Flies and flowers: taxonomic diversity of anthophiles and pollinators

2001 ◽  
Vol 133 (4) ◽  
pp. 439-465 ◽  
Author(s):  
B.M.H. Larson ◽  
P.G. Kevan ◽  
D.W. Inouye
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Taxonomic Diversity ◽  
Flowering Plants ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Nutritional Requirements ◽  
The South ◽  
African Flora ◽  
Pollinating Insects ◽  
Flower Visiting

AbstractThe Diptera are the second most important order among flower-visiting (anthophilous) and flower-pollinating insects worldwide. Their taxonomic diversity ranges from Nematocera to Brachycera, including most families within the suborders. Especially important are Syrphidae, Bombyliidae, and Muscoidea. Other families, especially of small flies, are less appreciated and often overlooked for their associations with flowers. We have compiled records of their flower visitations to show that they may be more prevalent than usually thought. Our knowledge of anthophilous Diptera needs to be enhanced by future research concerning (i) the significance of nocturnal Nematocera and acalypterate muscoids as pollinators, (ii) the extent to which the relatively ineffective pollen-carrying ability of some taxa can be compensated by the abundance of individuals, and (iii) the role of Diptera as pollinators of the first flowering plants (Angiospermae) by using phylogenetic and palaeontological evidence. Specializations in floral relationships involve the morphology of Diptera, especially of their mouthparts, nutritional requirements, and behaviour, as well as concomitant floral attributes. The South African flora has the most highly specialized relations with dipterous pollinators, but in arctic and alpine generalist fly–flower relations are important in pollination and fly nutrition.

scholarly journals Truth and reconciliation in South Africa: Hindu experiences and concerns

2004 ◽  
Vol 60 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
P.G.J. Meiring
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Truth And Reconciliation Commission ◽  
Faith Communities ◽  
The South ◽  
Reconciliation Commission ◽  
Truth And Reconciliation ◽  
Hindu Community ◽  
The Way

The author who served on the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), focuses on the Hindu experience in South Africa during the apartheid years. At a special TRC Hearing for Faith Communities (East London, 17-19 November 1997) two submissions by local Hindu leaders were tabled. Taking his cues from those submissions, the author discusses four issues: the way the Hindu community suffered during these years, the way in which some members of the Hindu community supported the system of apartheid, the role of Hindus in the struggle against apartheid, and finally the contribution of the Hindu community towards reconciliation in South Africa. In conclusion some notes on how Hindus and Christians may work together in th

THE CONTRIBUTION OF EPIDERMAL STRUCTURE TO FLOWER COLOUR IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN FLORA

2011 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 349-371 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heather M. Whitney ◽  
Beverley J. Glover ◽  
Rachel Walker ◽  
Allan G. Ellis
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Flower Colour ◽  
The South ◽  
Epidermal Structure ◽  
African Flora

scholarly journals UNFIT TO OWN A FIREARM? The role of the police in firearm control

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony Minnaar ◽  
Duxita Mistry
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
The South ◽  
Police Service ◽  
South African Police Service ◽  
Firearm Control ◽  
South African Police ◽  
Lack Of Knowledge

This article draws on a study that examined aspects of the implementation by the South African Police Service (SAPS) of section 11 of the old Arms and Ammunition Act. This section refers to the declaration by the police of a person to be unfit to possess a licensed firearm.Although the police are more vigilant than ever about declaring people unfit, their lack of knowledge about the process needs to be addressed, as does the tendency of police and prosecutors to blame each other for problems that arise. Unless these deficiencies are ironed out soon, they will obstruct the execution of the new Firearms Control Act.

scholarly journals Comparative morphology of the mouthparts of the megadiverse South African monkey beetles (Scarabaeidae: Hopliini): feeding adaptations and guild structure

PeerJ ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. e1597 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florian Karolyi ◽  
Teresa Hansal ◽  
Harald W. Krenn ◽  
Jonathan F. Colville
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Comparative Morphology ◽  
Feeding Preference ◽  
Feeding Preferences ◽  
Floral Tissue ◽  
Nectar Feeding ◽  
Pollen Feeding ◽  
Pollinating Insects ◽  
Flower Visiting ◽  
Feeding Adaptations

Although anthophilous Coleoptera are regarded to be unspecialised flower-visiting insects, monkey beetles (Scarabaeidae: Hopliini) represent one of the most important groups of pollinating insects in South Africa’s floristic hotspot of the Greater Cape Region. South African monkey beetles are known to feed on floral tissue; however, some species seem to specialise on pollen and/or nectar. The present study examined the mouthpart morphology and gut content of various hopliine species to draw conclusions on their feeding preferences. According to the specialisations of their mouthparts, the investigated species were classified into different feeding groups. Adaptations to pollen-feeding included a well-developed, toothed molar and a lobe-like, setose lacinia mobilis on the mandible as well as curled hairs or sclerotized teeth on the galea of the maxillae. Furthermore, elongated mouthparts were interpreted as adaptations for nectar feeding. Floral- and folial-tissue feeding species showed sclerotized teeth on the maxilla, but the lacinia was mostly found to be reduced to a sclerotized ledge. While species could clearly be identified as floral or folial tissue feeding, several species showed intermediate traits suggesting both pollen and nectar feeding adaptations. Mismatches found between mouthpart morphology and previously reported flower visiting behaviours across different genera and species requires alternative explanations, not necessarily associated with feeding preferences. Although detailed examinations of the mouthparts allowed conclusions about the feeding preference and flower-visiting behaviour, additional morphological and behavioural investigations, combined with greater taxon sampling and phylogenetic data, are still necessary to fully understand hopliine host plant relationships, related to monkey beetle diversity.

scholarly journals The role of the South African Veterinary Council, with special reference to the period 1982–2011

2014 ◽  
Vol 85 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter C. Ardington ◽  
Rudolph D. Bigalke
Keyword(s):  
Special Reference ◽  
South African ◽  
Government Policy ◽  
Background Information ◽  
The South

The current South African Veterinary Council (SAVC) has a long and laborious history associated with the legislation responsible for its establishment. The forerunner of the SAVC, the South African Veterinary Board, was established in terms of the Veterinary Act 1933 (Act No. 16 of 1933), which was launched through Parliament as a private motion by Dr Hjalmar Reitz M.P. After several amendments, the Act was replaced with the Veterinary and Para-veterinary Professions Act 1982 (Act No. 19 of 1982), superseding the existing Board with the SAVC. One of the reasons for replacing this Act was to comply with Government policy for professional statutory bodies to become self-funding, with fees paid by registered professionals, and to constitute councils that were more representative of the profession. Apart from providing some background information, this article was virtually entirely confined to some historic aspects of the SAVC, using, as its basis, the main developments that occurred during the terms of office of its various presidents, serving from 1982 to 2011. The presidents concerned are: Prof. B.C. Jansen (28 March 1983 – 28 March 1986), Dr G.E. Frost (14 April 1986 – 31 March 1992), Prof. R.I. Coubrough (07 April 1992 – 21 March 1994), Dr P.C. Ardington (21 March 1994 – 31 March 1998), Prof H.M. Terblanche (31 March 1998 – 31 March 2004), Prof. S.S. van den Berg (01 April 2004 – 30 July 2007) and Dr R. Moerane (06 August 2007 – 31 July 2013).

scholarly journals A pilot survey of the current scope of the practice of South African physiotherapists in the intensive care units

2005 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Van Aswegen ◽  
J. Patterson
Keyword(s):  
Intensive Care ◽  
Private Sector ◽  
South African ◽  
Intensive Care Units ◽  
The South ◽  
Pilot Survey ◽  
Private Practitioners ◽  
European Survey ◽  
The Government

Objective: A pilot study was conducted to determine the currentscope of practice of South African physiotherapists working in intensive care units in the government and the private sectors. These findings were compared to the findings from a European survey with regard to the role of the physiotherapist in European intensive care units.Methodology: Ninety questionnaires were distributed nationwide to secondary and tertiary government hospitals as well as to private practitioners involved in cardiopulmonary physiotherapy. The private practitioners included in this survey were listed in the Private Practitioners Association Official Members Directory. Junior and senior physiotherapists working in the intensive care units of their respective hospitals participated in completing the questionnaire. Comparisons between government and private sector data and between the South African survey and the European survey were carried out using the 2test for non-parametric data. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant.Results: Fifty-four questionnaires were analyzed and represented 60% of questionnaires sent out. Respondents to the South African survey reported 28% percent of all ICUs had between 9 - 12 beds; 83% physiotherapists indicated the availability of an on-call service during the night and 96% physiotherapists had a weekend physiotherapy service. Ninety-two percent of physiotherapists working in the government sector supervised students compared to 44% of physiotherapists in the private sector. Between 9% and 27% of physiotherapists in government and private hospitalsactively participated in research in ICU. There were no statistically significant differences in the use of respiratory physiotherapy, mobilization and positioning between respondents to the European survey and those of the South African survey respectively.Conclusion: The response rate to this questionnaire was good. It was evident from this pilot survey that the scope of practice of physiotherapy in ICU didn’t differ significantly between the government and private sector in South Africa. The role of the intensive care physiotherapist in South Africa was similar to that of the European physiotherapist  working in ICU.

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