Academic literature on the topic 'Marine fishes – South Africa – Eastern Cape'

Current research on Coastal and Marine Tourism (CTM) in South Africa focuses on two main coastal tourism provinces (KwaZulu-Natal and Western Cape) as well as specific CMT activities such as whale watching and shark cage diving. This study, therefore, contributes to the body of knowledge on CMT by focusing on the Eastern Cape and undertaking a provincial level analysis. Coastal and Marine Tourism location visitor profiles in terms of socio-economic profile, types of CMT visitors, types of CMT activities participated and future interest in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. CMT encompasses activities and resources in and near coastal and marine areas that attract visitors who participate in a range of active and passive business, adventure, leisure and recreational activities that generate socio-economic and environmental benefits. A quantitative approach is adopted, drawing on 700 visitor surveys that were conducted at purposively selected CMT locations in the Eastern Cape. Visitors were from a range of socio-economic backgrounds. There were high levels of participation in CMT activities, especially coastal leisure and recreational activities. Results indicate increased CMT location visitation demand. From a sustainability and responsible tourism perspective, understanding who visits CMT sites assists in ensuring effective planning to manage demand and protect/ conserve coastal and marine resources.

Rhodolith beds have not previously been recorded in South Africa. A multidisciplinary research effort used remote sampling tools to survey the historically unexplored continental shelf off the Eastern Cape coast of South Africa. A rhodolith bed, bearing both living and dead non-geniculate coralline red algae, was discovered in the 30–65 m depth range off the Kei River mouth in the newly proclaimed Amathole Offshore Marine Protected Area. Some of the rhodolith forming coralline algal specimens were identified as belonging to at least three genera based on their morphology and anatomy, namely, Lithophyllum, Lithothamnion and a non-descript genus. Rhodolith mean mass and diameter were 44.85 g ± 34.22 g and 41.28 mm ± 10.67 mm (N = 13), respectively. Remotely operated vehicle (ROV) imagery revealed a suite of epibenthic red macroalgae associated with the rhodolith bed. Taxonomy, vertical structure and distribution of rhodoliths in South Africa require further investigation.

Eastern boundary upwelling provides the conditions for high marine productivity in the Canary Current System off NW-Africa. Despite its considerable importance to fisheries, knowledge on this marine ecosystem is only limited. Here, parasites were used as indicators to gain insight into the host ecology and food web of two pelagic fish species, the commercially important species Trichiurus lepturus Linnaeus, 1758, and Nealotus tripes Johnson, 1865. Fish specimens of T. lepturus (n = 104) and N. tripes (n = 91), sampled from the Canary Current System off the Senegalese coast and Cape Verde Islands, were examined, collecting data on their biometrics, diet and parasitisation. In this study, the first parasitological data on N. tripes are presented. T. lepturus mainly preyed on small pelagic Crustacea and the diet of N. tripes was dominated by small mesopelagic Teleostei. Both host species were infested by mostly generalist parasites. The parasite fauna of T. lepturus consisted of at least nine different species belonging to six taxonomic groups, with a less diverse fauna of ectoparasites and cestodes in comparison to studies in other coastal ecosystems (Brazil Current and Kuriosho Current). The zoonotic nematode Anisakis pegreffii occurred in 23% of the samples and could pose a risk regarding food safety. The parasite fauna of N. tripes was composed of at least thirteen species from seven different taxonomic groups. Its most common parasites were digenean ovigerous metacercariae, larval cestodes and a monogenean species (Diclidophoridae). The observed patterns of parasitisation in both host species indicate their trophic relationships and are typical for mesopredators from the subtropical epi- and mesopelagic. The parasite fauna, containing few dominant species with a high abundance, represents the typical species composition of an eastern boundary upwelling ecosystem.

Cape anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus is an ecologically and economically important pelagic fish species occurring along the coast of South Africa. A recent eastward shift in Cape anchovy distribution indicates that environmental conditions are becoming more favorable for the species on the east coast. This shift is particularly important in the sheltered Algoa Bay region, a nursery area for fish larvae. However, the relatively low productivity of the Agulhas Current Large Marine Ecosystem on the eastern coast of South Africa may result in an anchovy population in poorer nutritional condition and with slower growth rates than the west coast population. Using otolith and nucleic acid analyses, the growth rates of anchovy larvae from the western and southeastern coasts of South Africa were compared. The otolith analysis results indicated that, at any given age, individual growth rates for anchovy larvae were higher on the southeast coast than on the west coast. The RNA:DNA values also indicated that instantaneous growth rates of anchovy larvae were higher in Algoa Bay than on the west coast. At the time of sampling, chlorophyll and zooplankton productivity were higher at sampling sites in Algoa Bay than sites on the west coast, potentially due to favorable oceanographic features in the bay. As such, the results suggest that Algoa Bay is a suitable and potentially favorable nursery area for the early stages of anchovy, highlighting the importance of separate management of the southeast coast region in a changing world.

Abstract. Glacial-interglacial fluctuations in the vegetation of South Africa might elucidate the climate system at the edge of the tropics between Indian and Atlantic Ocean. However, vegetation records covering a full glacial cycle have only been published from the eastern South Atlantic. We present a pollen record of the marine core MD96-2048 retrieved by the Marion Dufresne from the Indian Ocean ~120 km south of the Limpopo River mouth. The sedimentation at the site is slow and continuous. The upper 6 m (down till 342 ka) have been analysed for pollen and spores at millennial resolution. The terrestrial pollen assemblages indicate that during interglacials the vegetation of eastern South Africa and southern Mozambique largely consisted of evergreen and deciduous forests. During glacials open mountainous scrubland dominated. Montane forest with Podocarpus extended during humid periods favoured by strong local insolation. Correlation with the sea surface temperature record of the same core indicates that the extension of mountainous scrubland primarily depends on sea surface temperatures of the Agulhas Current. Our record corroborates terrestrial evidence of the extension of open mountainous scrubland (including elements with affinity to the Cape Flora) for the last glacial as well as for other glacial periods of the past 300 ka.

Abstract The Late Triassic - Early Jurassic non marine clastic sediments of the Molteno, Elliot and Clarens Formations were studied to deduce their mineralogy and tectonic provenance. The study is based on road-cut exposures of the formations in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Petrographic studies based on quantitative analysis of the detrital minerals shows that the clastic sediments (mostly sandstones) are predominantly made up of quartz, feldspars, and metamorphic and igneous rock fragments. Among the main detrital framework grains, quartz constitutes about 62-91%, feldspar 6-24% and 3-19% of lithic fragments. The sandstones can be classified as both sublitharenite and subarkose. Although, most of the sandstones (> 70 %) plotted in the sub-litharenite field. Petrographic and XRD analyses revealed that the sandstones originated from granitic and metamorphic rock sources. The QFL (Quartz-feldspar-lithic fragments) ternary diagrams indicate that the sandstones were derived from recycled or quartzose source rocks reflecting a craton interior or transitional continental setting which probably came from the Cape Fold Belt. This possibly revealed that most of the sandstones might have been derived as a result of weathering and erosion of igneous and metamorphic rocks in the Cape Supergroup. The study has revealed the depositional environments, and provide a basis for the description and interpretation of the sedimentology of the Molteno, Elliot and Clarens Formations.

The ichthyofaunal community structure, population dynamics and movement patterns in the small temporarily open/closed (TOCE) Grant’s Valley estuary, situated along the Eastern Cape coastline, were investigated over the period May 2004 to April 2005. Community structure in the littoral zone was assessed, while growth of selected ichthyofaunal species was investigated using the MULTIFAN model. Population size was assessed using mark recapture models and movement within the estuary using the Hilborn (1990) model. Total ichthyofaunal densities and biomass within the littoral zone ranged between 0.31 to 21.45 fish m⁻² and 0.20 to 4.67 g wwt m⁻², with the highest values typically recorded during the summer. Results of the study indicated that the ichthyofaunal community structure within the estuary was closely linked to the mouth phase and the establishment of a link to the marine environment via overtopping events. In the absence of any link to the sea, the ichthyofaunal community was numerically dominated by estuarine resident species, mainly Gilchristella aestuaria and to a lesser extent, by the river goby, Glossogobius callidus which collectively comprised ca. 88% of all fish sampled. The establishment of the link to the marine environment contributed to an increased contribution of marine breeding species (e.g. Rhabdosargus holubi, Myxus capensis and Atherina breviceps) to the total ichthyofaunal abundances. In contrast, total ichthyofaunal biomass was almost always dominated by marine breeding species by virtue of their larger sizes. Results of hierarchical cluster analyses did not identify any spatial patterns in the ichthyofaunal community within the littoral zone. Results of MULTIFAN analysis indicated estuarine resident fish species bred over an extended period with peaks occurring in the summer months. Conversely, marine breeding fish were shown to recruit into the estuary following overtopping and breaching events. Results of the mark-recapture experiment indicated a population of ca. 12 000 (11 219 – 13 311) individuals greater than 50mm SL. Marine-breeding species (R. holubi, Monodactylus falciformis, and two mullet species) numerically dominated the ichthyofauna, possibly as a result of their effective use of overtopping events. The two mullet species, M. capensis and Liza richardsonii, and the Cape stumpnose, R. holubi moved extensively throughout the estuary, while the remaining species exhibited restricted movement patterns possibly due to the preference for refuge and foraging areas associated with reed beds. The observed movement patterns of individual fish species appeared to be associated with both foraging behaviour and habitat selection.

Long-term interannual changes in richness, abundance, diversity and structure of the fish community in the temporarily open/closed East Kleinemonde Estuary, Eastern Cape, are described and the recruitment success of two estuary-dependent marine species assessed. In addition, laboratory experiments were conducted to assess the possible role of olfaction in the recruitment process of an estuary-dependent marine fish species. Multivariate analyses of the annual marine fish communites identified two distinct groups with more species recorded during years that succeeded spring (September to November) mouth opening events than in years following no mouth opening events in spring. Interannual community stability (IMD) and seriation (IMS) also increased from the ‘other’ to the ‘spring’ years. These results highlight the importance of the timing of mouth opening to the marine fish community in a temporarily open/closed estuary. This study also made use of long-term records of daily mouth state and linked them to the recruitment of distinct year-class cohorts in two spardis with contrasting lifehistory characteristics. Lithognathus lithognathus only recruited into the estuary in years when the mouth opened between late August and January. This was linked to the limited spawning season of this species and its inability to enter closed estuaries via wave overwash events. In contrast, recruitment by Rhabdosargus holubi juveniles appeared to be uninterrupted and was not determined by the seasonality of mouth opening. This species dominates the marine-spawning component of the East Kleinemonde Estuary and its success is attributed to an extended spawning season and its ability to recruit into estuaries during both overwash and open mouth conditions. Attraction of postflexion Rhabdosargus holubi larvae to estuary, surf zone and river water was also measured using a rectangular choice chamber. In two sets of experiments, conducted during peak recruitment periods, larvae from both the surf zone and estuary mouth region selected estuary water with a significantly higher frequency than sea water. Larvae collected in the mouth region showed a stronger preference for river water than those collected in the surf zone, thus suggesting that these fish are more attracted to freshwater influenced nursery areas once they have entered the estuary than those in the surf zone. Larvae collected in the marine environment also selected surf zone water with significantly higher frequencies than estuary water or offshore sea water, thus confirming the importance of the surf zone as an interim nursery area for postflexion R. holubi.

The coastal transition zone (CTZ), which links the terrestrial and marine environments, has been identified as a region of high biological diversity and elevated production. Results of studies conducted in the northern hemisphere indicate that the links between estuaries and the adjacent marine environment is critical to ecological functioning within the CTZ. This study assessed the influence of selected estuaries with different hydrodynamic characteristics on the adjacent marine environment along the south-eastern coastline of southern Africa. Four estuaries were examined, including two permanently open systems, the fresh water deprived Kariega and fresh water dominated Great Fish, and two temporarily open/closed estuaries (TOCE), the Kasouga and East Kleinemonde. Results of the study indicated that outflow of estuarine water from the Great Fish Estuary contributed to a plume of less saline water being evident within the adjacent marine environment. The plume of water was associated with increased zooplankton biomass and particulate organic matter (POM) and chlorophyll-a concentrations. Adjacent to the Kariega Estuary, no evidence of fresh water outflow into the marine environment was observed. However, in the sea directly opposite the mouth of the estuary an increase in zooplankton abundance and biomass was evident. Results of numerical analyses indicated that the increase in zooplankton abundance observed adjacent to the mouth of both permanently open estuaries could not be attributed to the export of zooplankton from the estuary, but rather the accumulation of marine species within the region. The mechanisms responsible for this accumulation were not determined, but it was thought to be associated with increased food availability in the estuarine frontal zone. A similar, but less dramatic biological response was also observed in the marine environment adjacent to the two TOCEs. It is suggested that the increase in biological activity within these regions could be ascribed to seepage of estuarine or ground water through the sand bar that separates these estuaries from the sea. Results of stable carbon isotope analyses indicated that both the Great Fish and Kariega estuaries exported carbon to the nearshore marine environment. The area influenced by estuarine derived carbon was dependent on the volume of estuarine outflow to the marine environment. Adjacent to the fresh water dominated Great Fish Estuary, estuarine derived carbon was recorded up to 12km from the mouth, while adjacent to the fresh water deprived Kariega, estuarine derived carbon was only evident directly opposite the mouth. The recruitment of macrozooplankton (> 2cm) into the fresh water deprived Kariega Estuary was in the range recorded for other permanently open southern African estuaries with higher fresh water flow rates. This indicates that the mechanisms which allow estuarine dependent larvae to locate and enter estuaries are not related to fresh water inflow. In conclusion, this study has demonstrated that despite their small size relative to European and North American systems, South African permanently open and temporarily open/closed estuaries also influence biological activity within the adjacent nearshore marine environment.

This investigation had three major objectives; firstly to document the estuarine fishes from several poorly studied Eastern Cape estuaries, secondly, to identify similarities and differences in the fish communities from permanently open and intermittently open estuaries, and thirdly, to establish which physico-chemical or environmental variables are responsible for the structuring of these communities. The study area incorporated 10 estuaries along a 70 km long stretch of the Eastern Cape coastline between the towns of Seafield (33° 32' 42" S, 27° 03' 05" E) in the south-east and Hamburg (33° 16' 45" S, 27° 29' 50" E) in the north-west. The systems investigated included two permanently open estuaries and eight intermittently open systems of varying sizes. Overall fish abundance and species richness in the study area revealed no significant seasonal variation. A contrast between open and closed estuaries was evident in the dominance of species from different estuarine dependence categories. Open estuaries comprised mainly category Ib, lla and IIb species, with a high proportion of category IV species. Closed estuaries were dominated by category IIa species, with few category IV species represented. Clear longitudinal trends in relative abundance were demonstrated for individual species. Margalefs species richness index for seine net catches, and a combination of the seine and gill net data, were significantly correlated with catchment size, mean annual runoff, estuarine area and linear length. Fish assemblages in the permanently open and intermittently open estuaries were significantly different (p<0.001) when analysed on a community and density basis. Similarly, the communities in large and small intermittently open estuaries differed significantly on a community (p=0.01) and density basis (p<0.001). These differences where caused by changes in abundance of the dominant estuarine resident and marine migrant species. The environmental variable that was dominant in accounting for these differences was the estuary mouth status. Estuarine resident species had smaller overall body lengths when compared with the marine migrant species. In addition, the estuarine resident species had smaller modal size classes in the closed estuaries when compared with the open estuaries. These differences may be linked to the foraging strategies of the species, as well as food availability and different levels of predation in the different estuary types. The marine migrant species did not show any trends in this respect although the closed systems had the largest individuals for all four dominant marine species. This finding may be linked to the inability of these species to breed in closed estuaries, thus channelling reproductive energy resources into somatic growth. In addition, prolonged periods of mouth closure prevent the emigration of large individuals back to the sea. Otter trawling was conducted in fiye estuaries and captured mostly demersal species. The otter trawl data confirmed the seine net community analysis, with significantly different communities identified in the permanently open and intermittently open estuaries (p=0.02), as well as in the small and large intermittently open estuaries (p=0.03). The environmental variables responsible for these community differences were mouth status and variables associated with estuarine size. The identification of estuary mouth status by this study as the most influential environmental factor is compounded by this "ariable affecting or being indicative of numerous other physico-chemical features. The large differences in the fish communities in different estuary types indicate the importance of each estuary type to various species. This should be taken into account before allowing any form of commercial fishing in these important nursery areas.

The introduction, spread and concomitant impacts of non-native species are a global problem. Fish are among the most widely introduced vertebrate groups, with their impacts affecting multiple levels of organisation- from individuals, populations and communities, to entire ecosystems. In South Africa, the largest perceived threat to range-restricted endemic headwater stream fishes is said to be invasion by non-native fishes, however, as is the case elsewhere, invasive impacts are often a case of risk perception rather than actual risk analysis. Two range-restricted headwater species, the Eastern Cape redfin Pseudobarbus afer and the Border barb Barbus trevelyani are redlisted by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as ‘Endangered’, primarily due to invasion by non-native fishes. To investigate invasions in South Africa, and provide a quantitative estimate of the impact of non-native fishes on the two imperilled endemics, P. afer and B. trevelyani, the overall aims of this thesis were to: (A) Provide a literature review on non-native fish invasions in South Africa; (B) Using two case studies on the headwaters of the perennial Keiskamma and episodic Swartkops River systems, investigate the naturalisation-invasion continuum to provide a holistic view of the invasion process in these variable environments. The specific thesis objectives were: (1) Reviewing current knowledge of invasive impacts of non-native fishes in South Africa; (2) Investigating invasibility of headwater stream environments by non-native fishes; (3) Determining the establishment success of non-native fishes, (4) Assessing the spatial and temporal impacts of invasion; (5) Understanding mechanisms responsible for non-native fish impacts; (6) Investigating the threat of non-native fish invasion on the genetic diversity of two the two headwater fishes, P. afer and B. trevelyani. Results from the literature review of fish invasions (Chapter 1) showed that South Africa has a long history of non-native fish introductions, spanning two and a half centuries. Currently, 55 species have been introduced or translocated. Many of these introduced species have become fully invasive (36%). Their impacts also span multiple levels of biological organisation. There was a general paucity of studies on fish invasions (38 studies), however, of those conducted, reviewed studies placed emphases on invasive impacts (25 studies) and the transport, introduction, establishment and spread stages of the invasion process were largely ignored. The two study systems, the Swartkops and Keiskamma Rivers, were heavily invaded and numbers of introduced species surpassed that of natives (Chapter 2, 3 and 5). Headwater streams had varying invasibility and a number of non-native species were successfully established (Chapter 2, 3, 5 and 6). The remainder of the invasions were casual incursions into headwater streams from source populations in mainstream and impoundment environments which were invasion hotspots. Irrespective of establishment, four predatory invaders (largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides, smallmouth bass M. dolomieu, brown trout Salmo trutta and rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss) impacted heavily on native fish communities (Chapter 3, 4 and 5). Two broad types of invasion were documented, top down invasion by non-native O. mykiss and S. trutta and upstream invasion by M. salmoides and M. dolomieu (Chapter 3 and 5). Their impacts included changes in community structure, extirpation from invaded stream reaches resulting in contracted distribution, and isolation and fragmentation of native fish populations. The impacts of non-native predatory fishes were particularly acute for P. afer and B. trevelyani. Where non-native predatory fish occurred, P. afer and B. trevelyani had been extirpated (Chapter 3 and 5). As a result both native species exhibited contracted distributions (>20% habitat loss due to invasion). Upstream invasion by centrarchids isolated and fragmented P. afer populations into headwater refugia, while top down invasion by salmonids excluded B. trevelyani from invaded, more pristine stream reaches, by forcing the species into degraded unsuitable lower stream reaches. Predation also disrupted population processes such as adult dispersal for P. afer, and centrarchid-invaded zones acted as demographic sinks, where adults dispersing through invaded reaches were rapidly depleted. While the Mandela lineage of P. afer exhibited little within or between drainage genetic structuring, B. trevelyani was >4% divergent between drainages, and up to 2% divergent between streams within the Keiskamma River system (Chapter 7). The distribution of genetic diversity for B. trevelyani also indicated that the loss of diversity was imminent without immediate conservation interventions. This thesis has provided conclusive evidence that native fishes are vulnerable to invasion and that non-native predatory fishes have significant impacts on native fishes in Eastern Cape headwater streams. If management and conservation measures are implemented, the unwanted introduction and spread of non-native fishes may be restricted, allowing native fishes opportunities for recovery.

This is an account of some aspects of the ecology of the eastern Cape rocky, Sandelia bainsii Castelnau in the Tyume river in the eastern Cape. Previous unpublished work carried out by the Zoology Department of the University of Fort Hare in the mid-seventies indicated that the species was rare in the Tyume river. Because of its uncertain conservation status, its restricted geographic distribution and the lack of information on its biology, demography, feeding and reproductive biology were studied. The species occurs in the upper, middle and lower reaches of the Tyume river and is common in rocky , shallow habitats in the middle reaches of the system. The most important threats to the survival of S. bainsii appear to be habitat alteration and alien species. The presence of these threats and the small size of the population suggest that the species may be vulnerable to local extinction. As the total range of the species extends to only a few rivers in the eastern Cape, the species might face extinction if these threats are faced throughout its range. A detailed study on the autecology of S. bainsii was therefore carried out in order to provide a basis for rational conservation and management of the remaining populations of the species.The age structure and the growth rate of S. bainsii was determined using checks on scales and otoliths. Males grow faster and reach a larger size than females. The maximum length of S. bainsii is compared to that of other anabantids. The longevity of males is 5 years and that of females 3 years. Food preferences were determined by three different methods and the indices of relative importance of food items calculated for different length groups and seasons. S. bainsii was found to be an euryphagous and opportunistic predator whose diet consists largely of insects. A considerable overlap was found between the diet of S. bainsii and that of the two alien species, Salmo gairdneri and Micropterus salmoides which indicates a possibility of competition for food. Mark and recapture experiments showed that S. bainsii is a "sedentary " species which is unlikely to be seriously affected by man-made barriers to fish migration, such as weirs. The species reaches maturity during its second growing season (males 80 - 89mm and females 60 - 69mm) and the length at maturity is related to the modal length of males and females. A large proportion of the fish are thus mature at any given time. The fish spawn repeatedly during the summer breeding season, October to February resulting in near continuous recruitment. The possible adaptive value of this habit is discussed. An attempt is made to evaluate the life history style of S. bainsii in terms of the theory of r - and K- selection and altricial and precocial life history styles

Coastal transition zones form important interlinking regions where marine ecosystems, rivers and estuarine environments significantly influence each other. Coastal rocky shores are key habitats that sustain a variety of primary producers and invertebrates and due to the dynamic nature of coastal ecosystems, suspension-feeders on rocky shores can be influenced by an array of autochthonous and allochthonous food sources. Fatty acid and stable isotope trophic markers were employed to distinguish between regional and temporal changes in the potential food sources to rocky shore suspension-feeders in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The primary aim was to assess the spatial and temporal influences of contrasting river flows on the available food sources to three indigenous coastal suspensionfeeders, namely the volcano barnacle Tetraclita serrata, brown mussel Perna perna and tubebuilding polychaete Gunnarea capensis. This was done by examining the intra- and interspecific changes in the fatty acid and stable isotope signatures of the barnacles, mussels and polychaetes in the adjacent marine environment of a freshwater-restricted (Kariega) and freshwater-dominated (Great Fish) estuary during austral summer and winter. Multivariate and Kruskal-Wallis analyses of variance on the fatty acid and isotopic signatures, respectively, identified significant regional changes in the barnacles and mussels, while only stable isotopes distinguished between the Kariega and Great Fish polychaetes (P < 0.05). In addition, significant temporal changes were observed in consumer fatty acids and isotope values in both regions (P < 0.05). Bacterial sources, detritus and phytoplankton assemblages, which are influenced by hydrology and vegetation, differed between regions and were mainly responsible for the regional and temporal separations. Principal component analyses on the consumer fatty acid signatures distinguished between animals situated upstream (i.e. north) and downstream (i.e. south) of the Kariega Estuary mouth in summer. The north/south separation was mainly due to greater contributions of diatoms to northernlocated animals and dinoflagellates and detritus to southern-located consumers. In addition, the south-flowing Agulhas Current on the eastern shores of southern Africa appeared to influence the north/south separation in the Kariega region, as water leaving the estuary was probably entrained into the south-easterly flowing currents, thereby depositing estuarinederived detritus to southern populations. In general, diatoms and detritus were essential food sources to the filter-feeders in summer, and flagellates, diatoms, zooplankton and detritus were important in winter. Coastal macroalgae was a key food source in the Kariega and Great Fish regions during both seasons. Consistently large levels of diatom markers (16:1n-7 and 20:5n-3) and dinoflagellate markers (22:6n-3) in consumer tissues in the Kariega and Great Fish regions identified that phytoplankton was their dominant food source. The barnacles, mussels and polychaetes had similar fatty acid markers and a fairly narrow δ¹³C range (-16.5 to -14.4 ‰), suggesting that they probably consumed similar food. Carbon isotope analyses, however, separated the suspension-feeders into slightly depleted (barnacles; -16.5 to -16.1 ‰), intermediate (mussels; -15.8 to -15.0 ‰) and enriched (polychaetes; -15.0 to -14.4 ‰) consumers, but did not provide conclusive evidence of their preferences for specific phytoplankton. Conversely, fatty acid analyses highlighted that barnacles and mussels had greater proportions of dinoflagellate markers (22:6n-3; 7.0-15.3 % TFA), while polychaetes had larger diatom levels (20:5n-3; 15.1-22.2 % TFA). In addition, all three species had consistently large contributions from bacterial fatty acids (15:0, i-16:0, 17:0 and i-18:0; 4.2-13.6 % TFA) in summer and winter, and large proportions of saturated fatty acids (33.3-53.1 % TFA) including those with 14 to 18 carbons, indicating that bacterial and detritus food sources played an important role in their diets. Barnacles had small levels of terrestrial markers (18:2n-6 and 18:3n-3; <2.5 % TFA) and demonstrated increased omnivorous feeding compared with the other suspension-feeders [increased levels of 20:1n-11 and 20:1n-9, higher 18:1n-9/18:1n-7 ratios at ~2.1, enriched δ¹⁵N values at ~10.6 ‰; zooplankton (potentially including microzooplankton, larvae and protists) contribution of up to 61 % of the diet]. Mussels contained significant proportions of the terrestrial markers (18:2n-6 and 18:3n-3; >2.5 % TFA) and exhibited intermediate omnivory (intermediate levels of 20:1n-11 and 20:1n-9, intermediate 18:1n-9/18:1n-7 ratios at ~1.3, less enriched δ¹⁵N values at ~7.9 ‰; zooplankton contribution of 10-15 % of the diet). The more depleted nitrogen signatures in the mussels relative to the barnacles and polychaetes possibly illustrated a stronger preference for autotrophic food. Polychaetes mainly consumed plant food sources (i.e. microalgae, macroalgae and detritus; high levels of i-18:0, 18:1n-9, 18:4n-3 and 20:5n-3) and displayed little omnivory (low levels of 20:1n-11 and 20:1n-9, low 18:1n-9/18:1n-7 ratios at ~0.4, intermediate δ¹⁵N values at ~9.1 ‰; zooplankton contribution of <10 % of the diet). The barnacles, mussels and polychaetes are all suspension-feeders, originally presumed to consume the same food sources. The variations observed among the species, therefore, may result from differences in the proportional contributions of the various food sources to their diets as well as distinctions in metabolism. The distinct changes in the fatty acid and stable isotope signatures in all three filter-feeders in the Kariega and Great Fish regions are likely influenced by the diversity in regional vegetation and hydrology in the different systems, combined with interspecific differences in resource partitioning among the species.

In studies on the bioactivities of selected eastern Cape seaweeds, a suitable extraction solvent, namely methanol was used. The antimicrobial, antineoplastic and antiviral activities were investigated, and a seasonal comparison of antimicrobial activities as well as a scanning electron microscopic study were included. A number of algae were found to display significantly high antibacterial activities, of these, the two red algae Plocamium corallorhiza and Laurencia glomerata and the two brown algae Zonaria subarticulata and Ecklonia biruncinata showed the most potent broad spectrum antibacterial activity. L.glomerata and E.biruncinata were active against all five test bacteria, but were inactive against the yeast Candida albicans. C.albicans was the most resistant organism tested,~with only Peyssonelia capensis, f-corallorhiza and Ulva rigida inhibiting its growth. Of the 17 seaweeds tested, none showed any clear seasonal changes in antimicrobial activity. The microorganisms however did vary in their susceptibility to treatment. Staphylococcus aureus and the Micrococcus species were the most susceptible to treatment by the algal extracts, with the Gram positive endospore former, Bacillus subtilis and the two Gram negative bacteria Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa showing more resistance to treatment. C.albicans however was the most resistant organism. In the antineoplastic studies, the brown algae Z.subarticulata, E.biruncinata and Sargassum heterophyllum showed potent activity against both the normal, LLCMK, and cancerous, mouse melanoma-3S0 cells, reducing cell growth in each case. The green algae showed potent activity against the cancerous cells, lowering growth to 30% that of the normal cells. Normal cell growth was unaffected or was stimulated by the presence of these algal extracts. The red algae showed no antineoplastic activity. Representatives of each of the red, brown and green algae were used in the brine shrimp (Artemia salina) cytotoxicity study. None of the algae showed any toxicity towards the brine shrimp. In the antiviral studies against Polio Type 1, strain L-Sa, a reduction in virus infectivity was used as an indication of the presence of antiviral properties in the seaweeds tested. This was done by comparing the virus titres of algal-treated cells with those of untreated cells. Six of the algae tested displayed antiviral activity, these were the two Rhodophyceae Hypnea spicifera and L.glomerata, the two Phaeophyceae Dictyopteris macrocarpa and Dictyota naevosa, and the two Chlorophyceae U.rigida and Halimeda cuneata. Of these, D.naevosa showed particularly strong activity, recording a log reduction in virus titre of 4.

The spatial and temporal pattern of ichthyofaunal community composition in relation to selected physico-chemical (temperature and salinity) and biological variables (chlorophyll-a and zooplankton) was investigated at ten stations in the temperate temporarily open/closed Kasouga estuary. In addition, the food web structure in the estuary was investigated using stable carbon isotope analysis. Results of the 5 metre seine net survey indicated that ichthyofaunal composition and biomass in the Kasouga estuary was largely determined by seasonality and mouth condition. Maximum abundance and biomass of ichthyofauna was recorded during summer or during those periods when overtopping occurred. Overtopping coincided with the recruitment of marine estuarine dependant species, which dominated the catches both numerically and in biomass. The recruitment of these species resulted in an increase in diversity of the ichthyofaunal community. There were no significant spatial patterns in the distribution of smaller ichthyofauna (<50mm SL) identified in Bray-Curtis similarity matrices using cluster analysis (Primer 5 v5.2.4). Spearman’s correlation analysis revealed that there were no significant correlations between abundance and biomass of ichthyofauna and selected physico-chemical and biological variables other than salinity (P>0.05 in all other cases). There were two distinct spatial patterns in the distribution of the larger ichthyofauna (>50mm SL). These corresponded to a grouping associated with the mouth region and a grouping associated with the remaining regions of the estuary. Stable isotope analysis indicated that the primary source of carbon utilised by the ichthyofauna of the Kasouga estuary was derived from the channel, most likely microphytobenthic algae. The contributions of the riparian and salt marsh vegetation to the total carbon flow appear to be minimal.