Nutritional contribution of atmospheric deposition to the Strandveld vegetation of West Coast South Africa Justine Muhoro Nyaga.

Simple item page
dc.contributor.advisorCramer, Michael Den_ZA
dc.contributor.advisorNeff, Jason Cen_ZA
dc.contributor.advisorCompton, Johnen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorNyaga, Justine Muhoroen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2014-08-13T14:05:42Z
dc.date.available2014-08-13T14:05:42Z
dc.date.issued2013en_ZA
dc.descriptionIncludes abstract.en_ZA
dc.descriptionIncludes bibliographical references.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractEcosystem nutrient availability depends on the balance between rates of nutrient inputs and losses. Nutrients may be lost through fire and displacement of ash, herbivory, leaching and volatilization. The main pathways through which nutrients may be acquired are weathering of rock and atmospheric deposition. Symbiotic and free-living diazotrophic bacteria and blue green algae also contribute N. In ecosystems with limited occurrence of N₂-fixation and occurring on low-nutrient bedrock, atmospheric deposition is the most significant source of nutrients. Nutrients from atmospheric deposition may be of natural or anthropogenic origin, and can be “wet-deposited” dissolved in precipitation and “dry-deposited” when aerosols settle out of the atmosphere onto plant and soil surfaces. Studies on nutrient cycling around the world suggest that nutrient deposition can provide substantial amounts of nutrients to coastal ecosystems, although mineral weathering of rocks can also a significant source. Limited prior work on deposition in coastal areas of South Africa suggests that nutrient deposition could be an important component of nutrient budgets in the Cape Floristic Region. The west coast of South Africa borders a section of the Atlantic Ocean that is highly productive and characterized by strong seasonal winds, rough waters and strong wave action. This area is home to the Strandveld vegetation, which grows on marine-derived soils. Based on this, I hypothesized that marine aerosol deposition is a significant source of nutrients for the vegetation in west coast South Africa. To test this hypothesis, I examined the spatial and temporal characteristics of atmospheric deposition as well as the climatic and ecological characteristics of the area.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationNyaga, J. M. (2013). <i>Nutritional contribution of atmospheric deposition to the Strandveld vegetation of West Coast South Africa Justine Muhoro Nyaga</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Biological Sciences. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/6153en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationNyaga, Justine Muhoro. <i>"Nutritional contribution of atmospheric deposition to the Strandveld vegetation of West Coast South Africa Justine Muhoro Nyaga."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Biological Sciences, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/6153en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationNyaga, J. 2013. Nutritional contribution of atmospheric deposition to the Strandveld vegetation of West Coast South Africa Justine Muhoro Nyaga. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Nyaga, Justine Muhoro AB - Ecosystem nutrient availability depends on the balance between rates of nutrient inputs and losses. Nutrients may be lost through fire and displacement of ash, herbivory, leaching and volatilization. The main pathways through which nutrients may be acquired are weathering of rock and atmospheric deposition. Symbiotic and free-living diazotrophic bacteria and blue green algae also contribute N. In ecosystems with limited occurrence of N₂-fixation and occurring on low-nutrient bedrock, atmospheric deposition is the most significant source of nutrients. Nutrients from atmospheric deposition may be of natural or anthropogenic origin, and can be “wet-deposited” dissolved in precipitation and “dry-deposited” when aerosols settle out of the atmosphere onto plant and soil surfaces. Studies on nutrient cycling around the world suggest that nutrient deposition can provide substantial amounts of nutrients to coastal ecosystems, although mineral weathering of rocks can also a significant source. Limited prior work on deposition in coastal areas of South Africa suggests that nutrient deposition could be an important component of nutrient budgets in the Cape Floristic Region. The west coast of South Africa borders a section of the Atlantic Ocean that is highly productive and characterized by strong seasonal winds, rough waters and strong wave action. This area is home to the Strandveld vegetation, which grows on marine-derived soils. Based on this, I hypothesized that marine aerosol deposition is a significant source of nutrients for the vegetation in west coast South Africa. To test this hypothesis, I examined the spatial and temporal characteristics of atmospheric deposition as well as the climatic and ecological characteristics of the area. DA - 2013 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2013 T1 - Nutritional contribution of atmospheric deposition to the Strandveld vegetation of West Coast South Africa Justine Muhoro Nyaga TI - Nutritional contribution of atmospheric deposition to the Strandveld vegetation of West Coast South Africa Justine Muhoro Nyaga UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/6153 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/6153
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationNyaga JM. Nutritional contribution of atmospheric deposition to the Strandveld vegetation of West Coast South Africa Justine Muhoro Nyaga. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Biological Sciences, 2013 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/6153en_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.subject.otherBiological Sciencesen_ZA
dc.titleNutritional contribution of atmospheric deposition to the Strandveld vegetation of West Coast South Africa Justine Muhoro Nyaga.en_ZA
dc.typeDoctoral Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelDoctoral
dc.type.qualificationnamePhDen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
thesis_sci_2013_nyaga_jm.pdf
Size:
1.5 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Download
Collections
PhD / Doctoral