universit y of kw azulu-na tal research repor t 2008/2009 - UKZN ...

StRAtEgiC initiAtivERESEARCH FOCUS AREASThe School of Biological and Conservation Sciences – within theTCollege of Agriculture, Engineering and Science – produces theTmost research publications within UKZN and includes several staffTmembers with National Research Foundation (NRF) ratings in variousTdisciplines.The recently established DST/NRF National Research TChair in evolutionary biology resides in the School. Research projectsare supported by several research centres and units housed in theSchool including the Centre for Plant Growth and Development,the Inland Invertebrate Initiative, the Pollution Research Group, theAmarula Elephant Research Programme and the Research Centre forAfrican Parrot Conservation.Local communities often participate in School research projectssuch as surveys of endangered fauna and flora, lion and elephantmonitoring and communal grazing management.The College celebrated a landmark occasion in 2008 with theopening of the 90-million Biological and Conservation Sciences buildingon the Westville campus. The state-of-the-art five-storey building hassignificantly boosted teaching and research facilities at the College.Head of the College and Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor RobSlotow, is an accomplished researcher and academic leader. He hascarried out extensive research in the areas of the management ofecologically and economically important large mammals, evolutionaryand ecological processes driving biodiversity, and conservationmanagement policy. Professor Slotow has made an invaluablecontribution towards lion and elephant management planning at theEzemvelo KZN Wildlife reserves and the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, aWorld Heritage Site. His scholarly research generated funding of morethan R15-million between 1996 and 2007.Meanwhile, the School’s Professor Patricia Berjak has rapidlyattained a position of international eminence for her fundamentalstudies on recalcitrant seeds and their conservation. She has alsodemonstrated the importance of seed-borne fungi in the loss of storageviability. Professor Berjak has established a world-class research groupin the School with activities which include fundamental and appliedrecalcitrant seed research, cryostorage and the provision of postgraduatelevel training in cryobiology.The School also boasts Professor Steve Johnson – a leadingspecialist in the field of plant pollination – who holds the South AfricanResearch Chair in Evolutionary Biology. Professor Johnson’s researchis aimed at understanding the evolutionary diversification of plants,particularly in southern Africa, the conservation of plant-pollinatormutualisms, and the reproductive biology of invasive species. He hasrecently developed a strong interest in the role of floral volatiles inmediating specialised plant-pollinator interactions, and has establisheda state-of-the-art laboratory for the study of chemical cues used byplants to attract insect pollinators.Biodiversity and Conservation22 UKZN Research Report // 2008/2009UKZN Research Report // 2008/2009 23