Measured rainfall data from 33 ground-based rainfall stations were compared with rainfall estimates from CHIRPS (Climate Hazards Infrared Precipitation with Stations) across a rainfall gradient in central Namibia. There was close agreement between the two datasets across the interior of the country from the escarpment eastwards. However west of the escarpment the two datasets diverged. In this zone all CHIRPS estimates were higher than measured values and the seasonal variability of CHIRPS...
Topics: CHIRPS, Namibia, rainfall, satellite data, weather station data
Folkscanomy: General Academic Papers
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5.0
Nov 21, 2022
11/22
Nov 21, 2022
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MJ Wenborn, V Nijman, D Kangombe, R Katira Zaako, U Tjimuine, A Kavita, J Hinu, R Huwe, VJ Ngarukue, KJ Kapringi, MS Svensson
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Competition between local people and elephants ( Loxodonta africana ) for water and vegetation is an increasing concern in many conservancies in northwest Namibia. Many livestock were lost during droughts in 2018-2019, and there are risks of more severe droughts in the future because of climate change. Little research has been published on elephants in the Northern Highlands, although the community game guards have been collecting data for many years in Event Books, as part of their role within...
Topics: community conservancies, game guards, human-wildlife conflict, Kunene, local ecological knowledge,...
The presence in Namibia along the Kunene River and border of Angola of the beattyi subspecies of Ploceus intermedius (Lesser Masked Weaver) is reported for the first time. Observations suggested that beattyi probably grades into birds of the cabanisii subspecies from Epupa Falls and further upstream along the Kunene River, while typical cabanisii occurs south of the Kunene River.
Topics: Lesser Masked Weaver, Namibia, Ploceus intermedius subsp. beattyi, range extension
Wildlife activity patterns reflect both internal biological rhythms and adaptations to environmental factors. Studies examining the impact of anthropogenic activities on wildlife, including land-use, have frequently found changes in activity patterns in response to these activities. One species often found in human-dominated landscapes is the brown hyaena ( Parahyaena brunnea ), a large, nocturnal carnivore, endemic to southern Africa, which lives in societal clans that use a communal den. This...
Topics: activity patterns, brown hyaena, Namibia, protected area
Estimating large carnivore population size and understanding how individuals share space is crucial for their conservation, even more so now they are increasingly restricted to small, fenced game reserves where active management is often required. Combining data from GPS collars and camera traps, we estimated population size for leopards ( Panthera pardus ) on Ongava Game Reserve, northern Namibia, and investigated their spatio-temporal use of waterholes. Over three years of camera trapping, we...
Topics: camera trap, GPS collar, home range, leopard, Namibia, overlap, Panthera pardus, spatial ecology
Functional diversity is a component of biodiversity that includes the range of roles that organisms perform in communities and can explain and predict the impact of organisms on ecosystems. Mudumu National Park is an important ecosystem that acts as a wildlife corridor for migratory fauna moving between Botswana, Namibia, Angola and Zambia. Thus, a thorough understanding of the functional diversity of large herbivores would assist with the management of the park....
Topics: dominant species, functional diversity, functional similarity, functional traits, large herbivores,...
Climate change is among the global issues that have permeated the media agenda, yet studies on climate crises have mostly focused on Western media. Less in-depth analysis has been conducted in developing countries that are extremely subject to climate change and where awareness and adaptation will be more pressing than reducing emissions. This study presents a comparative content analysis of newspaper coverage of climate change in southern Africa from October 2018 to April 2019; a critical...
Topics: climate change, coverage, linguistic repertoires, Namibia, newspapers, South Africa, thematic frames
Folkscanomy: General Academic Papers
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15
Jul 18, 2022
07/22
Jul 18, 2022
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J Hamutenya, M Hauptfleisch, V De Cauwer, J Fennessy, S Fennessy, T Nzuma
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Wildlife introductions are often preceded by habitat suitability studies, although to date the possible impact of human communities’ attitudes towards reintroductions of species have seldom been assessed in any detail. Iona National Park (NP) in Angola is inhabited by people, predominantly on the eastern fringes, and as such any reintroduction would benefit from the buy-in of these communities. Therefore, understanding community attitudes is essential for successfully reintroducing the...
Topics: : Angola, Giraffa giraffa angolensis, giraffe, Iona National Park, poaching, public attitudes,...
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0.0
Jul 18, 2022
07/22
Jul 18, 2022
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J Hamutenya, M Hauptfleisch, V De Cauwer, J Fennessy, S Fennessy, T Nzuma
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Wildlife introductions are often preceded by habitat suitability studies, although to date the possible impact of human communities’ attitudes towards reintroductions of species have seldom been assessed in any detail. Iona National Park (NP) in Angola is inhabited by people, predominantly on the eastern fringes, and as such any reintroduction would benefit from the buy-in of these communities. Therefore, understanding community attitudes is essential for successfully reintroducing the...
Topics: Angola, Giraffa giraffa angolensis, giraffe, Iona National Park, poaching, public attitudes,...
While Namibia has a high diversity of reptiles (Herrmann & Branch 2013), it is deficient in records for most reptile species, and several distributions are still poorly understood. We extend the known range for Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia by more than 700 km southwest from the nearest published Namibian record, and more than 150 km southeast from the nearest recorded museum record. This represents one of the most arid records for the species.
Topics: Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia, Namibia, range extension
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15
Apr 18, 2022
04/22
Apr 18, 2022
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M Walters, M Hauptfleisch
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Within the last twenty years, Namibia has developed a leading alternative model of biodiversity conservation, largely due to its Community-Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) programme and its allocation of large areas of land towards biodiversity conservation. The CBNRM model is based on the rights of communal conservancies to benefit from the wildlife that is present on their land; one such right is to receive meat and revenue from trophy hunting. However, the marketability of desirable...
Topics: buffalo, hunting, kudu, Namibia, roan, sable, trophy
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2.0
Apr 18, 2022
04/22
Apr 18, 2022
by
M Walters1 M Hauptfleisch
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Within the last twenty years, Namibia has developed a leading alternative model of biodiversity conservation, largely due to its Community-Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) programme and its allocation of large areas of land towards biodiversity conservation. The CBNRM model is based on the rights of communal conservancies to benefit from the wildlife that is present on their land; one such right is to receive meat and revenue from trophy hunting. However, the marketability of desirable...
Topics: buffalo, hunting, kudu, Namibia, roan, sable, trophy
Fourteen species were recorded breeding in the town of Henties Bay (345 ha) in 2016/17 austral summer, six of which made up 85.4% of all breeding birds. The dominant species were Laughing Dove Streptopelia senegalensis , Common Waxbill Estrilda astrild , House Sparrow Passer domesticus , Southern Masked Weaver Ploceus velatus , Cape Sparrow Passer melanurus , and Rosy-faced Lovebird Agapornis roseicollis . The breeding avifauna in Henties Bay is similar to that in Swakopmund and Walvis Bay.
Topics: bird, breeding, community ecology, Namibia, population density, urban ornithology
This article offers an historical overview of how colonial-era politics affected changing infrastructure in Etosha National Park, Namibia, and the subsequent effects on lions and prey species populations in the park. The article argues that infrastructure development, particularly the erection of perimeter fencing and construction of artificial waterholes, during the apartheid era, had lasting effects on lion and prey species’ population numbers. The article also provides the first...
Topics: Etosha National Park, fencing, infrastructure, lion, Namibia, Panthera leo, population trends
Significant numbers of birds are killed annually by flying into power lines across Africa, and numerous attempts have been made to mark lines to make them more conspicuous, to reduce these collisions. Results from surveys reported in this paper and many others indicate that bustards (family Otidae) are most susceptible. Bustard fatalities are not greatly reduced by adding bird diverters to earth wires. Here we propose a new mitigation measure that may reduce the number of mortalities by...
Topics: bird mortalities, Namibia, power lines, span position, South Africa
Folkscanomy: General Academic Papers
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20
Feb 11, 2022
02/22
Feb 11, 2022
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RJM Crawford, WJ Sydeman, DB Tom, JA Thayer, RB Sherley, LJ Shannon, AM McInnes, AB Makhado, C Hagen, RW Furness, T Carpenter-Kling, C Saraux
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Four of seven seabirds that are endemic to the Benguela ecosystem (African Penguin Spheniscus demersus , Cape Gannet Morus capensis , Cape Cormorant Phalacrocorax capensis , Bank Cormorant P. neglectus ) compete with fisheries for prey and have an IUCN classification of Endangered. Prey depletion and food resource limitations have been major drivers of recent large population decreases of each of these species. As populations decrease, colony sizes also dwindle rendering them susceptible to...
Topics: Allee effects, Benguela seabirds, conservation thresholds, food limitation, Namibia, spatial...
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4.0
Feb 11, 2022
02/22
Feb 11, 2022
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RJM Crawford, WJ Sydeman, DB Tom, JA Thayer, RB Sherley, LJ Shannon, AM McInnes, AB Makhado, C Hagen, RW Furness, T Carpenter-Kling, C Saraux
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Four of seven seabirds that are endemic to the Benguela ecosystem (African Penguin Spheniscus demersus , Cape Gannet Morus capensis , Cape Cormorant Phalacrocorax capensis , Bank Cormorant P. neglectus ) compete with fisheries for prey and have an IUCN classification of Endangered. Prey depletion and food resource limitations have been major drivers of recent large population decreases of each of these species. As populations decrease, colony sizes also dwindle rendering them susceptible to...
Topics: Allee effects, Benguela seabirds, conservation thresholds, food limitation, Namibia, spatial...
Vegetation mapping of the Kanovlei State Forest was carried out in 2010 using a combination of Landsat Etm+ satellite image data and field data. Eight vegetation types were identified: closed woodland, dense shrubland, mixed grass and shrubland, mixed shrubland, mixed shrubland and woodland, open woodland, shrubland, and woodland. The dominant woody species in the area were Pterocarpus angolensis , Burkea africana , Acacia ( Vachellia ) species, Terminalia sericea , Bauhunia petersiana and...
Topics: Kanovlei State Forest, Namibia, remote sensing, soil mapping, vegetation structure, vegetation...
Euryops walterorum is a perennial shrub, endemic to an extremely limited habitat on the plateau of the Greater Gamsberg. The population of this endemic has been shown to be in decline since the early 1980s. The Gamsberg plateau is identified as one of the world’s best astronomical observatory sites and has been used as an astronomical base since 1971. Due to its position and favourable atmospheric conditions, the establishment of the Africa Millimetre Telescope is planned here. This...
Topics: endemic plant, conservation status, Euryops walterorum, Gamsberg, monitoring, Namibia, restricted...
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5.0
Nov 23, 2021
11/21
Nov 23, 2021
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C Treichel, BJ Strohbach, S Carr, S Loots, A Neckel
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Euryops walterorum is a perennial shrub, endemic to an extremely limited habitat on the plateau of the Greater Gamsberg. The population of this endemic has been shown to be in decline since the early 1980s. The Gamsberg plateau is identified as one of the world’s best astronomical observatory sites and has been used as an astronomical base since 1971. Due to its position and favourable atmospheric conditions, the establishment of the Africa Millimetre Telescope is planned here. This...
Topics: endemic plant, conservation status, Euryops walterorum, Gamsberg, monitoring, Namibia, restricted...
5
5.0
Nov 23, 2021
11/21
Nov 23, 2021
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C Treichel, BJ Strohbach, S Carr, S Loots, A Neckel
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Euryops walterorum is a perennial shrub, endemic to an extremely limited habitat on the plateau of the Greater Gamsberg. The population of this endemic has been shown to be in decline since the early 1980s. The Gamsberg plateau is identified as one of the world’s best astronomical observatory sites and has been used as an astronomical base since 1971. Due to its position and favourable atmospheric conditions, the establishment of the Africa Millimetre Telescope is planned here. This...
Topics: endemic plant, conservation status, Euryops walterorum, Gamsberg, monitoring, Namibia, restricted...
2
2.0
Nov 23, 2021
11/21
Nov 23, 2021
by
C Treichel, BJ Strohbach, S Carr, S Loots, A Neckel
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Euryops walterorum is a perennial shrub, endemic to an extremely limited habitat on the plateau of the Greater Gamsberg. The population of this endemic has been shown to be in decline since the early 1980s. The Gamsberg plateau is identified as one of the world’s best astronomical observatory sites and has been used as an astronomical base since 1971. Due to its position and favourable atmospheric conditions, the establishment of the Africa Millimetre Telescope is ...
Topics: endemic plant, conservation status, Euryops walterorum, Gamsberg, monitoring, Namibia, restricted...
3
3.0
Nov 23, 2021
11/21
Nov 23, 2021
by
C Treichel, BJ Strohbach, S Carr, S Loots, A Neckel
texts
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Euryops walterorum is a perennial shrub, endemic to an extremely limited habitat on the plateau of the Greater Gamsberg. The population of this endemic has been shown to be in decline since the early 1980s. The Gamsberg plateau is identified as one of the world’s best astronomical observatory sites and has been used as an astronomical base since 1971. Due to its position and favourable atmospheric conditions, the establishment of the Africa Millimetre Telescope is planned here. This...
Topics: endemic plant, conservation status, Gamsberg, monitoring, Namibia, restricted range, Euryops...
We present measurement and moult data for both subspecies groups of Common Fiscal ( Lanius collaris ) that occur in Namibia: for 235 Southern Fiscals ( L. c. subcoronatus ) ringed in Namibia and nine Northern Fiscals ( L. c. capelli ) in Zambia. We compare our observations of the moult process and our records of active brood patches with previous breeding records from Namibia (Brown et al . 2015) to gain a better understanding of the species’ annual cycle. In addition to the account of moult...
Topics: age, biometrics, brood patch, common fiscal, Lanius collaris, moult, northern fiscal, plumage, sex
The Etosha National Park and its surrounding areas in northern Namibia have been the focus of research for more than a century, yielding a great amount of environmental and ecological knowledge. The results have appeared in different forms and formats, and these are stored in numerous repositories, many of which are difficult to access. This limits distribution and effective use of existing knowledge about specific topics and biological taxa, whilst also constraining the opportunity to identify...
Topics: bibliography, Carnivora, Etosha National Park, Namibia, predator, protected area, research history,...
The cheetah ( Acinonyx jubatus ), like many other terrestrial large carnivores, exhibits elusive behaviour, occurs in low numbers over large home ranges, and has experienced population decline and range contraction. Therefore, long-term conservation strategies are needed which rely on accurate ecological data. Surveys using scat collection and analysis can generate these data and using scat detection dogs ( Canis familiaris ) is an effective method to gather scat samples. However, transect...
Topics: canine, carnivore survey, cheetah, conservation, detection dog, Namibia, non-invasive survey, scat,...
Although the iishana (seasonal watercourses) deltaic system in northern Namibia and southern Angola is usually dry, millions of fish populate the more than 100 000 km 2 area during high floods that occur irregularly about once in three years. The origin of the fish has been a topic of debate for a long time, including suggestions of refugia for breeding fish in the upper parts of the Mui and Cuvelai catchments, deep dams in both Angola and Namibia and fish arriving with flood water from the...
Topics: fish, iishana, efundja, Cuvelai, Namibia, iishana, efundja, Namibia, Cuvelai
Successfully conserving large carnivores requires an in-depth understanding of their habitat requirements. Ideally this includes a knowledge of the habitat types and features used as resting sites. Resting sites are an important requirement for many species, as they have the potential to influence species distribution and density. We examined the daytime resting sites used by brown hyaenas, a large carnivore endemic to southern Africa and classed as Near Threatened by the IUCN, within an...
Topics: brown hyaena, carnivore, Namibia, Parahyaena brunnea, resting site
This announcement serves to alert authors to recent changes in the journal’s sectional arrangement.
Topic: Namibian Journal of Environment
Several plant species have been recorded from Namibia for the first time, and 39 new species have been described to science since the publication of ‘A checklist of Namibian Indigenous and Naturalised Plants’ (Klaassen & Kwembeya 2013). A list of these first records and newly described species for Namibia is provided and will be incorporated into the revised Namibian checklist which will be both published in the series ‘Occasional Contributions of the National Botanical Research...
Topics: checklist, flora, Namibia, new records
Melissotarsus Emery (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae), a new country record for Namibia
Topics: Melissotarsus emeryi, Formicidae, Namibia
Endemic plant species of the TsauǁKhaeb (Sperrgebiet) National Park in south-west Namibia were determined by reviewing spatial distribution data. These included accessible data sources at the National Botanical Research Institute in Namibia and online as well as published literature. A total of 31 strict park plant endemics, which includes 11 local endemics, was identified. Another 33 taxa are considered broader park endemics, as these can also be found just outside the borders of the park....
Topics: endemic, Namib Desert, Namibia, range size, red data, Sperrgebiet, Succulent Karoo Biome,...
First confirmed record of green turtle (Chelonia mydas) nesting along the Namibian coast
Topics: Green turtle, Chelonia mydas, Namibia, Kunene, nesting
We report on a rapid survey of five communal-area conservancies in Namibia to understand initial impacts on community-based conservation of national and international policies for dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. Namibia’s Community-Based Natural Resources Management (CBNRM) programme has been growing for over 30 years, with high economic reliance on tourism and conservation hunting. We review the interrelationships between COVID-19, CBNRM, tourism and hunting, and discuss our findings...
Topics: communal-area conservancies, Community-Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM), conservation...
Soil properties are indicators for ecological processes and thus contribute to determining “functional and self-sustaining ecosystems” in a rehabilitation context. In a recovering ecosystem these indicators are expected to follow a trend towards a benchmark. Whether such a trend can be observed in rehabilitation projects in an arid environment was the question of this study. Soil properties of restored areas with six different treatments and corresponding reference sites were analysed at...
Topics: completion criteria, mining, Namib Desert, rehabilitation, soil fertility, substrate treatments
Collisions between aircraft and birds and other animals occur frequently and are known in the aviation industry as wildlife strikes. They are considered to be one of the most serious safety and financial risks to the global aviation industry. The International Civil Aviation Organisation, a United Nations specialised Agency, requires that the appropriate authority shall take action to eliminate or to prevent the establishment of any source which may attract wildlife to the aerodrome, or its...
Topics: aircraft, Cape Vulture, Lappet-faced Vulture, Namibia, White-backed Vulture, wildlife strike
Zoning protected areas for management purposes usually requires a base layer representing biodiversity and ecological criteria. This study illustrates a systematic process of assigning special value zones within the TsauǁKhaeb (Sperrgebiet) National Park. Clearly defined criteria resulted in fourteen areas of very high biodiversity importance. These are the Kowis mountains, Lüderitz peninsula, Tsaukhaib-Haalenberg inselbergs, Grillental-Pomona corridor, Boegoeberg, Klinghardt mountains, Tsaus...
Topics: Aurus mountains, conservation planning, Namibia, protected area, range-size, southern Namib,...
External anatomical features of skulls and mandibles of ten Hartmann’s zebras and ten Burchell’s zebras in Namibia are described. Out of 44 structural features examined, 13 differ significantly (p=0.001) to the extent that they can be used to unambiguously identify the two species from intact skulls and mandibles. These differences are found in the foramen magnum , processus zygomaticus , crista pterygoidea , meatus acusticus externus , processus mastoideus , crista facialis , sutura...
Topics: anatomy, Equus burchellii antiquorum, Equus zebra hartmannae, mandible, Namibia, skull, zebra
A major challenge for cheetah ( Acinonyx jubatus ) conservation is locating suitable areas to release captive-raised cheetahs that meet their need for large home ranges, whilst protecting them from human-wildlife conflict. The AfriCat Foundation has been rehabilitating and releasing cheetahs onto Okonjima Nature Reserve (ONR) near Otjiwarongo, Namibia, from 2000-2018. We analysed kill data for rehabilitated cheetahs on ONR to determine if captive-raised cheetahs exhibit similar prey selection...
Topics: Acinonyx jubatus, cheetah, Namibia, prey selection, rehabilitated
Global information on land cover is a primary output of remote sensing applications due to its importance to global change sciences, but also to governments and international initiatives. Consequently, a variety of land cover datasets have been developed in the past. Today users can choose among different products with various spatial resolutions for applications on global as well as on regional scales. A new classification covering the African continent was released by the European Space...
Topics: Accuracy assessment, classification, European Space Agency, land cover, Namibia, Sentinel 2,...
After presenting the first checklist of Cleridae of Namibia, this supplement includes results of the 2019 expedition of the author, data from Hans Mühle, Munich and reports on the genus Korynetes (published by Opitz 2018). It includes the label data (locations) from newly collected specimens, distribution maps and colour photos of Eucymatodera speciosa , new record for Namibia and Eucymatodera sp. 4. Consequently the number of checkered beetle species of Namibia increases to 45 species.
Topics: Cleridae, checklist, Namibia, distribution maps, colour habitus photo
The Farm Klein Boesman, south of Dordabis in the Khomas Region of Central Namibia, is situated on the ecotone between the Central Highlands/Central Plateau and the southern Kalahari. Whereas a considerable amount of information is available for the Kalahari Duneveld in South Africa, little is known of the same ecosystem in Namibia, specifically the northern extent of this ecosystem. We stratified the farm according to visible terrain features identified on aerial images, aided by a Shuttle...
Topics: Dordabis mountainveld, Kalahari Duneveld, Namibia, phytosociology, soil characterisation, soil and...
The Vegetation Survey of Namibia project has been initiated to provide baseline data in support of sustainable land-use planning. The finding of historical data from the Farm Erichsfelde initiated a long-term monitoring programme. This study serves as a baseline description of the vegetation associations. Regular Braun-Blanquet type sampling was done in April 1999, and additional relevés were obtained from the BIOTA project from 2002 and 2005. The entire...
Topics: Acacietea, Livestock Farming Suitability Index, Modified TWINSPAN, Nonmetric Multidimensional...
Euphorbia otavimontana Swanepoel, here described as a new species, is a robust, spiny, succulent shrub endemic to the Otavi Mountains and surrounding areas in northern Namibia. It is probably most closely related to E. ingenticapsa from western Angola. Diagnostic characters for the new species include the variably shaped stem segments with greyish white or grey margins, the obconic involucre with the glands spreading in the central initial cyathium and erect or suberect in lateral cyathia, the...
Topics: Euphorbieae, Euphorbia otavimontana, Karstveld, limestone, new species, Namibia, Otavi Group,...
The Skeleton Coast National Park in the northwest of Namibia supports a small population of African lions ( Panthera leo ) that are adapted to the harsh hyper-arid conditions. After a period of prolonged human-lion conflict during the 1980s lions disappeared from the Skeleton Coast for more than a decade. Due to favourable conditions, such as the development of communal conservancies and the growth of tourism in the area, lion populations started to recover along the Skeleton Coast in 2002....
Topics: African lion, Cape fur seal, coastal habitat, cormorant, desert, marine diet, maritime mammal,...
Mine rehabilitation is compulsory under the Namibian Environmental Management Act. B2Gold’s Otjikoto gold mine complies by committing to rehabilitation of their waste-rock dumps and other disturbance features within their mining licence area in the Otjozondjupa Region. As the mine is in the early stages of operation and has committed to run-of-mine rehabilitation, there have been some rehabilitation attempts. Initial rehabilitation of an abandoned section of a district gravel road (D2808) and...
Topics: gravel road rehabilitation, Mundulea sericea, natural revegetation, NDVI, waste rock dump...
Conflict between snakes and people in urban areas is a problem Windhoek shares with many cities around the world. Surrounded by farm and natural land, the capital city of Namibia experiences regular snake occurrence in and around houses, gardens and industrial sites. We analysed snake removal data from the city’s designated snake removal institution, Snakes of Namibia, in order to determine abundance and diversity of snakes occurring in the city during the summer of 2015-2016, and identify...
Topics: human-snake conflict, Namibia, Serpentes, snakes, spatial, Windhoek
A boat survey conducted on 30 December 2017 along an 8.6 km stretch of the Okavango River revealed 45 adult Rock Pratincoles and 20 young birds. This brings the estimated number of Rock Pratincoles in the Okavango system in Namibia to about 361 birds, and for all river systems in Namibia to about 410 birds.
Topics: Glareola nuchalis, Namibia, Okavango river, Rock Pratincole, status
A summary is given of the 78 described and several undescribed species of Lepismatidae known from southern Africa, including all previously unpublished material, keys to genera and species, distribution maps and host associations of nidicoles.
Topics: Lepismatidae, southern Africa, Thysanura
Knowledge of the herpetofauna associated with the Kunene River mouth area is incomplete with few published records. During a field visit in January 2018, eight species previously not known to occur in the area were identified, increasing the known reptile species richness to 18 species. Of these at least three species (possibly four if FitzSimon’s burrowing skink is included) are endemic with the Cunene racer listed as indeterminate (rare?) and vulnerable, underscoring the ...
Topics: Kunene River mouth, Namibia, reptiles, Skeleton Coast
The first checklist of Cleridae of Namibia is provided. It includes the exact label data (locations) from all specimens, distribution maps and colour plates with habitus photos of all mentioned species.
Topics: checkered beetle, checklist, Cleridae, Coleoptera, colour habitus photos, distribution maps,...
A total of 250,786 Cape Cormorants, of which 16,038 were individuals on nests in 349 colonies, and 15,831 Cape Fur Seals were counted during a complete aerial photographic census of the island of Tigres and part of the adjacent coast in Angola in March 2017. Such a concentration of birds and seals and the large number of breeding Cape Cormorants highlights the need to protect Tigres and its rich surrounding waters.
Topics: aerial census, Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus, Baía dos Tigres, Cape cormorant, Cape fur seal,...
Game counts provide essential information for the management of wildlife populations. On Ongava Game Reserve, two methods are used annually to count animals: a helicopter aerial count and a 72 ‐ hour waterhole count. During the extended waterhole count, observers remain in place for the duration of the count, and are required to record details of all animals seen. In this study we assessed whether camera traps could assist in the count process, firstly by easing the vigilance burden of...
Topics: camera trap, game count, Namibia, nocturnal animals, waterhole
Namibia is undergoing a rapid and major transition from a rural-based society to one based largely in urban areas. This transition is most visible in rapid urban growth, especially in informal settlements that accommodate poor families in shacks on the edges of towns. Namibia’s urban areas now have some 140,000 informal houses, a number likely to double over the coming seven or eight years if this trend is not addressed urgently. Similar patterns of rapid, unplanned informal settlement growth...
Topics: urban development, Namibia
Most fertilisers applied to Namibian crop fields are imported, yet Namibia has vast resources that could be used to improve soil fertility. Organic fertilisers such as animal manure and compost could be sourced from farms, or grown on the crop fields, such as green manures and fertiliser trees, or harvested from nature, such as kelp and guano, or sourced from abattoirs or other agricultural processing facilities, such as blood, bone, horn, feather, fish and seed meals. ...
Topics: by-products, fertiliser, inorganic fertiliser, manure, organic fertiliser, productivity, soil...
Climate change is now almost universally accepted as a reality and so too is the “hand of man”. We are causing it. However, do we really understand (accept) what is causing most change or are we focusing huge amounts of money on politically correct (not “wrong”) symptoms? Are greenhouse gases the real problem? Or is how we manage the land the problem and the solution? We put forward somepropositions that beg a rethinking of the ...
Topics: bush encroachment, climate change, farming practices, Namibia, rangeland management
The Hoanib is an ephemeral river flowing from the highlands of Namibia through the hyper-arid Namib Desert to the Atlantic Ocean. Seasonal floods recharge groundwater that supports riparian woodlands, which are vitally important to wildlife and livestock. Previous studies prior to 2001 found that mega-herbivores are having an impact on the main tree species in the river system, Faidherbia albida . In 2002 two permanent boreholes were drilled for wildlife in order to reduce competition with...
Topics: ephemeral river, Faidherbia albida, Hoanib River, mega-herbivore, Namib Desert, population...
Age, growth rate and regrowth for some indigenous tree species causing bush thickening in Namibia were determined. The mean age varied between 25.5 years for Acacia mellifera subsp. detinens and 35.7 years for Acacia reficiens subsp. reficiens ; the mean stem diameter growth rates varied between 2.78 mm/year for Acacia tortillis subsp. heterocantha and 3.79 mm/year for Acacia mellifera subsp. detinens and Terminalia prunioides . After harvest, the mean rate at which stumps resprouted varied...
Topics: Acacia mellifera, Acacia reficiens, Acacia tortillis, age, bush encroachment, bush thickening,...
An objective process of biodiversity zoning is presented using the Greater Fish River Canyon Landscape in southern Namibia (partially overlapping with the Ai-Ais – Richtersveld Transfrontier Park, which stretches across both sides of the Orange River) as an example. Using satellite imagery, broad habitat units were mapped, and plant species lists were compiled for these units, based on local, national and regional distribution data, published information and targeted field work. Formal...
Topics: biodiversity, endemism, zonation, Gariep, mountain flora, rarity, range size, Succulent Karoo...
Folkscanomy: General Academic Papers
56
56
Jul 11, 2018
07/18
Jul 11, 2018
by
I Zimmermann, M Nghikembua, D Shipingana, T Aron, D Groves and L Marker
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A healthy and productive rangeland depends on well-functioning ecosystem services such as effective cycling of water and nutrients. After rangeland has degraded, bushes may encroach in nature’s attempt to restore water and nutrient cycling. When bush encroachment is addressed by debushing, with harvested bush wood sold off the land, then nutrient cycling is disrupted and soil fertility is likely to decline. Former debushing activities on different parts of farms of the Cheetah Conservation...
Topics: bioassay, bush encroachment, debushing, Namibia, soil fertility, Thornbush Savanna
Bioturbating organisms are known for their benefits to landscapes and ecosystems. Studies have to date largely focussed on invertebrates with very little known about the role burrowing mammals potentially play, especially nocturnally active species.They are thought to be vulnerable to land degradation - such as shrub encroachment and livestock overgrazing - leading to increased negative effects on land productivity through the loss of their associated ecosystem services. In the Kalahari Desert...
Topics: bioturbation, ecosystem engineer, ecosystem services, medium-sized mammals, nocturnal, rangeland...
The study compared abundance and diversity of small mammals between a commercial livestock and neighbouring game farm in the Kalahari Thornveld of Namibia’s Omaheke region. Sherman traps baited with standard small-mammal attractants were set out in grids in similar habitats on each land use for four trap-nights during the growing season and the non-growing season of 2015. In total, 174 individuals of five species of small mammals were trapped, 118 on the livestock farm, and 56 on the game...
Topics: abundance, bioturbator, diversity, ecosystem services, Kalahari, land use, Namibia, nutrient cycle,...
The Auas-Oanob Conservancy is situated in the very rugged, botanically highly diverse Khomas Hochland in central Namibia. A number of vegetation-related studies have been undertaken in this highland before, but none covering the full extent of the conservancy, and with different interpretations of the syntaxonomy of the vegetation. The current study aimed to describe and map the vegetation of the conservancy for practical management purposes. A total of 229 relevés were compiled within the...
Topics: Auas Mountains, freehold conservancies, Highland Savanna, Khomas Hochland, phytosociology,...
Red-billed Oxpecker, Buphagus erythrorhynchus , and Yellow-billed Oxpecker, B. africanus , occur in Namibia with populations restricted to the extreme north-eastern parts (both species) and north-western parts of the country (Yellow-billedOxpecker). The Red Data status of Red-billed Oxpecker in Namibia is Rare or Peripheral while Yellow-billed Oxpecker is considered Endangered. Assessments of the status of Namibian populations were made in 1983, 1984-85 and 1997-98. The aim of...
Topics: Buphagus africanus, Buphagus erythrorhynchus, distribution, host species, Namibia, oxpecker,...
Perceptions regarding bush thickening in Namibia are rarely tested. It is often thought that bush thickening species such as Acacia mellifera subsp. detinens grow rapidly and recruit often. We estimated the growth rates and mortality patterns of 31 A. mellifera subsp. detinens shrubs in the arid Highland Savanna vegetation type in Namibia that were less than one metre tall in 1972, by remeasuring their heights in 2007. Some of these shrubs’ heights were also remeasured in 1988. Growth rates...
Topics: Acacia mellifera subsp. detinens, bush encroachment, drought, growth rate, Highland Savanna,...
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