by Ria Olivier | May 25, 2023 | Announcement, Discover, News, Research, SA Agulhas II, SANAP, Science, Southern Ocean
The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment invites you to attend the S.A. Agulhas II Open Day on the 10 & 11 June 2023 at the V&A Waterfront (Port of Cape Town, East Pier).
What your FREE ticket will include:
- A guided tour of the South African (Polar) research and supply vessel, the S.A. Agulhas II.
- Access to various marine science and environmental conservation exhibitions.
Download your FREE tickets here: https://qkt.io/eRLI9e
Anche Louw, South African Polar Research Infrastructure (SAPRI DPS Node), 25 May 2023
by Ria Olivier | May 24, 2023 | Announcement, Antarctica, Jobs, Marine Protected Area, Oceanography, Research, SA Agulhas II, SA Polar Research Infrastructure, SANAP, SAPolarRI, SAPRI, Science, Southern Ocean, sub-Antarctic
As per job advertisement:
The South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON) is a research platform funded by the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) and managed by the National Research Foundation (NRF).
SAEON is mandated to establish and manage long-term environmental observatories; maintain reliable long-term environmental data sets; promote access to data for research and/or informed decision making; and contribute to capacity building.
The SAEON Egagasini Node, based in Cape Town, Western Cape, requires the services of a:
Ocean and Polar Coordinator for day-to-day scientific, operational and logistical coordination.
Application Closing Date: 05 June 2023
Click on the link below:
Position: Ocean and Polar Coordinator
Read more about SAPRI – click on the link below!
South African Polar Research Infrastructure (SAPRI): Feedback and start of the Preparatory Phase
Anche Louw, South African Polar Research Infrastructure (SAPRI DPS Node), 24 May 2023
by Ria Olivier | May 22, 2023 | Announcement, Antarctica, Research, SANAP, Science
NRF-SANAP Funded Project:
Ross seal ecology, behaviour and physiology in a changing environment
Post-doctoral position available for a self-starting, motivated colleague who is interested in marine mammal ecology, specifically trophic dynamics, bulk and compound stable isotope analyses.
Research topic: Trophic dynamics of Ross seals in the Weddell Sea.
The candidate will analyse bulk stable isotope and compound-specific isotope data from amino acids to investigate the level of inter- and intra-individual dietary specialisation.
The position is funded for 24 months through an NRF South African National Antarctic Program Postdoctoral Grant at the University of South Africa (UNISA) and the University of Pretoria (Pretoria, South Africa). Project start date is as soon as the candidate is available.
Minimum Requirements:
- PhD in either ecology/zoology or related fields;
- Availability to travel to France for specialised laboratory work.
Added Advantages:
- Experience in working with isotopic data and/or marine mammals is preferred but not a requirement.
- Strong writing skills and an ability to adapt/learn quickly are major advantages.
Please note that the successful candidate will have to spend most of their time in Pretoria and remote work for the entire duration of the project is not possible.
Potential candidates who identify with groups traditionally under represented in the sciences are especially encouraged to apply. If you have questions or are interested in the position, please email Dr Mia Wege and/or Prof Trevor McIntyre and attach your CV and cover letter. Teaching and research statements are not needed.
Position will be open until filled.
Dr Mia Wege:
Prof Trevor McIntyre:
Text: Dr Mia Wege
Anche Louw, South African Polar Research Infrastructure (SAPRI DPS Node), 22 May 2023
by Ria Olivier | May 10, 2023 | Current Event, Marion Island, News, Overwintering Team, Prince Edward Islands, Research, SANAP, SAPRI, Science, Southern Ocean, Stations, sub-Antarctic, Team member
| TEAM | MAPRU | Affiliation |
| Project Name | Avian scavengers & seabirds |
| Principal Investigator | Dr Maëlle Connan | MAPRU, Nelson Mandela University |
| Co-Investigator | Prof Peter Ryan | Fitzpatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town |
| M79 Field Assistant | Lucy Smyth | MAPRU, Nelson Mandela University |
| M80 Field Assistant | Christopher Jones | MAPRU, Nelson Mandela University |
| M80 Field Assistant | Michelle Risi | MAPRU, Nelson Mandela University and the South African Polar Research Infrastructure (SAPRI) |
This team is studying seabirds at Marion Island and has two projects for the period 2021-2023:
1) Avian scavenger project focusing mostly on Black-faced Sheathbill, Kelp Gull and Brown Skua as well as some of their prey.
2) FitzPatrick long-term monitoring of Wandering Albatross, Grey-headed Albatross and Northern Giant Petrel.
More about the avian scavenger project:
This project started in 2021. It is tightly linked to the Mouse-Free Marion project.
Our aim is two fold: 1) we fill identified scientific gaps at the bird level that are crucial for best planning of the mouse eradication and development of appropriate mitigation measures. We are mostly focusing on three species of avian scavengers: Black-faced Sheathbill, Kelp Gull and Brown Skua and some of their prey. 2) we propose to use the three scavengers as indicators of recovery of the terrestrial ecosystem post-eradication by establishing baselines for the scavenger guild and their prey against which the impact of a successful mouse eradication can be measured in years to come.
More about the FitzPatrick long-term monitoring project:
The FitzPatrick long-term monitoring of Wandering and Grey-headed albatrosses and Northern Giant Petrel started in the early 1980s and has continued ever since. This individual-based monitoring of threatened species allows us to study the threats they face at sea (e.g. fisheries) and on land (e.g. mice) in order to act and decrease these threats and improve the conservation status. The species’ long-term monitoring is crucial as it allows us to decipher abnormal years from long-term trends.
More about the fieldwork:
The two projects above involve for example extensive counts of birds, lots of hiking, observations of bird behavior and record keeping of the activity of known individuals year after year.
What are your plans for this takeover:
During the takeover, we will be debriefing the year of Lucy Smyth who has worked on the island for our projects since April 2022. We will also train Chris and Michelle for the year ahead in all aspects, from field work to data entry and back-ups.
Follow MAPRU:
Follow PFIAO:
Text by Dr Maëlle Connan.
Images supplied by Christopher Jones.
Featured image: The MAPRU takeover 2023 team. L-R: Dr Maëlle Connan (PI), Lucy Smyth (M79 MAPRU Field Assistant), Michelle Risi (M80 MAPRU Field Assistant) and Christopher Jones (M80 MAPRU Field Assistant). Image taken on the Western side of the island.
Anche Louw, South African Polar Research Infrastructure (SAPRI DPS Node), 10 May 2023
by Ria Olivier | May 2, 2023 | Current Event, Mammology, Marion Island, News, Research, SANAP, Science, Southern Ocean, sub-Antarctic
| TEAM | MIMMP |
| NRF-SANAP Funded Project Name | Marion Island Marine Mammals in Changing Environments: Individual Heterogeneity and Population Processes |
| Principal Investigator | Prof Nico de Bruyn |
| Affiliation | Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria |
| Takeover Sealer | Yinhla Shihlomule |
| M79 Sealer | Michael Ross |
| M79 Sealer | Banele Dosi |
| M79 Killer whaler | Monica Leitner |
| M80 Sealer | Zafar Monier |
| M80 Sealer | Dylan Seaton |
| M80 Killer whaler | Tammy Eggeling |
What are your plans for this takeover?
Into our 41st uninterrupted year of continuous monitoring! Takeover is mostly dedicated to training the new overwintering personnel, because most of the action (from a seal perspective) on the island take place outside takeover timeframes. Many long-term questions, aimed at understanding the ecology of the various species populations and their interactions with a changing environment, are pursued.
What are the main interest of the MIMMP in the sub-Antarctic region?
We are interested in how seal and killer whale populations change as the environment changes.
In more detail:
MIMMP does long-term ecological monitoring and research of four marine mammal species (Southern elephant seals, Antarctic – and Subantarctic fur seals, and Killer whales) at Marion Island. Focused primarily on population and foraging ecology, interactions between species and with their changing environments.
Check out the MIMMP Website!
Follow MIMMP on social media for the latest updates:
Most recent post on Facebook:
Text and images supplied by Prof Nico de Bruyn.
Featured image: The MIMMP takeover 2023 team. L-R: Dylan Seaton (M80 Sealer), Zafar Monier (M80 Sealer), Prof Nico de Bruyn (PI) and Tammy Eggeling (M80 Killer whaler). Photo taken in Cape Town, on board the S.A Agulhas II, before departure.
Anche Louw, South African Polar Research Infrastructure (SAPRI DPS Node), 02 May 2023
by Ria Olivier | Apr 21, 2023 | International Days, News, Research, Science, Southern Ocean
Tomorrow, 22 April 2023, is Earth Day!
We support environmental protection. One way to encourage people to protect the environment is for environmental scientists to communicate scientific findings in a way that is digestible for your audience.
It is with great pleasure that we share that Dr Thomas Ryan-Keogh will be a speaker at TEDx Johannesburg Countdown to talk about the impacts of climate change on the Southern Ocean. “His talk will contribute towards the dialogue and action on climate change and will showcase how the CSIR is contributing towards global research efforts on the impact of climate change in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean”.
Book your seat today!
TEDx Johannesburg is a great platform where “remarkable people doing great work can amplify their ideas on the world wide web”.
“We believe that their ideas, delivered at our sought-after events, and distributed via video on the web, will change the world” – TEDx Johannesburg.
At this event, Tommy will have only 12 minutes to share his recent oceanographic research findings, “which showed that the natural carbon cycle in the Southern Ocean is being impacted and that it could be causing even more harmful climate impacts. These findings were recently published in the top-rated journal Science under the title: Multidecadal trend of increasing iron stress in Southern Ocean phytoplankton” – CSIR
Source: TEDxJohannesburg Countdown
Tommy is the Chair of the Association of Polar Early Career Scientists of South Africa. APECS-SA is a “National Committee of APECS international, a non-profit and voluntary organization which focuses on improving communication between young polar researchers on a local and international level.”
On Social Media:
Watch this video below and learn more about the current climate crisis and The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) climate report.
“This is an important message for the world to take in: make the economy, make the development clean and climate friendly” Hoesung Lee (Chair of the IPCC).
Find the IPCC report here.
Anche Louw, South African Polar Research Infrastructure (SAPRI DPS Node), 21 April 2023
