Environment

Accidental Global Aquatic Hitchhikers to be stopped dead by South African Invention

Ballast water stowaways are the ultimate accidental global tourists - aquatic organisms who start their day swimming in their home environment, get sucked up into the ballast tank of a passing ship, and 7-10 days later get dumped in a new environment, where they can become invasive species.

Biodiesel - will an alien tree deliver?

Introducing an alien species into the environment, even if it could potentially contribute to rural employment and poverty alleviation and an alternative source of bio-fuel, is not an easy consideration.

Tapia forests and water supply projects in Madagascar gets a boost

A project to conserve Madagascar's tapia forests and revive its wild silkworms, is underway, Tapia trees (Uapaca bojeri) are known locally for their edible fruit and as the habitat of the wild Malagasy silkworm.

Will the real organic pesticide please stand up?

"Since when are organic pesticides not chemicals?" asks Prof Gerhard Verdoorn, Director of BirdLife SA. The word 'organic' is probably one of the most abused in the English language as far as a chemist is concerned. Consumers lured into believing the promises of so-called organic pesticides, take heed, there is no such thing as an environmentally friendly pesticide, says Verdoorn, they are designed to kill.

Icy resilience the key to survival in Antarctica's land animals

On a continent where it is dark for six months of the year and daylight for the entire summer, you might expect the long summer days to blend into one, but on a trip last summer to Cape Hallett, Antarctica, as part of a joint New Zealand-South African team of scientists, Dr Brent Sinclair and team discovered the opposite. Antarctica is home to some feisty, resilient and really tiny creatures.

Zimbabwe: Imported exotic Malaysian seed varieties may pose threat

Agriculture experts have voiced concern over plans to import seed varieties from Malaysia to address the critical shortage of farm inputs in Zimbabwe. They warn that the Malaysian seed may be unsuitable for Zimbabwe's climate.

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