、四川攀西地区,平均在6月20日-7月15日;四川盆地西部、贵州东北部平均为8月1-20日;其余大部地区在8月20日-9月20日。基于纬度、经度和海拔高度建立的西南区域水稻各关键生育期界限温度起始期预测模型,简单实用,可为西南水稻安全生产、防灾减灾等提供理论依据。