Current position: Assoc. Prof.

Qualifications:

• 2014: Professional Certificate, Geographical Information Systems
• 2004: PhD (Stream Ecology), The University of Hong Kong
• 1999: BSc (Environmental Science), The University of Hong Kong
• 1990: MSc (Electrical Engineering, Biomedical Systems design), New Jersey Institute of Technology, USA
• 1988: BSc (Electrical Engineering), New Jersey Institute of Technology, USA

Email: s.mantel()ru.ac.za

Biography:

Research Interests: My expertise lies in river ecology and hydrology, specializing in desktop research using GIS and earth observation data and analyses. Throughout my career at Rhodes University, I have focused on various research areas related to the water resources, including impacts of small dams, assessing the effects of invasive species on rangelands, water use of cannabis, and more recently, science communication and curriculum development.

Recent and current projects:

• Project Leader on a three-year funded Erasmus+ project titled “Nature-based solutions for African climate resilience” for enhancing capability of future professionals (current students) and current environmental and built environment specialists (through professional development courses). The project consortiums consists of two universities in South Africa (Rhodes University and University of Cape Town), two universities in Senegal (Ecole Polytechnique of Thies [EPT] and Université Cheikh Anta Diop [UCAD]), and three partners in the EU: TÜ Delft (Netherlands), AgroParisTech (France) and Institut National de Recherche Pour L’Agricuture, L’alimentation et L’Environnement (INRAE, France).
  
  
• Project Leader on a five year funded WRC project C2021/2022-00442 (Determine Water Use of the Cannabis Tree in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal Provinces). In collaboration with University of KwaZulu Natal https://www.ru.ac.za/iwr/research/projects/cannabis/
  
  
• Project Leader on a two year funded WRC project K5/2928/1-2 (The Role, Benefits and Prioritisation of Ecological Infrastructure in Mitigating the Impacts of Droughts in South Africa). In collaboration with Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Department of environmental Science, Rhodes University.
  Ecological Infrastructure
• Project Leader on a five year funded WRC project K5/2400/4 (Rehabilitation of Grasslands after Eradication of Alien Invasive Trees; April 2014 – March 2019). In collaboration with Agricultural Research Centre – Animal Production Institute, Stellenbosch University, and Glasgow Caledonian University.  Restoration
  
  
• Project Leader on a three year funded NRF project UID 105153 (IKS to enhance Rewards for Ecosystem Services in rangelands infested with invasive alien plants; January 2017 – December 2019). In collaboration with Agricultural Research Centre – Animal Production Institute.
  
  
• Manager (until 2020), National Research Foundation funded Eddy Covariance and Large Aperture Scintillometer equipment for measurement of evapotranspiration and carbon flux.

Leadership positions:

• Associate Editor, African Journal of Aquatic Sciences (AJAS) (from September 2014).
• Treasurer, The Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA), Grahamstown Branch (April 2009 to March 2015) and for the Eastern Cape Region (February 2015 to present).
• Fresh Water Working Group board member and Vice President (2016), Society for Conservation Biology (global group; 2011 to present). Co-organised a symposium and round table on Barriers to Biodiversity in Fluvial Ecosystems at the ICCB-ECCB2015 meeting in Montpelier, France (August 2015; doi: 10.13140/RG.2.1.4233.4489/1). I designed the following two logos (Barriers_to_Riverine_Diversity and HeartTheRivers) for fundraising for the FWWG group. FWWG website manager https://conbio.org/groups/working-groups/freshwater

Recent Publications:

Januchowski-Hartley S.R., Pawar S.K., Yang X., Jorissen M., Bristol R., Mantel S., White J.C., Januchowski-Hartley F.A., Roces-Díaz J.V., Gomez C.C. and Pregnolato M. (2022). Supporting proactive planning for climate change adaptation and conservation using an attributed road-river structure dataset. Journal of Environmental Management, 321, p.115959. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.115959.

Tanner J., Mantel S., Paxton B., Slaughter A. and Hughes D. (2022) Impacts of climate change on rivers and biodiversity in a water-scarce semi-arid region of the Western Cape, South Africa. Frontiers in Water, 143. Under Collection: Climate, Water and Land in Africa: Research Trends and Challenges. https://doi.org/10.3389/frwa.2022.949901.

Xoxo S., Mantel S., De Vos A., Mahlaba B., Le Maitre D. and Tanner J. (2022). Towards SDG 15.3: The biome context as the appropriate degradation monitoring dimension. Environmental Science & Policy, 136, pp.400-412. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2022.07.008.

Januchowski-Hartley S.R., Mantel S., Celi J., Hermoso V., White J.C., Blankenship S., Olden J.D. (2020) Small instream infrastructure: comparative methods and evidence of environmental and ecological responses. Ecological Solutions and Evidence 1(2), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1002/2688-8319.12026.

Hughes D., Mantel S. and Farinosi F. (2020) Assessing development and climate variability impacts on water resources in the Zambezi River basin. Initial model calibration, uncertainty issues and performance. Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies 32, 100765. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrh.2020.100765.

Lidzhegu Z., Ellery F. and Mantel S.K. (2019) Incorporating geomorphic knowledge in the management of wetlands in Africa’s drylands: a rapid assessment of the Kafue wetland. Wetlands, pp. 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13157-019-01172-9.

Mantel S.K., N.A. Rivers-Moore and P. Ramulifho (2017) Small dams need consideration in riverscape conservation assessments. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems.

Gwate O., Mantel S.K., Finca A., Gibson L.A., Munch Z. and Palmer A.R. (2016) Exploring the invasion of rangelands by Acacia mearnsii (black wattle): Biophysical characteristics and management implications. African Journal of Range & Forage Science 33(4).

Rivers-Moore N.A., S.K. Mantel, P. Ramulifho and H. Dallas (2016) A disconnectivity index for improving choices in managing protected areas for rivers. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 26(Suppl.1): 29–38. DOI: 10.1002/aqc.2661

Slaughter A.S., S.K. Mantel, and D.A. Hughes (2016) Water Quality Management in the context of future climate and development changes: A South African case study. Journal of Water and Climate Change jwc2016138; doi:10.2166/wcc.2016.138

Slaughter A.R. and S.K. Mantel (2016) The validation of algal and macrophyte growth processes in a water quality model using remote sensing data. Proceedings of the International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software, iEMSs 2016. Paper 52. http://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/iemssconference/2016/Stream-D/52. (Conference publication).

Ncube M., N.P. Ngqwala, R. Tandlich, S.K. Mantel and D. Hughes (2016) Water quality of roof harvested rainwater in Grahamstown, South Africa and its mathematical modelling. In: Tandlich, R. (ed.) Novel Approaches to Rainwater Harvesting and Sanitation in Developing Countries. Chapter 2. pp 12-21. Nova Science Publishers, Inc., New York. https://www.novapublishers.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=59382.

Mantel S.K., D.A. Hughes and A.S. Slaughter (2015) Water resources management in the context of future climate and development changes: A South African case study. Journal of Water and Climate Change 6(4): 772-786, doi:10.2166/wcc.2015.098.

Hughes D.A., S. Mantel and T. Mohobane (2014) An assessment of the skill of downscaled GCM outputs in simulating historical patterns of rainfall variability in South Africa. Hydrology Research 41: 134-147.

Gordon A.K., S.K. Mantel and N.W.J. Muller (2012) Review of toxicological effects caused by episodic stressor exposure.  Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 31: 1169-1174.

Rivers-Moore N.A., S. Mantel and H.F. Dallas (2012) Prediction of water temperature metrics using spatial modelling in the Eastern and Western Cape, South Africa.  Water SA 38: 167-176.

Mantel S.K., D.A. Hughes and W.J. Muller (2010) Ecological impacts of small dams on South African rivers:   I. Drivers of change - water quantity and quality.  Water SA 36: 351-360.

Mantel S.K., W.J. Muller and D.A. Hughes (2010) Ecological impacts of small dams on South African rivers:  II. Biotic response - abundance and composition of macroinvertebrate communities.  Water SA 36: 361-370.

Dudgeon D., F.K.W. Cheung and S.K. Mantel (2010) Food-web structure in small streams: do we need different models for the tropics? Journal of the North American Benthological Society 29: 395-412.

Hughes D.A. and S.K. Mantel (2010) Estimating the uncertainty in the impacts of small farm dams on streamflow regimes in South Africa.  Hydrological Sciences Journal 55: 578-592.

Hughes D.A. and S.K. Mantel (2010) Estimating uncertainties in simulations of natural and modified streamflow regimes in South Africa.  Proceedings of the Sixth World FRIEND Conference, Fez, Morocco, October 2010.  IAHS Publication 340: 358-364.

Last Modified: Wed, 14 Feb 2024 10:59:03 SAST