DSpace Repository

Welcome to the NWU Repository, the open access Institutional Repository of the North-West University (NWU-IR). This is a digital archive that collects, preserves and distributes research material created by members of NWU. The aim of the NWU-IR is to increase the visibility, availability and impact of the research output of the North-West University through Open Access, search engine indexing and harvesting by several initiatives.

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Barriers to and enablers for the success of postgraduate students in social work.
(Taylor and Francis Ltd., 2024) Wilson, Lizane; Pool, Jessica
All over the world, higher education institutions (HEIs) are concerned about low enrollment, delayed completion rates, non-completion, and the subsequent smaller number of graduates of Master’s and doctoral programmes. This is also true for the postgraduate students in Social Work at a South African public university, with statistics showing a high dropout rate and extended completion times. The poor throughput rate of the postgraduate programme in Social Work motivated the exploration of barriers to and enablers for student success in this programme. This was done through a qualitative descriptive design, using an online questionnaire with open-ended reflective questions. The collected data was uploaded to Atlas.ti 9 and analyzed by means of inductive thematic analysis. The findings of this study indicated barriers pertaining to supervision, personal challenges, and the distance-learning delivery mode of academic programmes. External factors and enablers that impacted the success of postgraduate students were also identified.
Social support provided to care leavers by residential care facilities in Gauteng Province, South Africa, during their transition to independent living.
(Whiting and Birch, 2024) Wilson, Lizane; Mokgoko, Lydia
This study explored the social support of the residential care facility to care leavers during the transition phase to independent living as perceived by the social workers as well as the care leavers. Purposive sampling and semi-structured one-on-one interviews were conducted with 12 care leavers as well as 12 social workers to gain a detailed picture of the participants’ views on the social support provided in preparation for independent living. Content analysis was used to analyse the data. Finding highlights were that ongoing residential social support and motivation are of paramount importance to shape the transitioning of the care leavers toward independent living. Strong ties with other people and networks assist them with access to the resources they need for goal attainment. Care leavers apply both theoretical knowledge and practical skills to their advantage. They appeared to appreciate the significant part played by the group networks. Care leavers mostly preferred to stick with their existing relationships as it provided them with a sense of belonging and strengthened their self-esteem, reiterating the central importance of ongoing residential support. care facility during the transition phase.
Distribution, abundance, population structures, and potential impacts of the invasive snail, Tarebia granifera in aquatic ecosystems of north-eastern South Africa.
(John Wiley and Sons Ltd, 2024) Gerber, Ruan; Pearson, Johannes J.; Wepener, Victor; Malherbe, Wynand; de Necker, Lizaan
Aquatic ecosystems globally have been invaded by molluscs. Tarebia granifera is a highly successful invader, often becoming the dominant aquatic invertebrate species in an invaded ecosystem. Resultingly, it has been suggested that T. granifera may have severe negative impacts on these invaded ecosystems. Limited information is available regarding the population structures and densities of T. granifera, particularly in invaded countries such as South Africa, and information on this could assist in developing management and control strategies for this invasive species. The present study aimed to assess the current distribution, densities, and population structures of T. granifera in invaded habitats on the Limpopo and Phongolo River systems in South Africa. This was accomplished by collecting aquatic molluscs from sites across these systems. Water quality parameters were measured at each site and water samples were collected for chemical nutrient analyses. The density of snails was determined for each site and the population size and structure as well as birth rate was calculated for T. granifera. Tarebia granifera was found to be the dominant molluscan species in habitats where it was present and all size classes from newborn to mature adults were found throughout at some of the highest densities globally. Worryingly, native molluscan species, were often absent or in much lower densities than reported in literature at sites where T. granifera was present, suggesting a negative effect on the native molluscan density and diversity. Contrary to most previous studies, there were no significant correlations between T. granifera and the selected water quality parameters. Higher densities and newborn recruitment of T. granifera were observed in the spring than in autumn, likely in response to shifts in environmental conditions. This study provides crucial insights into the population structure, densities, and impacts of T. granifera in invaded habitats, particularly for relatively newly invaded regions such as southern Africa.
A review of the reported and future potential ecological impacts of the invasive freshwater snail Tarebia granifera in South Africa.
(Taylor and Francis Ltd., 2024) Pearson, JJ; Gerber, R; Malherbe, W; Smit, NJ; de Necker, L
The Southeast Asian gastropod Tarebia granifera is an invasive freshwater snail across several continents. Our review summarises the impacts of this invasive snail on invaded aquatic ecosystems. The most important impacts are those related to their ability to reproduce quickly and reach high densities within invaded ecosystems. The snail has reportedly caused declines and local extinctions in native snail populations globally. They can further significantly reduce algal standing stocks and may have severe impacts on benthic biomass, resulting in decreased benthic biodiversity and disturbances in aquatic ecosystem function. These invasive snails also cause bioturbation that can lead to changes in the nutrient cycles of invaded aquatic ecosystems and affect food web dynamics, with unknown implications for ecosystem function. Furthermore, T. granifera is well known to harbour a diverse range of parasitic species of medical and veterinary importance both within and outside their native ranges. The effective control of invasive T. granifera remains challenging as they are not easily preyed upon, and potential control methods may have unintentional side effects on native biota. This review provides evidence that there is a need to control this invader to avoid further degradation of freshwater habitats and aquatic biodiversity.
Effects of river regulation on aquatic invertebrate community composition: A comparative analysis in two southern African rivers.
(John Wiley and Sons Ltd, 2024) de Necker, Lizaan; van Rooyen, Divan; Gerber, Ruan; Brendonck, Luc; Wepener, Victor; Smit, Nico J.
While natural floods play a crucial role in shaping the composition of aquatic communities, the most rivers worldwide are regulated or dammed for anthropogenic purposes, resulting in alterations to the biological and chemical composition of these ecosystems. Studies have demonstrated various negative effects of river regulation on aquatic invertebrate communities globally. However, there is a scarcity of research in Africa, despite its vulnerability to anthropogenic impacts. This study aimed to compare aquatic invertebrate communities in the Phongolo River, an impacted regulated river, and the Usuthu River, a less impacted unregulated river, in South Africa. It further aimed to ascertain whether Lake Nyamithi, a naturally saline lake receiving water from both of the aforementioned systems, exhibited a stronger similarity to one of the two rivers in terms of its aquatic invertebrate composition. Aquatic invertebrate and water samples were collected from 2012 to 2018 over several surveys. The Usuthu River demonstrated a diverse and sensitive aquatic invertebrate community, emphasising its high conservation value. The Phongolo River demonstrated effects of anthropogenic impact, with taxa more resilient to changes in water quality and flow compared to the Usuthu River. Mismanagement and excessive water use may lead to the loss of any remaining sensitive aquatic invertebrate communities in this river. The presence of invasive molluscan in the Phongolo River and Lake Nyamithi also poses a threat to the native aquatic invertebrate communities. These invasive species are currently absent from the Usuthu River although other invasive species, such as the Australian redclaw crayfish, are found in both river systems. Lake Nyamithi displayed a unique aquatic invertebrate community, distinct from both rivers and their floodplains. This study provides important baseline information on the Usuthu River's aquatic invertebrates and emphasises the need to maintain adequate water flow in rivers and floodplains to protect biodiversity and sensitive species.