The research focuses on the contemporary pollen rain-vegetation relationship for vegetation communities within the Natal Drakensberg, a region which is recognized as having the potential for extensive palynological investigations. The objective was to investigate the fundamental assumption underlying palynology, viz: that the pollen rain of a particular region is indicative or representative of the existing vegetation of that region. If the modern pollen rain is indicative of and/or distinctive for a particular vegetation community then the principle of methodological uniformitarianism can be applied, which states that the present day patterns and relationships can provide a factual basis for the reconstruction of the past through the extrapolation of modern analogues backwards in time. A vegetation survey was conducted in thirteen communities identified as pertinent to the research and a two-year modern pollen rain sampling programme was carried out, using both surface soil and pollen trap samples as a means of recording and quantifying the pollen rain. Once the necessary sample preparation and pollen counts had been performed, descriptive and numerical/statistical methods were employed to determine and describe the existing pollen-vegetation relationship. Descriptive analysis of the data sets was carried out with the aid of spectra depicted as rotated bar graphs and representing the relative percentage frequencies of the collected/counted taxa. Annual and seasonal pollen influx values were calculated and presented. Analysis of variance was applied to test various hypotheses related to sampling strategy and pollen influx variation. Statistical methods employed were two-way indicator species analysis (a classification analysis technique), detrended correspondence analysis and principal components analysis (ordination techniques), canonical correlation analysis (for data set association) and multiple discriminant analysis (for determination of vegetation zonal indices). The latter technique allowed for the probability of modern analogues to be assessed which are necessary for accurate interpretation of fossil pollen assemblages if the assumption under investigation is correct. The findings of the study were that the modern pollen rain-vegetation assumption holds true. Recommendations are put forward regarding future contemporary pollen studies with regards to the number of soil and pollen trap samples required, the magnitude of the pollen count and the numerical/statistical techniques most appropriate to clearly interpret the results. The conclusions are that future fossil pollen spectra can be expected to provide a good indication of former regional vegetation patterns for the study region. The study has extended the limited understanding of the contemporary pollen rain-vegetation relationship in South Africa and enables the interpretation of fossil pollen spectra to be carried out with greater confidence. This in turn lends greater credibility to possible Quaternary environmental change models required to help understand present and possible future environmental change.

Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This paper reviews the status of world aquaculture with a primary focus on Sub-Saharan and Chinese freshwater aquaculture, and proposes a commercial integrated farming model for implementation in rural areas in KwaZulu-Natal. The model combines the paradigms of age-old Chinese integrated pond farming principles with a commercial approach in the socio-economic context of Sub-Saharan Africa. The project's objective is to contribute to the alleviation of poverty through economic development in rural areas using environmentally and economically sustainable farming practices. The project's medium-term goal is to achieve the critical production volume to warrant vertical integration into a hatchery, feed mill and processing facility. Integration would reduce operating costs and afford better standards of basic services. The project's long-term goal is to grow and expand the model to make a contribution to global food security through distributing a fish-based, nutritionally balanced meal to famine relieve efforts in low-income food deficiency countries (LIFDC). The model proposes the development of individual farms each with a production capacity of 40 to 60 tons of fish per annum. The species available include tilapia, catfish, carp, mullet, bass and eels. The farms will each consist of eight grow-out fishponds totalling 4 hectares of water surface area, a basic homestead and 6 hectares for crops and livestock rearing. The farms are designed to utilize the nutrient rich effluent from the fishponds to flood-irrigate crops planted in the fields below. Through application of the principles of the integrated approach to fish-crops-livestock farming as applied by the Chinese over the last 2,000 years, the farms are designed in a way that nothing is wasted. The waste product from one system becomes input for the next system. The integrated approach is extremely cost effective and lends itself to total organic farming adhering to environmentally responsible and sustainable farming principles. Two hundred such farming units would produce a total of 8,000 to 12,000 ton per year that equates to double the current combined freshwater aquaculture production from all the SADC member countries. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die werkstuk bied 'n oorsig van akwakultuur in die wêreld, met 'n primêre fokus op die stand van varswater akwakultuur in Sub-Sahara en China. 'n Ontwikkelingsmodel vir geïntegreerde kommersiële boerdery word voorgestel, in die plattelandse dele van KwaZulu-Natal word woorhou. Die model koppel die konsepte van eeue-oue Chinese beginsels van geïntegreerde visboerdery met kommersiële winsgewendheid, binne die sosio-ekonomiese konsep van sub- Sahara Afrika. Die doel van die model is om 'n beduidende rol te speel in die verligting van armoede deur die ontwikkeling van ekonomiese aktiwiteit in plattelandse gebiede d.m.v. omgewings- en ekonomies volhoubare boerderypraktyke. Die projek se mediumtermyndoelwit is om die kritiese produksievolume te bereik wat vertikale integrasie met 'n visbroeiery, 'n voermeule en 'n prosesseringsfasiliteit sal regverdig. Dit saloperasionele kostes verminder en beter beheer verseker oor hierdie basiese insette. Die langtermyndoelwit is om die model uit te brei ten einde 'n bydrae te maak tot globale voedselvoorsiening deur die verspreiding van 'n voedsame, gebalanseerde maaltyd met vis as basis, as hongersnoodverligting in lae inkomste lande met 'n voedseltekort. Die model stel 'n reeks individuele plase voor, elk met 'n produksiekapasiteit van 40 tot 60 ton vis per jaar. Die beskikbare spesies sluit in tilapia, baber, harder, swartbaars en paling. Elke plaas sal bestaan uit agt uitgroeidamme van 'n halwe hektaar elk, 'n totaal van vier hektaar wateroppervlakte, 'n woonhuis en ses hektaar vir gewasse en veë. Die plase is ontwerp ten eide die voedingsryke uitvloeisel van die visdamme te gebruik vir besproeiing van die laerliggende landerye. Deur gebruik te maak van die beginsel van integrasie van 'n vis-, gewas- en vee-boerdery, aan die hand van die Chinese ontwikkelingsmodel oor die afgelope 2,000 jaar, word gepoog om niks te vermors nie. Die afvalproduk van een stelsel word 'n inset in die volgende. Hierdie benadering is uiters koste-effektief en leen homself tot organiese boerdery praktyke wat voldoen aan bewaringsbewuste en volhoubare boerderymetodes. Tweehonderd plaaseenhede sal 'n gesamentlike bydrae van 8,000 tot 12,000 ton per jaar lewer, wat gelykstaande is aan dubbeld die huidige gekombineerde varswater akwakultuurproduksie van al die SADC-Iedelande.

The vegetation of the Mgeni Estuary, Mhlanga Estuary and Mdloti Estuary was analysed according to the Braun-Blanquet phytosociological method using quadrats of 4m2 and 25m2 in area placed subjectively and the Point-Centred Quarter method with points chosen whilst traversing. A classification of plant communities is given. These are described floristically and related to habitat variables. Indicator species of the climatic climax of coast forest occur within the study area. The absence of coast forest is ascribed to low altitude, tidal inundation and the consequent effect of salinity, basal inundation resulting in a high water-table and the influence of man. The floodplain of the Mgeni Estuary is dominated by mangrove vegetation comprising mainly Bruguiera gymnorrhiza and Avicennia marina whereas vegetation established on Athlone Island is dominated by mesophytic thicket comprising mainly Schinus terebinthifolius, Lantana camara, Chromolaena odorata and Cardiospermum grandiflorum. The floodplain of the Mhlanga Estuary is dominated by Phragmites australis. The shores of the Mdloti Estuary are dominated by Barringtonia racemosa, Phragmites australis and Echinochloa pyramidalis. Major differences in vegetation patterns of the three systems are related primarily to the differences in the open nature of the river mouths. This is controlled mainly by river flow and longshore drift. Differences in vegetation patterns within an estuary are dependent on differences in tolerances to salinity, basal inundation and shade, together with variations in altitude and edaphic factors and competition between species. Generally soils of Mgeni Estuary had higher contents of small sized fractions, bulk densities, reserve acidities, organic matter, salts and exchangeable bases and lower pH than soils at Mhlanga Estuary and Mdloti Estuary. Differences exist between mangrove and non-mangrove soils at Mgeni Estuary and differences between the non- mangrove soils at the three study sites. Major differences in soil characteristics are as a result of differences in tidal inundation, geogenetic parameters and biotic factors. Information on topography, hydrology, geology, climatic factors, biotic factors and historical background of the area is given. A check-list of vascular plants is included. The work is illustrated by 44 figures. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Durban-Westville, 1986.

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.Sc.Eng.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.

Questions have been raised regarding factors influencing fertility in South Africa, particularly within the different population groups. Various studies have focused on fertility in South Africa and other developing countries, based on racial differences, socio-economic statuses and geographical or environmental factors. It is clear that the major omission in the existing studies is the much-needed investigation of cultural influences on fertility outcomes. Therefore, this study is an investigation of the role of culture in influencing fertility behaviour among young women at the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Durban. The central question of this paper is therefore: how does culture influence fertility behaviour among young university women? To respond to this question, the study used John Bongaarts' theory on proximate determinants of fertility as lenses for this investigation. A qualitative research design was used to collect data through 14 individual in-depth interviews with multiracial and multicultural women between the ages of 22 and 31. A thematic analysis revealed that culture still plays a significant role in determining fertility outcomes. Although the participants are aware of the conservative stand of their cultures and religions, the results indicate that their personal choices for fertility behaviour are influenced by education and desire for success in their careers. In addition, the findings showed that the extent to which culture influences fertility behaviour is different across the various racial groups in South Africa. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.

The breeding biology and the annual cycle of the Red Bishop Euplectes orix was studied over a two year period in Natal. Some comparative data were also gathered for the related species the Red-shouldered Widow E. axillaris and the Red-collared Widow E. ardens, and additional data from a ringer in Rhodesia have been analysed. The breeding season of these polygynous ploceids coincides with the summer rainy season, and the amount of breeding activity in the Red Bishop appeared to be correlated with the amount of rain during the previous year. Breeding success at the colony studied was low; predation was the major cause of nest failure. In all three species the entire population, including the juveniles, undergoes a complete moult at the end of the breeding season. There is some evidence that the birds may make local movements during the winter dry season. These species are sexually dimorphic, the males being larger than the females. The population sex ratio was Significantly biased in favour of males in the Red Bishop and the Red-shouldered Widow but not in the Red-collared Widow. However, about half the male birds are subadults which do not breed, so that there is an excess of females in the breeding population. Adult males undergo a partial moult at the start of the breeding season and acquire a distinctive nuptial plumage. This is shed again at the post-nuptial moult, and in eclipse plumage they resemble the females. There is a similar pattern of weight change in all three species, with peaks early in the breeding season and again during the moult. The lowest annual weights are recorded during the dry season. The mortality rate of the Red Bishop is not high for a small passerine. The findings of this study are compared with the available information on other members of the genus, and discussed in relation to the evolution of polygyny in the Euplectes species. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1977.

Master of Science - Archaeology / The identification and analysis of seeds (including fruits and nuts) from second millennium AD deposits at Sibudu Cave, KwaZulu-Natal, constitute the first in-depth archaeobotanical study of seeds in South Africa. The study highlights problems in the reconstruction of past vegetation and climatic variables from seed data. The Sibudu seed assemblage produced no evidence to suggest vegetation change in the Sibudu area during the last 1000 years. Either it is not possible to identify short-term fluctuations in indigenous vegetation from seed data, or the evidence of vegetation change has been masked by the influence of the perennial Tongati River, depositional history, differential preservation and recovery, and identification difficulties. Actualistic studies of seeds on the cave floor, the first of such studies in South Africa, indicated a range of non-human agents of seed accumulation and post-depositional redistribution. Definitive statements about people/plant relationships are problematic because of the number of agents of seed accumulation.

The poor school performance among black children in South Africa is best understood by focussing on the generative mechanisms which underlie performance. This research was undertaken within Pascual-Leone's neo-Piagetian Theory of Constructive Operators, which models cognitive functioning as a bilevel system of content-specific schemes and situation-free silent operators. Of the seven silent operators posited, Pascual-Leone is able to distinguish cognitive competence, or mental capacity (structural M, or Ms), from learning (L structuring) which is dependent upon environment. The M-construct is a reserve of mental attentional energy which can be applied to task-relevant schemes to boost their activation weights. The Compound Stimulus Visual Information (CSVI) task was used to distinguish the amount of M-power subjects employed in a given task (functional M, or Mf ), as well as the efficiency with which they used this Mf. Children from the black township of lndaleni, outside Richmond, Natal, South Africa, were selected. Thirty subjects in each of four age groups, seven-, nine-, eleven-, and thirteen-year-olds, were tested. The Children's Embedded Figures Test (CEFT) and the Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices (RSPM) test were administered in groups. Two versions of the CSVI were given: the Free Response (CSVI-FR) and the Tachistoscopic version. The latter was analysed in terms of first look (CSVI-1STL), which gives an estimate of Mf, and repeated looks (CSVI-TACH) which estimates the number of attending acts made over the task. The CEFT was found not to distinguish cognitive style in the sample. As the sample was of low socioeconomic status and rural, it was argued that the subjects were predominantly field dependent.Results were analysed for the total sample as one FD group. Results showed eleven- and thirteen-year-old children's arousal executives were increasingly poor (i.e., the eleven-year-olds brought one unit less than their available M to the task.). Performance on the RSPM showed a dramatic decline in percentile rank with age, which confirmed these increasingly poor arousal executives. This concurs with a regular cross-cultural Piagetian finding which shows no formal operational thinking in certain cultures. All subjects evidenced poor temporal executives (i.e., made fewer attending acts than predicted in task analyses). In the CSVI-FR analysis It was shown that children employed more efficient temporal executives as the stimulus became more complex, but their maximum performance still did not reach the predicted level. The results confirm patterns found among children from other disadvantaged environments. Proposals are made for further research to isolate the factors involved in the poor arousal executive strength of the present sample, which conflicts with a previous finding that Zulu-speaking children employ their full Ms.The findings are related to the poor educational environment of the children and suggestions are made for improving school performance by encouraging active problem solving. This would focus first on maximising M arousal, afterwhich temporal executives may be improved. Further, a warning is made to those who see training as a useful method to improve performance, for this does not maximise arousal and temporal executives within the child, but rather reduces the demand of the task. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1987.

The Natal/KwaZulu Health Services Liaison Committee (HSLC) has been established to co-ordinate health care delivery in Natal and KwaZulu. This body has defined eight geographical Health Planning SubRegions (HPSRs) (Annexure E) of which each is a unit for planning and prioritising health service delivery in respect of its resident population. The HSLC considered that a study of inpatient catchment populations of hospitals under the control of the statutory Health Authorities would provide information which was essential to the planning processes of those authorities. The Department of Community Health was requested by the HSLC to undertake this study. A previous study, co-ordinated by the Department of Community Health (September 1987), dealt with "Outpatient Catchment Populations of Hospitals and Clinics in Natal and KwaZulu" (E DADA). No previous similar study on inpatients has been undertaken in South Africa. The expansion and improvement of basic services - particularly health care, water supply and basic education - should be perceived as essential elements in a strategy designed to enable all residents of a region to meet basic human needs and enjoy a minimum standard of living. Thus increased efforts have to be made to utilise health care resources effectively and efficiently and to plan future facilities carefully with regard to accessibility and appropriateness . This will require careful and objective management by all Authorities responsible for delivering health care to the people of Natal and KwaZulu. Accurately predicting the utilisation of hospital inpatient facilities is critical to efficient resource allocation in Health Services management. Catchment population studies and cross boundary flow characteristics provide valuable information on the utilisation of available facilities. This information is of value in the development of existing health services and the planning of additional health facilities with regard to size, situation and service type. Studies in other areas on utilisation of health service facilities, suggest that distance strongly influences hospital choice in both rural and metropolitan areas (Inquiry 1984 21(1) : 84-95) and this could explain some of the findings of this study with regard to cross boundary flow between Magisterial districts and HPSRs. For the efficient planning of resources, particularly with regard to situation and size, knowledge of the population size and demographic composition are important, as is a knowledge of the profile of disease in a community. The objectives of this study are directed to making available this information to each of the health authorities responsible for health care delivery and thus, to facilitate the management process. / Thesis (M.Med.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1988.

The study scientifically and empirically evaluates the social and economic impact of ecotourism, as well as its relationship with the tourism policy. The primary focus is on the displacement of communities, the effect it brought to cultural needs of the communities as well as an escalating poverty rate. The South African tourism policy is the primary document underlying the development and promotion of tourism in the country for sustainable economic development. Supporting this is the South African constitution where it promotes the protection of the environment for the benefit of present and future generations through reasonable legislative and other measures that: prevent pollution and ecological degradation; promote conservation; and secure ecologically sustainable development and use of natural resources while promoting justifiable economic and social development. The research then looks at how the lives of the affected communities are incorporated into these objectives without affecting social and cultural lives of the people. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2006.