Derek Keats

Kenga Solutions

Based on new studies of the types and of putative conspecific specimens from various localities in the Indian and Pacific oceans, Porolithon craspedium and Porolithon gardineri were reaffirmed as distinct species. Examining solely morpho-anatomical data, the types of P. castellum and P. marshallense were found to match the present-day diagnosis of...

The South African rocky subtidal and intertidal habitats are rich in diversity and abundance of non-geniculate coralline red algae. Despite their ubiquity, they are still a comparatively poorly known group of marine organisms. Ongoing taxonomic changes have meant that the classification and characterisation of these algae have been in constant flux...

Based on new studies of the type and of specimens from various localities in the Indian and Pacific oceans, Hydrolithon samoense was reaffirmed as a distinct species. The following taxa were found to be heterotypic synonyms thereof: Neogoniolithon caribaeum, N. erosum and N. rugulosum. Based on morphological and anatomical data H. samoense not only...

Based on new studies of the type and of specimens from various localities in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans, Porolithon onkodes was reaffirmed as a distinct species, but of variable morphological appearance. The following taxa were found to conform to the present-day diagnosis of P. onkodes and they are thus considered heterotypic synonyms...

The reproductive season, the sex that provides parental care, and the relationship of feeding with reproduction are reported for Atlantic wolffish and ocean pout in eastern Newfoundland. Both species move into shallow water in the spring, pair during the summer, and spawn in holes under and between boulders during the autumn. Apparently, male Atlan...

The diet of the Atlantic wolffish was studied by examining the contents of the gastrointestinal tracts of 90 individuals collected from the sea urchin dominated rocky subtidal in eastern Newfoundland. Green sea urchins comprised 75% of the overall diet by weight. Horse mussels ranked second but comprised only 9.5% of the diet. The remainder of the...

Juvenile cod (Gadus morhua) were more abundant in inshore areas with abundant fleshy macroalgae (Desmarestia spp.) than they were in green sea urchin dominated areas with only crustose coralline algae. Small juvenile cod (<125 mm) fed mainly on small zooplankton, while larger juveniles fed mainly on benthic organisms. The contribution of epiphytic...

The diet of ocean pout was studied by analysis of the contents of the gastrointestinal tracts of 151 individuals collected from the green sea urchin dominated rocky subtidal in eastern Newfoundland. Green sea urchins constituted 62% of the overall diet by weight. The brittle star, Ophiopholus aculeata, constituted 7% of the diet, while the remainde...

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 r...

Free and Open Educational Resources at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) are deeply rooted in our institutional culture, stemming from the role we played in the struggle for political freedom in South Africa. The successful development of a strategy has been influenced by this history, as well as the role of a champion in the main decision‐m...

The territorial gardening limpet Scutellastra cochlear occurs along the south and southern west coasts of South Africa, whereas one of its primary food items, the encrusting coralline alga Spongites yendoi, extends much farther north along the West Coast. A combined analysis of geographic variation in limpet grazing frequency and a limpet-manipulat...

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 poor...

Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) is a national priority in South Africa, and is increasingly recognized as a means to achieve quality, lower costs, create agility and foster innovation. All of these are things libraries need to accomplish, so a survey of the FOSS tools available to support library functions or the role of librarians is provided...

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 Melobesi...

Globalization represents a significant threat as well as a substantial opportunity to the economies and educational systems of Africa and other areas of the developing world. This paper shows that, if used wisely, information technology has the power to help create powerful and synergistic educational partnerships at local, regional and global scal...

Given the cost of content, the under-resourcing of universities and the scattered nature of expertise in Africa, the collaborative development of open content seems like a useful way to get high-quality, locally-relevant content for using to enhance teaching-and-learning. However, there is currently no published operational model to guide instituti...

This paper presents a scenario in which education is approaching a potential tipping point, where major changes are about to happen as a result of developments in technology, social networking, deeper understanding of educational process, as well as new legal and economic frames of reference. The set of changes constitute what we refer to as Educat...

As a possible means of improving the livelihoods of local villagers, off-bottom rope cultivation of commercial eucheumoids was investigated on the southern Kenyan coast at three sites, representative of the variety of environments. The morphotypes used were brown Eucheuma denticulatum and green and brown Kappaphycus alvarezii. The study was carried...

Three eucheumoid strains (brown Eucheuma denticulatum, green and brown Kappaphycus alvarezii growing in fixed, off-bottom seaweed farms) were examined for carrageenan properties at three sites (Gazi, Kibuyuni and Mkwiro) in Kenya, monthly for one year; these properties were related to a suite of environmental factors and seaweed growth condition. T...

SUMMARYA new species of semi-endophytic coralline alga, Lithophyllum cuneatum (Corallinaceae: Lithophylloideae), is described from Fiji. The species is characterized by a wedge-like thallus that is partially buried in the thallus of the host coralline, Hydrolithon onkodes (Heydrich) Penrose et Woelkerling or occasionally Neogoniolithon sp., and tha...

Transmission electron microscopic study of Lithophyllum neoatalayense Masaki demonstrated that this alga used two mechanisms by which it sloughed cells from its surface. Epithallial filaments, produced by a layer of underlying initial cells, were two to four cells long. Terminal epithallial cells, those closest to the thallus surface, underwent sen...

Green sea urchins were the most abundant food species (62% by weight) in American plaice (all female) collected from an area in eastern Newfoundland where sandy bottom abuts urchin dominated bedrock. Of secondary importance were capelin (12.9% by weight), which were spawning in the area when the samples were obtained. The results suggest that Ameri...

As a possible means of improving the livelihoods of local villagers, off-bottom rope cultivation of commercial eucheumoids was investigated on the southern Kenyan coast at three sites, representative of the variety of environments. The morphotypes used were brown Eucheuma denticulatum and green and brown Kappaphycus alvarezii. The study was carried...

Stomachs of 0-group ocean pout from Newfoundland all contained harpacticoid copepods, which comprised 82% of the diet. 0-group ocean pout were found hiding among coarsely branched algae.

This paper explores how NetTel@Africa, a network for capacity building has addressed access, acceptance and delivery barriers in crafting an e-learning Masters degree programme. Building on network principles, one key success factor is to link open source software development, the KEWL project at the University of Western Cape, with digital content...

The concept of chromists, at its most expansive, includes the heterokonts (stramenopiles), alveolates, rhizarians, heliozoans, telonemians, haptophytes and cryptophytes. There is mounting evidence that this grouping is not valid. Even in the narrowest sense (the heterokonts), chromists include very diverse forms, exhibiting a great variety of troph...

Globalization represents a significant threat as well as a substantial opportunity to the economies and educational systems of Africa and other areas of the developing world. This paper shows that, if used wisely, information technology has the power to help create powerful and synergistic educational partnerships at local, regional and global scal...

Given the cost of content, the under-resourcing of universities and the scattered nature of expertise in Africa, the collaborative development of open content seems like a useful way to get high-quality, locally-relevant content for using to enhance teaching-and-learning. However, there is currently no published operational model to guide instituti...

Relative growth rates (RGRs), yields and agar characteristics of threegracilarioid isolates (Gracilariopsis sp. from St. Helena Bay, and Gracilaria gracilis isolates from Langebaan Lagoon and Saldanha Bay) weremeasured to assess the suitability of a site in St. Helena Bay for suspendedcultivation. The gracilarioids were grown on polypropylene ropes...

There are two web-based outreach projects based in the botany department at the University of the Western Cape (UWC), providing high-school level learning resources in the area of Biology and Environmental Education. An analysis of guestbook submissions and server logs was made to determine if the resources were reaching learners and educators, the...

A species of non-geniculate coralline alga that is common in the subtidal zone of South Africa (SA) was studied from collections made around the SA coast. It was compared with the holotype of Lithothamnion superpositum, to which it was found to conform. SA material and the type were also compared with published descriptions and illustrations of Lit...

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. Synarthrophyton 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 fuse...

Two unbranched species of Lithophyllum are characterized from Fiji, South Pacific, where both are common in the shallow reef environment. Lithophyllum insipidum Adey, Townsend et Boykins is characterized by a mainly lavender-colored thallus that is tessellate, with chalky white to brownish patches. Basal filaments are composed of nonpalisade cells...

Mesophyllum incisum is reported and studied for the first time in South Africa. It has a thallus surface (SEM) with Leptophytum-type epithallial cells. Tetra/bisporangial conceptacles are mound-like and lack a peripheral rim but have a flattened pore plate. The rosette cells surrounding the tetrasporangial pores are distinct from surrounding roof c...

A common Indo-Pacific non-geniculate coralline alga was studied in Fiji, French Polynesia, Ryukyu Islands (Japan) and South Africa, and compared with an isotype of Hydrolithon concium. The isotype contains only bisporangial material, but it is concordant with the material studied in the tropical Indo-Pacific. The species is transferred to Pneophyll...

Crustose coralline algae cover a substantial fraction of surfaces on the shallow parts of coral reefs. The shedding of surface layers of cells by three common species was studied using light and electron microscopy. All three species examined shed epithallial cells in one of two ways: synchronous epithallial shedding involving the simultaneous shed...

Rhipilia penicilloides sp. nov. (Udoteaceae, Chlorophyta) is described from the Fiji Islands, South Pacific. Adult thalli are characterized by a penicilloid capitulum of free, dichotomously branched siphons and an elongated corticated stipe arising from a multisiphonous rhizome-like mat or stolon, whereas juvenile stages possess an infundibular cap...

In continuing studies on the taxonomy of non-geniculate, coralline algae from South Africa, stipes of the kelp, Ecklonia maxima, in the subtidal zone of Western Cape Province, were frequently observed to be covered with rosy-pink encrusting coralline algae. The reproductive morphology and anatomy of these plants show that they belong to the subfami...

A little-known, but ecologically important non-geniculate coralline, Lithothamnion prolifer, is recorded from a number of tropical Indo-Pacific sites, including Fiji, Australia, Kiribati and Indonesia. The species occurs primarily on vertical walls of caves and overhangs in Fiji and Australia, but was also found as rhodoliths in Kiribati. Lithotham...

A nongeniculate, crustose coralline alga (Rhodophyta, Corallinaceae) from South Africa, is found growing epiphytically on fronds of species of the geniculate genus Amphiroa. 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 kn...

A new species of the red algal genus Phacelocarpus, of the monogeneric family Phacelocarpaceae, is reported and described for the first time from Fiji, South Pacific. Phacelocarpus neurymenioides differs from other members of the genus in a number of characters. It has a broad blade (up to 9 mm wide), with new blades arising irregularly from the mi...

Mesophyllum engelhartii is a crustose coralline, melobesioid, red alga that is common in the Western Cape province and parts of the Eastern Cape province but becomes rare in KwaZulu-Natal. It occurs mainly on rocks and shells in the low intertidal and subtidal zones. The principal characters defining the species are the slightly to markedly promine...

The structure of rocky intertidal communities may be influenced by large-scale patterns of productivity. In this study we examine the in situ rates of production by intertidal epilithic microalgae (chlorophyll a production per unit area per month), intertidal nutrient concentrations (nitrates, nitrites, phosphates and silicates), and standing stock...

Heydrichia groeneri sp, nov., the second recorded species of the genus, is described from western Cape Province, South Africa, and southern Namibia. It is ascribed to the genus Heydrichia on the basis of a type of sporangial development in which the successive production of tetrasporangia results in multiple sporangial stalk cells. It differs from...

Two species of the coralline red algal genus Mesophyllum (Corallinaceae, Melobesioideae) are reported from the southernmost coral reefs in the western Indian Ocean at Sodwana Bay, Natal, South Africa. Specimens attributed to Mesophyllum erubescens (Foslie) Lemoine were compared with the type specimens of Lithothamnion erubescens Foslie and L. erube...

Heydrichia woelkerlingii gen. et sp. nov., a new non-geniculate coralline alga from South Africa, has some affinity with Sporoltihon. Heydrichia and Sporolithon have many vegetative characters in common, but Heydrichia differs in its reproductive characters: cruciately divided tetrasporangia subtended by one or more stalk cells, and housed in spora...

A number of crustose, fleshy and coralline algae coexist in the eulittoral zone along the south-western coast of South Africa, in spite of potentially competing for the same limiting resource, space. A number of questions concerning coexistence among crustose algae were addressed in a study conducted at Holbaaipunt, in the southwestern Cape Provinc...

Three common crustose coralline algae from South Africa are attributed to the genus Leptophytum of the subfamily Melobesioideae. Leptophytum acervatum and L. foveatum are epilithic or epizoic with thin, flat thalli and deeply sunken conceptacles. They are very similar in appearance but, in addition to different vegetative and reproductive anatomica...

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 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...

Three species of Hydrolithon are reported from South Africa. Hydrolithon onkodes occurs on the southernmost coral reefs in the western Indian Ocean at Sodwana Bay, Natal. Hydrolithon superficiale sp. nov. is described on the basis of a distinctive layer of conceptacles that occur in a superficial layer of lightly calcified filaments with long, thin...

We describe the introduction of task-orientated cooperative group work in a second year Botany course in Phycology (the study of algae) to accommodate a large class of students with varying academic and linguistic skills and a tendency to learn by rote. Students were issued with workbooks, containing study questions, readings, a discussion workshee...

The crustose coralline red alga, Sporolithon ptychoides Heydrich, is recorded from tide pools, subtidal surge channels, and on rock substrate on the southernmost coral reefs in the western Indian Ocean, at Sodwana Bay National Park, Natal Province, South Africa. Sporolithon episporum (Howe) Dawson is reported from large tide pools, surge channels,...

At Saldanha bay on the west coast of South Africa, annual yields of beach-cast Gracilaria often exceeded 1000 metric tons, until the construction of an ore jetty and breakwater in 1974. Yields were then drastically reduced, recovered to 429 tons in 1988, then fell to zero. Diving surveys revealed a steady decline in the biomass of the remaining bed...

The size structure and diet of the Arctic shanny,Stichaeus punctatus, were studied at two sites, one at Nuvuk Islands in the Arctic, and one at Newman Sound, in eastern Newfoundland. The Newfoundland population showed peaks corresponding to 0+,1+, and an accumulation of older individuals, while the Nuvuk population was dominated by 2+ and 3+ combin...

Spongites yendoi (Foslie) Chamberlain is an abundant non-geniculate coralline alga in the lower eulittoral zone along the south and west coast of South Africa, where it is associated primarily with the territorial, gardening limpet, Patella cochlear Born. In November 1990, June 1991 and November 1991, large patches of Spongites yendoi became white....

Stomachs of 0-group ocean pout from Newfoundland all contained harpacticoid copepods, which comprised 82% of the diet. 0-group ocean pout were found hiding among coarsely branched algae.

In Bonavista Bay, Newfoundland, juvenile cod (Gadus morhua) (age-group-0 and -1) were found to move into shallow water at night, where they mostly rested near the bottom. This nocturnal inshore migration was not associated with feeding, as stomach contents data suggested that feeding takes place mainly during the day, with little or no feeding at n...

A literature review and new data are used to clarify geographical patterns of community response to release from heavy grazing by green sea urchins, Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis (O.F. Müller) within the north-west Atlantic region. Large geographical areas identified where urchin-removal experiments have not been conducted are the Passamaquoddy...

At Conception Bay, macroalgal biomass increased following Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis removal. At 2-3 m a closed canopy of Alaria esculenta developed, with few other algal species, except during the summer when the canopy was reduced by blade erosion. The community that developed at 6-9 m consisted mainly of Desmarestia aculeata, with lesser...

A population of fourbeard rocklings, Enchelyopus cimbrius, was studied in shallow water (<10 m) in eastern Newfoundland. They are nocturnal, occupying burrows in muddy substrate during the day. and often retreating into these burrows at night when disturbed. The population consisted mostly of 80–150 mm individuals, aged 2-3 years. Feeding was obser...

Juvenile cod Gadus morhua L. (aged 1 + and 2 +) were counted, using an underwater scuba transect method, during the day and at night in shallow water at Newman Sound, Bonavista Bay, Newfoundland. They were 16 times more abundant during the night than during the day. Sampling at one site throughout a 24-h period showed that they arrive in shallow wa...

Gut contents were analysed from 63 winter flounder collected off eastern Newfoundland from rocky bottoms dominated by green sea urchins Strongylocentrotus droebachjensis. Availability of prey items consumed was determined in the field. After removal from the analysis of items too large for the flounder to eat, and of those from cryptic microhabitat...

Sixteen chlorophytes, 29 phaeophytes and 29 rhodophytes were identified. The high to mid intertidal zone was heavily ice-scored, and was covered by a green band of Ulothrix flacca and other microalgae. The low intertidal zone had a dense band of Fucus evanescens. On hard substrate, the upper subtidal zone was heavily ice-scoured, and was generally...

A report, to the Newfoundland Inshore Fisheries Association, on Scientific Problems in the Northern cod controversy, St. John’s, Nfld.

ABSTRACT The amphipods Ischyrocerus commensalis and Gammaropsis inaequistylis were found on the spider crab Chionoecetes opilio collected in shallow water in Bonne Bay, Newfoundland. The first and second gnathopods have similar morphologies in these two species. Gammaropsis inaequistylis was also found on another spider crab, Hyas araneus, in Bonne...

Some 22 gastropod, 11 bivalve and 2 amphineuran species were collected. Gastropods were most numerous on macrophytes in channels among the islands. Epibenthic bivalves utilized macrophytes as settlement substrates. Bivalve species are consistent with expectations based upon the role which Hudson Strait plays as a boundary, with intermixing, between...

The phenology of Saccorhiza dermatodea is described from the island of Newfoundland, Canada, and the possible roles of daylength and temperature in controlling the annual cycle are examined. New sporophytes first appear in late March or early April and continue to appear until late May or early June; there is, however, considerable year-to-year and...

Reproductive output of green sea urchins (Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis O.F. Müller) in the field was highest at depths where preferred macro-algae were abundant, and lowest at depths where preferred macro-algae were overgrazed or replaced by non-preferred species (Agarum and Ptilota). Feeding rate and gonad indices of sea urchins in the labora...

Open content is a license arrangement that promotes the free distribution and re-use of information, but it is also a philosophy, a way of working and the products distributed according to the license. Open content has a great potential to contribute to a knowledge commons that can contribute positively to development. Governments and the UN system...