Biodiversity research
relating to environmental sustainability
Biodiversity research at Rhodes University directly addresses environmental sustainability concerns. A wide spectrum of projects are being researched, examples of which are provided under the categories below.
Aquatic biodiversity
The South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB) is a National Facility within the National Research Foundation (NRF) and is an affiliated research institute of Rhodes University. SAIAB is currently involved in taxonomic, systematic and genetic studies of fishes from African streams, rivers, lakes, estuaries and the adjacent seas.
Explore research opportunities: SAIAB
Plant ecology & physiology
In the Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Biotechnology, the Mycorrhizal Research Group focuses broadly on mycorrhizal fungi and how these interact with other soil microorganisms, how they contribute to soil health, and may be used commerically to improve agriculture, horticulture and environmental rehabiliation, as well as in producing edible mycorrhizal fungi such as the Kalahari truffle. This research is linked to a locally produced commercial product, Mycoroot.
Explore research opportunities: Mycorrhizal Research Group
In the Botany Department, research is being conducted on the ecophysiology of coastal dune plants and plant-growth strategies in beach environments.
Explore research opportunities: Botany Dept
Animal ecology & physiology
The Department of Zoology & Entomology at Rhodes University has a number of research projects on large mammals, for example, the hunting behaviour cheetahs, the feeding ecology of giraffe, and space use and habitat selection of elephants. The Wildlife and Reserve Management Research Group (WRMRG), based in this department, aims to conduct ground-breaking research on the biology of these species, as well as meeting the need for information required by reserve managers, and training top quality postgraduate students.The research group, initially formed to address the need for focused research within the Eastern Cape Province, has expanded its student base to address ecological concerns throughout southern Africa.
Explore research opportunities: Zoology & Entomology Dept and WRMRG
Go to the Rhodes University ENVIRONMENT front page. Suggestions/Questions? Contact environment(at)ru.ac.za
