Postdocs

Martina Treurnicht, 2019-2021, explored range-wide demographic and functional trait variation of serotinous Proteaceae, focusing on using long-term monitoring to quantify climate-induced changes in their demography. Since May 2021, Martina is based as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Department of Conservation Ecology, Stellenbosch University, working on understanding abiotic and biotic drivers of demography, niches and geographical ranges of Cape Proteaceae.

Brigitte Melly, 2017-2020, worked on understanding the hydrological dynamics of the wetland systems along the Heuningness River system and its tributaries, and their vulnerability to global change.

Glenn Moncrieff, 2015-2017, worked on various projects relating to Dynamic Vegetation Models, developing biodiversity monitoring tools based on remote-sensing, and scaling up between vegetation community data and broader ecosystem properties.

Nicola Stevens, 2014-2015, started a postdoc working on developing Fynbos biodiversity monitoring tools based on remote-sensing and scaling up between vegetation community data and broader ecosystem properties.

Christopher Trisos, 2014-2015, worked on dispersal rates in Proteaceae.

Genevieve Thompson, 2012-2014, worked on building a genus-level phylogeny of the plants of South Africa to explore patterns of phylogenetic diversity and the evolutionary transitions required to cross biome boundaries in South Africa.

PhD

Nyasha Magadzire, 2018, Stellenbosch University, supervised by Helen De Klerk, Karen Esler and Jasper Slingsby for her dissertation Understanding distributional responses of vegetation to changes in climate and fire regime in the Cape Floristic Region.

Martina Treurnicht, 2018, Stellenbosch University, supervised by Frank Schurr, Jörn Pagel, Karen Esler and Jasper Slingsby for her dissertation Demographic and functional determinants of large-scale population dynamics and ecological niches of 26 serotinous Proteaceae species in the Cape Floristic Region (CFR, South Africa)

Robert Skelton, 2014, University of Cape Town, supervised by Prof Adam West for his dissertation The role of hydraulic strategies in understanding the response of fynbos to drought

Igshaan Samuels, 2013, University of Cape Town, supervised by Dr Nicky Allsopp and Prof. Timm Hoffman for his dissertation Pastoral mobility in a variable and a spatially constrained environment

Tineke Kraaij, 2012, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, supervised by Prof Richard Cowling and Dr Brian van Wilgen for her dissertation Fire regimes in eastern coastal fynbos: drivers, ecology and management

MSc

Ebrahiem Abrahams, 2020, University of the Western Cape, supervised by Dr Michael Grenfell and Dr Julia Glenday for his dissertation An analysis of post-fire catchment erosion dynamics under different land cover types, Jonkershoek, Western Cape

Francois Becker, 2017, University of Cape Town, supervised by Krystal Tolley, Res Altwegg, John Measey and Jasper Slingsby for his dissertation Estimating the global population size of animals that are hard to find: the case of Rose’s mountain toadlet.

Annabelle Rogers, 2017, University of Cape Town, supervised by Prof Ed February, Glenn Moncrieff and Jasper Slingsby for her thesis Modification of fire catchments drive vegetation change on the Cape Peninsula

Siphumelelo Mbali, 2016, University of the Western Cape, supervised by Prof Dominic Mazvimavi and Dr Nicky Allsopp for his dissertation Improving estimation of precipitation and prediction of river flows in the Jonkershoek mountain catchment

Kobus Kellermann, 2016, University of Cape Town, supervised by Prof Ed February and Jasper Slingsby for his dissertation titled Hydraulic trait variation in Protea repens with change in climate in space and time.

Marthinus Jacobus (Marno) Fourie, 2014, Stellenbosch University, supervised by Dr Shayne Jacobs and Dr A. Rozanov for his dissertation Fynbos riparian zones: Investigating the effects of invasive plants on denitrification in Acacia invaded and cleared areas under field and laboratory conditions and implications for riparian functioning

Colin Tucker, 2013, Stellenbosch University, supervised by Dr Andrew Knight, Prof. Karen Esler and Dr Nicky Allsopp for his dissertation Sustainability Indicator Development for UNESCO Biosphere Reserves

Rory Sandberg, 2013, Stellenbosch University, supervised by Prof. Karen Esler, Dr Nicky Allsopp and Prof. William Bond for his dissertation Response of biotic communities to habitat fragmentation as a natural process and as an anthropogenic impact: which fragments will survive?

Penelope Waller, 2013, University of Cape Town, supervised by Dr Pippin Anderson and Dr Patricia Holmes for her dissertation Towards ecological restoration strategies for Peninsula Shale Renosterveld: testing the effects of disturbance-intervention treatments on seed germination on Devil’s Peak, Cape Town

Christine Moore, 2012, University of Cape Town, supervised by Prof Graeme Cumming and Jasper Slingsby for her dissertation Understanding Highly Pathogenic Avian influenza Outbreaks in the Western Cape Ostrich Industry: Did Network Dynamics Enhance Vulnerability?

BSc(Hons)

Harry Randell, 2020, Stellenbosch University, supervised by Martina Treurnicht and Jasper Slingsby, looking at changes in the distribution and population demography of the Snow Protea, Protea cryophila.

Hannah Simon, 2017, University of Cape Town, supervised by Adam West and Jasper Slingsby, looking at Unpacking a pixel. The role of biodiversity in driving seasonal NDVI values in Fynbos.

Eleanor Weideman, 2017, University of Cape Town, supervised by Bernard Coetzee, Robert Thomson and Jasper Slingsby, for her dissertation Land use and land cover change promotes local avian diversity at the expense of community heterogeneity

Nicola Rule, 2015, University of Cape Town, supervised by Prof Ed February and Jasper Slingsby on a project titled The effects of climate change on the xylem anatomy of Protea repens

Thomas Morris, 2012, University of Cape Town, supervised by Prof Jeremy Midgley and Jasper Slingsby on a project titled Monitoring the Knysna forest; species, community and forest responses

Stuart Hall, 2010, University of Cape Town, supervised by Prof Jeremy Midgley and Jasper Slingsby on a project titled Vegetation change and vegetation type stability in the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve 1966–2010