Blattodea as potential indicators of Peninsula Granite Fynbos restoration following the clear-felling of pine plantations

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dc.contributor.authorDyer, Alexeien_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2014-09-22T12:00:12Z
dc.date.available2014-09-22T12:00:12Z
dc.date.issued2013en_ZA
dc.description.abstractAlien plant invasions pose a major threat to the biodiversity of the Cape Peninsula; currently facilitating the transformation of native vegetation and alien invertebrate invasions. This threat provided a motive for the removal of alien pine plantations from the lower slopes of Table Mountain, with the aim of restoring the currently endangered Peninsula Granite Fynbos vegetation. Despite some indication that native fynbos vegetation is recovering, the recovery of native invertebrate communities and their associated ecosystem function remains uncertain. Epigaeic invertebrates are easily sampled, highly abundant, responding rapidly to changes in habitat condition. This study investigates the potential of Blattodea species to be employed as ecological indicators of Peninsula Granite Fynbos restoration, along a chronosequence of recently-felled pine stands. Within 10 years of clear-felling, Blattodea communities inhabiting recovering fynbos do not appear to be very distinct in terms of species richness or composition from those inhabiting undisturbed Peninsula Granite Fynbos, indicating restoration progress. Despite the presence of endemic species among both habitat types, the abundance of the invasive Portuguese millipede (Ommatoiulus moreletii) at clear-felled sites suggests that the ecological footprint of pine still persists. The influence of pine could be reduced by implementing the follow-up clearance of alien trees and pine debris. Although an ecological indicator species was identified, its robustness needs to be tested under a range of spatial and temporal conditions.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationDyer, A. (2013). <i>Blattodea as potential indicators of Peninsula Granite Fynbos restoration following the clear-felling of pine plantations</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Biological Sciences. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/7628en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationDyer, Alexei. <i>"Blattodea as potential indicators of Peninsula Granite Fynbos restoration following the clear-felling of pine plantations."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Biological Sciences, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/7628en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationDyer, A. 2013. Blattodea as potential indicators of Peninsula Granite Fynbos restoration following the clear-felling of pine plantations. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Dyer, Alexei AB - Alien plant invasions pose a major threat to the biodiversity of the Cape Peninsula; currently facilitating the transformation of native vegetation and alien invertebrate invasions. This threat provided a motive for the removal of alien pine plantations from the lower slopes of Table Mountain, with the aim of restoring the currently endangered Peninsula Granite Fynbos vegetation. Despite some indication that native fynbos vegetation is recovering, the recovery of native invertebrate communities and their associated ecosystem function remains uncertain. Epigaeic invertebrates are easily sampled, highly abundant, responding rapidly to changes in habitat condition. This study investigates the potential of Blattodea species to be employed as ecological indicators of Peninsula Granite Fynbos restoration, along a chronosequence of recently-felled pine stands. Within 10 years of clear-felling, Blattodea communities inhabiting recovering fynbos do not appear to be very distinct in terms of species richness or composition from those inhabiting undisturbed Peninsula Granite Fynbos, indicating restoration progress. Despite the presence of endemic species among both habitat types, the abundance of the invasive Portuguese millipede (Ommatoiulus moreletii) at clear-felled sites suggests that the ecological footprint of pine still persists. The influence of pine could be reduced by implementing the follow-up clearance of alien trees and pine debris. Although an ecological indicator species was identified, its robustness needs to be tested under a range of spatial and temporal conditions. DA - 2013 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2013 T1 - Blattodea as potential indicators of Peninsula Granite Fynbos restoration following the clear-felling of pine plantations TI - Blattodea as potential indicators of Peninsula Granite Fynbos restoration following the clear-felling of pine plantations UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/7628 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/7628
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationDyer A. Blattodea as potential indicators of Peninsula Granite Fynbos restoration following the clear-felling of pine plantations. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Biological Sciences, 2013 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/7628en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Biological Sciencesen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Scienceen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.titleBlattodea as potential indicators of Peninsula Granite Fynbos restoration following the clear-felling of pine plantationsen_ZA
dc.typeBachelor Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelHonours
dc.type.qualificationnameBScen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
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