Dissertation and project lists

Doctoral theses

Carstens, Kate. Dec 2017. Breeding and dispersal implications for the conservation of the Southern Ground Hornbill Bucorvus Leadbeateri. (Supervisors: Peter Ryan, Rob Little, Robert Thomson)

Gaglio, Davide. Dec 2017. Investigating the foraging ecology and energy requirements of a seabird population increasing in an intensely exploited marine environment. (Supervisors: Peter Ryan, Timothée Cook, Richard Sherley, Tom Flower).

Garcia-Heras, Marie-Sophie. July 2017. Environmental factors influencing the breeding and health of a predator endemic to southern Africa: the endangered Black Harrier Circus maurus. (Supervisors: Rob Simmons, Arjun Amar, Beatriz Arroyo, Francois Mougeot).

Rollinson, Dominic. July 2017. Understanding and mitigating seabird bycatch in the South African pelagic longline fishery. (Supervisors: Peter Ryan, Ross Wanless).

van de Ven, Tanja. Dec 2017. Implications of climate change on the reproductive success of the Southern yellow-billed Hornbill Tokus leucomelas. (Supervisors: Phil Hockey, Susie Cunningham, Andrew McKechnie).

van Eeden, Rowen. July 2017. Understanding the decline of Martial Eagles Polemaetus bellicosus in the  Kruger National Park, South Africa. (Supervisor: Arjun Amar).

Whitehead, Otto. Dec 2017. Comparative foraging ecology of macaroni and rockhopper penguins at the Prince Edward Islands. (Supervisor: Peter Ryan).

Masters Theses

de Blocq, Andrew. July 2017. Disturbance effects of boat-based tourism on waterbirds at the Ramsar-designated De Hoop Vlei, Western Cape, South Africa. (Supervisors: Peter Ryan, Robert Thomson).

Conservation Biology Masters mini-theses

Abbas, Huyam. 2017. Limited impact of severe drought on plant dynamics in African Savanna. (Supervisors: Jeremy Midgley, William Bond).

Blanckenberg, Michelle. 2017. Resurrection ecology of invertebrates in temporary wetlands in the Cape Floristic region: effects of urbanisation and fire. (Supervisors: Cecile Reed, Musa Mlambo).

Casola, Sarah. 2017. The potential impact of climate change on the genetic diversity of the endangered western leopard toad Sclerophrys pantherina. (Supervisors: Claire Spottiswoode, Krystal Tolley).

Chinho, Tendai. 2017. Testing the Information Centre Hypothesis in a colonial seabird: foraging information exchange among breeding pairs of Cape Gannets Morus capensis.  (Supervisors: Peter Ryan, Lorien Pichegru).

Craig, Christie. 2017. Assessing the anthropogenic threats to vultures in the communal farmlands of Namibia. (Supervisors: Robert Thomson, Andrea Santangeli).

Dura, Carles. 2017. Understanding predation of tortoises by nesting Pied Crows (Corvus albus) in western South Africa. (Supervisors: Arjun Amar, Robert Thomson).

Gush, Wesley. 2017. The decline of the globally threatened Rudd’s Lark in one of its last remaining core sites, the Wakkerstroom grasslands. (Supervisors: Claire Spottiswoode, David Maphisa).

Jeal, Corey. 2017. The impact of a 'trough' concentrated solar power facility on birds and other animals in the Northern Cape, South Africa. (Supervisors: Peter Ryan, Samantha Ralston-Paton).

Ly, Alicia. 2017. Associations between MHC class I variation and blood pathogen prevalence in caracal. (Supervisor: Jacqui Bishop).

Macray, Matthew. 2017. Tortoise mortalities along fences in the south eastern Karoo, South Africa. (Supervisors: Peter Ryan, Alan Lee, Graham Alexander).

Nenzhelele, Elelwani. 2017. Long-term impacts of livestock grazing in the succulent Karoo: a 20-year study of vegetation change under different grazing regimes in Namaqualand. (Supervisors: Timm Hoffman, Simon Todd).Olinger, Ryan. 2017. How does temperature affect Fork-tailed Drongo Dicrurus adsimilis foraging effort, nestling provisioning and growth rates? (Supervisors: Susie Cunningham, Tom Flower).

Parrish, Maggie. 2017. The influence of fire-grazer interactions on Forb communities in a highveld grassland (Supervisors: Jeremy Midgely, Sally Archibald).