Microplankton monitoring along the west coast of South Africa
Microplankton, comprising of both phyto- and zooplankton in the 20-200μm size range, are a diverse and ecologically important group. They form the foundation of the food web, are instrumental in carbon and nutrient cycling, generate at least 50% of global oxygen and facilitate energy flow to higher trophic levels. Although they are found in all oceans globally, their diversity and abundance is varied. Due to their high sensitivity and rapid response to changes in the environment, their...
Processed imagery data collected off the western margin's deep-sea environment on Algoa Voyage 246, February 2018
The aim of the Integrated Ecosystem Program (IEP) Benthic Project is to establish a baseline for epi-benthic invertebrate distribution, in order to identify benthic indicators for long-term monitoring within the pre-determined IEP monitoring lines. Ten stations were successfully surveyed, on board the R/V Algoa in February 2018, using a towed under-water benthic camera. The acquired abundance data represents five stations from the Kleinsee transect, four from Namaqua and one from St Helena Bay.
Effectiveness of Table Mountain National Park Marine Protected Area project (2017-2021)
Intertidal rocky shores are the most accessible marine habitats and therefore heavily impacted by harvesting. In recent years, they have also been increasingly invaded by alien species, which compounds the effects of harvesting on rocky shore community composition and functioning. Recent survey data, combined with historical data from 1970, were used to assess temporal changes over the intervening period in rocky shore communities at two sites (Wireless Point and Wireless Island).