Research in the Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology encompasses a broad array of pure and applied conservation and entomological research topics. Conservation research foci include the spatial dimensions of diversity; population and community ecology of semi-arid vegetation; drivers of change (climate change, over-exploitation, habitat fragmentation and alien invasion) and their influence on population and community structure and processes in Fynbos and Karoo vegetation; methods of testing potential bio-indicators and their application in environmental monitoring and biodiversity assessment; crocodilian and sea turtle ecology and conservation; and managing animal reintroductions (e.g. white rhinoceros in the Kruger National Park). Understanding large herbivore control of vegetation and soil processes in riparian and upland areas is also research currently being conducted by members of the Department in the Kruger National Park. The Department is a leader in research on the restoration of natural vegetation in the arid areas of South Africa, including mines in Namaqualand, pasturage in the Little and Greater Karoo, as well as conservation areas in the Western Cape. Research on conservation policy development involves the determination of the conservation attributes of natural resource management policies in southern Africa with the aim of optimising their biodiversity and socio-economic outputs. The Entomological research component of the Department has three main focus areas: insect ecology and conservation, systematics and integrated pest management (IPM). Invertebrate conservation biology focuses on agricultural and freshwater systems, as well as tropical and sub-Antarctic islands and animal parasite ecology. Systematics research focuses on the Hepialoidea, Zygaenoidea and Tortricicoidea (Lepidoptera), especially the systematics of economically important pest taxa. IPM deals with research on insect and mite pests and research on entomopathogenic nematodes. Alternatives to chemical control against codling moth are needed and the use of entomopathogenic nematodes as an environmentally friendly biological control agent is being investigated. IPM projects on insects include the use of the sterile insect technique on codling moth. Sampling systems for monitoring insect pest populations are being developed and fruit fly behaviour is being investigated. The control of vine mealy bug involves mating disruption, integrated and biological control, as well as modelling and the verification of these models. Further work entails the phenology and biological control of Pseudococcus viburni on apples and pears, as well as work on olive fruit fly. Market access-related research includes phytosanitary pests of deciduous fruits and developing mitigation treatments to deal with phytosanitary restrictions within the fruit export market.

Academic:
Prof MJ Samways (Chairperson; Insect Conservation Biology)
Dr P Addison (Integrated Pest Management)
Prof KJ Esler (Plant Ecology)
Prof V Hattingh¹ (Citrus Research)
Dr S Jacobs (Ecology)
Dr AJ Leslie (Ecology)
Dr A Malan* (Nematology)
Dr S Matthee (Parasitology)
Dr J Terblanche (Applied Physiological Ecology)
Prof MA McGeoch (Spatial Ecology and Bioindicators)
Prof SJ Milton* (Plant Ecology)
Dr KL Pringle* (Integrated Pest Management)
Dr F Roets (Entomology)

Dr AT Knight (Conservation Planning)

Dr R Malgas (Human Communities and Conservation)

* Part time
¹ Visiting

Research Associates:
MF Addison (Integrated Pest Management)
Dr M de Villiers (Citrus Research)
Dr S Johnson (Integrated Pest Management)

Dr Kenneth Oberholzer

Dr James Pryke

Technical:
M Isaacks, AA Johnson, EHP Scholtz, F Nkumbi

Administrative:
C Louw (Secretary), M Wenn (Secretary)

Supporting:
P Grant (Postgraduate representative)

Contact information:
Tel: +27 21 808 3304