Current Projects
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CURRENT PROJECTS Researcher Title Objectives Status E-mail name Home range analysis of African To investigate the spatial distribution of buffalo Abeare SM buffalo (Syncerus caffer): test of a relative to vegetation variables, distance to Current [email protected] new method water, topography and visibility. Comparing grass biomass production Hypothesis: Grass biomass production is between sodic sites and crests in the higher on sodic sites than on the crests. Alard GF Current [email protected] semi-arid granitic savannas of the lowveld A comparison of community dynamics To explore scale-dependence in the Andelman SJ in North American and South African relationship between biodiversity and Current [email protected] savannas and grasslands ecosystem function. The potential for community-based To examine the nature of the relationship conservation in promoting biological between Hlanganani communities and the Anthony BP Current [email protected] conservation and human rural Kruger National Park. development Vegetation monitoring in the Kruger Knowledge of vegetation distribution is crucial Aplin P National Park using multiscale remote to facilitate our understanding and Current [email protected] sensing analysis management of the environment. To gauge different applications of a natural substance, gypsum (CaSO4) to the soil in Unnaturally eroded sodic soils order to verify its potential to be used for Basson S Current [email protected] rehabilitation report reclamation and stabilisation of sensitive sodic soild in localities where anthropogenic soil erosion occurs. An examination into nutrient The investigation is primarily concerned with Bermeister distribution in soils around artificial looking into the nutrient contents of soils Current [email protected] O watering sites on the northern plains around open and closed artificial watering of Kruger National Park points in the northern plains of the KNP. Transmission of bovine tuberculosis To investigate some of the aspects of (Mycobacterium bovis) in African transmission of bovine tuberculosis (BTb) in Bird TLF Current [email protected] buffalo (Syncerus caffer) in Kruger African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) in the Kruger National Park National Park (KNP Researcher Title Objectives Status E-mail name To determine how broad-leaved forest species Forest Colonization od savannas: Bond WJ invade savannas and what limits, and what Current [email protected] Pattern and Process promotes the invasion process. The main objective is to develop a methodology to monitor the recovery process Assessment of the influence of woody of vegetation by comparison of time series Boonen M and grass vegetation in the regrowth Current [email protected] information derived from coarse resolution process image sequences instead of analyzing it as single change events. The water requirements for seedling To determine if rainfall variability limits Botha S establishment of savanna woody seedling survival of different tree species Current [email protected] species in the Kruger National Park during certain years. Aim is to ascertain if common habitat Habitat patch selection of breeding preferences exist between mixed herds across herds of African buffalo (Syncerus Bowers J different substrates and to ascertain buffalo Current [email protected] caffer caffer) in the Satara region of utilisation and prioritisation of seasonal the Kruger National Park. resources To document and develop a tourism product San rock art in the Kruger National Braack LEO around San rock art in the Kruger National Current [email protected] Park Park. Studies of stick insects (Phasmida) of To identify Phasmid species present in the Brock P Kruger National Park, including the Kruger National Park's fauna. Current [email protected] description of new species Population dynamics models will be developed Modelling the declines of large Buckland ST for the main ungulate species of Kruger Current [email protected] ungulates in Kruger National Park National Park. Improving cardio-pulmonary function To develop safer field anesthesia for white Bush M for a safer field anesthesia of white rhinoceros. Current [email protected] rhinoceros Monitoring a water hyacinth The development of an intergrated infestation on Engelhardt Dam as part management plan for water hyacinth control, Byrne M of an ntergrated management plan combining biological control, herbicidal control Current [email protected] for water hyacinth control in South and nutrient control tailored to the climatic Africa regions of South Africa. Current / Monitoring Projects Page 2 of 2 Researcher Title Objectives Status E-mail name To characterize and quantify the three Cadenasso Structure and function of riparian dimensional structure of boundaries between Current [email protected] ML upland boundaries riparian and upland vegetation in Kruger National Park. Collection of insects for evolutionary To collect insects of different genera for Cameron S Current [email protected] studies of their relationships evolutionary studies of their relationships. The optimization and validation of To link the fire risk models and drought climate and remote sensing data indices, derived from meteorological data, Carlens H Current [email protected] based fire risk assessment with fire obtained from the local weather stations, with occurrence data the fire history records. Developing a safe, effective To develop a safe, effective anaesthetic Citino SB anaesthesia protocol for rapid protocol for the rapid induction of anaesthesia Current [email protected] anaesthesia of free-ranging giraffes in free-ranging giraffe. Seasonality and change in the feeding To investigate seasonality in the quality of ecology of herbivore communities in forage available to herbivorous mammal Codron D Current [email protected] the Northern Basalt Plains of the communities living in the Northern Basalt Kruger National Park Plains of the Kruger National Park. To determine seasonal and spatial differences The sampling method of elephant Codron J in diets and habitat use of Kruger National Park Current [email protected] (Loxodonta africana) tusks elephant. Study of the interactions between Investigate the role of fire on nutrient cycling. Coetsee C fire, vegetation and nitrogen Current [email protected] dynamics in the Kruger National Park To produce on a national scale a summary of Investigation of the ecological role of known and probable groundwater dependent Colvin C aquifers at Shingwedzi research site, ecosystems in South Africa, based on Current [email protected] Kruger National Park geohydrological-type settings. To determine the nature of nutrient limitation Craine J Below ground processes experiments in restructuring ecosystem processes across Current [email protected] different soil types and climates. Longitudinal studies of bovine Understanding the dynamics of BTB in the Cross PC tuberculosis in the buffalo population buffalo population. Current [email protected] of the Kruger National Park Current / Monitoring Projects Page 3 of 3 Researcher Title Objectives Status E-mail name The geochemistry and isotopic The significance of the project lies in relations of the Mashikiri formation in determining the composition and evolution of de Bruiyn H Current [email protected] the Kruger National Park, Sabi and the mantle or crustal sources of these Zimbabwe volcanics. Development of a methodology to To improve and develop high spatial resolution monitor fire fuel status and identity earth observation based parameters to Deman K optimal fuel models using high estimate fire probability. Current [email protected] resolution multi-spectral satellite imagery Why do giraffes occur in aggregated To have an improved understanding of giraffe Doherty JB Current [email protected] dispersion patterns? social biology Breonadia salicina response to the To examine the response of Breonadia salicina 2000 flood, Sabie River, Kruger to the 2000 flood in the different Dowson LM Current [email protected] National Park: Implications for rule geomorphological channel types of the Sabie based modelling and monitoring. River. Ungulate browsing as an ecosystem Determination of the effects of browsing on the process: An investigation into savanna woody vegetation. Du Toit J Current [email protected] browser plant-soil interactions in a southern african savanna To investigate rates of growth and water use patterns of a wide selection of indigenous tree Water use in relation to biomass of production systems, and to make economic Dye P indigenous tree species in woodland, Current [email protected] and hydrological comparisons to current forest and plantation conditions commercial forestry systems (and other potential land uses). Development of an alien vegetation To provide an overview of the effectiveness of clearing protocol based on ecological existing clearing methods for major invasive Euston- criteria for mesic savannas and sweet species in South African mesic savanna and Current [email protected] Brown D grassveld for the Working for Water sweet grassveld ecosystems. Programme Tourist willingness to pay for To determine what value tourists place on Fannin TGD Current [email protected] Biodiversity Conservation biodiversity. Mechanism of grass/tree interactions Explaining tree/grass coexistence within February EC Current [email protected]