Predation/disturbance effects of greater flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber) on the benthic communities of two Southern African lagoons

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dc.contributor.advisorBranch, George Men_ZA
dc.contributor.authorGlassom, Den_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2014-11-15T19:43:53Z
dc.date.available2014-11-15T19:43:53Z
dc.date.issued1992en_ZA
dc.descriptionBibliography: leaves 69-74.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractGreater Flamingos, Phoenicopterus ruber, were excluded from intertidal areas of two lagoons and subtidal areas of one of these on the Namibian coastline. Macrofaunal and meiofaunal numbers increased at all exclusion sites, but taxon-specific responses were variable. Both intertidal sites were polychaete dominated; subtidally amphipods formed dense tube mats that covered the substrate. All except one macrofaunal species showed significant response to caging. Relative to controls, macrofaunal numbers increased approximately three times inside subtidal exclosures, and one and a half times intertidally, but diversity indices were similar between treatments. There was some evidence that amensalistic interactions developed between macrofauna within exclosures. Intertidally at Walvis Bay rneiofauna showed little response to flamingo exclusion, but subtidally all groups showed statistically significant responses to treatments. At Sandwich Harbour, foraminifera and ostracod abundance changed significantly. Bacterial counts were lower in exclusions at all sites, but significantly so only at Sandwich Harbour, which was the only site where chlorophyll concentrations did not change significantly. Sediment particle size composition was unaffected at all sites. Eh and organic content of sediments changed least subtidally; pH was affected by the treatment at both Walvis Bay sites, but not at Sandwich Harbour. Partial cages, used as cage controls, indicated that results were not artefacts caused by caging. Overall, it was clear that P. ruber was important in structuring communities in the areas studied. In the absence of P. ruber, physical disturbance may be the most important force structuring benthic communities.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationGlassom, D. (1992). <i>Predation/disturbance effects of greater flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber) on the benthic communities of two Southern African lagoons</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Biological Sciences. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/9673en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationGlassom, D. <i>"Predation/disturbance effects of greater flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber) on the benthic communities of two Southern African lagoons."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Biological Sciences, 1992. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/9673en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationGlassom, D. 1992. Predation/disturbance effects of greater flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber) on the benthic communities of two Southern African lagoons. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Glassom, D AB - Greater Flamingos, Phoenicopterus ruber, were excluded from intertidal areas of two lagoons and subtidal areas of one of these on the Namibian coastline. Macrofaunal and meiofaunal numbers increased at all exclusion sites, but taxon-specific responses were variable. Both intertidal sites were polychaete dominated; subtidally amphipods formed dense tube mats that covered the substrate. All except one macrofaunal species showed significant response to caging. Relative to controls, macrofaunal numbers increased approximately three times inside subtidal exclosures, and one and a half times intertidally, but diversity indices were similar between treatments. There was some evidence that amensalistic interactions developed between macrofauna within exclosures. Intertidally at Walvis Bay rneiofauna showed little response to flamingo exclusion, but subtidally all groups showed statistically significant responses to treatments. At Sandwich Harbour, foraminifera and ostracod abundance changed significantly. Bacterial counts were lower in exclusions at all sites, but significantly so only at Sandwich Harbour, which was the only site where chlorophyll concentrations did not change significantly. Sediment particle size composition was unaffected at all sites. Eh and organic content of sediments changed least subtidally; pH was affected by the treatment at both Walvis Bay sites, but not at Sandwich Harbour. Partial cages, used as cage controls, indicated that results were not artefacts caused by caging. Overall, it was clear that P. ruber was important in structuring communities in the areas studied. In the absence of P. ruber, physical disturbance may be the most important force structuring benthic communities. DA - 1992 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 1992 T1 - Predation/disturbance effects of greater flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber) on the benthic communities of two Southern African lagoons TI - Predation/disturbance effects of greater flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber) on the benthic communities of two Southern African lagoons UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/9673 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/9673
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationGlassom D. Predation/disturbance effects of greater flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber) on the benthic communities of two Southern African lagoons. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Biological Sciences, 1992 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/9673en_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.otherZoologyen_ZA
dc.titlePredation/disturbance effects of greater flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber) on the benthic communities of two Southern African lagoonsen_ZA
dc.typeMaster Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationnameMScen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
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