Vacancy Field Researcher – Marion Island
Vacancy for field researcher on Marion Island
(March 2025 – May 2026)
Mouse impacts on invertebrates and plants
The Department of Plant and Soil Sciences at the University of Pretoria is offering one suitably qualified candidate an opportunity to spend a year on Marion Island to measure various aspects of the impact of the house mouse on the diversity and function of the terrestrial ecosystems of Marion Island. This work will entail collecting baseline data, mostly on invertebrates and plants. (Photo Credit: Michelle Greve)
Collecting invertebrate community data and identifying invertebrates.
Surveying and monitoring vegetation plots. Measuring plant traits.
Mapping species and events.
Installing, maintaining and downloading data from loggers.
Note that duties may change during the course of the year.
In 2024, 
bird migration in different hemispheres. The World Migratory Bird Day campaign in 2024 will stress the need for proactive conservation measures. This includes reducing the use of pesticides and fertilisers, and where possible, switching to organic farming. Other measures include maintaining and connecting areas of natural vegetation which provide food and shelter for birds and other species, in agricultural landscapes. 
Pictures of Antarctic Tern taken by Johan Bothma,1968 (left) and John Cooper, 1984 (right
The Antarctic Tern’s closest relative is the Arctic Tern and it is likely that they evolved from Arctic Terns that settled in the south. Among other seabirds, it is less clear in which direction the radiation occurred. Species such as gannets and fulmars are not trans-equatorial migrants and so it is more likely that a few stragglers that crossed the equator established new populations in the opposite hemisphere. (article: “
(Above: Azorella selago – left: intact, right: eaten by mice)
(Above: Elmar van Rooyen and Rabia Mathakutha. Left: before departure. Right: On board S.A.Agulhas II with Marion Island in the back)
Allow me to introduce myself briefly. I am a 29-year-old conservation ecologist with a profound passion for nature and exploration. I hold an M.Sc. degree in Conservation Ecology & Entomology and possess a diverse skill set that includes expertise in ecology, restoration ecology, horticulture, botany, entomology, education, and management. Throughout my career, my focus has predominantly been on Southern Afrotemperate forests, and I have accumulated significant experience in South African forest ecology. I am drawn to this expedition for several reasons. Foremost, the opportunity to explore the unique environment of Marion Island presents a once-in-a-lifetime chance for me to expand my knowledge and understanding of sub-Antarctic ecosystems. While I may not have prior experience with the island, I firmly believe that firsthand experience is the most effective way to comprehend its ecology and wildlife. Moreover, I am deeply committed to the conservation of natural habitats, and Marion Island’s status as a biodiversity hotspot underscores the urgency of our research efforts. The presence of invasive house mice poses a significant threat to the island’s flora and fauna, necessitating thorough investigation and potential eradication strategies. Additionally, I am eager to contribute to studies on the impact of alien plant species and assist in devising methods for their control. I have always had a profound appreciation for fieldwork, and I relish the opportunity to immerse myself in hands-on research once again. Marion Island’s rugged terrain and unique challenges excite me, and I am prepared to tackle them head-on in the pursuit of conservation objectives.
Rabia is excited to participate in the 2024 Marion Island Relief Expedition. Rabia is an ecologist by training and will be working as part of the University of Pretoria research team towards a comprehensive understanding of impacts of the invasive house mouse on the terrestrial biodiversity of Marion Island. Rabia first visited the island as part of her Masters research project during the 2015 and 2016 relief expeditions. Rabia’s MSc in Plant Science was focused on understanding plant invasion potential and environmental change responses in the sub-Antarctic region, using Marion Island as a case study. This is when her passion for understanding and participating in the conservation of South Africa’s polar environment was ignited. In her current capacity, Rabia is a research coordinator for the Data, Products and Society (DPS) Integrated Facility of the South African Polar Research Infrastructure (SAPRI). She continues to support the polar research environment by ensuring coordinated access to research infrastructure and societal benefits through science engagement and science communication. Rabia views this chance to revisit the island as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, one that will not only build upon previous efforts in understanding plant dynamics but also advance our understanding of ecological processes in response to a threatening invader. There’s no better place to study this than Marion Island, our own natural laboratory, and where it’s most urgently needed. As part of the larger Mouse-Free Marion project, Rabia considers this as a significant contribution to global conservation efforts, and in her words, “saving the world!”.
Michelle Greve chaired another session on Ecosystems “Major threats to terrestrial sub-Antarctic ecosystems – climate change and invasions” , including how climate and species interactions are driving leaf endophyte communities, how warming directly, and indirectly (through heightened microbial decomposition and nutrient release) affects plant performance) affect plant growth, and how vegetation communities on Marion Island have changed since the 1960s on a warmer, drier and more invaded Marion Island. The session ended with a summary of the knowledge garnered from the National Status Report on Invasions, which includes a chapter on the Prince Edward Islands, and summarised all we know about invasions to the offshore territory. 
Michelle(right) gave an introduction and then was followed by oral presentations. (Above, l-r: Joshua Tsamba, Michelle Greve, Laura Fernadez-Winzer, Stephni van der Merwe, Nita Pallett) (Photo Credit: Michelle Greve)
Another student Janine Schoombie of Peter le Roux of University of Pretoria presented in the ad hoc session chaired by Christel Hansen. They only arrived on 30 November after the Prince Edward Island scientific voyage. “Studies of wind, plants and seabirds on Marion Island”. (
Prof Bettine Jansen van Vuuren (left) chaired the session of Ecosystems, Biodiversity and Biodiscovery with the first plenary talk of the symposium by Peter Convey(right) of the British Antarctic Survey ” Terrestrial biological invasions and their potential impacts in the maritime Antarctic”. (
Bettine gave an overview of research that included research done by Daniela and Shilpha as they could not attend as they were on Marion Island. Foregrounding geodiversity in landscape ecology studies: insights from the sub-Antarctic – Daniela Monsanto (
Daniela Monsanto, Shilpa Parbhu, Sandra Durand, Arsalan Emami-Khoyi, Peter Teske, David Hedding
Morgan Raath-Kruger(left) and student of Peter le Roux at University of Pretoria gave an oral presentation and an introduction to her poster.
Another abstract submitted but Carol Jacobs(right) could not present is on the biosecurity within the South African National Antarctic Programme. (Abstract)
