Browsing by Author "Keats, Derek"

Now showing 1 - 13 of 13
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    A catalogue with keys to the non-geniculate coralline algae (Corallinales, Rhodophyta) of South Africa
    (Elsevier, 2008) Maneveldt, Gavin; Keats, Derek; Chamberlain, Yvonne
    Non-geniculate coralline red algae are common in all of the world’s oceans, where they often occupy close to 100% of the primary rocky substratum. The South African rocky subtidal and intertidal habitats in particular, are rich in diversity and abundance of non-geniculate coralline red algae. Despite their ubiquity, they are a poorly known and poorly understood group of marine organisms. Few scattered records of non-geniculate coralline red algae were published prior to 1993, but these should be treated with caution since many taxa have undergone major taxonomic review since then. Also, generic names such as Lithophyllum and Lithothamnion were loosely used by many authors for a host of different non-geniculate coralline algae. A series of taxonomic studies, based mainly on the Western Cape Province of South Africa, published particularly between 1993 and 2000, has significantly extended our knowledge of these algae from southern Africa. References to these latter papers and the older records are now gathered here and a list of the well delimited families (3), subfamilies (4), genera (17) and species (43) are presented. A catalogue with keys to the various taxonomic categories is also provided. A marked reduction in the number of real taxa has been found largely because many earlier recorded taxa have been reduced to synonymy, or have not been verified, or examined in a modern context and so their placement is considered dubious, particularly because the Corallinales have undergone major taxonomic revisions in recent years.
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    The chromista
    (Wiley Online, 2003) Maneveldt, Gavin; Keats, Derek
    As a group, the chromists show a diverse range of forms from tiny unicellular, flagellates to the large brown algae known as kelp. Molecular studies have confirmed the inclusion of certain organisms once considered Fungi, as well as some heterotrophic flagellates. Despite their diversity of form and feeding modes, a few unique characters group these organisms.
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    Clathromorphum tubiforme sp. nov. (Rhodophyta, Corallinaceae) in South Africa with Comments on Generic Characters
    (Walter de Gruyter, 1995) Chamberlain, Yvonne; Norris, R.E.; Keats, Derek; Maneveldt, Gavin
    A nongeniculate, crustose coralline alga (Rhodophyta, Corallinaceae) from South Africa, is found growing epiphytically on fronds of species of the geniculate genus Ampiroa. Analysis of the vegetative and reproductive morphology and anatomy of the alga shows that it belongs to the subfamily Melobesioideae and genus Clathromorphum. It is the only known representative of the genus in South Africa. It has tetrasporangial conceptacles that are significantly smaller than those of any other described species of the genus and it is described as the new species Clathromorphum tubiforme. The diagnostic features of Clathromorphum and other genera of the Melobesioideae are discussed and it is considered that, among melobesioid genera, Clathromorphum is probably most closely related to Melobesia.
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    Ecological significance of deep-layer sloughing in the eulittoral zone coralline alga, Spongites yendoi (Foslie) Chamberlain (Corallinaceae, Rhodophyta) in South Africa.
    (Elsevier, 1994) Keats, Derek; Wilton, P.; Maneveldt, Gavin
    The crustose coralline alga Spongites yendoi (Foslie) Chamberlain (Corallinaceae, Rhodophyta) dominates the lower eulittoral zone along the South Coast of South Africa, together with the limpet Patella cochlear Born. This coralline alga was previously shown to undergo a deep-layer sloughing twice a year, as well as continuous epithallial sloughing. The hypothesis that deep-layer sloughing could perform an antifouling function was tested by determining the percentage cover of fleshy algae developing in a limpet exclusion experiment on live and killed coralline. Substantial fleshy algal cover developed in both limpet removal treatments, negating any possible antifouling function of deep-layer sloughing. A measurable decrease in the mean thickness of the coralline population was noted during periods of sloughing. A thicker crustose coralline, Leptophytum ferox (Foslie) Chamberlain & Keats, grew more slowly and was much more heavily burrowed and more weakly attached than S. yendoi. These results are consistent with a hypothesis that deep-layer sloughing contributes to the alga's relatively thin thallus, thereby conferring the advantages of faster growth and stronger attachment. However, further studies are still needed to evaluate these hypotheses further.
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    Effects of herbivore grazing on the physiognomy of the coralline alga Spongites yendoi and on associated competitive interactions
    (National Inquiry Services Centre (NISC) and Taylor & Francis, 2008) Maneveldt, Gavin; Keats, Derek
    The territorial gardening limpet Scutellastra cochlear occurs along the south and southern west coasts of South Africa, while one of its primary food items, the encrusting coralline alga Spongites yendoi, extends much further north along the west coast. A combined analysis of geographic variation in limpet grazing frequency and a limpet-manipulation experiment was used to study the interaction between the limpet and its coralline food. The coralline comprised most (c. 85 %) of the limpet’s diet while fleshy algae from the limpet’s garden comprised c. 7 %. Grazing caused the thallus of the coralline to be thin and smooth; in the absence of herbivory, or under low grazing frequencies, the crust became thick and highly protuberant. Grazing weakened the coralline’s interference (overgrowth) competitive ability and also reduced its fecundity. In spite of these two apparently negative impacts, the intimate herbivore-coralline association between S. cochlear and S. yendoi showed characteristics of a facultative mutualism. Grazing by S. cochlear reduces the coralline’s thallus thickness and consequently increased its lateral margin extension rate. Thinner forms of the coralline grew 5X faster than thicker forms. An increased lateral growth results in the thinner form of the coralline being very abundant on south and southern west coasts, occupying as much as 79 % of the substratum in the lower eulittoral zone. Thinner forms of S. yendoi were also less burrowed by boring organisms and more strongly attached than thicker forms of the coralline. Grazing by S. cochlear has thus conferred the advantages of faster lateral growth (i.e. success at exploitation competition) and stronger attachment. The coralline and fleshy algae from the limpet’s garden were equally high in organic content on a volume basis. This suggests that the crude food value per bite in the coralline and fleshy algae is comparable. This study has shown that incompletely overlapping distributions between strongly interacting species along a broad geographical gradient is not just a significant feature of the ecology of terrestrial, but also of marine ecosystems.
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    A global revision of the nongeniculate coralling algal genere Porolithon Foslie (defunct) and Hydrolithon Foslie (Corallinales, Rhodophyta)
    (University of the Western Cape, 2005) Maneveldt, Gavin W.; Keats, Derek; Weitz, Frans; Faculty of Science
    The purpose of this thesis was to provide a revision and characterization of the species of nongeniculate coralline algae previously ascribed to the now defunct genus Porolithon; to provide a modern account of selected taxa from the genus Hydrolithon and descriptions of taxa found to conform the generic delimitation of Hydrolithon and to use a phenetic cluster analysis to determine the taxonomic relationships between the various taxa ascribed to the genera Polorithon and Hydrolithon.
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    Grafting an ATM network onto an existing ethernet network
    (Telkom, 1998) Tucker, William David; Keats, Derek
    Grafting an ATM network onto an existing Ethernet network is a non-trivial exercise in network configuration. The process of mating ATM technology to an Ethernet network without tampering the underlying backbone and network configuration gives rise to a variety of networking issues including addressing, compatibility, security, efficiency, administrative effort, and scalability. Examples of actual situations serve to illustrate these issues. We have designed several scenarios to tackle the topological problems of an ATM graft. A dual IP approach works but suffers from a lack of scalability. We expect an edge routing solution, with subnetting, will be the most elegant and scalable.
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    Leptophytum foveatum Chamberlain & Keats (Rhodophyta, Corallinales) retaliates against overgrowth by other encrusting algae
    (Elsevier, 1994) Keats, Derek; Maneveldt, Gavin
    The encrusting coralline alga, Leptophytum foveatum, is the most abundant crustose alga in the lower eulittoral zone at Yzerfontein and other exposed sites on the West Coast of South Africa. The surface of this species is usually imbricate (appears scaly) as a result of the aparently spontaneous regeneration of margins at the surface of the thallus. The thicker, fleshy, brown crustose alga, Ralfsia verrucosa, usually overgrows the margins of the thinner L. foveatum; however, L. foveatum counteracts this overgrowth by regenerating margins at the thallus surface, and these are able to grow up and over the encroaching margin of R. verrucosa. Experiments in which these regenerated margins were removed showed that the regenerated margins are able to slow or stop the encroachment of R. verrucosa. It is suggested that the regeneration of thallus margins at the surface, away from the primary thallus margin, allows L. foveatum to maintain the advantages of being thin (e.g. more rapid lateral growth), but also gain some of the advantages of being thick (e.g. improved competitive ability).
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    Linking biology and sustainable livelihoods to the proposed establishment of community -based Eucheumoid farming in southern Kenya
    (University of the Western Cape, 2005) Wakibia, Joseph .G; Keats, Derek; Raitt, Lincoln; Bolton, John
    Growth rates of three commercial eucheumoids: brown Eucheuma denticulatum and green and brown Kappaphycus alvarezii were studied at three sites (Gazi Bay, Kibuyuni and Mkwiro) in southern Kenya. The study was conducted using the fixed off-bottom rope technique over a 15 month period from August 2001 to October 2002, in 4 plots (5 m x 1.5 m) set up at each site. The brown E. denticulatum had the highest mean growth rate over the entire period of 4.7% day-I compared to the green and brown K. alvarezii which were 4.3% day l and 4.2% dayl, respectively. Mean relative growth rates were highest at Gazi (5.6% dayl), and lowest in Kibuyuni (3.2% day-I) with intermediate values of 4.8% dail at Mkwiro. Increased water motion was observed to increase thallus nitrogen and hence the growth of eucheumoids. The 'ice-ice' syndrome affected both brown E. denticulatum and brown K. alvarezii but not green K. alvarezii. Mean growth was higher during the southeast monsoon (4.7% day+) than during the northeast monsoon (4.0% dayl).The carrageenan characteristics of the three morphotypes were measured for 12 months. The highest carrageenan yield was obtained for green K. alvarezii (59.1% dry wt), whereas the average carrageenan yield for brown K. alvarezii was 56.5% dry wt and 56.6% dry wt for brown E. denticulatum. The plants at Gazi (58.0% dry wt) had a slightly, though significantly, higher carrageenan yield than both those at Kibuyuni (57.1 % dry wt) and Mkwiro (57.3% dry wt). However, from a commercial point of view the differences in carrageenan yields were not meaningful. Highest gel strengths were obtained in carrageenans from green K. alvarezii (1042.1 g cm") and brown K. alvarezii (1053.7 g ern"), whereas low values of 100.8 g ern" were obtained for brown E. denticulatum. The brown E. denticulatum had carrageenan with higher viscosity (81.7 mPa.s) and sulphate content (29.1% dry wt) than both green and brown K. alvarezii. The gel viscosities of all the morphotypes were higher during the southeast monsoon (67.3 mPa.s) than during the northeast monsoon (46.3 mPa.s) and were positively correlated with gel strengths.A survey was conducted among households in the three villages, from April to September 2001 to assess their socio-economic characteristics. There were 182 household heads interviewed; about 20% were women. Fishing was the main source of livelihood for about 48% of the household members. In 2001, the average monthly income for the surveyed households was Kshs. 9904 (1 US$=75 Kshs.), with about 67% having less than Kshs. 10 000. The average prevalence of poverty among the households surveyed was 45.1% with 38.8%,54.8% and 46.7% of households in Gazi, Kibuyuni and Mkwiro villages, respectively, living below the poverty line of Kshs. 1239 per month per adult person. An economic feasibility study for growing brown E. denticulatum and brown K. alvarezii in pilot farms of 0.1 ha was conducted at Gazi and Kibuyuni. A higher yield of 793 kg dry wt was obtained for plants grown at Gazi than those at Kibuyuni (793 kg dry wt). The net income derived from E. denticulatum was estimated at Kshs. 7549 annually in a 0.1 ha seaweed farm. A higher annual income of Kshs. 49 126 was generated from K. alvarezii. The rate of return on investment in farming E. denticulatum ranged from 15 to 63%, while 122 to 380% for K. alvarezii. The pay back period was shorter for the latter (0.3 to 0.7 years) than the former (1.2 to 2.7 years).A cross-sectoral policy analysis regarding legislation and policy relevant to the introduction and development of eucheumoid cultivation in Kenya, with particular reference to Kenyan legislation was conducted. The analysis showed that there is no system of promoting or regulating mariculture, though there are fragmented regulations that are scattered among the policies, Acts and regulations of various institutions. Such regulations were not designed specifically for mariculture and as a result they do not fully address the needs of mariculture. The establishment of a national mariculture development programme in Kenya is proposed as a means to develop and manage the farming of marine resources, including seaweeds.
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    Synarthrophyton papillatum sp. nov.: a new species of non-geniculate coralline algae (Rhodophyta, Corallinales, Hapalidiaceae) from South Africa and Namibia
    (Elsevier, 2008) Maneveldt, Gavin; Keats, Derek; Chamberlain, Yvonne
    Polychaete worm tubes within the mid to lower intertidal zone along the South African west coast were frequently observed to be overgrown by a minutely papillate species of encrusting coralline algae. Analysis of the vegetative and reproductive morphology and anatomy of this alga shows that it is new to science and belongs to the subfamily Melobesioideae and, in particular, to the genus Synarthrophyton, which is for the most part restricted to the Southern Hemisphere. Synarthrophyton papillatum is the tenth species from this genus and the sixth recorded from southern Africa. The new species is described in detail and compared with recently documented species found to conform to the generic description of Synarthrophyton. Synarthrophyton papillatum differs from S. patena and S. eckloniae in being epilithic, not epiphytic; from S. munimentum and S. robbenense in lacking raised rims on the tetrasporangial conceptacles; and from S. magellanicum in bearing minutely warty to fruticose protuberances and generally lacking the leafy to layered, weakly attached thalli present in the latter species. A key to the southern African species of Synarthrophyton is provided.
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    Three species of Mastophora (Rhodophyta: Corallinales, Corallinaceae) in the tropical Indo-Pacific Ocean: M. rosea (C. Agardh) Setchell, M. pacifica (Heydrich) Foslie, and M. multistrata sp. nov
    (International Phycological Society, 2009) Keats, Derek; Maneveldt, Gavin; Baba, Masasuke; Chamberlain, Yvonne; Lewis, Jane E.
    Three species of Mastophora (Corallinaceae, Corallinales, Rhodophyta) were found in extensive studies of nongeniculate coralline algae in various areas of the tropical Indo-Pacific, including French Polynesia, Fiji, Ryukyu Islands (Japan), and Taiwan. Two species are delicate and leafy but are distinguishable on morphological grounds. Mastophora rosea plants are taeniform, dichotomously branched, and weakly calcified and have rolled margins. Their thalli show very little secondary growth, with only occasional small round patches at the surface. Tetrasporangial and carposporangial conceptacles are very high (330–640 mm) and dome-shaped to almost spherical. Mastophora rosea plants collected during this study stand out in the water because of their bluish-purple colour. Mastophora pacifica has more strongly calcified thalli that are irregularly branched, with abundant secondary growth and the development of loosely attached, crispy layers. Tetrasporangial and carposporangial conceptacles are conical (280–550 mm high). Thallus colour in M. pacifica varies substantially depending on where it is growing, ranging from violet brown to dark red to greyish ruby, but are mostly pale-pink to reddish-purple in their submerged living state. Mastophora multistrata sp. nov. plants are hard and robust. Their thalli are made up of tightly packed layers that are evident only in section. Tetrasporangial conceptacles are generally low (315–490 mm high) and dome-shaped. In their living state, M. multistrata plants are usually deep-purple plum coloured.
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    Three species of Mastophora (Rhodophyta: Corallinales, Corallinaceae) in the tropical Indo-Pacific Ocean: M. rosea (C. Agardh) Setchell, M. pacifica (Heydrich) Foslie, and M. multistrata sp. nov
    (International Phycological Society, 2009) Keats, Derek; Maneveldt, Gavin; Baba, Masasuke; Chamberlain, Yvonne; Lewis, Jane E.
    Three species of Mastophora (Corallinaceae, Corallinales, Rhodophyta) were found in extensive studies of non-geniculate coralline algae in various areas of the tropical Indo-Pacific, including French Polynesia, Fiji, Ryukyu Islands (Japan) and Taiwan. Two species are delicate and leafy, but are distinguishable on morphological grounds. Mastophora rosea plants are taeniform, dichotomously branched, weakly calcified, and have rolled margins. Their thalli show very little secondary growth, with only occasional small round patches at the surface. Tetrasporangial and carposporangial conceptacles are very high (330-640 m), and dome-shaped to almost spherical. Mastophora rosea plants collected during this study stand out in the water because of their bluish-purple colour. Mastophora pacifica has more strongly calcified thalli that are irregularly branched, with abundant secondary growth and the development of loosely attached, crispy layers. Tetrasporangial and carposporangial conceptacles are conical (280-550 m high). Thallus colour in M. pacifica varies substantially depending on where it is growing, ranging from violet brown to dark red to greyish ruby, but are mostly pale-pink to reddish-purple in their submerged living state. Mastophora multistrata sp. nov. plants are hard and robust. Their thalli are made up of tightly packed layers that are only evident in section. Tetrasporangial conceptacles are generally low (315-490 m high) and dome shaped. In their living state, M. multistrata plants are usually deep-purple plum coloured.
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    Two new melobesioid algae (Corallinales, Rhodophyta), Synarthrophyton robbenense sp. nov. and S. munimentum sp. nov., in South Africa and Namibia
    (International Phycological Society, 1997) Keats, Derek; Maneveldt, Gavin
    Synarthrophyton robbenense sp. nov. and S. munimentum sp. nov., the fourth and fifth species in this apparently southern hemisphere genus, are described from southern Africa. Synarhrophyton robbenense occurs on rock and shells in the subtidal zone. Its thalli are minutely warty, with the surface covered by short, narrow protuberances that are fused into elongate, scrolled structures. The surface [scanning electron microscopy (SEM)] is of the Leptophytum type. Mature tetraibisporangial conceptacles have raised rims and sunken pore plates. The pore plates are composed of filaments made up of two or three cells plus an enlarged epithallial cell. The pore canal is lined by filaments with cells that do not differ in size or shape from those of the other filaments making up the pore plate. Cells of filaments within the tetrasporangial and bisporangial conceptacle rim are narrower and more elongate than cells of the pore plate and surrounding vegetative filaments. Tetralbisporangial pores are surrounded by five to eight rosette cells that tilt somewhat toward the pore in surface SEM view. Tetraibisporangial conceptacles do not become buried in the thallus, but are shed on senescence, often leaving shallow craters on the surface. Synarthrophylon munimenlum occurs on rocks and shells in low-shore tide pools, and on rock, shells, and kelp holdfasts in the subtidal zone. Thalli are usually smooth, occasionally warty, but never show protuberances that are fused into scrol l-like structures. The thallus surface (SEM) is made up of Leptophytum-type epithallial cells. Tetral bisporangial conceptacle roofs are volcano-shaped with a raised peripheral rim and sunken pore plate. The pore plates are composed of filaments made up of five to seven cells plus an epithallial cell. The rosette cells that surround the tetral bisporangial pore are distinct from surrounding roof cells (SEM, surface view) in being narrower and sunken below the level of the surrounding pore plate. The pore canal is lined by filaments with cells that do not differ in size or shape from those of the other filaments making up the pore plate. Cells of filaments within the tetrasporangial and bisporangial conceptacle rim are more or less similar in size and shape to cells of the pore plate and surrounding vegetative filaments.