Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1967. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1963. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Bibliography: leaves 102-105.

Developmental studies were made on certain intertidal algal communities at three sites on Juan de Fuca Strait, B.C. The object was to describe the form and structure of these communities and to provide an interpretation that would account for the manner in which they occur. Periodic observations were made on communities developing on denuded rock surfaces and on in situ communities. By using the denuded-quadrat method, a method familiar to terrestrial plant ecologists, species-distribution indices of frequency and abundance were taken to quantitatively describe the stages of recolonization. Data relative to the developmental process, such as life span and period of reproduction of the species involved, were also gathered. The experimental data reveal a pattern of development that is consistent and predictable. Despite the presence of an orderly sequence of events, there is no evidence to indicate that this is an expression of ecological succession. The partial or even total elimination of a population is concluded not to be due to any changes in habitat originated by that population. Instead its elimination, partial or otherwise, is considered to be a consequence of the degree of establishment of the proceeding population. The successional phenomenon, which can be altered by seasonal populants, is related to the morphological nature of the colonizing species. Unicellular forms appear before filamentous ones, and filamentous forms appear before parenchymatous ones. Such a succession is interpreted as being indicative of the relative growth rates and life spans of the growth forms. The length of time in which a population occupies an area is determined by these factors. The presence or absence of growth space can he a main cause for local distributional patterns, especially for ephemeral species. The dynamic structure of the communities studied is attributed to species interaction involving three interrelated factors: (1) the morphology of the organisms; (2) the phenological nature of germination, growth, reproduction, and of spore or gamete release; and (3) the competition for space. / Science, Faculty of / Botany, Department of / Graduate

Little is known about the demographics of the genus Acacia in Africa, despite its prominence and the economic and environmental importance of this group. The demographics and species composition of stands of four different Acacia species was investigated in the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve in northern Kwazulu-Natal in order to determine whether stands were self-replacing, or whether other Acacia species were invading them. Soil and stand density as well as the density and composition of the grass layer were investigated in order to determine whether any of these affected Acacia demography and species composition. In three out of four cases, the species whose large size class dominated the stand (known as the "stand species") was found to have a strongly bimodal size class distribution, skewed primarily towards the large size class and secondarily towards the small size class. Other Acacia species in the stands, with few or no large individuals present ("nonstand species") tended to have unimodal size class distributions, skewed primarily towards the small size class and secondarily towards the medium size class. Based on the proportion of small to large individuals, non-stand species are more likely to increase in overall numbers in future, suggesting that the species composition of the stands may be in a state of flux. Few relationships were found between stand density, grass density, grass composition and numbers of small and medium acacias. This could be as a result of differentiation between Acacia species, meaning that they cannot be analysed collectively. Furthermore, sample sizes of individual species may have been too small to analyse individually. Alternatively, it could mean that none of these factors have a significant effect on one another and that other explanations need to be found for the demographics of this genus.

Abiotic and top down control hypotheses do not adequately explain the fine scale distribution patterns of shrub and tree Colophospermum mopane (Caesalpinioideae). Genetic distinctiveness between growth forms is investigated as an alternative hypothesis. Tree and shrub C. mopane from the riparian and inland savanna zones were sampled at four sites in the northern Kruger National Park. Molecular DNA sequences were obtained for four plastid and one nuclear region, and the inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) technique used to fingerprint individuals. Very low levels of sequence divergence were observed. The ISSR technique revealed no genetic structure between plants when grouped by growth form or by habitat in an analysis of molecular variance (AMOV A). Soil profile and xylem pressure potential data also did not explain the distribution of growth forms. A principle component analysis and a discriminant analysis of five leaf and branching characters identified a significant difference in the shape of shrub and tree C. mopane leaves. It is concluded that the C. mopane growth forms are not genetically distinct and that their fine scale distributions may be due to top down controls such as large mammals and fire.

A biogeographic analysis of the seaweed flora of the area from Lüderitz to Cape Agulhas was undertaken. Biogeographic patterns were reviewed across 15 geographic regions. A TWINSPAN analysis showed a clear division of the area into two separate species communities. These two communities are the Benguela province, and the western overlap region between the Benguela and Agulhas provinces. The western overlap region was found to be the most diverse. Diversity was shown to decrease with a decrease in latitude. Patterns in endemism among the brown seaweeds follow this trend. In contrast to this, red and green endemics increase with a decrease in latitude. Shore distribution patterns were reviewed, and demonstrated an increase in diversity with a progression down the shore. Among the red seaweeds, this increase, with greater depth was considerable. Species distribution patterns in both shore and shore pool zones were found to follow the same pattern, except for a drop in species in the subtidal fringe pools, which this study concluded was a meaningless concept. These results have been reviewed in relation to present conservation areas along this shore, and future recommendations were made for location of sites for the conservation of seaweed. These were the formation of reserves between Lüderitz and Port Nolloth, between Yzerfontein and Melkbosstrand, and from Scarborough to Cape Hangklip. In some of these areas existing reserves need to make policy adjustments while in others reserves need to be established for the conservation of both diversity and uniqueness of seaweed species.

The effectiveness of the structural defences of Acacias vary within and between species as a result of differences in thorn type (hooks versus spines) and branching architecture. This study aims to develop methods for quantifying the effectiveness of defences, thereby allowing for comparisons between individuals and localities. Measurements of a range of thorn and branching parameters of eight Acacia species were used to calculate three indices (stripping, biting and branching) describing different components of Acacia structural defences. These were combined to form an overall defence index that was tested against the results of three feeding simulation tests as well as actual animal feeding rates obtained from trials using nyala held in bomas. The stripping, biting and branching indices were shown to provide a good measure of the different components of a structural defence, although the scaling of their contribution to an overall defence index is complicated by variation in the suite of browsers and the resources available at a locality. The indices developed in this study provide a useful tool for assessing the role of large mammal herbivory in different environments when attempting to understand variation in the life history strategies of Acacias.

Zandvlei is a system that has been highly modified by the urban environment of Cape Town. Salinity is a major driver determining the physical environment of estuaries. The macroalgal community of estuaries forms an important part of the ecology of these systems as primary producers. The salinity of this environment is an important parameter determining the composition, abundance and diversity of these communities. Patterns of salinity fluctuations in the long term (1978-2003) and annually are described in order to establish how communities may vary. Zandvlei is in a Mediterranean climate and salinity was found to vary seasonally and monthly with fluctuations in rainfall. Historical records of macroalgae identified in the estuary were summarized and no record of the Polysiphonia sp., now dominant in the estuary, was found. Dominant macroalgae in the estuary were identified and grown under a range of salinities (0, 1, 5, 10, 20, 29 ppt). Dominant macroalgae included Cladophora sp., Polysiphonia sp. and Enteromorpha prolifera. None of these algae survived at O ppt. In 1 ppt E. prolifera survived but growth was retarded, Polysiphonia sp. survived but did not grow and Cladophora sp. grew successfully at this salinity. All three species have different optimum ranges for growth with E. prolifera preferring higher salinities, Cladophora sp. grew similarly across the range from 1 to 29 ppt and Polysiphonia sp. grew most rapidly at 5 ppt. Depending on the salinity range in the estuary different macroalgae will be dominant. This makes the macroalgae community quite resilient to fluctuating salinities. There should therefore always be estuarine macroalgae present in the estuary provided salinity does not drop below 1 ppt for an extended period. If salinities did drop below 1 ppt there could be an increase in freshwater algae.

Grasshoppers are sensitive indicators of the state of disturbance of grassland ecosystems. This study examined the grasshopper communities inside a game reserve, comparing those found on frequently grazed areas with communities inside plots that exclude megaherbivores. The vegetation inside the protected plots was found to differ from the openly grazed areas in terms of grass height and aerial cover, but not in % greenness or richness of forb species. Grass species varied with locality rather than grazing impact. Total numbers of grasshoppers did not differ significantly between the two contrasting areas (100.2 in vs 93.5 out), however grasshopper species richness did, with the outside, short-grass plots having on average 17 different species, and the inside tall-grass plots a higher mean of 24.5. Grasshopper communities responded primarily to grass height and vegetation cover, but not to grass species or greenness of vegetation.

We hypothesized that rainwater had a different and distinct isotopic signal to groundwater, and thus plants growing on groundwater-fed areas would have a unique and distinct isotopic composition compared to plants growing on freely-drained soils. We studied two groundwater-fed areas and adjacent freely-drained areas in the Cape Point Nature Reserve, Cape Peninsula. We sampled groundwater and analyzed the isotopic composition and compared this to the isotope composition of rainfall. We found that δ¹⁸O and oD values of rainwater (δ¹⁸O = O%o to -5.6%o and oD = +11 %o to -22%o) overlapped the isotopic composition of groundwater (δ¹⁸O = -4.2%o to -4.5%o and oD = -11.9%o to -13.2%o). Thus isotopic analysis could not determine which areas were groundwater-fed and which were rain-fed. We also sampled xylem water from five species, namely Leucadendron laureolum and Metalasia muricata (both of which grew on both dry and wetland areas), Mimetes hirtus (wetland only), Erica labialis (dry area only), and Erica multumbellifera (wet area orily). Our results suggest that both of L. laureolum and Metalasia muricata had access to groundwater on both groundwater-fed sites and the free-drained site. E. multumbellifera at a groundwater-fed marsh was likely also using groundwater, however on the adjacent freely drained site E. labialis was likely using rainwater. M. hirtus had a much more positive isotopic composition (δ¹⁸O = -1.5 ±1.2%o and δD = 5.1 ± 18.0%o) than either groundwater or rainwater, indicating that it was using evaporated water, which suggests the species were very shallow rooted. Thus M. hirtus would be very sensitive to drying out of the soil. This study has demonstrated that stable water isotopes cannot clearly distinguish rainwater and groundwater and we may have use other methods such as thermal imagery, chemical analysis, and xylem pressure potentials to determine the degree of dependency of vegetation on groundwater.