Magister Scientiae (Biodiversity and Conservation Biology) - MSc (Biodiv & Cons Biol)

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Browsing by Author "Boatwright, James S."

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    Assessing the quality of forage for livestock in a semi-arid pastoral system in South Africa
    (University of the Western Cape, 2016) Amary, Nefza Mohamed; Boatwright, James S.; Samuels, Mogamat Igshaan; Hattas, D.; Cupido, C. F.
    This study evaluated the nutritional quality of the forage plants in Namaqualand Granite Renosterveld vegetation in the Kamiesberg uplands of the Leliefontein communal area, South Africa. Determining the quality of forages is one of the most important factors necessary for the effective management of rangelands as it impacts on the nutrient needs of animals and consequently, the grazing capacity in rangelands. The edible portions of various forage plants were collected in the wet and dry seasons in 2012 and 2013 after which the nutritional quality (mineral nutrient content; crude protein (CP); fibre, neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and acid detergent fibre (ADF); dry matter digestibility (DMD); dry matter intake (DMI); metabolizeable energy (ME); and relative forage value (RFV)) as well as the anti-nutritional quality (total phenolics (TP); condensed tannins (CT); and silicon (Si) concentrations) of the plants were determined. Plants were thereafter grouped into their respective growth forms: grasses (15 species), herbs (15 species), leaf succulents (17 species), non-succulents (134 species), reeds (7 species), trees (8 species) and stem succulents (2 species) for statistical analyses. There were generally only a few significant differences for each forage growth form, when comparing the nutritional and anti-nutritional qualities between the two seasons. Certain forage types such as leaf succulents were found to have a high nutritional value in terms of their mineral nutrient content, CP, DMD and ME , but were also found to contain high concentrations of one or more anti-nutritional factors. However, within each season, results showed that for both the nutritional quality and anti-nutritional quality, there was a significant difference between the different growth forms within each season. This suggests that both of these quality parameters are essential in order to draw meaningful conclusions regarding forage quality of these semi-arid rangeland plants. Further research is needed at the species level to determine what plant species are the most nutritious in terms of both nutritional and anti-nutritional quality in order to inform the potential production of these species on a commercial scale.
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    Systematics of geophytic Othonna (Senecioneae, Othonninae)
    (University of the Western Cape, 2017) Magoswana, Simon Luvo; Boatwright, James S.
    A member of the Senecioneae subtribe Othonninae, Othonna L. is a genus of some 120 species mainly concentrated in the Greater Cape Floristic Region (GCFR) of South Africa, with a few species extending into southern Namibia, Angola and Zimbabwe. The South African species of Othonna were last revised by Harvey in 1865. Consequently many species, particularly in the winter rainfall-region, remain poorly understood. As a start to ultimately producing a complete revision of this priority genus, this study focussed on a group of some 26 tuberous geophytic species. The geophytic species were subdivided into two species groups: (1) the 'O. bulbosa' group with 23 spp., distinguished by a tuberous rootstock and well-developed stem with leaves cauline, and (2) the 'O. auriculifolia' group with ca. 3 spp., characterized by a rosulate habit with a short, condensed caudex.