Some Early Bronze Age stone moulds from Scotland

This paper presents details of a number of previously unpublished or relatively inaccessibly published Early Bronze Age stone moulds from Scotland. Viewed in the wider context of Early Bronze Age metalworking in Britain, they are important additions to the inventory of finds, for as well as augmenting the concentration of discoveries long known from northeast Scotland, they expand the distribution southwards into eastern and central Scotland and into the Scottish Borders and therefore go some way to filling the gap that previously existed between Aberdeenshire and Northumberland

An Early Bronze Age 'dagger grave' from Rameldry Farm, near Kingskettle, Fife

In February 2000, ploughing disturbed the capstone of a cist, located on the side of a prominent knowe at Rameldry Farm, near Kingskettle in central Fife. Excavation by Headland Archaeology Ltd on behalf of Historic Scotland revealed a short cist which contained the crouched inhumation of a man aged 40-50, who had suffered from arthritis, some tooth loss and possibly Paget's Disease. He had been buried wearing a garment adorned with six V-pelforated buttons. Five of these are of Whitby jet (including one with unique decoration including inlaid tin); the sixth is of the mineral lizardite, and has an enigmatic coating, possibly a glaze. Behind his shoulder was a dagger, of 'Milston type (East Kennet variant) it had had a fancy horn hilt and a scabbard lined with animal skin. The scabbard yielded two A MS radiocarbon dates, with a mean value of 2280-1970 cal Bc at 2

Environmental studies in the new Natal Education Department third and fourth phase geography syllabus, with particular reference to the standard ten syllabus : an evaluation.

Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1988.The primary aim of this study is to attempt to evaluate by means of a case-study, the appropriateness of fieldwork as a way of teaching the new ecology section of the high school geography syllabus viz. 'Ecosystems, Environmental Balance and Conservation'. The study shows the value and importance of fieldwork to develop in pupils an awareness of environmental issues and conservation principles. Evidence collected during the course of the case-study is used to evaluate the nature of fieldwork. The case-study which comprises this thesis concerns the ecological and environmental fieldwork undertaken by a randomly selected sample of 24 standard ten higher-grade pupils studying geography at Glenwood High School in Durban during August 1987. The case-study site was the Pigeon Valley natural area in Glenwood, Durban. The fieldwork undertaken used a field-research approach recommended for use by senior high school pupils. Various conclusions and recommendations arising out of ecological fieldwork and the case-study evaluation, are presented. These include: 1) Fieldwork is a particularly appropriate method to use to teach this new section of the syllabus, as shown by pupil enjoyment and pupil success in completing the fieldwork tasks set them in the exercise. 2) Two fieldwork methods should be used - a traditional fieldwork approach for junior high school classes and a field research approach (with a built-in problem/issue based component) for senior high school classes. 3) Fieldwork is important not only as a substitute for systematic teaching of the section but also for revision purposes. 4) Case-study evaluation and the use of triangulation are appropriate for the purposes of this study. This study is presented as a contribution to geography teaching, in South Africa, particularly the area of fieldwork, but the qualitative nature of the study and the very nature of case-study research, however, prevent totally conclusive results from being obtained

The development of a local land records system for informal settlements in the greater Edendale area.

Thesis (M.Sc.Sur)-University of Natal, Durban, 2001.This dissertation examines the various forms of informal settlements in evidence in the Greater Edendale Area, and extracts the design criteria for the development of an appropriatc land records system to manage these informal settlements and their upgrading processes. It is shown that the various setllement patterns in existence ill the Greater Edcndale Area (GEA) reflect the apartheid history of South Africa and the policies of the previous governments. All exhibit certain aspects of informality, and therefore exist at various points on a continuum of formality-informality. Certain settlement patterns, such as the properties within formal townships developed by the former Department of Development Aid, possess many formal aspects and relatively fewer informalities, whereas others, for example the conventional informal settlements on State owned land, are informal in almost every respect. It is shown that the government's policies require informal aspects of settlements relating to land tenure and services should be upgraded, and that the responsibility for such upgrading has been delegated to the local government level. I will show that this upgrading of informal settlements can be broken down into four major processes which make up the overall upgrading process. These are land delivery, land tenure reform, provision of services, and cost recovery. It is argued that to effectivcly deal with these upgrading responsibilities, the local government structure. in this case the Pietermaritzburg-Msunduzi Transitional Local Council , should develop and maintain a land records system at the local level, with community participation to ensure sustainability. The design requirements for such a system are identified throughout the chapters, and are drawn together in the final chapter as a set of design criteria for the land records system. These design criteria call be represented by five main themes: firstly, that the land records system should be based on the design of the multipurpose cadastre; secondly, that in addition, it should accommodate non- parcel-based tenures; thirdly, that it should incorporate temporal GIS technology; fourthly, that it should be easily accessible to the community; and finally, that it should incorporate the users' needs and should be extremely user-friendly

Negative impacts of invasive predators used as biological control agents against the pest snail Lissachatina fulica: the snail Euglandina ‘rosea’ and the flatworm Platydemus manokwari

Since 1955 snails of the Euglandina rosea species complex and Platydemus manokwari flatworms were widely introduced in attempted biological control of giant African snails (Lissachatina fulica) but have been implicated in the mass extinction of Pacific island snails. We review the histories of the 60 introductions and their impacts on L. fulica and native snails. Since 1993 there have been unofficial releases of Euglandina within island groups. Only three official P. manokwari releases took place, but new populations are being recorded at an increasing rate, probably because of accidental introduction. Claims that these predators controlled L. fulica cannot be substantiated; in some cases pest snail declines coincided with predator arrival but concomitant declines occurred elsewhere in the absence of the predator and the declines in some cases were only temporary. In the Hawaiian Islands, although there had been some earlier declines of native snails, the Euglandina impacts on native snails are clear with rapid decline of many endemic Hawaiian Achatinellinae following predator arrival. In the Society Islands, Partulidae tree snail populations remained stable until Euglandina introduction, when declines were extremely rapid with an exact correspondence between predator arrival and tree snail decline. Platydemus manokwari invasion coincides with native snail declines on some islands, notably the Ogasawara Islands of Japan, and its invasion of Florida has led to mass mortality of Liguus spp. tree snails. We conclude that Euglandina and P. manokwari are not effective biocontrol agents, but do have major negative effects on native snail faunas. These predatory snails and flatworms are generalist predators and as such are not suitable for biological control