Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Table Mountain Group (TMG) Aquifer System is a regional fractured aquifer system with a large potential as a source of future water supplies in the Western and Eastern Cape. This system is currently under consideration for large-scale water abstraction. Many terrestrial ecosystems, however, are dependent on these groundwater resources for survival. Exploitation of ground water resources at a rate exceeding the rate of natural recharge would result in a lowering of the water table and the drying up of seeps. The main objective of this study was to determine if satellite remote sensing data can be used for the detection of groundwater-dependent wetlands, and secondly, to use multi-temporal imagery for estimating seasonal changes experienced in wetland communities in relation to surrounding vegetation. The Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve, situated approximately 30km to the east of Cape Point in the Western Cape, South Africa, was selected for investigation. To accomplish the objectives, three Landsat 7 ETM+ images (path/row: 175/84) captured on 22 September 2001, 18 May 2002 and 23 September 2002 were acquired. Image fusion of the multispectral bands (30m resolution) with the panchromatic band (15m resolution) provided 15m multispectral images for analysis purposes. Geometric correction, radiometric normalisation and atmospheric corrections was performed in order to ensure pixel-level comparability between images. Once comparability between images was guaranteed, vegetation indices and tasselled cap components were derived to provide threshold values of moisture stress indicators and productivity estimations of wetland communities in relation to surrounding non-wetland communities. Additionally, change vector analysis on these transformations provided the ability to detect and assess the seasonal changes experienced by these communities during an annual cycle. The results of these transformations were combined in a rule-based image classifier in order to assist in estimating the seasonal dependency of observed wetland communities. The ability to use Landsat 7 images and the abovementioned image processing procedures to identify wetland communities with a high probability of groundwater interaction was demonstrated with a high degree of accuracy (78%). It is recommended that future studies concentrate on increasing classification accuracies, while focusing on incorporating these techniques into a remote monitoring system for assessing the impacts of groundwater extraction on the groundwater-dependent wetland communities. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Tafelberg Groep (TBG) Akwifer is 'n regionale verskuiwingsakwifer sisteem met groot potensiaal as toekomstige waterbron vir die Wes- en Oos-Kaap. Grootskaalse grondwateronttrekking uit hierdie sisteem word tans ondersoek. Baie terrestriële ekosisteme is egter vir oorlewing van grondwaterbronne afhanklik. Grondwaterontginning teen 'n tempo hoër as die natuurlike aanvultempo sal die watertafel laat daal en syfersones laat opdroog. Die hoofdoel van die studie was om te bepaal of satellietbeelde gebruik kan word om grondwater-afhanklike vleilande waar te neem, en om 'n tydsreeks van beelde te gebruik om die seisoenale verandering in vleilandgemeenskappe relatief tot omliggende plantegroei te raam. Die Kogelberg Biosfeer Reservaat, ongeveer 30km oos van Kaappunt, is as studiegebied geïdentifiseer. Drie Landsat 7 beelde (baan/ry: 175/84) van 22 September 2001, 18 Mei 2002 en 23 September 2002 is ontleed. Die Landsat 7 multispektrale bande (30m resolusie) is met behulp van beeld-fusietegnieke met die panchromatiese band (15m resolusie) gekombineer om multispektrale beelde te lewer met 15m grondresolusie. Geometriese korreksie, radiometriese normalisering en atmosferiese korreksie is op elk van die beelde toegepas om beeld-selvlak vergelykings tussen beelde 'n moontlikheid te maak. Met beeldvergelykbaarheid verseker, is plantegroei-indekse en 'tassled cap' transformasies gebruik om afsnywaardes vir vleiland-identifikasie te bereken. Verder is veranderingsvektoranalises op die transformasies bereken om die seisoenale veranderinge oor die jaarsiklus in vleilande te bepaal. Die resultate hiervan is vervat in 'n reël-gebaseerde beeldklassifiseerder waarmee vleilande se seisoenale grondwater afhanklikheid geraam is. Die vermoë om vleilande met 'n hol! waarskynlikheid van grondwater interaksie uit Landsat 7 beelde te identifiseer is met 'n hol! vlak van totale akkuraatheid (78%) gedemonstreer. Die aanbeveling is dat toekomstige studies moet fokus op die verhoging van hierdie klassifikasie akkuraathede. Die tegnieke moet toegespits word op die ontwikkeling van 'n afstandswaarnemingstelsel om die

Thesis (MScConEcol)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Declines in natural capital, such as the degradation of ecosystems and loss of species, are the result of threats created by anthropogenic activities. The concept of sustainable development encompasses the economic and social growth of societies, with limited impacts on the natural environment. Sustainable development initiatives are being implemented in an attempt to mitigate the global decline in natural capital. Biosphere reserves, which are designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s (UNESCO) Man and the Biosphere Programme, aim to be landscape-scale examples of sustainable development. UNESCO requires biosphere reserves to submit a periodic review every ten years to ensure they are meeting their goals. This requires that that they monitor and evaluate their progress towards their sustainable development goals. Sustainability indicators are tools used to assess progress towards ecological, social and economic goals, and can thus be useful tools for biosphere reserves to ensure they are achieving their goals. The Kogelberg and Cape West Coast Biosphere Reserves are both situated within the Cape Floristic Region (CFR). The CFR, located in the South-West of South Africa, has been identified as a biodiversity hotspot owing to its high plant diversity. About a fifth of the CFR is formally protected, while about three quarters has been transformed, mainly by cultivated lands, urban areas and alien vegetation. The socio-economic dimensions of the region are also diverse. A high percentage of its inhabitants have low incomes and live in informal settlements, while a smaller percentage have high incomes and live in middle to upper-class urban areas. Biosphere reserves aim to encourage their diverse stakeholders to collaboratively develop and work towards sustainable development goals. This research project applied an action research approach. The research objectives were achieved through collaboration with biosphere reserve stakeholders. The first objective was to develop sustainability indicator sets for the Kogelberg and Cape West Coast Biosphere Reserves. Following the introduction to the research provided in Chapter 1, Chapters 2, 3 and 4 of this thesis describe the stages of the research process undertaken to achieve this objective. With the aim of investigating monitoring and evaluation within biosphere reserves, Chapter 2 presents a systematic review of the peer-reviewed and grey literature and Chapter 3 presents the results of interviews with managers of South African biosphere reserves and a web-based survey of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves. Chapter 4 describes the collaborative process of conducting local stakeholder workshops and specialist focus groups to develop sets of sustainability indicators; one set each for the Kogelberg and Cape West Coast Biosphere Reserves. The second objective was to formulate a national protocol for the development of sustainability indicators for South African biosphere reserves. This was developed through a synthesis of the results and lessons learnt in Chapters 2 to 4. This national protocol was designed to be flexible enough to be adapted to the local circumstances and needs of individual South African biosphere reserves. The global review of the peer-reviewed and grey literature revealed that monitoring and evaluation studies in biosphere reserves are mostly conducted in the developing world by authors from the developed world and many of the studies and indicators that were developed focused on ecological dimensions. These results show that biosphere reserves need to enhance their local capacity for the development and implementation of improved monitoring and evaluation methods and frameworks. The outcomes of the interviews with representatives of the management of South African biosphere reserves and a survey of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves found that many biosphere reserves identified in this survey are reportedly implementing monitoring and evaluation, but few have developed sustainability indicators. It was found that there are many similar challenges with regards to monitoring and evaluation in biosphere reserves, most notably the lack of capacity and funding Lastly, the collaborative process used to develop sustainability indicators for the Kogelberg and Cape West Coast Biosphere Reserves proved to be useful and produced the desired outcomes. The local stakeholder workshops produced large sustainability indicator sets, with many indicators that were immeasurable, but most were relevant to the biosphere reserves. The specialist focus groups produced more focused and feasible indicator sets. The local stakeholder and specialist indicator sets were integrated to produce a final set for each biosphere reserve that was relevant to the social-ecological systems of the biosphere reserves, with indicators that could feasibly be implemented. The action research approach applied in this study delivered a pragmatic set of sustainability indicators that can be implemented by both biosphere reserves. The National Department of Environmental Affairs, and the Kogelberg and Cape West Coast Biosphere Reserve co-ordinators have encouraged and supported the development of the sustainability indicator sets and the national protocol. Supporting these with a social learning institution within each biosphere reserve will be required for ensuring their on-going utility. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Dalings in natuurlike kapitaal, soos die degradasie van ekosisteme en die verlies van spesies, is die gevolg van die bedreigings wat geskep word deur menslike aktiwiteite. Die konsep van volhoubare ontwikkeling behels die ekonomiese en sosiale ontwikkeling van samelewings, met beperkte impak op die natuurlike omgewing. Volhoubare ontwikkelings inisiatiewe word geïmplementeer in 'n poging om die afname in natuurlike kapitaal te verminder. Die doel van biosfeerreservate, wat aangewys is deur die Verenigde Nasies se Opvoedkundige, Wetenskaplike en Kulturele Organisasie (UNESCO) se Man en die Biosfeer-program, is om landskap-skaal voorbeelde van volhoubare ontwikkeling te wees. UNESCO vereis dat biosfeerreservate 'n periodieke hersiening elke tien jaar voor te lê om te verseker dat hulle op pad is om hul doelwitte te bereik. Dit vereis dat hulle moet hul vordering monitor en evalueer teenoor hul volhoubare ontwikkelingsdoelwitte. Volhoubaarheid aanwysers word gebruik om vordering ten opsigte van ekologiese, sosiale en ekonomiese doelwitte te bepaal, en kan dus nuttig wees vir biosfeerreservate om te verseker dat hulle hul doelwitte bereik. Die Kogelberg en Kaapse Weskus Biosfeerreservate is beide in die Kaapse Floristiese Omgewing (KFO) geleë. Die KFO, wat in die Suid-Wes van Suid-Afrika geleë is, is geïdentifiseer as 'n biodiversiteit-brandpunt as gevolg van sy hoë plant diversiteit. Oor 1/5 van die KFO is formeel beskerm terwyl ongeveer 3/4 omskep is, hoofsaaklik deur bewerkte landerye, stedelike gebiede en uitheemse plantegroei. Die sosio-ekonomiese aspekte van die omgewing is ook uiteenlopend. 'n Hoë persentasie van die bevolking het 'n lae inkomste en woon in informele nedersettings, terwyl 'n kleiner persentasie het 'n hoë inkomste en woon in middel tot bo-klas stedelike gebiede. Biosfeerreservate streef daarna om hul diverse rolspelers aan te moedig om saam volhoubare ontwikkelingsdoelwitte te ontwikkel. Hierdie navorsingsprojek het 'n aksie-navorsing nadering toegepas. Die navorsing doelwitte is bereik deur middel van samewerking met biosfeerreservaat rolspelers. Die eerste doelwit was om volhoubaarheid aanwyser stelle vir die Kogelberg en Kaapse Weskus Biosfeerreservate te ontwikkel. Na aanleiding van die Inleiding tot die navorsing wat in Hoofstuk 1, Hoofstuk 2, 3 en 4 van hierdie tesis beskryf die fases van die navorsing wat onderneem is om hierdie doelwit te bereik. Met die doel van die ondersoek van monitering en evaluering binne biosfeerreservate, Hoofstuk 2 bied 'n sistematiese hersiening van die eweknie-geëvalueerde en grys literatuur aan en Hoofstuk 3 bied die resultate van onderhoude met bestuurders van Suid-Afrikaanse biosfeerreservate en 'n web-gebaseerde ondersoek van die wêreld Netwerk van Biosfeerreservate aan. Hoofstuk 4 beskryf die saamwerkende proses van die uitvoer van plaaslike rolspeler werkswinkels en spesialis fokusgroepe stelle van volhoubaarheid aanwysers te ontwikkel; een stel elk vir die Kogelberg en Kaapse Weskus Biosfeerreservate. Die tweede doelwit is om 'n nasionale protokol vir die ontwikkeling van volhoubaarheid aanwysers vir Suid-Afrikaanse biosfeerreservate te formuleer. Dit is ontwikkel deur middel van 'n sintese van die resultate en lesse wat geleer is in Hoofstukke 2 tot 4. Hierdie nasionale protokol is ontwerp om buigsaam genoeg te wees om aangepas te word by die plaaslike omstandighede en behoeftes van individuele Suid-Afrikaanse biosfeerreservate. Die globale oorsig van die eweknie-geëvalueerde en grys literatuur het gewys dat monitering en evaluering studies in biosfeerreservate word meestal in die ontwikkelende wêreld uitgevoer deur die skrywers van die ontwikkelde wêreld en baie van die studies en aanwysers wat ontwikkel word is gefokus op ekologiese dimensies. Hierdie resultate dui aan dat biosfeerreservate hul plaaslike kapasiteit vir die ontwikkeling en implementering van monitering en evaluering metodes en raamwerke moet verbeter. Die uitkomste van die onderhoude met verteenwoordigers van die bestuur van die Suid-Afrikaanse biosfeerreservate en 'n ondersoek van die Wêreld Netwerk van Biosfeerreservate dui aan dat baie van die biosfeerreservate wat in hierdie ondersoek na berig word implementeer monitering en evaluering, maar min het volhoubaarheid aanwysers ontwikkel. Daar is gevind dat daar baie soortgelyke uitdagings met betrekking tot monitering en evaluering in biosfeerreservate, veral die gebrek aan kapasiteit en befondsing Ten slotte, die gesamentlike proses wat gebruik is om die volhoubaarheid aanwysers vir die Kogelberg en Kaapse Weskus Biosfeerreservate te ontwikkel het bewys om nuttig te wees en het die verlangde uitkomste gelewer. Die plaaslike rolspeler werkswinkels het groot volhoubaarheid aanwyser stelle geproduseer, met baie onmeetbare aanwysers, maar meeste van die aanysers was relevant tot die biosfeer-reservate. Die spesialis fokusgroepe het meer gefokusde en uitvoerbaar aanwyser stelle geproduseer. Die plaaslike rolspeler en spesialis aanwyser stelle is geïntegreer in 'n finale stel vir elke biosfeerreservaat wat relevant is tot die sosiaal-ekologiese stelsels van die biosfeer-reservate, met aanwysers wat uitvoerbaar is. Die aksie-navorsing benadering wat in hierdie studie toegepas is het 'n pragmatiese stel van volhoubaarheid aanwysers afgelewer wat sal deur beide biosfeerreservate geïmplementeer word. Die Nasionale Departement van Omgewingsake, en die Kogelberg en Kaapse Weskus Biosfeer Reservaat koördineerders het die ontwikkeling van die volhoubaarheid aanwyser stelle en die Nasionale Protokol aangemoedig en ondersteun. Ondersteuning van hierdie uitsette met 'n sosiale leer instelling binne elke biosfeerreservaat sal vereis wees om hul deurlopende nut te verseker.

Thesis (MScConEcol)--UnStellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The privilege of utilising resources from the globe's marine ecosystems is threatened. Adequate regional and global conservation efforts are vital. Understanding species' distributions and the environmental variables influencing community structures are important for instigating optimum conservation plans. A major threat facing marine ecosystems is the introduction and proliferation of alien invasive species. The distribution and geographical expansion of marine alien invasive species, along with environmental variables driving their increase is also critical for drawing up conservation plans. In response to this point, this study addresses gaps in our knowledge regarding intertidal marine invertebrate species distributions particularly that of marine alien species in the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve (KBR) and adjacent Betty's Bay Marine Protected Area (MPA) in the Western Cape of South Africa, a prime area for south-coast marine conservation. Species identifications were done in September 2010. Two marine alien invertebrate species were identified along the coastline. These were the invasive mytilid Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis and the bryozoan Watersipora subtorquata. A quantitative systematic survey of the intertidal region, consisting of seven rocky shore sites was then undertaken from October 2010 to December 2010. The abundance of all focal marine invertebrate species, within six selected habitat types was assessed. Environmental variables were also recorded. Statistical tests were done to investigate for significant interaction in mean abundance and mean species richness among intertidal zones and protection status (MPA and non-MPA), and among intertidal sampling units (SU‟s) and protection status. There was also investigated for significant difference in mean abundance and mean species richness across intertidal zones and habitat types where protection status was not taken into account, and to test for significant differences in mean abundance and mean species richness between the intertidal zones and habitat types. Correspondence analyses were used to illustrate relationships between species composition and the defined environmental variables. Tests were done to investigate for significant differences in mean abundance of the identified marine alien species between the MPA and non-MPA, study sites, SU's, and wave exposures. These results indicated that vertical and horizontal stress gradients along the shore mainly influence abundance and species richness. The significantly higher abundance of M. galloprovincialis outside the MPA is due to its preference for wave-exposed areas. The reason for the difference in the total abundance of W. subtorquata in the different habitats is not clear, although it appears that the higher abundance of this species in the MPA is because the sheltered nature of the MPA. M. galloprovincilais displaces indigenous species. W. subtorquata does not cause any significant harm along the coast of South Africa. This study indicates that the abundance of M. galloprovincialis and W. subtorquata in the MPA is relatively low. The MPA is therefore in good condition with regards to intertidal alien species. It is important that the MPA and adjacent KBR's coastline maintain its current pristine status. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die voorreg om mariene hulpbronne te benut, word bedreig. Voldoende nasionale en globale mariene bewaring is krities. 'n Deeglike kennis van spesies verspreiding en omgewingsveranderlikes wat gemeenskapstrukture beïnvloed is noodsaaklik vir optimale bewaringspogings. Mariene indringerspesies en verspreiding van indringerspesies bedreig mariene ekosisteme. Dit is belangrik om basiese kennis in te win oor die geografiese verspreiding van indringerspesies saam met die omgewingsveranderlikes wat hierdie verspreiding beïnvloed. Hierdie studie fokus dus daarop om die kennis met betrekking tot intergety ongewerwelde spesiesverspreiding, veral dié wat uitheems is langs die kus van die Kogelberg Biosfeer Reservaat (KBR) en aangrensende Bettys Baai Mariene Beskermde Gebied (MBG) in die Wes-Kaap in Suid-Afrika uit te brei. Hierdie streek word beskou as gesog vir mariene bewaring in Suid-Afrika. Identifikasie van spesies is in September 2010 gedoen. Twee intergety uitheemse ongewerwelde spesies is langs die kus geïdentifiseer; die indringer 'mytilid' Mediterreense mossel - Mytilus galloprovincialis en die 'bryozoa' Watersipora subtorquata. 'n Kwantitatiewe sistematiese oorsig van die intergety rotsagtige streek, bestaande uit sewe lokaliteite, is gedoen. Steekproefneming is vanaf Oktober 2010 tot Desember 2010 uitgevoer. Alle fokale intergety ongewerwelde spesies, in ses geselekteerde habitattipes is getel. Omgewingsveranderlikes is aangeteken. Daar is statisties getoets vir verskille in die talrykheid en spesiesrykheid tussen die intergety zones en beskermingsstatus (MBG en nie-MBG), en tussen die intergety habitattipes en beskermingsstatus. Daar is ook getoets vir verskille in talrykheid en spesiesrykheid tussen die intergety zones en habitattipes waar beskermingsstatus nie in ag geneem is nie. Ooreenstemmende analises is gedoen om die verhoudings tussen die spesiesamestelling en die gedefinieerde omgewingsveranderlikes te illustreer. Daar is statisties getoets vir verskille in die talrykheid van die geïdentifiseerde uitheemse spesies tussen die MBG en nie-MBG, die verskillende lokaliteite, die verskillende habitattipes en tussen die verskillende golf blootstellings. Hierdie studie dui aan dat vertikale en horisontale stresgradiënte die hoofoorsaak is wat talrykheid en spesiesrykheid beïnvloed. Die aansienlik hoër talrykheid van M. galloprovincialis buite die MBG is van die gebied se hoër golfblootstelling. Die beduidende verskil in talrykheid van W. subtorquata is onduidelik. Dit kan egter afgelei word dat die beskutte aard van die MBG 'n rol speel by die aansienlik hoër talrykheid van hierdie spesie binne die MBG. M. galloprovicialis verplaas inheemse spesies. Geen beskikbare bewys dui daarop dat W. subtorquata enige beduidende skade langs die kus van Suid-Afrika aanrig nie. Die lae talrykheid van beide hierdie spesies binne die MBG dui daarop dat hierdie unieke area steeds in goeie toestand ten opsigte van intergety uitheemse spesies is. Dit is noodsaaklik dat die huidige status van die MBG en aangrensende kuslyn gehandhaaf word.