The stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.) is a haematophagous fly that feeds primarily on the forelegs of cattle stimulating a range of avoidance behaviours in confinement situations such as feedlots. From literature it is apparent that stable flies associated with feedlots have a significant impact on cattle especially with regard to economic parameters such as a decline in feed intake and thus a lower average daily gain resulting in less meat production due to irritation caused by painful bites. The abundance of the stable flies was studied in a large commercial feedlot near Heidelberg from October 2012 to September 2013. Two tsetse fly traps, namely the NZI and the Vavoua fly traps, were used and evaluated in determining the seasonal abundance of the stable flies. The tsetse traps proved to be most effective for sampling stable flies compared to other designs. The NZI and Vavoua tsetse type trap were compared and although there were no significant difference the NZI trap proved to be more reliable and user friendly for this study. Stable flies were more abundant from late December with a peak in numbers late in January through February and became less abundant from early March. Minimum to no fly abundance occurred in the winter months from May to June 2013. The data indicated a strong edge effect for the stable flies, the flies were more abundant in pens and corridors that were surrounded by vegetation, manure run off and holding ponds. The numbers collected in traps were correlated with stable fly counts on the cattle to be used in calculating a future threshold in chemical control. Preliminary observations on the influence of temperature, wind speed and rainfall were also made. This research will form part of a larger project to determine an integrated fly management program for the feedlot. / MSc (Environmental Sciences), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.) is a haematophagous fly that feeds primarily on the forelegs of cattle stimulating a range of avoidance behaviours in confinement situations such as feedlots. From literature it is apparent that stable flies associated with feedlots have a significant impact on cattle especially with regard to economic parameters such as a decline in feed intake and thus a lower average daily gain resulting in less meat production due to irritation caused by painful bites. The abundance of the stable flies was studied in a large commercial feedlot near Heidelberg from October 2012 to September 2013. Two tsetse fly traps, namely the NZI and the Vavoua fly traps, were used and evaluated in determining the seasonal abundance of the stable flies. The tsetse traps proved to be most effective for sampling stable flies compared to other designs. The NZI and Vavoua tsetse type trap were compared and although there were no significant difference the NZI trap proved to be more reliable and user friendly for this study. Stable flies were more abundant from late December with a peak in numbers late in January through February and became less abundant from early March. Minimum to no fly abundance occurred in the winter months from May to June 2013. The data indicated a strong edge effect for the stable flies, the flies were more abundant in pens and corridors that were surrounded by vegetation, manure run off and holding ponds. The numbers collected in traps were correlated with stable fly counts on the cattle to be used in calculating a future threshold in chemical control. Preliminary observations on the influence of temperature, wind speed and rainfall were also made. This research will form part of a larger project to determine an integrated fly management program for the feedlot. / MSc (Environmental Sciences), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

A riparian ecosystem is the area between the aquatic and terrestrial setting of a stream, and serves as a corridor and habitat for birds. Several riparian ecosystems are located in urban environments, and three main riparian corridors are located in Potchefstroom. They are the Mooi River, Wasgoed Spruit, and Spitskop Spruit, which encompass a wide range of different vegetation types and anthropogenic factors. Therefore, different habitat types for birds occur along the riparian corridors of Potchefstroom. Factors such as food and water availability, nesting sites, competition, predation, learning, presence of other species, and those species that are able to adapt to environmental changes influence the avian diversity and communities along riparian corridors. The hypothesis is that bird variables along the riparian corridors in Potchefstroom are affected by vegetation, anthropogenic, and seasonal influences. To investigate these affects, two secondary objectives were formulated. The first was to characterise riparian avian habitats (CAHs) according to vegetation and anthropogenic factors, and the second was to identify temporal and spatial changes in avian variables. The three streams were divided into 79 consecutive transects, each 300 m long. The study area consisted of: 17 transects along Spitskop Spruit, 12 along Wasgoed Spruit and 50 along the Mooi River. Bird observations were conducted monthly from June 2006 to June 2007. Birds that were observed with a perpendicular distance ≤ 30 meters towards the streams were included in the results. The bird species that were observed were also classified into different nesting and feeding guilds. Environmental data recorded included: vegetation structure (estimated cover percentages and height classes of trees, shrubs, grasses, herbs, sedges, and reeds), anthropogenic structures (estimated cover percentages of roads, footpaths, bridges, electrical pylons, houses, and drainage pipes), and the presence of informal settlers along each transect (the mean number of people and the space they occupy). Vegetation was monitored in summer– (February 2007 until April 2007) and winter months (June 2007 until August 2007). The anthropogenic structures and the presence of informal settlers (anthropogenic factors) were monitored simultaneously with the bird counts. Transect-time profiles were drawn for the four parameters, which differed on spatial and time scales. Multivariate analyses included non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMS), cluster analysis, and indicator species analysis. Cluster analyses and NMS bi-plots were used to define characterised avian habitats (CAHs). Two types of CAHs were characterised: Summer CAHs (summer vegetation and anthropogenic factors) and Anthropogenically CAHs (Anthropogenic factors alone). Bird species were then ordinated with the summer and anthropogenically CAHs on NMS successional vector graphs. The successional vectors illustrate the avian community trajectories of the different CAHs. Indicator species analyses were performed to describe associations between the bird species and the summer and anthropogenically CAHs. The summer and anthropogenic CAHs that were characterised had different avian community trajectories and different species were associated with these CAHs. Different levels in avian diversity appeared among these CAHs, and convergence and divergence in communities appeared among these CAHs. Birds also selected their habitats according to feeding and nesting behaviours. Consequently, it can be deduced that environmental factors such as vegetation structures and anthropogenic factors, as well as seasonality, had an effect on the distribution of birds along the riparian corridors of Potchefstroom. / Thesis (Master of Environmental Sciences)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

A riparian ecosystem is the area between the aquatic and terrestrial setting of a stream, and serves as a corridor and habitat for birds. Several riparian ecosystems are located in urban environments, and three main riparian corridors are located in Potchefstroom. They are the Mooi River, Wasgoed Spruit, and Spitskop Spruit, which encompass a wide range of different vegetation types and anthropogenic factors. Therefore, different habitat types for birds occur along the riparian corridors of Potchefstroom. Factors such as food and water availability, nesting sites, competition, predation, learning, presence of other species, and those species that are able to adapt to environmental changes influence the avian diversity and communities along riparian corridors. The hypothesis is that bird variables along the riparian corridors in Potchefstroom are affected by vegetation, anthropogenic, and seasonal influences. To investigate these affects, two secondary objectives were formulated. The first was to characterise riparian avian habitats (CAHs) according to vegetation and anthropogenic factors, and the second was to identify temporal and spatial changes in avian variables. The three streams were divided into 79 consecutive transects, each 300 m long. The study area consisted of: 17 transects along Spitskop Spruit, 12 along Wasgoed Spruit and 50 along the Mooi River. Bird observations were conducted monthly from June 2006 to June 2007. Birds that were observed with a perpendicular distance ≤ 30 meters towards the streams were included in the results. The bird species that were observed were also classified into different nesting and feeding guilds. Environmental data recorded included: vegetation structure (estimated cover percentages and height classes of trees, shrubs, grasses, herbs, sedges, and reeds), anthropogenic structures (estimated cover percentages of roads, footpaths, bridges, electrical pylons, houses, and drainage pipes), and the presence of informal settlers along each transect (the mean number of people and the space they occupy). Vegetation was monitored in summer– (February 2007 until April 2007) and winter months (June 2007 until August 2007). The anthropogenic structures and the presence of informal settlers (anthropogenic factors) were monitored simultaneously with the bird counts. Transect-time profiles were drawn for the four parameters, which differed on spatial and time scales. Multivariate analyses included non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMS), cluster analysis, and indicator species analysis. Cluster analyses and NMS bi-plots were used to define characterised avian habitats (CAHs). Two types of CAHs were characterised: Summer CAHs (summer vegetation and anthropogenic factors) and Anthropogenically CAHs (Anthropogenic factors alone). Bird species were then ordinated with the summer and anthropogenically CAHs on NMS successional vector graphs. The successional vectors illustrate the avian community trajectories of the different CAHs. Indicator species analyses were performed to describe associations between the bird species and the summer and anthropogenically CAHs. The summer and anthropogenic CAHs that were characterised had different avian community trajectories and different species were associated with these CAHs. Different levels in avian diversity appeared among these CAHs, and convergence and divergence in communities appeared among these CAHs. Birds also selected their habitats according to feeding and nesting behaviours. Consequently, it can be deduced that environmental factors such as vegetation structures and anthropogenic factors, as well as seasonality, had an effect on the distribution of birds along the riparian corridors of Potchefstroom. / Thesis (Master of Environmental Sciences)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013