Hanneline Smit

Fields of interest

My PhD research at Stellenbosch University, South Africa focused on African endemic elephant-shrews (Macroscelidea). Macroscelids are well placed within the Afrotheria, a superordinal clade of mammals of African origin. Genetic methods were employed to investigate geographic population structure and evolutionary relationships among elephant-shrew species. A new elephant-shrew species was described from the South African Nama Karoo on the basis of molecular, cytogenetic and morphological evidence. South-western African elephant-shrew species constricted to rocky outcrops (Elephantulus rupestris and E. edwardii) were shown to have a more structured genetic profile compared to those that inhabit open plains (Macroscelides proboscideus). Cross-species chromosome painting (zoo-FISH) and G-banding observations underscored the conservative karyotypes (2n=26-30) in seven Southern African species studied.

Further interest on elephant-shrew (sengi)  taxonomy include collaborations with Drs Galen Rathbun  and Jack Dumbacher.

My joint postdoctoral research between University of California-Berkeley ( Rauri Bowie ), USA and University of Stellenbosch ( Bettine van Vuuren ), South Africa focuses on the identification of spatial genetic structure within  a number of model taxa found in the Southern Arican arid zone. This aim refines the Evolutionary Genomics Group’s previous investigations which documented remarkable congruent genetic patterns described across the Succulent and Nama Karoo Bioregions. For example, several studies indicate a significant break in genetic structure in the Knersvlakte Bioregion for a wide variety of taxa confined to rocky outcrops (Elephantulus edwardii Smit et al., 2007, Agama atra Matthee & Flemming, 2002, Pronolagus rupestris Matthee & Robinson, 1996, Pachydactylus and Goggia gecko genera Bauer, 1999, Lamb & Bauer, 2000). The ultimate aim is to understand the current patterns of species abundance of a number of birds and small mammals with distributions that span these vegetation regions and to predict the likely impact of future environmental change on these. For species with a continuous distribution, structural (landscape) connectivity often leads to functional (genetic) connectivity because of migration. Following on from this, physical barriers tend to have a more limited effect on the movements (gene flow and dispersal) of a species that inhabit a continuous habitat compared to a species confined to a naturally remote area e.g. a species inhabiting rocky outcrops. Spatial patterns generated for a variety of species will be overlaid to search for congruent genetic discontinuities and breaks (vicariance). The approach here is essentially one of comparative phylogeography; this approach provides important information to various disciplines including conservation, ecology and evolution.

This project forms part of collaborative research with Jerome Fuchs ( &
http://www.fitzpatrick.uct.ac.za/docs/jerome.html ) and Angela Ribeiro on a population genomic approach to endemic Southern African avian taxa (phylogeography and niche modelling) with distributions spanning the African arid zone. We are mainly interested in signifying the demographic history within a number of species as reflected by their intrinsic genetic properties and identifying areas of habitat stability (possible refugia, geneflow across ecotones) during the Pleistocene and Holocene epochs. Two of three Biodiversity Hotspots in Southern Africa form part of the Southwestern African arid zone; the Cape Floristic region and Succulent Karoo. In contrast to many other ecosystems, arid zones are amongst the least well studied, making them an ideal system to study adaptation and speciation. 

The postdoctoral research is funded by a UNESCO-L’OREAL for young women in life sciences fellowship