The only thing more dangerous than ignorance is arrogance.
~ Albert Einstein
Link to: Inaugural SAMC conference signals the beginning of a new mountain socio-ecological perspective
Announcing a new mountain socio-ecological perspective for Southern Africa
A diverse group of scientists and practitioners from Africa and other continents united under the banner of a common interest in mountain socio-ecological systems at the inaugural Southern African Mountain Conference.
Science and technology in action
Link to: A fledgling environmental observation platform in the arid lands at the Square Kilometre Array
A fledgling environmental observation platform in the arid lands at the Square Kilometre Array
The SKA property and neighbouring farmland can serve as a large-scale, long-term landscape-level experiment – manipulating stocking rate, animal type, animal distribution and direct vegetation management.
Link to: Fynbos plants have ‘underground weapons’ in ecological competition
Fynbos plants have ‘underground weapons’ in ecological competition
NRF-SAEON was involved in a publication with Princeton University that came to ground-breaking conclusions about how fynbos might keep out competing vegetation types by starving them.
Link to: Microplastics in aquatic systems: vectors of metal pollutants?
Microplastics in aquatic systems: vectors of metal pollutants?
Researchers from the Elwandle Node are setting up experiments and collecting data in estuarine systems to critically evaluate the hypothesis that microplastics transfer metal pollutants to aquatic animals.
Link to: Birds and Africa’s protected areas – a ‘love-hate’ relationship
Birds and Africa’s protected areas
Researchers from the Ndlovu Node and the Czech Republic showed independently how the freshwater systems of a protected area like the Kruger National Park are critical for conserving bird diversity.
Link to: SAEON continues to foster academic cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region as South Africa is endorsed as chair of the IORAG 2022–23
NRF-SAEON fosters academic cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region as South Africa is endorsed as IORAG chair
As Chair, SA intends to further academic cooperation in the region and facilitate better science-to-policy engagement – to leverage the IORA platform for interaction between academia and government officials.
Link to: Off the deep end – the commercial experience
Off the deep end – the commercial experience
Two Egagasini Node team members boarded a commercial trawling vessel to collect data for NRF-SAEON’s bi-annual invertebrate monitoring survey. The samples collected will contribute to the SeaMap project.
Link to: A ‘One NRF’ face of marine sciences: individually we are a drop, together we are an ocean
A ‘One NRF’ face of marine sciences: individually we are a drop, together we are an ocean
Prof Juliet Hermes, Dr Jennifer Veitch and Dr Shaun Deyzel report on a meeting aimed at finding synergies between the National Research Foundation’s marine and freshwater facilities and its infrastructure programmes.
It’s official!
Link to: NRF-SAEON welcomes new Managing Director
NRF-SAEON welcomes new Managing Director
Dr Mary-Jane Bopape is a seasoned scientist with an impressive record of accolades. An atmospheric modelling specialist, she has worked across a range of timescales including climate change projections.
Building vital capacity
Link to: Graduate Student Network presents workshop on public engagement with science
Closing the gap between scientists and the public
As part of its capacity building initiatives, the Graduate Student Network held a virtual two-day workshop on public engagement with attendees from various academic institutions across South Africa.
Link to: From Soweto to the world in PhD marathon
From Soweto to the world in PhD marathon
SAEON student Amukelani Maluleke is currently based at the Thünen Institute of Climate-Smart Agriculture in Germany through a DAAD scholarship for further training on the eddy covariance method.
Science engagement
Link to: First group of Eastern Cape learners to take marine science as a school subject visit the rocky shores
First group of Eastern Cape learners to take marine science as a school subject visit the rocky shores
The Elwandle Node’s science engagement team took the grade 11 learners to Schoenmakerskop to expose them to what scientists do when they are out in the field. The excited learners and educators left with new knowledge derived from hands-on scientific inquiry.
Link to: SAEON celebrates World Wetlands Day with the Mabasa community in northern Maputaland
NRF-SAEON celebrates World Wetlands Day with the Mabasa community in northern Maputaland
The Mabasa Traditional Council not only granted permission for the first EFTEON automatic weather station to be placed in the Mabasa Tribal Court grounds, but also invited NRF-SAEON to assist in arranging their World Wetlands Day celebrations.
Link to: SAEON in the media
NRF-SAEON in the media
NRF-SAEON’s people and projects received coverage in local and national print, online and social media.
SAEON eNews is the bimonthly online newsletter of 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 serves as a national platform for detecting, translating and predicting environmental change through scientifically designed observation systems and research.