The Brown-headed Parrot (Poicephalus cryptoxanthus) is a poorly known species inhabiting open woodland in south-eastern Africa. This study elucidates critical aspects of the species ecology and although each of these categories impinge on one another, it concentrates on two broad biological aspects, diet and breeding biology, and vocalizations. The species has a generalist diet, switching from one suite of food species to another as and when those species become available, with no species critical for its survival. Analysis of dietary items throughout the year and comparison with handling times and availability reveals that at no time is the species under dietary constraint. Evidence from association indices and behavioural observation shows that the popular view that the Brown-headed Parrot forms pairs just before breeding is erroneous. Birds retain pair bonds and the bond is long-term, lasting at least throughout the year. Congregations are therefore of a classical fission/fusion type with the sub-units being the paired males and females. A mathematical model of the growth of captive chicks is presented, as a guideline to alert potential breeders of Brown-headed Parrots of malnutrition or disease. The species is a secondary cavity hole nester and whilst, the breeding biology of the species is summarised, the importance of large and old trees for breeding opportunities of the species is emphasised. This theme is continued by testing various adaptive hatching hypotheses as possible explanations of asynchronous hatching in the species. It is suggested that asynchronous hatching may be an adaptive strategy moderating against the number of suitable nesting cavities. The vocalization repertoire of the Brown-headed Parrot is described and seven separate vocalizations are recognized. None of these are associated with sexual situations, offering further evidence of a long-term pair bond. Evidence is offered that Brown-headed Parrot chicks can recognise their parents from individual vocal signatures supporting previous evidence from a number of species where chicks may mingle with unrelated chicks. Conversely, parents seem to be unable to recognise their chicks in the same way. It is concluded that this inability may be a result of strong one-way selection pressure, where the costs outweigh the benefits for parents with more than one chick or may be related to the experimental design. Individual recognition by voice implies individual voice differences and the adult double chip contact call is analysed using multivariate statistical techniques. The analysis separates individuals on the basis of frequency and temporal patterns and it is concluded that these parameters may allow individual voice differentiation. Finally, high frequency aspects of the double chip contact call are examined. These frequencies lie above the normally accepted upper threshold of avian hearing. From laboratory and field experiments, behavioural evidence is presented suggesting that the Brown-headed Parrot reacts to these frequencies and may use their degradation as a means of ranging distances to conspecifics. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2002.

The distribution, status, biology and ecology of four flufftail species were investigated in South Africa and Zimbabwe. The Redchested Flufftail is a successful and widely distributed species, occupying a wide range of dense vegetation, from seasonally wet grassland and sedges to permanently shallowly flooded reedbeds. It colonizes artificially created wetland patches and occupies very small patches of suitable habitat. Redchested Flufftails maintain a permanent pair bond and are permanently territorial and entirely sedentary. Their habitat is relatively stable but unpredictable catastrophic events such as burning may force temporary emigration in winter or spring. Displaced birds move a short distance, occupy often marginally suitable habitat and recolonize burned areas as soon as vegetation cover becomes adequate. Periodic burning improves habitat quality, and recommendations are formulated for the management of wetland habitats by burning. The size of the winter territory is larger than the minimum required for survival and provides an insurance against forced emigration, while immatures often share parental territories in winter. The Striped Flufftail's grassland habitats in Natal are decreasing and its numbers are declining. Striped Flufftails are sedentary in low-altitude grassland habitats, but in high-altitude sourveld the decrease in invertebrate food forces emigration in April-June, when the birds move to unknown wintering destinations (movements are possibly altitudinal). Return time to unburned vegetation is dependent upon invertebrate food availability. Return time to burned vegetation is governed by the development of suitable cover, which may occur too late in the breeding season to permit occupation. The species is well adapted to frequent burning of its habitats, which serves to maintain suitable fire-climax grassland, but is also adapted to post-fire-climax vegetation types. The Whitewinged Flufftail is rare but its occurrence was regularly noted during the summer at four sites in Natal and the Transvaal. Habitat preferences and movement patterns were clarified, as was the bird's ecological segregation from the Redchested Flufftail. No conclusive evidence was found for breeding in South Africa and it is suggested that lack of suitable breeding habitat (possibly as a result of its being occupied by breeding Redchested Flufftails) may account for this. Some aspects of the bird's behaviour and calling were investigated. In view of this bird's threatened status and the continuing destruction of its wetland habitats, further surveys are urgently required to clarify the bird's status and the full extent of suitable habitat in South Africa, while a captive breeding programme is recommended to study breeding behaviour. The Buffspotted Flufftail inhabits a wide variety of forested and bushed habitats, and in Natal is a successful colonist of exotic vegetation in gardens. Its breeding biology, territorial and aggressive behaviour, and feeding ecology, were investigated in detail. It has regular seasonal movements in Natal, probably both altitudinal and coastal, although birds may remain throughout the year in areas where conditions are suitable. Seasonal departures are correlated with decreasing invertebrate food availability, while return time is largely governed by food availability, although cover development in exotic vegetation delayed recolonization at one site. The pair bond and the territory are maintained throughout the breeding season, and possibly throughout the year under suitable conditions. Adult mortality is probably high and the species' breeding strategy emphasises fecundity, this being achieved by a large clutch size, a very restricted period of parental care and rapid re-nesting. Juvenile mortality is high. The plumage, behavioural and vocal development of the young were studied in detail. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1994.

The world environmental crisis has ed to a growing international concern to promote sustainable development. Environmental education is being heralded as one of the foremost responses to the promotion of sustainable development The Southern African Development Community Environment and Land Management Sector initiated a programme to support environmental education in the region. Among other things, this programme offers various forms of training for environmental educators in an attempt to meet the needs of southern Africa. The purpose of this report is to investigate the environmental education training needs in the southern African region. The research itself concentrates on the environmental education training needs as articulated by participants in, and applicants to, the Southern African Development Community Regional Environmental Education Programme (SADC-REEP). The report documents the establishment of the SADC-REEP and the environmental education training it offers within the context of current thinking on environmental education processes in the region. It then goes on to document the training needs articulated by the research respondents. This leads to a discussion of the articulated needs in relation to the current training offered by the SADC-REEP. The research reveals common themes expressed amongst the research respondents as to the training needs of the region. These themes include such issues as a broader understanding of environmental education processes, networking and the ability to disseminate information. These themes have led to recommendations for the SADC-REEP for the enhancement of their training programmes. / Thesis (M.Sc.) - University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2000.

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2010.

This study seeks to assess the viability, acceptability and feasibility of an overnight air courier network linking Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique and South Africa. The positivist research approach was adopted in this study. A questionnaire was sent to each the regulatory bodies in the six countries under study. 40 questionnaires were also administered to respondents from air courier companies. Judgement sampling was used for questionnaire administration to regulatory bodies because of the reduced cost and time involved in this method. For courier air service providers, the researcher used simple random sampling because it ensures that the perceptions and views of everyone are represented. Study results show that most of the nations under consideration belong to sub-regional, regional and international groupings. Most nations would want to grant fifth freedom rights, but on a conditional basis. Also, the states advocate for liberalisation of air traffic because it results in improved service quality and courier companies do not offer money-back refunds if service guarantees are not met. Though courier companies do not offer overnight air courier services, they say such services are critical to their operation. Courier companies are dogged by inaccessibility of the market. Some of the major recommendations are that states should liberalise market access and other ancillary services such as ground handling. Specific provisions such as open route exchanges, multiple designation and the practice of 5th freedom should be implemented. The development of a regional aircraft maintenance centre should be explored as soon as possible. Furthermore, all the states should commit themselves to implementing the sub-regional safety projects. Countries should implement agreements they make as economic and political blocs because this leads to a shift away from restrictive bi-lateral air service agreements in favour of liberalised multi-lateral policies. A further study should be carried out to assess the impact of deregulation on service delivery in airline networks. / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2005.

Africa, and Southern Africa in particular, has been identified by both South African and international retail chains as an area for growth. Because conflict on the continent has all but dissipated, economic growth naturally follows political stability. Africa, with its wealth of resources, provides attractive markets for international investors. This increased investment leads to a growing middle class, with growing needs for goods and services. The reason for the interest from organised retail is therefore obvious. The challenge, however, is that, given the size of the individual markets in Southern Africa, it is not financially viable to have an independent marketing strategy for each market. There is no cross-national empirical research that has measured customers’ expectations and perceptions, allowing marketers to develop financially viable marketing strategies. This research, which can be considered an exploratory study, attempted to fill that void. Quality is an elusive and indistinct construct, and as such, it is difficult to measure. A large body of customer satisfaction/dissatisfaction literature acknowledges the importance of expectations in the customers’ evaluation (perception) of their service experience. Although there are several models which have been used to measure service quality, SERVQUAL remains the most popular. It has been successfully adapted to a range of service and retail environments, more especially in emerging markets. This study also employs an adapted SERVQUAL instrument to measure customer satisfaction levels in Southern Africa. The main objective of this study was to investigate the similarities in and differences between the perceptions and expectations regarding service quality of the customer groups of retail stores in different Southern African countries in order to develop financially viable retail strategies. In order to achieve this, the following secondary objectives were identified: *To determine the applicability of the adapted SERVQUAL model in Southern African countries. *To determine, by means of a cross-national study, whether other dimensions of service quality are relevant in the development of a service quality model in a Southern African context. The research population constituted all the existing and potential customers of Beares, Ellerines and FurnCity stores in Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Swaziland, Lesotho and South Africa. Six hundred questionnaires in total were distributed, one hundred being sent to different stores in each of the six countries. Stores were chosen from both rural and metropolitan areas. This was a convenience sample and an interviewer-administered survey. Existing and prospective customers were intercepted in the store and interviewed by store managers. The findings indicated that there were statistically significant differences between expectations and perceptions in two factors of the measuring scale. Although the measuring instrument SERVQUAL was found to be both valid and reliable, only two factors were loaded during the analysis stage, and, as a result, the adaptability of SERVQUAL is questionable. The effect of culture does not form part of the SERVQUAL measuring scale yet service quality literature indicates that national cultures affect both the perceptions and the expectations of service quality. / PhD (Business Management), North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2014

Freshwater copepod taxonomy has been neglected in southern Africa for more than 50 years and this has placed a constraint on research on the biology and ecology of this important component of the freshwater invertebrate fauna. In this review of the calanoid family Diaptomidae of southern Africa, keys to the freshwater families, the African genera and southern African species are presented as well as diagnoses of the family Diaptomidae and the subfamilies Paradiaptominae and Diaptominae. The genus Lovenula has been revised. All available information on each species has been collated. This includes illustrations of the most important identifying characters, synonymies, a record of material examined and a map of distribution. The discovery of 11 new species, four Paradiaptomus, two, Metadiaptomus and five Tropodiaptomus, indicates that the diaptomid fauna of southern Africa is more diverse than was previously envisaged. Biogeography and evolution of the group is discussed with reference to vicariance, dispersal and palaeoenvironments of the African continent. The Paradiaptominae (Lovenula, Paradiaptomus and Metadiaptomus) are endemic to Africa, while the Diaptominae have one endemic African genus Thermodiaptomus and the other, Tropodiaptomus, is not limited to the African continent. The latter genus has speciated throughout the warmer regions of Africa, with more than 30 described species. Additional collections from isolated regions will, without doubt, substantially increase this number. Included in the account is a glossary of copepod terminology, an explanation of local limnological terms in current use, and a gazetteer. Biographical information on the pioneers of copepod research in southern Africa is included. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1990.

No description available.

No description available.

This PhD thesis investigates the relative importance of oceanic and atmospheric influences on extremes, long-term trends, and seasonal to interannual variability of precipitation for different regions in the Southern Hemisphere in observations, reanalysis data, and output from general circulation models (GCM). Examination of interannual rainfall extremes over southwest Western Australia (SWWA) reveals a characteristic dipole pattern of Indian Ocean sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTA). This coincides with a large-scale reorganization of the wind field over the tropical/subtropical Indian Ocean changing SSTA, via anomalous Ekman transport in the tropical Indian Ocean and via anomalous air-sea heat fluxes in the subtropics, and altering moisture advection onto SWWA. The potential impact of these Indian Ocean SSTA in driving modulations of mid-latitude precipitation across southern and western regions of Australia is assessed in atmospheric GCM simulations. The SSTA give rise to changes in the thermal properties of the atmosphere, meridional thickness gradient, subtropical jet, thermal wind, and baroclinicity over southern regions of Australia, thus modulating precipitation. In addition, links between anomalous wet conditions over East Africa and these characteristic Indian Ocean SSTA are explored during the "short rain" season in October-November. Interannual extremes m New Zealand rainfall and their modulation by modes of Southern Hemisphere climate variability, namely the Southern Annular Mode (SAM) and El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), are investigated. Late twentieth Century trends in New Zealand precipitation are examined for the period 19792006 to quantify the relative impact of recent changes in the large-scale atmospheric circulation related to the SAM and ENSO. Increasingly drier conditions over much of New Zealand can be partially explained by the SAM and ENSO. Cool season rainfall variability in southeastern Australia is investigated via a classification and characterization of the predominant types of synoptic systems occurring in the region, focusing on frontal and cutoff low systems. Two definitions of the autumn break developed for northwestern Victoria are employed to produce a synoptic climatology of the break phenomenon. Trends in characteristics of the autumn break indicate that the most recent drought in southeastern Australia is comparable in severity with the two major droughts in the twentieth Century.