The effects of elephants and fire on vegetation at Marakele National Park, South Africa

Elephants and fire can modify African savanna ecosystems. The authors evaluated the influence that elephants and fires had on five mountainous plant communities in Marakele National Park. These plant communities were surveyed from 1996 to 2010 with the first sampling in 1996 in the absence of elephants. Initially thirty-nine elephants, introduced in 1996, increased to 150 by 2010 while fires occurred roughly every second year. Over this period vegetation changed and in four of the five cases these associated with structural damage indices, assumed to reflect the effects of elephants. Fire played a role in one of the five mountainous plant communities. The expansion of areas available for elephants partially resulted in halting vegetation changes. The authors conclude that existing resource gradients still impose intensity of use by elephants that can degrade plant communities. In some instances elephant disturbance may facilitate fire disturbance in future. The management should focus on restoring spatial and temporal limitation of resource gradients such as water, and on how elephants use landscapes, while protecting unique plant communities in the interim.Les éléphants et l’incendie peuvent modifier les écosystèmes de la savane africaine. Les auteurs ont évalué l’influence des éléphants et des incendies sur cinq communautés de plantes montagneuses dans le parc national Marakele. On a étudié ces communautés végétales de 1996 à 2010 avec le premier échantillonnage fait en 1996 en l’absence des éléphants. A l’origine, trente-neuf éléphants, introduits en 1996, se sont multipliés jusqu’à 150 en 2010 alors que les incendies se produisaient approximativement tous les deux ans. Au cours de cette période, la végétation a changé et, dans quatre cas sur cinq, ceux associés aux indices de dommages structurels semblaient refléter les effets des éléphants. L’incendie a joué un rôle dans l’une des cinq communautés de plantes montagneuses. L’expansion des zones disponibles pour les éléphants a entraîné en partie l’arrêt des changements de végétation. Les auteurs concluent que les gradients de ressources existants imposent toujours une intensité d’utilisation par les éléphants qui peuvent dégrader les communautés végétales. Dans certains cas, la perturbation par les éléphants peut faciliter celle de l’incendie à l’avenir. La gestion devrait se concentrer sur la restauration de la limitation spatiale et temporelle des gradients de ressources, comme l’eau, et sur la façon dont les éléphants utilisent les paysages tout en protégeant les communautés végétales uniques dans l’entre-temps.http://www.pachydermjournal.org/index.php/pachy/indexam2018Plant Production and Soil Scienc

The effect of seeding densities on old cultivated fields in Marakele National Park, Thabazimbi, South Africa

Large areas of the bushveld bioregion are converted from natural rangeland to cultivated fields for economic purposes. Conversion of grasslands to agricultural land alters the vegetation structure, plant species composition and ecological functioning. The aim of this paper was to evaluate the effectiveness of different seeding densities to enhance the restoration of old cultivated fields in Marakele National Park. Before these areas along the Motlhabatsi River were incorporated into the Park they were used for cultivation of crops. In an attempt to restore these areas to an improved condition, this pilot study was undertaken to determine best practice. One study area comprising two experimental sites and one control site were selected. A seed mixture consisting of natural grass species to the area was selected and sown at two different seed densities. The sites were monitored for a 2‐year period for species diversity and composition. Data were analysed using the analysis of variance (ANOVA), while species diversity was calculated for the different experimental sites using the Shannon–Wiener index. Limited differences were observed between the two seeding densities. The results indicate that seeding degraded grasslands in these bushveld areas enhance the diversity and evenness of the degraded land.http://wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/aje2019-06-01hj2018Plant Production and Soil Scienc

13th National Congress of the South African Society of Psychiatrists, 20-23 September 2004

List of abstacts and authors: 1. Integrating the art and science of psychiatry Eugene Allers 2. Chronic pain as a predictor of outcome in an inpatient Psychiatric population Eugene Allers and Gerhard Grundling 3. Recent advances in social phobia Christer Allgulander 4. Clinical management of patients with anxiety disorders Christer Allgulander 5. Do elephants suffer from Schizophrenia? (Or do the Schizophrenias represent a disorder of self consciousness?) A Southern African perspective Sean Exner Baumann 6. Long term maintenance treatment of Bipolar Disorder: Preventing relapse Charles L. Bowden 7. Predictors of response to treatments for Bipolar Disorder Charles L. Bowden 8. Aids/HIV knowledge and high risk behaviour: A Geo-graphical comparison in a schizophrenia population P Buckley, S van Vuuren, L Koen, J E Muller, C Seller, H Lategan, D J H Niehaus 9. Does Marijuana make you go mad? David J Castle 10. Understanding and management of Treatment Resistant Schizophrenia David J Castle 11. Workshop on research and publishing David J Castle 12. From victim to victor: Without a self-help book Beatrix Jacqueline Coetzee 13. The evaluation of the Gender Dysphoric patient Franco Colin 14. Dissociation: A South African model A M Dikobe, C K Mataboge, L M Motlana, B F Sokudela, C Kruger 15. Designated smoking rooms...and other "Secret sins" of psychiatry: Tobacco cessation approaches in the severely mentally ill Charl Els 16. Dual diagnosis: Implications for treatment and prognosis Charl Els 17. Body weight, glucose metabolism and the new generation antipsychotics Robin Emsley 18. Neurological abnormalities in first episode Schizophrenia: Temporal stability and clinical and outcome correlates Robin Emsley, H Jadri Turner, Piet P Oosthuizen, Jonathan Carr 19. Mythology of depressive illnesses among Africans Senathi Fisha 20. Substance use and High school dropout Alan J. Flisher, Lorraine Townsend, Perpetual Chikobvu, Carl Lombard, Gary King 21. Psychosis and Psychotic disorders A E Gangat 22. Vulnerability of individuals in a family system to develop a psychiatric disorder Gerhard Grundling and Eugene Allers 23. What does it Uberhaupt mean to "Integrate"? Jürgen Harms 24. Research issues in South African child and adolescent psychiatry S M Hawkridge 25. New religious movements and psychiatry: The Good News V H Hitzeroth 26. The pregnant heroin addict: Integrating theory and practice in the development and provision of a service for this client group V H Hitzeroth, L Kramer 27. Autism spectrum disorder Erick Hollander 28. Recent advances and management in treatment resistance Eric Hollander 29. Bipolar mixed states M. Leigh Janet 30. Profile of acute psychiatric inpatients tested for HIV - Helen Jospeh Hospital, Johannesburg A B R Janse van Rensburg 31. ADHD - Using the art of film-making as an education medium Shabeer Ahmed Jeeva 32. Treatment of adult ADHD co-morbidities Shabeer Ahmed Jeeva 33. Needs and services at ward one, Valkenberg Hospital Dr J. A. Joska, Prof. A.J. Flisher 34. Unanswered questions in the adequate treatment of depression Moderator: Dr Andre F Joubert Expert: Prof. Tony Hale 35. Unanswered questions in treatment resistant depression Moderator: Dr Andre F Joubert Expert: Prof. Sidney Kennedy 36. Are mentally ill people dangerous? Sen Z Kaliski 37. The child custody circus Sean Z. Kaliski 38. The appropriatenes of certification of patients to psychiatric hospitals V. N. Khanyile 39. HIV/Aids Psychosocial responses and ethical dilemmas Fred Kigozi 40. Sex and Psychiatry B Levinson 41. Violence and abuse in psychiatric in-patient institutions: A South African perspective Marilyn Lucas, John Weinkoove, Dean Stevenson 42. Public health sector expenditure for mental health - A baseline study for South Africa E N Madela-Mntla 43. HIV in South Africa: Depression and CD4 count M Y H Moosa, F Y Jeenah 44. Clinical strategies in dealing with treatment resistant schizophrenia Piet Oosthuizen, Dana Niehaus, Liezl Koen 45. Buprenorphine/Naloxone maintenance in office practice: 18 months and 170 patients after the American release Ted Parran Jr, Chris Adelman 46. Integration of Pharmacotherapy for Opioid dependence into general psychiatric practice: Naltrexone, Methadone and Buprenorphine/ Naloxone Ted Parran 47. Our African understanding of individulalism and communitarianism Willie Pienaar 48. Healthy ageing and the prevention of Dementia Felix Potocnik, Susan van Rensburg, Christianne Bouwens 49. Indigenous plants and methods used by traditional African healers for treatinf psychiatric patients in the Soutpansberg Area (Research was done in 1998) Ramovha Muvhango Rachel 50. Symptom pattern & associated psychiatric disorders in subjects with possible & confirmed 22Q11 deletional syndrome J.L. Roos, H.W. Pretorius, M. Karayiorgou 51. Duration of antidepressant treatment: How long is long enough? How long is too long Steven P Roose 52. A comparison study of early non-psychotic deviant behaviour in the first ten years of life, in Afrikaner patients with Schizophrenia, Schizo-affective disorder and Bipolar disorder Martin Scholtz, Melissa Janse van Rensburg, J. Louw Roos 53. Treatment, treatment issues, and prevention of PTSD in women: An update Soraya Seedat 54. Fron neural networks to clinical practice M Spitzer 55. Opening keynote presentation: The art and science of Psychiatry M Spitzer 56. The future of Pharmacotherapy for anxiety disorders Dan J. Stein 57. Neuropsychological deficits pre and post Electro Convulsive Therapy (ECT) thrice a week: A report of four cases Ugash Subramaney, Yusuf Moosa 58. Prevalence of and risk factors for Tradive Dyskinesia in a Xhosa population in the Eastern Cape Dave Singler, Betty D. Patterson, Sandi Willows 59. Eating disorders: Addictive disorders? Christopher Paul Szabo 60. Ethical challenges and dilemmas of research in third world countries Godfrey B. Tangwa 61. The interface between Neurology and Psychiatry with specific focus on Somatoform dissociative disorders Michael Trimble 62. Prevalence and correlates of depression and anxiety in doctors and teachers H Van der Bijl, P Oosthuizen 63. Ingrid Jonker: A psychological analysis L. M. van der Merwe 64. The strange world we live in, and the nature of the human subject Vasi van Deventer 65. Art in psychiatry: Appendix or brain stem? C W van Staden 66. Medical students on what "Soft skills" are about before and after curriculum reform C W van Staden, P M Joubert, A-M Bergh, G E Pickworth, W J Schurink, R R du Preez, J L Roos, C Kruger, S V Grey, B G Lindeque 67. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) - Medical management. Methylphenidate (Ritalin) or Atomoxetine (Strattera) Andre Venter 68. A comprehensive guide to the treatment of adults with ADHD W J C Verbeeck 69. Treatment of Insomnia: Stasis of the Art? G C Verster 70. Are prisoners vulnerable research participants? Merryll Vorster 71. Psychiatric disorders in the gym Merryl Vorster 72. Ciprales: Effects on anxiety symptoms in Major Depressive Disorder Bruce Lydiar