Susan Taljaard

A multidisciplinary study of a small, temporarily open/closed South African estuary, with particular emphasis on the influence of mouth state on the ecology of the system

In 2005/2006 a multidisciplinary research programme that included studies on the hydrodynamics, sediment dynamics, macronutrients, microalgae, macrophytes, zoobenthos, hyperbenthos, zooplankton, ichthyoplankton, fish and birds of the temporarily open/closed East Kleinemonde Estuary was conducted. Particular attention was given to the responses of the different ecosystem components to the opening and closing of the estuary mouth and how this is driven by both riverine and marine events. Using a complementary dataset of daily estuary mouth conditions spanning a 14-year period, five distinct phases of the estuary were identified, including closed (average = 90% of the days), outflow (<1%), tidal (9%) and semi-closed (<1%). The open-mouth phase is critical for the movements of a number of estuary-associated fish (e.g. Rhabdosargus holubi) and invertebrates (e.g. Scylla serrata) between the estuary and sea. The timing of this open phase has a direct influence on the ability of certain estuaryassociated fish (e.g. Lithognathus lithognathus) and invertebrates (e.g. Palaemon peringueyi) to successfully recruit into the system, with a spring opening (October/November) being regarded as optimal for most species. The type of mouth-breaching event and outflow phase is also important in terms of the subsequent salinity regime once the berm barrier forms. A deep mouth breaching following a large river flood tends to result in major tidal inputs of marine water prior to mouth closure and therefore higher salinities (15–25). Conversely, a shallow mouth breaching with reduced tidal exchange during the open phase often leads to a much lower salinity regime at the time of mouth closure (5–15). The biota, especially the submerged macrophytes, respond very differently to the above two scenarios, with Ruppia cirrhosa benefiting from the former and Potamogeton pectinatus from the latter. River flooding and the associated outflow of large volumes of water through the estuary can result in major declines in zooplankton, zoobenthos, hyperbenthos and fish populations during this phase. However, this resetting of the estuary is necessary because certain marine invertebrate and fish species are dependent on the opening of the estuary mouth in order to facilitate recruitment of larvae and post-larvae into the system from the sea. Slight increases in the numbers of certain piscivorous and resident wading bird species were recorded when the estuary mouth opened, possibly linked to increased feeding opportunities during that phase.

A Method to Assess the Freshwater Inflow Requirements of Estuaries and Application to the Mtata Estuary, South Africa

The National Water Act (Act 36 of 1998) in South Africa recognizes basic human water requirements as well as the need to sustain the countrys freshwater and estuarine ecosystems in a healthy condition for present as well as future generations. In this Act, provision is made for a water reserve to be estimated prior to the authorization of water use (e.g., for agriculture, large volume residential and industrial uses) through licensing. This reserve is the water required to satisfy basic human needs (i.e., 25 1 person−1 d−1) and to protect aquatic ecosystems to ensure present and future sustainable use of the resource. This led the Departments of Water Affairs and Forestry and estuarine scientists throughout South Africa to develop a method to determine the freshwater inflow requirements of estuaries. The method includes documenting the geographical boundaries of the estuary and determining estuarine health by comparing the present state of the estuary with a predicted reference condition with the use of an Estuarine Health Index. The importance of the estuary as an ecosystem is taken from a national rating system and together with the present health is used to set an Ecological Reserve Category for the estuary. This category represents the level of protections afforded to an estuary. Freshwater is then reserved to maintain the estuary in that Ecological Reserve Category. The Reserve, the quantity and quality of freshwater required for the estuary, is determined using an approach where realistic future river runoff scenarios are assessed, together with data for present state and reference conditions, to evaluate the extent to which abiotic and biotic conditions within an estuary are likely to vary with changes in river inflow. Results from these evaluations are used to select an acceptable river flow scenario that represents the highest reduction in freshwater inflow that will still protect the aquatic ecosystem of the estuary and keep it in the desired Ecological Reserve Category. The application of the Reserve methodology to the Mtata estuary is described.

A review of the ecology and management of temporarily open/closed estuaries in South Africa, with particular emphasis on river flow and mouth state as primary drivers of these systems

Research in South African temporarily open/closed estuaries that includes studies on the hydrodynamics, sediment dynamics, macronutrients, microalgae, macrophytes, zoobenthos, hyperbenthos, zooplankton, ichthyoplankton, fishes and birds is used as a basis to review the ecology and management of this estuary type on the subcontinent. Particular attention is given to the responses of the different ecosystem components to the opening and closing of the estuary mouth and how this is driven by riverine and marine events, as well as anthropogenic influences. In addition, the wider implications of these research findings for the management of temporarily open/closed estuaries in terms of freshwater supply are explored, together with the role of government legislation in maintaining the ecological integrity of these important wetland systems.

Pilot projects and their diffusion: a case study of integrated coastal management in South Africa

Pilot projects are policy instruments mainly applied to introduce or test new practices, concepts or technologies. Pilot projects can lead to a broader policy transition. However, the diffusion process associated with the pilot projects is not well understood. In this paper, we investigate the diffusion of pilot projects, focusing on the nature of the diffusion (the innovation itself, cooperation, methodologies or institutional designs), the channels of diffusion (internal and external) and the patterns of diffusion (dissemination, expansion and institutionalisation). The analytical framework developed for pilot project diffusion is applied to the Saldanha Bay project in South Africa, yielding additional insights on the functioning of the pilot, its contribution to the diffusion of the innovation and so to a policy transition in South African coastal zone management. Finally, we identify types of pilot project and the accompanying design choices that are most suitable for transition management.

Ecosystem considerations of the KwaZulu-Natal sardine run

The annual winter sardine run along the South African east coast impacts the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) coastal system in a variety of ways. These include ecological impacts, such as enrichment of a largely oligotrophic environment, competition between migrant sardine Sardinops sagax, other migrant and resident small pelagic fish species, and interactions with predators, as well as the socio-economic impacts of the sardine run on the local people. Enrichment of KZN coastal waters with organic nitrogen contained within the sardine is compared with alternative sources of nitrogen such as upwelling, river, sewage and stormwater runoff, and groundwater discharge. The sardine run appears to contribute most nitrogen to this system—96 000 t compared to 500–3 300 t for each of the other significant sources at trophic level 2, although upwelling estimates are extremely wide. Nonetheless, the majority of surviving sardine, their young and predators return southwards, suggesting that the nett export of nitrogen to KZN waters during the run is likely to be of a similar order of magnitude as that from other sources. Further, whereas the sardine supply of nitrogen is exclusively during winter, the bulk of the riverine input is in summer, thus ensuring that nitrogen supply in the region is maintained at fairly constant levels throughout the year. Competition for food between small pelagic fish is minimised by resource partitioning, but further dietary data are needed for resident species. Although interactions between sardine and top predators must exist, further studies are needed to confirm links between top predator life cycles and the sardine run. The estimated value of sardine as a tourist spectacle is compared to that from a seasonal beach-seine or boat-based purse-seine fishery for this species. Whereas the estimated value of the sardine as a tourist attraction appears substantially higher than could be derived from catching them, the small-scale beach-seine fishery itself draws tourists and also provides limited, seasonal employment opportunities.

Criteria for Evaluating the Design of Implementation Models for Integrated Coastal Management

Despite the emphasis placed on the contextual nature of integrated coastal management (ICM) implementation in the literature, many uniformities are encountered in ICM implementation worldwide. In this article the tangled threads of ICM practice are unravelled and a theoretically founded set of criteria for evaluating the design of ICM implementation models is provided. First, paradigms in integrated environmental management (IEM) implementation, the broader domain within which ICM practice is nested, are characterized in terms of their key concepts. Next, the paradigms are used as a mechanism to distill uniformities in ICM practice as reported in review articles. Finally a set of fourteen building blocks against which the scientific credibility of contextual, country-specific ICM implementation models can be validated, is generated by translating the theory-based characterization into evaluation criteria readily accessible to practitioners.