UCT Open Access Journals (Univ. of Cape Town)
Not a member yet
801 research outputs found
Sort by
Misdirected incubation in Common Kestrels Falco tinnunculus: a case of visual stimulus?
Get PDFThe availability of suitable nesting sites may lead to interspecific competition and result in usurpation of these resources. Nest usurpation may result from a population increase of the usurping species and the limited availability of suitable nesting sites. With raptors, interspecific competition for nesting sites with other non-raptor bird species is a rarely documented phenomenon, particularly when it results in mixed interspecific clutches and misdirected reproductive behaviours. I observed a pair of Common Kestrels Falco tinnunculus, without its own clutch, incubating a clutch of two feral pigeon Columba livia eggs. The incubation occurred in the feral pigeons’ nest in southern xerophytic scrub on Tenerife Island during the 2020 breeding season. We checked the focal kestrel territory from 18 March to 20 May once a week. To our knowledge, this represents the first record of a Common Kestrel pair incubating eggs in the non-raptor bird species’ nest in the wild. We discuss some factors which could influence kestrels to display this behaviour
Factors of Tenure Security for Legal Landholders in Urban Areas: The Case of Bahir Dar City, Ethiopia
No full textThis study examines the relationship between the dependent variable that is ‘feeling of tenure security’ of landholders in Bahir Dar city and the possible determinant factors (independent variables) such as ‘land use type of a parcel’, ‘building type constructed on a parcel’, ‘adequacy of legal provisions’, ‘institutional capacity’, ‘awareness of the landholder about the existing legal provisions of land tenure’, and ‘location of the parcel’ derived from different empirical evidences and practices. And the study also explores the perceptions of the landholders of Bahir Dar city about their land tenure security. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected through desk review, observation, structured and semi-structured interview. Content analysis for reviewed books and articles was applied. Also, inferential statistics and descriptive analysis of data for all independent and dependent variables were used to analyse the quantitative data. Additionally, critical examination of respondents’ personal perceptions about tenure security on the area was used to analyse the qualitative data. The results showed that the aggregate contribution of those considered independent variables were 74.3% to the effect on feeling of tenure security. It is also revealed that there are five significant predictor variables for felling of tenure security in Bahir Dar city. But ‘building type’ is the most significant determinant of all variables. Contrary to the empirical evidence the results indicate that awareness of legal provision correlated negatively with security feeling. This study found that the feeling of tenure security for landholders in Bahir Dar city are not much affected by ‘land use type of a parcel’, ‘institutional capacity’, and ‘location of the parcel’. Rather other factors like noise, misbehaviour of neighbours, projected road upgrading, heavy traffic and accidents may push someone to feel insecure and leave the place
The laboratory diagnosis of typhoid fever
Get PDFTyphoid fever is a serious bacterial infection. Given its non-specific clinical presentation the laboratory diagnosis is critical. This article discusses existing and potential diagnostic methods. Culture particularly of blood remains very important but needs to be optimised in terms of volume and timing. Existing serological tests including the outdated Widal test and other serological tests generally lack sufficient sensitivity and specificity, though newer serological tests detecting immunoglobulin A to lipopolysaccharide, haemolysin E and other novel antigens, hold potential. Multiplex polymerase chain reaction on blood following a short pre-enrichment step also appears to offer excellent sensitivity and specificity but may be more suitable for research studies at this stage. The limitations of blood culture as the existing reference method are noted, and alternatives discussed
Possible range expansion of the Karoo Prinia Prinia maculosa into the range of the Drakensberg Prinia Prinia hypoxantha in the eastern Free State
Get PDFPossible range expansion of Karoo Prinia Prinia maculosa observed within the range of Drakensberg Prinia P. hypoxantha north east of Harrismith in the eastern Free State. An Karoo Prinia individual was captured and ringed at Mnt Everest Nature Reserve, Harrismith on 3 November 2021 in Leucosidea sericea bush on mountain slope of Mooihoekkop. On 4 November 2021 the net site were moved to the Mnt Everest hilly slope and a Drakensberg Prinia was captured and ringed. Both species were also photographed and submitted to the Biodiversity Development Institure Virtual Museum (VM 19170 & 19171). The ocurrence and new distribution records of Karoo Prinias within the range of Drakensberg Prinias north of Harrismith is discussed
Mammals of the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa
Get PDFThe status of all the mammal species that have been recorded in the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve (the southern section of the Ta-ble Mountain National Park) is described. A total of 76 species has been recorded, of which 56 occur or have occurred naturally, and 13 are now extinct. More than 20 species have been deliberately or acci-dentally introduced. The history and management of large, non-native herbivores released into the Reserve for public spectacle is described in the context of changing attitudes towards conservation priorities and visitor perceptions
A Measure of Combustion-Generated Pollutants in University Laboratories and their Effects on the Indoor Air Quality: Combustion-Generated pollutant
No full textCombustion is one of the fundamental processes in learning and teaching in laboratories that leads to the release of gaseous pollutants that are both hazardous and a threat to the environment and health of individuals. This paper sought to measure the amount of combustion pollutants generated and their effects on the indoor air quality of a typical university laboratory using some selected laboratories in Ahmadu Bello University Zaria as a case study. The Combustion pollutants were measured using an IMR 1400C gas analyser. At the same time, its effects were assessed using a well-structured questionnaire designed and administered to hundred and twenty-seven laboratory users who were randomly selected. Data collected from the questionnaires were analysed using computer-based SPSS software. The results revealed that CO during combustion exceeded the ASHRAE 62 and NAAQS limit of 9ppm, reaching up to 45ppm at some points; also, oxygen was observed to be at a critical level of 20.9% and at some point falling below the limit to 20.4%. It was also observed that fatigue (RII: 0.81) is the most prominent symptom of poor indoor air quality during combustion, among other symptoms like coughing and sneezing, dryness and irritation of eyes and throat, sinus congestion, shortness of breath and headache, arranged in the order of intensity. The absence of functional fume hoods, laboratory congestion, and inadequate ventilation systems intensify the discomforting effect of combustion-generated pollutants in laboratories. Thus, it is recommended that fume hoods should be well maintained for functionality and installed in Laboratories where they do not exist (chemistry lab I). Finally, providing adequate ventilation systems in the laboratories would help increase safety in labs for learning and teaching purposes.
Keywords: Combustion Generated Pollutants, Indoor Air Quality, Measurement of Pollutants
Ground nesting Capped Wheatear Oenanthe pileata in the Western Cape South Africa.
Get PDFCapped Wheatear Oenanthe pileata is a medium sized passerine that readily inhabits agricultural landscapes. Several Oenanthe species occur worldwide, many of which are considered cavity nesters.
Here I present what is to my knowledge the first recorded case of a nest built above ground versus in a rodent tunnel or sheltered under a structure. The wheatear nest was located on the ground in a sheep pasture on the 21st of October 2021 20 km south of Swellendam in the Western Cape, South Africa. No structure or foliage covered the nest. The nest was discovered during construction. The female laid a total of three eggs over the following five days. The eggs were a very pale blue with two having fine dark black ‘scribble’ marks on the shells. The nest failed six days after discovery, presumably trampled by grazing sheep.
Despite having failed, this record does suggest a degree of flexibility in the nesting requirements of Capped Wheatears. The ability to exploit novel nesting habitats should be to the advantage of a species inhabiting rapidly changing landscapes
Performance Barriers in relation with Professional Development of Graduate Architects in Construction Industry: A Systematic Literature Review
No full textGraduate architects are first mate in architectural practice when handling building construction projects. They had been authorized to run projects in construction industry due to limited architects in the country. The capability of graduate architect when manage project is critical in reducing performance barriers encountered. The aim of this paper is to identify the most critical performance barriers faced by graduate architects during project implementation. A systematic literature review of credible sources in different databases, combining selected keywords and terms related to performance barrier, building contract administration, graduate architects etc. has been carried out. A data set of fifty articles has been analyzed by means of thematic analysis. The five most crucial performance barriers identified relate to: caused by external environment factors, poor project documentation management, lack of soft skill, inadequate knowledge of quality and assessment management and shortfall in design management. The outcome of the study is expected to facilitate graduate architects to devise proactive risk mitigation measures to reduce impact of these barriers and improve project delivery. This paper examined the performance barriers faced by graduate architects which is a timely study, as the increasing number of population and developments will provide ample opportunities for them to perform.  
Editorial : Improvement of the Performance of the Construction Industry through Education and Training
No full textIntroduction
This is the tenth issue of the Journal of Construction Business and Management, a combination of the regular issue and a special issue of selected papers from Construction Business and Project Management CBPM 2021 conference proceedings. This issue contains five blind double peer-reviewed articles by seventeen scholars in Nigeria, South Africa, and Malaysia covering strategic management, environmental pollution, compliance with building standards, dispute resolution, and performance management. Despite the difference in the topics, one of the key issues highlighted by the papers is the emphasis on improving education and awareness in the industry to address the issues identified in the papers. Following this introduction is the discussion of the papers, after which the conclusion follows.
Discussion of the papers
Compliance with construction regulations, standards and codes is fundamental to improving the key performance indicators, by implication, project performance (Umeokafor et al. 2022). Further, this means that it has implications for project risks. While developed countries still record compliance issues which have resulted in tragic events such as the Grenfell fire incident, the developing ones are not left behind, demonstrated to be worse in many indicators. Opawole, Alao, Yusuf, Adu and Ofoetan (2022) examine one of the major issues in building construction in Nigeria, construction materials-related building collapse. Using survey questionnaires, the authors assess the determinants of compliance with concreting materials standards in building projects in Nigeria, using one of the country's major cities, Lagos, as a case study. Being site-based and non-site based, the factors are in six categories, regulation, procurement, capacity, technical, performance and skills components. Production quality control, non-compliance with specified concrete mix, low concrete grade and supervision by incompetent persons are among the site-based factors. However, non-site-based ones include procurement policies and regulatory frameworks in efficiency and professionalism. It was also found that non-compliance with the national standards results in rework, project delays, additional costs, and environmental issues. To improve the quality of buildings through compliance with concreting materials and reduce or eliminate building collapse, the regulatory policies and enforcement mechanism, competencies and training, and ethical standards of stakeholders require more attention. While the generalisation of the findings is limited to Lagos state, given that it is one of the states with a high volume of construction, the study is, at least, indicative of what happens in major cities in Nigeria, such as Abuja and Port-Harcourt.
The second paper, by Rambaruth, Adam and Krishna (2022), on strategic management in construction small and medium enterprises (SMEs), addresses another pertinent issue. SMEs outnumber the large enterprises, the heart of the economies of countries. Yet, they face challenges, which in many cases are different from their large counterparts, for example, limited access to funds and competent persons. Many of these SMEs in construction lack strategic planning, one of the factors for early failure (Rambaruth et al., 2022). Many policies, strategies and studies are informed by large enterprises' views and contexts, overlooking the SMEs. Consequently, the authors examine the determinants of a company's decision to adopt a strategic plan, the role of strategic planning in improving a company's performance, and the challenges associated with a strategic plan in place. Using the eThekwini region of South Africa as a case study, the study found that key factors for strategic management in the construction SMEs examined include increased productivity, the quest to gain competitive advantage and improved decision-making. It was good to find that most of them adopted strategic management practices to improve business performance. The authors conclude that one of the ways of improving strategic management in construction SMEs is through improved education and awareness education and broadened skills curriculum by the government. Government and tertiary institutions can also integrate strategic management into SME training programmes. The need for education and awareness, consistent with the recommendations of Opawole et al. (2022), highlights the need for more attention to education and training in the construction and property industry.
Graduate architects are the future of tomorrow in the profession; they are yet to pass the professional examination but hold a master's degree in Architecture. The need to exploit education to improve the construction industry's performance is furthered in the third paper by Tiew, Hashim and Zolkafli (2022). Tiew et al. (2022). investigate the major performance barriers that graduate architects encounter in project implementation. These factors are skills-based, poor project documentation management, lack of soft skills, inadequate quality assessment management, and a shortfall in design management. While it highlights the areas the universities can focus on, adequately integrating them into the curricula is consistent with the recommendations of Opawole et al. (2022) and Rambaruth et al. (2022) in this issue.
While education empowers the learners with knowledge, the process may have implications for their health and the environment. Addressing educational issues that have consequences for the environment and students' health is the focus of Nkeleme, Mbamali and Shakantu (2022). The authors measured the number of combustion pollutants generated while learning and teaching in laboratories at one of Nigeria's leading universities (Ahmadu Bello University Zaria) and their effect on indoor air quality. Nkeleme et al. found that the presence of CO during the combustion is above ASHRAE 62 and NAAQS limit of 9ppm reaching up to 45ppm at some points and oxygen at the critical level, 20.9 per cent or below 20.4 per cent. The authors also found that the laboratories are congested, and inadequate ventilation systems exacerbate the discomforting effects of combustion-generated pollutants. Adequate ventilation should be provided, which is one of the paper's recommendations. The students learning environment, including the physical ones, is one of the barriers to learning; it should facilitate and support education (Cleveland and Fisher 2014).
Undoubtedly, COVID-19 has socio-economic and health implications globally. However, it has increased attention on technology, mental health and some aspects of risk management in construction. Amoo, Lukman and Musa (2022) is the last paper, focussing on dispute resolution methods in construction during COVID-19, where South Africa is used as a case study. The aim is to determine their appropriateness and effectiveness. The findings demonstrate the negative implication of an interest-based approach rather than the right-based approach to resolving disputes in construction. Further, the study shows that negotiation, mediation, and conciliation were adopted to resolve unforeseen delays, claims, and added costs during the pandemic. The pandemic draws attention to pricing methods as a significant source of dispute in the supply and demand chain network during the period. It highlights the imperativeness of clear language in contracts, risk management training, communication improvement, and dynamic project schedule documentation as some conflict and dispute resolution tools post-COVID.
Conclusion
This issue which contains five papers from seventeen scholars in Nigeria, South Africa, and Malaysia, covers strategic management, environmental pollution, compliance with building standards, dispute resolution, and performance management. While the findings vary, one consistent key finding or implication of this is the need for education and training to improve the construction industry's performance. This is in terms of performance improvement skills of graduate architects, risk management training for those with contract and risk management responsibilities, integrating strategic management education in curricula, and building materials standard compliance training.
We thank the authors for their contributions and the reviewers for their efforts to improve the quality of the papers published by the journal. The journal editorial board and panel of reviewers also play a critical part in the higher quality assurance of the manuscript and in keeping the journal on the path to attaining the expected standard and quality. Criticisms, feedback, and suggestions from readers on improving the journal's quality are also welcome.
References
Amoo, O. T., Lukman, Y. and Musa, N., 2022. Dispute Resolution Mathods adopted by Contractors during Covid-19 in Eastern Cape, South Africa: A Case Study. Journal of Construction Business and Management, 5(2): 54-67.
Cleveland, B. and Fisher, K., 2014. The evaluation of physical learning environments: a critical review of the literature. Learning Environ Res, 17:1–28
Nkeleme, E. I., Mbamali, I. and Shakantu, W. M. I., 2022. A Measure of Combustion-Generated Pollutants in University Laboratories and its Effects on Indoor Air Quality. Journal of Construction Business and Management, 5(2): 44-53.
Opawole, A., Alao, O. O., Yusuf, A. O., Adu, E. T. and Ofoetan, M. A., 2022. Evaluation of Compliance of Concreting Materials to Standards in Building Projects in Lagos State, Nigeria. Journal of Construction Business and Management, 5(2): 1-19.
Rambaruth, A., Adam, J. K. and Krishna, S. B. N., 2022. Elements and Issues to Strategic Management in the Construction Industry Among Small and Medium Enterprises: A Case Study in South Africa’s eThekwini Region. Journal of Construction Business and Management, 5(2): 20-28.
Tiew, S. Y., Hashim, H. A. and Zolkafli, U. K. B., 2022. Performance Barriers affecting Graduate Architects in Architectural Firms: A Systematic Literature Review. Journal of Construction Business and Management, 5(2): 29-43.
Umeokafor, N. I., Evangelinos, K. and Windapo, A. O., 2020. Strategies for Improving Complex Construction Health and Safety Regulatory Environments. International Journal of Construction Management.Doi.org/10.1080/15623599.2019.1707853.