SAEON in the media

An article titled An ecosystem studied…, published in Responsible Traveller on September 1, mentions that all data collected by the International Marine Volunteer Programme during sampling is shared to SAEON.

SAEON was mentioned in an article titled Antarctic Expedition for South Africans, published in Science Spaza of 1 July 2018.

In an article titled Bay celebrates National Marine Week on MYPE NEWS (October 18), SAEON is listed as one of the organisations participating in this year's National Marine Week activities in Nelson Mandela Bay.

SAEON's Expanded Freshwater and Terrestrial Environmental Observation Network (EFTEON) was mentioned in an article titled SA Research Infrastructure Roadmap & Integrated Cyber Infrastructure System; South Korea/Japan study tour published on the website of the Parliamentary Monitoring Group on September 5.

An article in Mail & Guardian of September 7, Afromontane pioneering sustainable mountain research, highlights the Afromontane Research Unit's partnership with SAEON, with which it will be sharing a research chair.

ARID LANDS NODE

In an article titled City hosts biodiversity symposium, published in Diamond Field Advertiser on September 26, SAEON is mentioned as one of the participating organisations in the event.

The August 2018 edition of the travel magazine “Weg” features an article by Dr Helga van der Merwe on where to view the Tankwa-Karoo’s iconic seasonal flower display. Helga is a Research Career Award Fellow at SAEON’s Arid Lands Node.

The SAEON Arid Lands Node intern in Prince Albert, Hana Petersen, published three articles in Prince Albert Friend: The Role of Art in Conservation (June 2018), Kaktus tuine in woestyne [Cactus gardens in deserts] (July 2018) and Paying more than ordinary attention (August 2018).

EGAGASINI NODE

Local researchers are working to strengthen their case for the protection of South Africa’s marine biodiversity. Students, alongside researchers from SAEON and the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), recently presented their findings in Cape Town, calling for the conservation of 22 new marine protected areas. SmileFM broadcast a news item on the event on September 28, featuring a short interview with the Egagasini Node’s Grant van der Heever.

The NRF/SAEON-led Benthic Trawl Experiment was mentioned in a feature on the SANBI website titled SANBI celebrates ocean heritage.

ELWANDLE COASTAL NODE

New science for old secrets, an article published in Sawubona on September 1, highlights the role of oceanography in "finding out the truth about climate change" and SAEON's role in the expedition to the Weddell Sea in December, in which the manager of SAEON's Elwandle Coastal Node, Dr Tommy Bornman, will be participating.

FYNBOS NODE

Dr Jasper Slingsby, biodiversity scientist at SAEON’s Fynbos Node, was mentioned in an article titled City of Cape Town’s borehole drilling programme threatens Kogelberg’s Unesco status published in News24 online, News24 Mobile, All Africa.com and Voice of the Cape on September 28, as well as an article titled South Africa: Unesco Ready to Help Protect Kogelberg Biosphere Amid Drilling Programme published in News24, News24Wire and Engineering News on October 6.

SPi World News, Uncova of October 1 published an article titled Drilling for water ‘makes no economic sense’. The article was first published in Engineering News on October 1. The article cites Dr Slingsby’s findings that alternative initiatives, like clearing of alien vegetation, could see as much as 100 million additional litres of water running into the City of Cape Town’s dams daily, increasing the supply by as much as 20%, at much less cost to ratepayers. The article was also published in News24, News24 Mobile, AllforWomen, AllAfrica.com and the website of AlgoaFM on October 1.

In an article titled Durstige Kiefern (Thirsty pine trees), published in the newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung Week 42/2018, Dr Slingsby is quoted on the impact of alien vegetation on the City of Cape Town’s water resources.

Dr Nicky Allsopp, manager of SAEON’s Fynbos Node, was cited in articles published on news24.com on August 27 titled City of Cape Town calls for relaxing of water restrictions as dam levels rise, on News24, News24 Mobile and Polity on October 12 titled Cape Town's increased water use is not sustainable, experts warn and on All4Women on October 15 titled CT's increased water use 'unsustainable' despite fuller dams. She cautioned consumers to continue being frugal with water.

An article titled Stunning time-lapse images show how Cape Town's biggest dam has filled up, published in Business Insider on September 4, shows time-lapse images of the Theewaterskloof Dam coming back to life after the recent rains. The images were captured by Glenn Moncrieff, a data scientist at SAEON. Theewaterskloof is the biggest dam in the Western Cape province.

GRASSLANDS-FORESTS-WETLANDS NODE

SAEON was mentioned in an article titled The South African National Wetlands Indaba – from humble beginnings to a well-established platform, published in The Water Wheel of September 1.

NDLOVU NODE

An article titled Killer drought that ravaged SA’s bush the worst in decades, was published in Sunday Times and TimesLIVE of September 11. The article is based on a report resulting from a drought workshop organised by SAEON’s Ndlovu Node, which was published in the South African Journal of Science Vol 114 No 9/10 (2018) as The ecology of drought – a workshop report.

This year P-Ratings were awarded to four young and upcoming researchers (under 35 years of age) who have held a doctorate or equivalent qualification for less than five years at the time of application. These researchers are considered likely to become future international leaders in their respective fields, on the basis of exceptional potential demonstrated in research performance and output during doctoral and/or early post-doctoral careers.

One of the young researchers honoured is Dr Gareth Hempson (left), a research fellow at the SAEON Ndlovu Node. Dr Hempson explores how fire and herbivores shape the dynamics of grassy ecosystems, and vice versa. This involves identifying the key attributes of plants, animals and fire that structure ecological processes at small scales and working out how they scale up to influence ecosystem properties at regional to continental scales.

Read the following articles for further information: