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A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Arts in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Masters in Social Work in the Department of Social Work at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2013 / The study “An Investigation of Factors Surrounding Food Insecurity in KwaMthethwa”examines the factors responsible for food insecurity with specific reference to the rural people of KwaMthethwa. The investigation found that many factors coalesce to worsen the problem of food insecurity in the area under study. Mainly but not exclusively, factors that were found to worsen food insecurity in the KwaMthethwa area were: inadequate land supply, unemployment exacerbated by lack of marketable work skills, cultural practices and beliefs that tend to marginalize women away from the profitable work force, the HIV- AIDS epidemic which leaves many children without parents and the colonial mentality of white farm employers who see black labour as an exploitable commodity. In KwaMthethwa area the population group most severely affected by food insecurity was women and children. It was found that the situation of food insecurity could be improved by increasing productive infrastructure such as roads, telecommunication links, clinics, schools and properly equipped libraries.

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The pike killifish, Belonesox belizanus Kner, is the largest member of the live-bearing family Poeciliidae. The species is native to Central America, and was introduced into Dade County, Florida in 1957. B. belizanus is primarily piscivorous, and has been identified as a potential ecological "problem" species for Florida due to its heavy predation on small native fishes, especially the mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis). The population structure and reproduction of the Florida population were investigated in this study from field samples and aquarium observations. The mean standard length (SL) of mature females was about 103 mm. Most females larger than 75 mm SL contained yolked developing ova, fertilized eggs, or embryos. Mature males averaged about 72 mm SL, and the majority of males larger than 55 mm SL were mature. The sex ratio of mature fish was significantly skewed in favor of females, while immature fish did not differ significantly from a 1:1 sex ratio. The average brood size of field-caught females was about 99, and there was a significant positive correlation of brood size with size of the parent female. The gross morphology of embryological development was described. Although mature unfertilized eggs, abnormal embryos, and degenerating embryos from a previous brood were found at a low frequency in broods of normal embryos, no evidence of superfetation was found. Sizes and weights of embryos and neonates were the largest reported for the family. There was a significant decrease in mean embryo weight as development proceeded, indicating that developing embryos received little or no nutrient input from the maternal system after fertilization. The average interbrood interval of aquarium-held females was 42 days, and females were capable of storing viable sperm. Field-caught females were capable of year-round reproduction. Laboratory-born neonates were immediately piscivorous, and exhibited distinctive behaviors associated with filling of the swim bladder and with avoiding detection by predators. Comparisons of the reproductive patterns of B. belizanus with other members of the family Peociliidae are discussed.

Small mammal population dynamics and community structure were studied in three East Central Florida communities. The communities were compared as distinct stages of a sand pine scrub sere. The small mammals live-trapped with greatest frequency in this 3852 trap-night study were all cricetine rodents, Peromyscus polionotus niveiventris (beach mouse), Sigmodon hispidus littoralis (cotton rat), and Peromyscus gossypinus palmarius (cotton mouse). Population numbers, survival, body weights, hind foot lengths, age structure, sex ratios, reproductive cycles, and movements were discussed for each of three species mentioned. These data will serve as a baseline information for ecological monitoring studies associated with NASA Space Shuttle operations. Small mammal community structure was examined with regard to interspecific spatial overlap and body size ratios. Vegetation density was compared within and among the study sites. Within study sites vegetation density appeared to influence mammal microhabitat selection. Among study sites a highly significant correlation was found between small mammal species diversity and vegetation density.

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Research objective: To assess species ratio of L. maculans and L. biglobosa during oilseed rape growing season and determine the response of oilseed rape plants to L. maculans and L. biglobosa infection. Experimental objectives: 1. To investigate seasonal dynamics of Leptosphaeria spp. ascospore release and investigate species composition of L. maculans and L. biglobosa ascospores in spore samples using real time PCR. 2. To assess the occurrence of L. maculans and L. biglobosa on different Brassicaceae plants (B. napus var. oleifera, B. oleracea var. capitata and B. oleracea var. italic). 3. To investigate species diversity of L. maculans and L. biglobosa in the population using molecular markers. 4. To assess dynamics of blackleg sympthoms after inoculation with L. maculans and L. biglobosa and identify differentially expressed genes in oilseed rape. / Tyrimų tikslas: nustatyti L. maculans ir L. biglobosa rūšių santykį rapsų vegetacijos metu, bei identifikuoti diferenciškai ekspresuojamus rapsų augalų genus L. maculans ir L. biglobosa infekcijos metu. Tyrimų uždaviniai: 1. Ištirti Leptosphaeria spp. aukšliasporių plitimo dėsningumus bei L. maculans ir L. biglobosa rūšių santykį grybo populiacijoje rapsų vegetacijos metu iš aukšliasporių panaudojant tikrojo laiko PGR su rūšims specifiniais pradmenimis. 2. Nustatyti L. maculans ir L. biglobosa rūšių paplitimą ant įvairių bastutinių šeimos augalų rūšių (Brassica napus var. oleifera, B. oleracea var. capitata, B. oleracea var. italica). 3. Molekulinių žymeklių pagalba įvertinti L. maculans ir L. biglobosa rūšių skirtingumą ir izoliatų giminingumą rūšies viduje. 4. Ištirti fomozės požymių dinamiką po rapsų augalų užkrėtimo L. maculans ir L. biglobosa piknosporomis (dirbtinio užkrėtimo sąlygomis šiltnamyje), bei identifikuoti diferenciškai ekspresuojamus rapsų augalų genus L. maculans ir L. biglobosa grybų piknosporomis užkrėstuose augaluose.

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