Scientific Services

Savannas everywhere are undergoing massive changes. Areas that used to be open woodland are changing into areas dominated by shrub or forest. Areas that used to have plenty of large trees are losing large trees. Whether one state is better than another will largely depend on your personal preferences. However, these changes have certain consequences for biodiversity and ecosystem services. This theme seeks to interrogate issues around large-scale vegetation change. What are the best ways to measure changes in woody cover and vegetation structure over time? Which drivers are important for vegetation change in different savannas? In terms of biodiversity, who are the winners and who are the losers? How do we manage change in vegetation when so many drivers are outside of our control?

Engage with convenor Dr Corli Wigley-Coetsee to learn more and help focus your insights that you would like to share.

Many studies are conducted at a very local scale and as the KNP protected area footprint increases how does one upscale these products from individual projects to be relevant to other researchers and managers at a larger scale? How does one translate the results from these studies in an exciting and useful way making sure that the developed tools and products are advertised widely making them accessible to a larger audience? This theme seeks guidance on these but can also include contributions showcasing these conservation products or tools.

Chat to convenor Chenay Simms about how you can contribute.

At a time with information at our fingertips, Artificial Intelligence or AI assistance arises for nearly everything. What is AI and what does this mean for conservation? Can AI modernise conservation efforts? Should we anticipate a smarter, more informed society interested in our research and supporting us pushing the barriers, or a sceptical society often doubting the integrity of our science because of AI-generated misinformation? What does that mean for us? How does this influence decision-making? How can the everyday conservation manager and scientist get exposed to the different forms of AI to make use of these in improving efficiency in everyday tasks? Contributions addressing any of these questions or examples of how you use AI in your research are welcome.

Link up with convenors Dr Tercia Strydom and Judith Botha and share your non-AI generated insights with us.

While poisoning is impacting vulture populations and we know dynamics of some charismatic birds like Pel’s Fishing Owls, Martial Eagles, Southern Ground Hornbills and Saddle-billed Storks, other species face a bundle of global changes, which we have little knowledge off. Smaller vertebrate species are likely to be more sensitive for habitat consequences of these various drivers including climate change. What is the status and trends of flying apex predators? How does the loss of riparian vegetation, changing river morphology, bush encroachment, and peri-urbanisation across the landscapes impact assemblages of birds, small mammals, reptiles, and amphibians? What are the emerging challenges from invasive small vertebrates, like Common Mynas and Rose-ringed Parakeets, on local species? How important and valuable are small vertebrates to people?

Reach out to convenors Sharon Thompson or Dr Sam Ferreira if your research addresses any of these questions and to help focus your contribution to this theme.

Invasive alien species are a global change driver, causing biodiversity loss and impacting people in all regions of the world. Biological invasions also act in concert with other global change drivers such as climate change, exacerbating floods and wildfires. As protected areas are responsible for maintaining biodiversity and the benefits that nature gives to people, it is important to identify and quantify the potential impacts an invasive alien species may pose, to improve our understanding of the risks. While the impacts are overwhelmingly negative there are examples of successful control. Prevention is the best option for managing biological invasions as well as early detection and eradication of small and isolated invasive populations. This requires the presence of alien species to be accurately mapped over protected areas that may vary substantially in size. Repeated or long-term mapping can inform management and provide feedback on indicators such as trends in spread. Similarly, monitoring the outcomes of management can provide insights into whether ecological or other objectives are being met. Here we rely on your experience and knowledge in building cost-effective ways to help achieve these goals.

Discuss with convenors Prof Llewellyn Foxcroft and Khensani Nkuna to share your ideas towards making a contribution to this theme.

Wildlife has gone beyond its traditional boundaries! It is seen as a key contributor to socio-ecological resilience within landscapes of multiple uses. All South Africa’s national parks are embedded within landscapes with a vast array of different land-uses. These uses alter resources for large mammals who then respond to these. In many instances, species are expanding ranges both within South Africa and across international boundaries. Ecologists love that! Well, some do. But this may not be the case for most people, especially when large mammals in and around national parks are increasingly interacting with people. This theme seeks your insights to help SANParks optimize species persistence as well as benefits to society while minimizing costs to people, often those living close to parks, while also minimising costs to the environment, specifically sensitive habitats.

Chat to convenors Dr Sam Ferreira and Cathy Greaver to help structure your contributions on how large mammals could be perfect sentinels for living landscapes.

Freshwater ecosystems worldwide are deteriorating at a faster rate than other ecosystems. They cover less than 1% of the Earth’s surface yet support a diversity of habitats and species that are highly sensitive to multiple anthropogenic stressors. Stressors such as altered flow regimes, changes in land use, pollution, the introduction of non-native species, and resource overexploitation have accelerated the deteriorating state of freshwater ecosystems, threatening the essential eco-services they provide. Although there are policies aimed at protecting freshwater ecosystems, implementation is often lacking. Additionally, policies that prioritise freshwater resource development and management for human use frequently overlook the biodiversity in these ecosystems. To effectively monitor long-term ecological responses to multiple stressors, an integrative approach is necessary, one that considers both the drivers of change and the ecological responses. This is important because different species exhibit varied sensitivities and scales of response—both temporally and spatially—to environmental stressors.

Exchange ideas with convenor Dr Dumisani Khosa to help develop the contributions for this theme.

Scientists broadly acknowledge six main threats to protected areas being climate change, habitat change, disease, alien species invasion, freshwater pollution and unsustainable resource use. It is widely accepted that humans are in many cases the drivers behind these threats, but there is a 7th threat facing PAs worldwide, one that we call the loss of value. The breaking or lack of positive connections to the cultural and natural heritage inside PAs, predicts that PAs will not be socially relevant to society, and key pillar and requirement for sustainability. If there is not local, national and international support for PAs, then they are not going to persist regardless of the 6 biological threats. This can be achieved by understanding and embracing the past (Cultural heritage), as well as by understanding the current drivers, threats, impacts and constraints of our past and current approaches to facilitate positive connections such as enhancing access, managing human wildlife conflict (both directly and through snaring/poisoning), facilitating benefit sharing, conducting outreach and environmental education, creating jobs and business opportunities, promoting sustainable resource use…and more. What aspects and approaches lead to either a loss or a gain in value (positive connections) or both? Who is winning and who is losing, and when? How much is enough? What and who needs to make trade-offs for the social ecological savanna system to persist and what do these look like? What are we missing?

Please be in touch with Dr Louise Swemmer with reflections and insights on this theme that you would like to share at the 2025 Savanna Networking Meeting.

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