Okavango Research Institute (ORI): Recent submissions
Now showing items 1-20 of 183
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Herbivore size matters for productivity-richness relationships in African savannas
(British Ecological Society, https://www.britishecologicalsociety.org/, 2017-05)Productivity and herbivory often interact to shape plant community composition and species richness with levels of production mediating the impact of herbivory. However, differences in herbivore traits such as size, feeding ... -
Interactions between flooding and upland disturbance drives species diversity in large river floodplains
(Springer International Publishing Switzerland, 2016-02-10)Understanding and predicting vegetation patterns in floodplains are essential for conservation and/or restoration of river floodplains subject to hydrological alterations. We propose a conceptual hydroecological model to ... -
Fire frequency drives habitat selection by a diverse herbivore guild impacting top–down control of plant communities in an African savanna
(Nordic Society Oikos, www.nordicsocietyoikos.org/, 2016)In areas with diverse herbivore communities such as African savannas, the frequency of disturbance by fire may alter the top–down role of different herbivore species on plant community dynamics. In a seven year experiment ... -
Tree–grass competition along a catenal gradient in a mesic grassland, South Africa
(Wiley Online Library; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com, 2014-03-03)The interaction, both above and belowground, between tree saplings and the surrounding grass sward is dependent on solar radiation, temperature, rainfall, soil depth, tree species and sward composition. These factors, ... -
Classical fisheries theory and inland (floodplain) fisheries management; is there need for a paradigm shift? lessons from the Okavango Delta, Botswana
(Fisheries and Aquaculture Journal; https://www.omicsonline.org, 2014-07-29)This paper reviews the fisheries management question of inland (floodplain) systems in the developing world and proposes a paradigm shift in approach. Inland fisheries management is largely based on classical fisheries ... -
Soil microbial biomass carbon, nitrogen and sulphur as affected by different land uses in Seronga, Okavango Delta, Botswana
(Sciencedomain international; www.sciencedomain.org, 2014-02-06)Aim: The Okavango Delta at Seronga is fragmented into different land uses ranging from grasslands to woodland (Ximenia and mopane), often punctuated with cropped and fallow fields. The influence of land uses on surface (A1 ... -
Influence of flooding variation on Molapo farming field size in the Okavango Delta, Botswana
(International Journal of Agricultural Research and Review; http://www.springjournals.net/ijarr, 2014-02)In the Okavango Delta of Botswana, flood recession farming (molapo farming) contributes substantially to rural livelihoods by providing better yields than rain-fed dry land farming. However, molapo farming communities ... -
Analysis of the economic benefits of tourism industry in contra-distinction to agricultural sector in rural Boteti, Botswana
(Canadian Center of Science and Education, www.ccsenet.org/, 2016-07-30)Despite numerous efforts to improve agricultural production as an alternative source of employment, the high poverty headcount is still a source for concern in rural Boteti. On average, agriculture contributes to less than ... -
Behaviour-related scalar habitat use by Cape Buffalo (Syncerus caffer caffer)
(Plos One, https://journals.plos.org/plosone/, 2015-12-16)Studies of habitat use by animals must consider behavioural resource requirements at different scales, which could influence the functional value of different sites. Using Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer caffer) in the ... -
Transactional sex relations among tertiary education students in the urban-village of Maun, Botswana
(Botswana Notes and Records;http://journals.ub.bw/index.php/bnr/, 2017-07-05)In southern Africa, multiple factors in given societal contexts motivate transactional sexual relations among women and men. The purpose of this study is to assess socio-economic and cultural factors that influence ... -
Perceptions of safe water and accessibility by rural farming communities residing along the fringes of the Okavango Delta
(Botswana Notes and Records;http://journals.ub.bw/index.php/bnr/, 2017-07-05)Globally, access to safe water for domestic use is a key social development indicator promoting health and enhancing national development. About 1 in 10 people are without access to safe water with Sub Saharan Africa facing ... -
Inappropriate Use of agrochemicals poses potential threats to Botswana vultures: a call for research and legal instruments
(Botswana Notes and Records;http://journals.ub.bw/index.php/bnr/, 2017-07-05)Agrochemicals are widely used across the world to serve different purposes. However, inappropriate use of agrochemicals affects wildlife particularly non-target species such as vultures. In this paper, we discuss the ... -
Flood risk communication within flood prone communities of the Okavango Delta, Botswana
(Botswana Notes and Records;http://journals.ub.bw/index.php/bnr/, 2017-07-05)Floods have attracted much research attention and great improvements in forecasting them have been achieved to-date. However, the number of people affected by floods is increasing and is bound to soar as hydro-meteorological ... -
The socio-cultural impacts of tourism on people’s quality of life in Maun, Botswana
(Botswana Notes and Records; journals.ub.bw/index.php/bnr/, 2017-07-05)Tourism in destination areas has socio-cultural impacts on host communities. The impacts can either improve the quality of life or degrade it. The purpose of the present study is to examine the relationship between ... -
Tourism in Botswana in the last 50 Years: a review
(Botswana Notes and Records; http://journals.ub.bw/index.php/bnr/, 2017-07-05)Using the concepts of ecotourism and sustainable tourism, this paper reviews tourism development in Botswana since the country’s independence in 1966. Findings from this review indicate that the tourism industry has ... -
The population structure of riparian tree species in the Okavango Delta, Botswana: 50 years of independence and conservation
(Botswana Notes and Records; http://journals.ub.bw/index.php/bnr/, 2017-07-05)Riparian woodlands in the Okavango Delta play a significant role of removing salts from surface water through transpiration. This function renders surface water healthy to drink by wildlife and the people. Despite their ... -
Water balance and variations of nutrients and major solutes along a river transect through the Okavango Delta, Botswana
(Botswana Notes and Records; http://journals.ub.bw/index.php/bnr/, 2017-07-05)Wetland goods and services provide a means of survival for many riparian rural communities in developing countries, particularly in the Sub-Saharan Africa. To sustain the provision of goods and services for human use, ... -
Heat wave characteristics in the context of climate change over past 50 years in Botswana
(Botswana Notes and Records; journals.ub.bw/index.php/bnr/, 2017-07-05)Heat waves have impacts on human health, society and the economy. This study seeks to improve the understanding of their characteristics in Botswana. For their identification, a heat wave is defined as a period when daily ... -
An assessment of source water quality in Karoi, Mashonaland West Province, Zimbabwe
(The Journal of Water Management Modeling (JWMM); https://www.chijournal.org/, 2017-02-24)The aim of this study was to assess the quality of source water used for domestic purposes in the town of Karoi. The objectives were: to determine the quality of surface water in the study area; and to characterize point ... -
Poor performance in the advanced level geography: a case of four high schools in Hurungwe District, Mashonaland West Province, Zimbabwe
(Lonaka Journal of Learning and Teaching; http://journals.ub.bw/index.php/jolt, 2017-12-06)The study investigates the causes of high failure rate in Advanced level Geography in four high schools in Hurungwe district, Zimbabwe. A multi-stage procedure was used to sample a total of 4 high schools, 100 high school ...