A gendered perspective of vulnerability to multiple stressors, including climate change, in the rural Eastern Cape, South Africa

Agenda ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 73-89 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheona Shackleton ◽  
Leigh Cobban ◽  
Georgina Cundill
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Multiple Stressors ◽  
Eastern Cape

Influence of historical and contemporary habitat changes on the population genetics of the endemic South African parrot Poicephalus robustus

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 236-259
Author(s):  
WILLEM G. COETZER ◽  
COLLEEN T. DOWNS ◽  
MIKE R. PERRIN ◽  
SANDI WILLOWS-MUNRO
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Population Decline ◽  
Source Population ◽  
Population Bottlenecks ◽  
Eastern Cape ◽  
Forest Patches ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Fragmented Forests

SummaryThe Cape Parrot Poicephalus robustus is a habitat specialist, restricted to forest patches in the Eastern Cape (EC), KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and Limpopo provinces of South Africa. Recent census estimates suggest that there are less than 1,600 parrots left in the wild, although historical data suggest that the species was once more numerous. Fragmentation of the forest biome is strongly linked to climate change and exploitation of the forest by the timber industry. We examine the subpopulation structure and connectivity between fragmented populations across the distribution of the species. Differences in historical and contemporary genetic structure of Cape Parrots is examined by including both modern samples, collected from 1951 to 2014, and historical samples, collected from 1870 to 1946. A total of 114 individuals (historical = 29; contemporary = 85) were genotyped using 16 microsatellite loci. We tested for evidence of partitioning of genotypes at both a temporal and spatial scales by comparing shifts in allelic frequencies of historical (1870–1946) and contemporary (1951–2014) samples across the distribution of the species. Tests for population bottlenecks were also conducted to determine if anthropogenic causes are the main driver of population decline in this species. Analyses identified three geographically correlated genetic clusters. A southern group restricted to forest patches in the EC, a central group including birds from KZN and a genetically distinct northern Limpopo cluster. Results suggest that Cape Parrots have experienced at least two population bottlenecks. An ancient decline during the mid-Holocene (∼ 1,800-3,000 years before present) linked to climate change, and a more recent bottleneck, associated with logging of forests during the early 1900s. This study highlights the effects of climate change and human activities on an endangered species associated with the naturally fragmented forests of eastern South Africa. These results will aid conservation authorities with the planning and implementation of future conservation initiatives. In particular, this study emphasises the Eastern Cape mistbelt forests as an important source population for the species and calls for stronger conservation of forest patches in South Africa to promote connectivity of forest taxa.

scholarly journals Dairy farmers’ knowledge and perception of climate change in the Eastern Cape province, South Africa

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yanga Simamkele Diniso ◽  
Leocadia Zhou ◽  
Ishmael Festus Jaja
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Dairy Farm ◽  
Farm Workers ◽  
Eastern Cape Province ◽  
Eastern Cape ◽  
Dairy Farmers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Participants

Purpose This study aims to evaluate the knowledge and attitudes of dairy farmers about climate change in dairy farms in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Design/methodology/approach The study was conducted following a cross-sectional research design (Bryman, 2012). The study was conducted mainly on dairy farms located on the south-eastern part of the Eastern Cape province in five districts out of the province’s six districts (Figure 1). These districts include Amathole, Chris Hani, OR Tambo and Cacadu; these regions were not included in a recent surveying study (Galloway et al., 2018). Findings In all, 71.7% of dairy farm workers heard about climate change from the television, and 60.4% of participants reported that they gathered information from radio. Eighty-two out of 106 (77.4%) correctly indicated that climate change is a significant long-term change in expected weather patterns over time, and almost 10% of the study participants had no clue about climate change. Approximately 63% of the respondents incorrectly referred to climate change as a mere hotness or coldness of the day, whereas the remainder of participants correctly refuted that definition of climate change. Most of the study participants correctly mentioned that climate change has an influence on dairy production (92.5%), it limits the dairy cows’ productivity (69.8%) and that dry matter intake of dairy cows is reduced under higher temperatures (75.5%). Research limitations/implications The use of questionnaire to gather data limits the study, as respondents relied on recall information. Also, the sample size and study area limits use of the study as an inference for the excluded parts of the Eastern Cape Province. Also, it focused only on dairy farm workers and did not request information from beef farmers. Practical implications This study imply that farmers without adequate knowledge of the impact of climate change keep complaining of a poor yield/ animal productivity and changing pattern of livestock diseases. Hence, a study such as the present one helps to bridge that gap and provide relevant governing authority the needed evidence for policy changes and intervention. Social implications Farmers will begin to get help from the government regarding climate change. Originality/value This a first study in South Africa seeking to document the knowledge of dairy farm workers about climate change and its impacts on productivity.

scholarly journals Climate change impacts on mean wind speeds in South Africa

2015 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 17
Author(s):  
L Herbst ◽  
H Rautenbach
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Air Pollutants ◽  
Climate Change Impacts ◽  
Eastern Cape ◽  
Wind Speeds ◽  
Different Seasons ◽  
Mean Wind Speed ◽  
Projected Changes ◽  
Atmospheric Heat

Climate change could potentially affect a number of variables that impact the dispersal of and human exposure to air pollutants, as well as climate dependent sectors such as wind energy. This study attempted to quantify the projected changes in seasonal daily mean wind speeds for South Africa around the mid-21st century (2051-2075) under two different atmospheric heat pathways. Seasonal daily mean wind speed increases rarely reach 6% and decreases occur to a maximum of 3% and are variable between different seasons and areas within the country. In all seasons except December-January-February, wind speeds are projected to increase in the Highveld region, suggesting that air pollution dispersing conditions could increase. Wind direction at the 850hPa-level show minor changes, except over the Western and Eastern Cape provinces.

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