The effects of heuweltjies and Microhodotermes viator (Isoptera: Hodotermitidae) on invertebrate assemblages and species turnover in the succulent Karoo, Western Cape

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dc.contributor.advisorPicker, Mikeen_ZA
dc.contributor.advisorColville, Jonathanen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorCornell, Gabriel Lyleen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2015-05-06T14:23:32Z
dc.date.available2015-05-06T14:23:32Z
dc.date.issued2014en_ZA
dc.descriptionIncludes bibliographical references.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractSpecies turnover is a measure of a diversity that attempts to quantify the change in species composition along a spatial, temporal or environmental gradient. One such environmental gradient that has been shown to affect species turnover is local edaphic variation. This is seen in the Western Cape Province of South Africa, where the unique edaphic character of large earth mounds, known as heuweltjies, support distinct plant communities. The aim of this study is to assess whether these mounds, and the termite Microhodotermes viator commonly associated with them, also support distinct invertebrate communities, thereby contributing to invertebrate species turnover in the region. Pitfall and emergence traps were set on heuweltjies and in the surrounding matrix in the Karoo Desert National Botanical Gardens, Worcester, Western Cape Province. On- and off-mound community contrasts were assessed by means of a cluster analysis, and species turnover was measured using the Jaccard distance. Invertebrates were more abundant on the heuweltjies, which also had distinct communities when compared to the matrix. Spiders (Aranaea) were more abundant on the heuweltjies, as were in the invertebrates emerging from the frass, suggesting a trophic cascade. Invertebrates commonly associated with M. viator were found more commonly on the heuweltjies. The Jaccard distances indicated that environmental homogenisation of the heuweltjies resulted in homogenisation of the on-mound invertebrate communities. Heuweltjie soil enrichment was most similar to that of termite frass when compared to the matrix, supporting a termite origin for the heuweltjies.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationCornell, G. L. (2014). <i>The effects of heuweltjies and Microhodotermes viator (Isoptera: Hodotermitidae) on invertebrate assemblages and species turnover in the succulent Karoo, Western Cape</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Biological Sciences. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/12768en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationCornell, Gabriel Lyle. <i>"The effects of heuweltjies and Microhodotermes viator (Isoptera: Hodotermitidae) on invertebrate assemblages and species turnover in the succulent Karoo, Western Cape."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Biological Sciences, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/12768en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationCornell, G. 2014. The effects of heuweltjies and Microhodotermes viator (Isoptera: Hodotermitidae) on invertebrate assemblages and species turnover in the succulent Karoo, Western Cape. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Cornell, Gabriel Lyle AB - Species turnover is a measure of a diversity that attempts to quantify the change in species composition along a spatial, temporal or environmental gradient. One such environmental gradient that has been shown to affect species turnover is local edaphic variation. This is seen in the Western Cape Province of South Africa, where the unique edaphic character of large earth mounds, known as heuweltjies, support distinct plant communities. The aim of this study is to assess whether these mounds, and the termite Microhodotermes viator commonly associated with them, also support distinct invertebrate communities, thereby contributing to invertebrate species turnover in the region. Pitfall and emergence traps were set on heuweltjies and in the surrounding matrix in the Karoo Desert National Botanical Gardens, Worcester, Western Cape Province. On- and off-mound community contrasts were assessed by means of a cluster analysis, and species turnover was measured using the Jaccard distance. Invertebrates were more abundant on the heuweltjies, which also had distinct communities when compared to the matrix. Spiders (Aranaea) were more abundant on the heuweltjies, as were in the invertebrates emerging from the frass, suggesting a trophic cascade. Invertebrates commonly associated with M. viator were found more commonly on the heuweltjies. The Jaccard distances indicated that environmental homogenisation of the heuweltjies resulted in homogenisation of the on-mound invertebrate communities. Heuweltjie soil enrichment was most similar to that of termite frass when compared to the matrix, supporting a termite origin for the heuweltjies. DA - 2014 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2014 T1 - The effects of heuweltjies and Microhodotermes viator (Isoptera: Hodotermitidae) on invertebrate assemblages and species turnover in the succulent Karoo, Western Cape TI - The effects of heuweltjies and Microhodotermes viator (Isoptera: Hodotermitidae) on invertebrate assemblages and species turnover in the succulent Karoo, Western Cape UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/12768 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/12768
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationCornell GL. The effects of heuweltjies and Microhodotermes viator (Isoptera: Hodotermitidae) on invertebrate assemblages and species turnover in the succulent Karoo, Western Cape. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Biological Sciences, 2014 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/12768en_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.titleThe effects of heuweltjies and Microhodotermes viator (Isoptera: Hodotermitidae) on invertebrate assemblages and species turnover in the succulent Karoo, Western Capeen_ZA
dc.typeBachelor Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelHonours
dc.type.qualificationnameBSc (Hons)en_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
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