Nutrient enrichment of ecosystems by fungus-growing versus non-fungus-growing termites

2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (6) ◽  
pp. 385-389
Author(s):  
Anthony J. Mills ◽  
Clélia Sirami
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Enrichment Factor ◽  
Nutrient Enrichment ◽  
Air Conditioning ◽  
Solute Accumulation ◽  
Five Elements ◽  
Local Plants

Abstract:Fungus-growing termites (Macrotermitinae) collect water to air-condition their fungi and have been recorded tunnelling deeper than 80 m for groundwater. This collection of water ultimately results in solute accumulation and nutrient enrichment of their termitaria. We consequently hypothesized that nutrient enrichment of termitaria constructed by fungus-growing termites would be greater than by non-fungus-growing termites. To test this, we compared nutrient enrichment of termitaria of fungus-growingMacrotermesspp. in Namibia and termitaria of two non-fungus-growing termites –Trinervitermes trinervoidesin South Africa andNasutitermes triodiaein Australia. Compared with adjacent topsoils,Macrotermestermitaria were significantly enriched in 18 elements whereasT. trinervoidesandN. triodiaetermitaria were enriched in only one and five elements, respectively. Nutrients particularly enriched inMacrotermitestermitaria included Ca (an enrichment factor of 12), Mg (2.9), Co (2.8), Fe (2.4), Mn (2.3), Se (2.2) and Cu (2.0). We suggest that fungus-growing termites that collect water for air-conditioning their fungi have the potential to inadvertently boost – to a far greater degree than non-fungus-growing termites – the availability of nutrients to local plants and herbivores.

scholarly journals Guidelines for rainwater harvesting system design and assessment for the city of Johannesburg, South Africa

2018 ◽  
Vol 379 ◽  
pp. 409-414
Author(s):  
John Ndiritu ◽  
Adesola Ilemobade ◽  
Paulo Kagoda
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Air Conditioning ◽  
Rainwater Harvesting ◽  
Daily Rainfall ◽  
Design Guidelines ◽  
Yield Ratio ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Design Charts ◽  
Hydrologic Design ◽  
The City

Abstract. As water demand increases rainwater harvesting (RWH) systems are increasingly being installed for water supply but comprehensive hydrologic design guidelines for RWH do not exist in many parts of the world. The objective of this study was to develop guidelines for the hydrologic design and assessment of rainwater harvesting (RWH) systems in the City of Johannesburg, South Africa. The data for developing the guidelines were mainly obtained from multiple daily simulations of potential RWH systems in the city. The simulations used daily rainfall from 8 stations and demands based on the probable non-potable uses of RWH systems – toilet flushing, air conditioning and irrigation. The guidelines were confined to systems that would typically fill up in the wet season and empty towards the end of the dry season of the same year. Therefore, supply-to-demand ratios ranging from 0.1 to 0.9 were applied. Two generalized design charts of dimensionless relationships were developed. One relates the yield ratio with supply-to-demand ratio and reliability while the other relates the yield ratio with the storage-to-demand ratio and reliability. Reliability was defined as the probability of exceedance of annual yield in order to incorporate the large inter-annual variability of rainfall experienced in the region. The analyses and design of an example RWH system is used to illustrate the application of the design charts.

scholarly journals Assessment of heavy metal pollution in the sediments of Dwars River, South Africa

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abe Addo-Bediako ◽  
Tebatso Mmako ◽  
Millicent Kekana ◽  
Wilmien Luus-Powell
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Trace Metal ◽  
Enrichment Factor ◽  
Metal Pollution ◽  
River Sediments ◽  
Human Health Risk ◽  
Limpopo Province ◽  
Aquatic Biota ◽  
Trace Metal Pollution ◽  
The Impact

Abstract The Dwars River in Limpopo Province, South Africa is being affected by anthropogenic activities such as mining, agriculture and human settlement in its catchment. The objectives of the study were to assess trace metal pollution, to determine possible sources of pollutants in the river and the potential impact on the ecosystem, aquatic biota and humans. Water and sediment samples were collected and analyzed for the following selected metals: Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn. The enrichment factor (EF) and geo-accumulation index (Igeo) were used to determine the extent of trace metal pollution in the sediments. The concentrations of Cr, Fe, Mn, Ni, and Zn in the Dwars River sediments were much higher than the average shale values, which indicated that the contamination of these metals might be caused by human activities. The enrichment factor (EF) results showed that Cr and Ni accumulated to severe enriched level, while the Igeo results indicated that Cr, Mn, Ni and Zn were strongly contaminated in the sediments. The main sources of pollutants in the area were mining, wastewater/sewage and agricultural discharges. This may pose a serious threat to the aquatic biota and potential human health risk. It is therefore recommended that proper management strategies should be taken to minimize the impact of these metals on the river.

Grounding Community and Urban Governance Through Ward Committees at eThekwini, Durban, South Africa

2018 ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Ndwakhulu Stephen Tshishonga
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Urban Governance ◽  
Local Governance ◽  
Executive Power ◽  
Services Delivery ◽  
Government Documents ◽  
Five Elements ◽  
Democratic Principles ◽  
Micro Structures

South Africa is premised on the democratic principles of local governance, decentralized service delivery, and development. Although ward committees do not have any executive power, they are regarded as key linking micro structures between communities and the municipality, respectively. In this chapter, ward committees are perceived as the community elected and legislated structures institutionalized to entrench local governance and accelerate decision making more particularly in services delivery and development at ward community level. The author argues that the effectiveness of ward committee structures depends on the interface of five elements: participation, representation, accountability, deliberation, and collective action. This is a qualitative empirical chapter and the data are solicited through the use of research instruments such journals, government documents, and some selected interviews with ward councilors and ward committees in 110 wards at eThekwini Municipality

Time and Latitude in South Africa

1972 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 27-38
Author(s):  
J. Hers
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Cape Town ◽  
Astronomical Observations ◽  
Royal Observatory ◽  
The Republic ◽  
Astronomical Determination ◽  
Limited Accuracy ◽  
Better Than

In South Africa the modern outlook towards time may be said to have started in 1948. Both the two major observatories, The Royal Observatory in Cape Town and the Union Observatory (now known as the Republic Observatory) in Johannesburg had, of course, been involved in the astronomical determination of time almost from their inception, and the Johannesburg Observatory has been responsible for the official time of South Africa since 1908. However the pendulum clocks then in use could not be relied on to provide an accuracy better than about 1/10 second, which was of the same order as that of the astronomical observations. It is doubtful if much use was made of even this limited accuracy outside the two observatories, and although there may – occasionally have been a demand for more accurate time, it was certainly not voiced.

Combining Professional Interests and Travel: People to People Citizen Ambassador Program

2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 47-54
Author(s):  
Alex Johnson ◽  
Amanda Hitchins
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Health Education ◽  
Communication Disorders ◽  
Social Conditions ◽  
Speech Language Pathologists ◽  
Exchange Program

Abstract This article summarizes a series of trips sponsored by People to People, a professional exchange program. The trips described in this report were led by the first author of this article and include trips to South Africa, Russia, Vietnam and Cambodia, and Israel. Each of these trips included delegations of 25 to 50 speech-language pathologists and audiologists who participated in professional visits to learn of the health, education, and social conditions in each country. Additionally, opportunities to meet with communication disorders professionals, students, and persons with speech, language, or hearing disabilities were included. People to People, partnered with the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), provides a meaningful and interesting way to learn and travel with colleagues.

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