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Research Fields
Fields of research and specialization by the Zoology Department, Nelson Mandela University.
Marine Biology and Ecology
Studies on individual species, populations and communities of animals living in shallow water ecosystems such as sandy beaches, surf zones, rocky shores, bays and shallow nearshore waters
Marine ichthyology
Population ecology and trophic dynamics of marine mammals and seabirds
Marine top predators as indicators of environmental health
Conservation and management of marine turtles
Sustainable exploitation of inter-tidal, and in-shore resources by commercial, recreational and subsistence fishers;
Environmental Impact Assessments for structural developments [roads, bridges, housing, etc.] in the coastal zone;
Estuarine Biology and Ecology
Studies on the biology, ecology and functional role of plant and animal populations and communities in estuaries
Impact of catchment activities on estuarine and coastal ecosystem diversity and productivity;
Freshwater flow requirements for estuaries
Plankton dynamics associated various estuarine types
Estuarine Ichthyology
Sustainable exploitation of estuarine resources;
Ecotoxicological studies on key species [commercially exploited, position in food web]
Sediment contamination in estuaries and coastal zone by industrial effluents [e.g. heavy metals, PCBs, other pesticide residues from agricultural practices in the catchment regions] and its impact on ecosystem function.
Terrestrial Ecology
Studies on Animal-plant interactions, with a specific focus on the ways in which animals use resources (mainly dietary resources) and the impacts on the plants.
Predator-prey interactions, particularly in terms of diet choices of the apex African predators (lion, spotted hyaena, leopard, cheetah, African wild dog), and the consequences for their prey.
Population studies of terrestrial animal populations, with a focus on integrating resource use into models of carrying capacity
Biodiversity and geographical distribution of land animals and how this has changed over the historical period
Effects of global warming on animal distribution and ecology
Ecology, utilization and exploitation of African wild life, with a view to sustainable use
Ecophysiology
Small mammal ecophysiology
Hibernation patterns and physiological processes
Conservation of rare species
Conservation Biology
Focussing on understanding the extinction risks of key species (e.g. elephants, black rhino, leopards, lions, cheetah, Cape griffon vulture)
Developing managment recomendations
EU Contacts/Co-operative programmes
Oceans and Coasts – NMU Zoology co-operative marine research programme
Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Germany
University of Ghent, Belgium
University of Cambridge, UK
University of Montpellier, France
Falklands Conservation, Falkland Islands
Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand
Mammal Research Instutute, Polish Academy of Sciences
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