The four Biological Science Sessions at the 2016 SANAP Symposium held at the University of Pretoria last month (click here) covered a wide range of talks including terrestrial and marine science in the Antarctic, sub-Antarctic and Southern Ocean. Chuma Phamoli (Deputy Director, Southern Oceans & Antarctic Support, Department of Environmental Affairs) also gave a talk during this session, stating the position of the South African National Antarctic Programme’s involvement in the Antarctic Region.
The four sessions were chaired by Prof Don Cowan (Director, Genomics Research Institute and Director, Centre for Microbial Ecology and Genomics, University of Pretoria), Dr Ryan Reisinger (SANCOR Post-doctoral Fellow, Department of Zoology, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University) and Dr Peter le Roux (Senior Lecturer, Plant Science Section: Plant Ecology, University of Pretoria). Prior to the first Biological Sciences Session, Prof Jean Lubuma (Dean – Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria) opened the 2016 SANAP Symposium, welcoming all participants.
See Table 1 for links to the institutions involved with SANAP. Please feel free to contact these institutions for more information.
See Table 2 for authors and titles of talks given during the four sessions.
Please also follow the link to our Facebook page, Antarctic Legacy of South Africa to connect some faces to these talks.
Anché Louw, Antarctic Legacy of South Africa, Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, 08 August 2016
Table 1: Research institutions involved within SANAP
Table 2: Talks given during the Biological Sciences sessions at the 2016 SANAP Symposium
| Title | Author/Presenter | Institute |
| Genetic information at different spatial scales | Prof Bettine Jansen van Vuuren | University of Johannesburg |
| Functional response of Blechnum penna-marina to desiccation in tundra environments | Marius Rossouw | Stellenbosch University |
| Status of invasion on sub-Antarctic Marion and Prince Edward Islands | Dr Michelle Greve | University of Pretoria |
| The effects of introduced mice on seabirds breeding at sub-Antarctic Islands | Ben Dilley | University of Cape Town |
| A bio-optical approach to understanding long term changes in the Southern Ocean biological carbon pump | Dr Sandy Thomalla | Council for Scientific and Industrial Research |
| Landscape and climate interaction in the sub-Antarctic: current knowledge, future impacts | Prof Werner Nel | University of Fort Hare |
| Facilitation by Azorella selago affects Agrostis magellanica population structure more strongly than abiotic conditions | Dr Peter le Roux | University of Pretoria |
| Influences of the natural environment on habitat preference for lichens in Western Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica | Gabrielle Ayres | Rhodes University |
| Marion Island marine mammals: sentinels of change | Prof Nico de Bruyn | University of Pretoria |
| Foraging distribution of Gentoo Penguins, Pygoscelis papua, at Marion Island with a unique twist | Tegan Carpenter-Kling | Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University |
| Southern Ocean whale research in the IWC Management Area III, with particular reference to the recoveries of Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) | Prof Ken Findlay | Cape Peninsula University of Technology |
| Infrequent data of an endangered seabird: sooty albatross breeding distribution from major breeding sites and recent population estimates from Marion Island | Stefan Schoombie | University of Cape Town |
| What makes albatrosses good or poor breeders? Insights from a cross-fostering experiment | Dr Genevieve Jones | University of Cape Town |
| A decade (and a half) of microbial ecology research in the McMurdo Dry Valleys | Prof Don Cowan | University of Pretoria |
| Marion Island bryophytes: evidence for functional types based on traits related to photosynthesis and desiccation tolerance | Jacqueline Tonkie | Stellenbosch University |
| Disentangling the drivers of taxonomic and functional community structure along the Agulhas current system | Sandra Phoma | University of Pretoria |
| The seasonal cycle of CO2 in the Southern Ocean: Diagnosing Anomalies in CMIP5 earth systems models | Precious Mongwe | Council for Scientific and Industrial Research |
| Are we (SANAP) falling behind in the Antarctic? | Chuma Phamoli | Department of Environmental Affairs |
| Surprising seabirds: new species for Tristan da Cunha and Gough Island | Prof Peter Ryan | University of Cape Town |
| Long-term niche fidelity in Southern Elephant Seals: do individuals display unique foraging strategies | Dr Trevor McIntyre | University of Pretoria |
| A biogeographical and functional approach to improve our understanding of invasive plant species on Sub-Antarctic Islands | Christien Steyn | University of Pretoria |
| Can functional traits be used to predict plant invasion potential on a Sub-Antarctic Island? | Rabia Mathakutha | University of Pretoria |
| Spatial variation in the impacts of Azorella selago on vascular and non-vascular plants | Isabelle Buyens | University of Pretoria |
| Metagenomic analysis of microbial communities along the Mackay Glacier ‘ecotone’ reveals soils with diverse functional potentials | Marc Van Geothem | University of Pretoria |
| Resurrecting the Antarctic Ross Seal Project | Prof Marthan Bester | University of Pretoria |
| Foraging behaviour and habitat use by adult Indian Yellow-nosed Albatrosses Thalassarche carteri from Prince Edward Island | Dr Azwianewi Makhado | University of Cape Town |
| Identifying areas of ecological importance through marine predator habitat modelling around the Prince Edward Islands, Southern Indian Ocean | Dr Ryan Reisinger | Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University |
| Can we simulate the phytoplankton seasonal cycle in the Southern Ocean? Results from the CMIP5 Earth System Models | Dr Marcello Vichi | University of Cape Town |
| Do plant-plant interactions affect functional traits? A case study of the sub-Antarctic cushion plant Azorella selago and the grass Agrostis magellanica | Stephni van der Merwe | University of Pretoria |
| Determining drivers of primary production on Marion Island, using remote sensing technology | Prof Guy Midgley | Stellenbosch University |
[…] bit more on the recent SANAP PI and Student Symposium, this time on the biological sciences. Thanks to #Antarcticlegacy for putting this article together. Enjoy the […]