Research Articles (Bioversity and Conservation Biology): Recent submissions
Now showing items 121-140 of 244
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Assessing the effects of in vitro imposed water stress on pineapple growth in relation to biochemical stress indicators using polynomial regression analysis
(AcademicPres, 2020)Knowing the mechanisms that operate under water stress in commercial crops, particularly those that can affect productivity, such as phenolic or cell wall metabolism, is becoming increasingly important in a scenario of ... -
Sharing for science: High-resolution trophic interactions revealed rapidly by social media
(PeerJ, 2020)Discrete, ephemeral natural phenomena with low spatial or temporal predictability are incredibly challenging to study systematically. In ecology, species interactions, which constitute the functional backbone of ecological ... -
Applying science to pressing conservation needs for penguins
(Wiley-Blackwell, 2020)More than half of the world's 18 penguin species are declining. We, the Steering Committee of the International Union for Conservation of Nature Species Survival Commission Penguin Specialist Group, determined that the ... -
Unraveling the diversification and systematic puzzle of the highly polymorphic Psammobates tentorius (Bell, 1828) complex (Reptilia: Testudinidae) through phylogenetic analyses and species delimitation approaches
(Wiley-Blackwell, 2020)The high level of phenotypic diversity in southern African tent tortoises (Psammobates tentorius complex) has for decades prevented systematists from developing a stable taxonomy for the group. Here, we used a comprehensive ... -
Rhodolith bed discovered off the south African coast
(MDPI, 2020)Rhodolith beds have not previously been recorded in South Africa. A multidisciplinary research effort used remote sampling tools to survey the historically unexplored continental shelf off the Eastern Cape coast of South ... -
Sampling bias in reptile occurrence data for the Kruger National Park
(OpenJournals Publishing AOSIS (Pty) Ltd, 2020)To effectively conserve and manage species, it is important to (1) understand how they are spatially distributed across the globe at both broad and fine spatial resolutions and (2) elucidate the determinants of these ... -
How many species of angulate tortoises occur in Southern Africa? (Testudines: Testudinidae: Chersina)
(Wiley-Blackwell, 2020)Using range-wide sampling and 1,143 bp of mtDNA (cytochrome b gene) and 14 microsatellite loci, we examined genetic differentiation in the widely distributed Southern African angulate tortoise (Chersina angulata). We found ... -
The conservation status and population decline of the African penguin deconstructed in space and time
(Wiley-Blackwell, 2020)Understanding changes in abundance is crucial for conservation, but population growth rates often vary over space and time. We use 40 years of count data (1979–2019) and Bayesian state-space models to assess the African ... -
An estuary ecosystem classification that encompasses biogeography and a high diversity of types in support of protection and management
(Taylor & Francis, 2020)For nearly three decades, the Whitfield (1992) characterisation scheme served as a reference framework to type South African estuaries. We outline a revised ecosystem classification scheme that incorporates biogeographical ... -
Phenological shift in swarming patterns of Rhopilema nomadica in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea
(Oxford University Press, 2020)Jellyfish (JF) swarms impact human wellbeing and marine ecosystems. Their global proliferation is a matter of concern and scientific debate, and the multitude of factors affecting (and affected by) their density and ... -
Diet composition and some observations on the feeding ecology of the rhizostome Rhopilema nomadica in Israeli coastal waters
(Cambridge University Press, 2020)Since the mid-1980s, swarms of the rhizostome Rhopilema nomadica have been an annual phenomenon in Israeli Mediterranean coastal waters during the summer months. Despite its annual prominence and the potential impact on ... -
Does phylogeny have an influence on the date of first description? A comparative study of the world's fishes
(Elsevier, 2020)The process of species description is not random, and understanding the factors that influence when a species is first described (the date of first description, DoFD) allows us to target environments and/or species' traits ... -
An assessment of the influence of host species, age, and thallus part on kelp-associated diatoms
(MDPI, 2020)Diatom community composition and abundances on different thallus parts of adult and juvenile specimens of Ecklonia maxima and Laminaria pallida were examined in False Bay, South Africa, using light and scanning electron ... -
Changes in mangroves at their southernmost African distribution limit
(Elsevier, 2020)Mangroves in South Africa occur at one of the most southerly locations in the world, which provides a unique opportunity to study their dynamic responses to anthropogenic and natural perturbations. The exposed high-energy ... -
Winter is coming: A southern hemisphere perspective of the environmental drivers of sars-cov-2 and the potential seasonality of covid-19
(MPDI, 2020)SARS-CoV-2 virus infections in humans were first reported in December 2019, the boreal winter. The resulting COVID-19 pandemic was declared by the WHO in March 2020. By July 2020, COVID-19 was present in 213 countries and ... -
Nest-type associated microclimatic conditions as potential drivers of ectoparasite infestations in African penguin nests
(Springer Nature, 2020)Nest design and characteristics can influence the microclimatic conditions in the nest. Nest-dwelling ectoparasites are sensitive to temperature and moisture and as such the conditions in the nest can influence parasite ... -
Early-life gut dysbiosis linked to juvenile mortality in ostriches
(Springer Nature, 2020)Imbalances in the gut microbial community (dysbiosis) of vertebrates have been associated with several gastrointestinal and autoimmune diseases. However, it is unclear which taxa are associated with gut dysbiosis, and if ... -
Towards characterising microplastic abundance, typology and retention in mangrove-dominated estuaries
(MPDI, 2020)Plastic and, particularly, microplastic (MP) pollution is a growing research theme, dedicated largely to marine systems. Occurring at the land–sea interface, estuarine habitats such as mangroves are at risk of plastic ... -
Neuroprotective activities of Boophone haemanthoides (amaryllidaceae) extract and its chemical constituents
(Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI), 2020)Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative condition that progresses as age increases, and some of its major symptoms include tremor and postural and movement-related difficulties. To date, the treatment of PD remains ... -
Effects of inorganic salt solutions on vigour, viability, oxidative metabolism and germination enzymes in aged cabbage and lettuce seeds
(MDPI, 2020)This study assessed the potential of pre-hydration treatment with aqueous solutions (electrolysed [cathodic water; CW] and non-electrolysed) prepared from four different inorganic ion combinations: 1 mM CaCl2, 1 m CaCl2 ...