Research Articles (Biodiversity and Conservation Biology)

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2-phenoxyethanol as anaesthetic in removing and relocating 102 species of fishes representing 30 families from sea world to uShaka Marine World, South Africa
(AOSIS, 2008) Vaughan, D.B.; Penning, M.R.; Christison, K.W.
The South African Association for Marine Biological Research, incorporating Sea World, Oceanographic Research Institute and the Dolphinarium relocated from their old premises of 46 years on Durban’s beach front in March and April 2004 to the new Point Development’s marine theme park, uShaka Marine World in Durban, South Africa. Netting of fishes from the large exhibits could cause physical damage to struggling fishes, increasing the risk of opportunistic secondary bacterial infections (Inoue, dos Santos Neto & Morales 2004) which could not be treated in time for the opening of uShaka Marine World on 30 April 2004.
A cross-over dietary intervention in captive cheetahs (acinonyx jubatus): Investigating the effects of glycine supplementation on blood parameters
(United States: Wiley Subscription Services, Inc, 2024) Kathryn M. van Boom; Tertius A. Kohn
Captive cheetahs are prone to unusual diseases which may be attributed to their high muscle meat, collagen deficient captive diet. Glycine is a simple amino acid that is abundant in collagen rich tissues and has many physiological functions, specifically in collagen synthesis and in the conjugation of detrimental by-products produced during gut bacterial fermentation. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a 4 week glycine supplementation on the body measurements, haematology and serum blood parameters of 10 captive cheetahs using a randomised controlled cross-over design. This approach has not yet been used to investigate the effect of diet in captive cheetahs. Cheetahs were randomly assigned to a control diet (horse meat only) or a glycine diet (30 g glycine per 1 kg meat) for 4 weeks before being crossed over. Blood was collected at baseline and after each intervention. The glycine diet resulted in a decreased serum albumin, alkaline phosphatase and total calcium concentration and increases in eosinophils and basophils counts compared to the control diet. Body weight also decreased on the glycine diet which may be due to increased β-oxidation and fat loss. This was the first study to investigate the effect of glycine supplementation, which resulted in slight body and blood changes, in captive cheetahs using a cross-over design and this approach should be utilised for future dietary studies.
A framework for optimising opportunistic collaborative syntheses to propel ecological conservation
(Elsevier Ltd, 2024) Sequeira, Ana M.M.; Sherley, Richard B.; Bates, Amanda E.
Ecological data are being opportunistically synthesised at unprecedented scales in response to the global biodiversity and climate crises. Such syntheses are often only possible through large-scale, international, multidisciplinary collaborations and provide important pathways for addressing urgent conservation questions. Although large collaborative data syntheses can lead to high-impact successes, they can also be plagued with difficulties. Challenges include the standardisation of data originally collected for different purposes, integration and interpretation of knowledge sourced across different disciplines and spatio-temporal scales, and management of differing perspectives from contributors with distinct academic and cultural backgrounds. Here, we use the collective expertise of a global team of conservation ecologists and practitioners to highlight common benefits and hurdles that arise with the development of opportunistic collaborative syntheses. We outline a framework of “best practice” for developing such collaborations, encompassing the design, implementation, and deliverable phases. Our framework addresses common challenges, highlighting key actions for successful collaboration and emphasizing the support requirements. We identify funding as a major constraint to sustaining the large, international, multidisciplinary teams required to advance collaborative syntheses in a just, equitable, diverse, and inclusive way. We further advocate for thinking strategically from the outset and highlight the need for reshaping funding agendas to prioritize the structures required to propel global scientific networks. Our framework will advance the science needed for ecological conservation and the sustainable use of global natural resources by supporting proto-groups initiating new syntheses, leaders and participants of ongoing projects, and funders who want to facilitate such collaborations in the future.
A global systematic review of resource nexus and nature-positive sustainable development: an invitation to a new research agenda
(Taylor and Francis Ltd., 2025) O’Farrell, Patrick John; Makwinja, Yamikani Harry; Kimengsi, Jude Ndzifon
The Resource Nexus concept is acknowledged as a transformative approach to managing resource challenges. Yet, its contribution to nature-positive sustainable development (NPSD) practices remains less understood. This study (i) analyses how resource nexus and NPSD practices have been conceptualised in the literature, (ii) determines the state-of-the-art on the NPSD outcomes that are driven by the Resource Nexus approach, and (iii) identifies methodological development in Resource Nexus and NPSD studies. Search queries were conducted in the Scopus core collection, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Science Direct, resulting in the inclusion of 117 empirical studies. The study reveals that while Resource Nexus offers a broad lens for engaging with these different environmental resources, its integration with NPSD practices remains underexplored. Firstly, the overall dominance of the water-energy-food (WEF) Nexus (28.2%) was reported, followed by the water-energy-food-climate (WEFC) Nexus (24.8%), and the biota-energy-food-climate (BEFC) Nexus (15.4%). Secondly, most papers reported ecological parameters (61.3%) as the significant NPSD outcomes driven by the Resource Nexus, followed by political (48.7%), and economic (44.4%) outcomes. Only 17% of papers reported socio-cultural outcomes. Finally, quantitative approaches were most commonly used in the literature (56.4%), followed by qualitative approaches (33.3%), while the mixed methods approach (10.3%) remained the least frequently used. Our review highlights the urgent need for a new research agenda focused on (i) a diverse Resource Nexus constellation, (ii) transformative coupled citizen science research that develops actionable strategies to complete the Science-policy-practice cycle, and (iii)innovative research methodologies focusing on multi-level and mixed-method approaches while preserving the diverse values of qualitative and quantitative approaches.
A taxonomic revision of the twelve-scaled species of struthiola (thymelaeaceae: thymelaeoideae): the struthiolamundiig roup
(Elsevier, 2025) Boatwright, James; Makhoba, Thuli; Magee, Anthony Richard
Struthiola L. (Thymelaeaceae: Thymelaeoideae) is a genus of approximately 40 species (Wright, 1915; manning and goldblatt, 2012) largely endemic to South Africa, but with four species in tropical Africa (Peterson, 1958, 1978, 2006). the Greater Cape Floristic Region (GCFR) is the centre of diversity for the genus, as well as for several other related southern African Thymelaeoideae, including Gnidial., Lachnaea l. and Passerina l. Almost all of the South African species of Struthiola are restricted to the GCFR (manning and goldblatt, 2012; Snijman, 2013), with only three of the South African species occurring beyond the region in the grasslands of KwaZulu-Natal (Wright, 1915; hilliard and burtt, 1986; Hilliard, 1993). Struthiola l. was established by Linnaeus (1767) in his Systema Naturae ed. 12 for two species of Thymelaeaceae that were characterised by flowers with just four anthers and petaloid scales (incorrectly described as nectary glands) and subsequently conserved against the earlier name Belvala Adans. (1763) with the conserved type S. erecta l. The genus was last revised more than a century ago by Wright (1915), and as the taxonomy of the southern African species remains poorly understood it has been identified as one of the priority groups for taxonomic revision (Victor et al., 2015; Victor, 2020). Meisner (1857), in his global treatment of Thymelaeaceae, subdivided the genus into three morphological groups based on the number of petaloid scales in the mouth of the hypanthium, viz. four, eight or 12. All subsequent authors have retained these informal subdivisions. The molecular analyses by Makhoba (2024) recovered the species with four scales (the Struthiola striata group) and those with 12 scales (the Struthiola mundii group) as two independent clades nested within the remaining species of the genus, all with eight scales. This confirms the value of the putatively derived scale-numbers of four and 12 in identifying relationships in the genus. The four-scaled S. striata group was recently revised (Makhoba et al., 2019) as a first step towards a comprehensive revision of the genus. As the next step we present a revision of the twelve-scaled species comprising the S. mundii group. Twelve species and three varieties were recognized in the S. mundii group at the onset of this study. Characters such as habit, flower colour, presence or absence of hairs on the hypanthium, hypanthium length, shape of the petaloid scales and the colour of the associated hairs, bracteole length, and presence or absence
Abalone farming in South Africa: an overview with perspectives on kelp resources, abalone feed, potential for on-farm seaweed production and socio-economic importance
(Elsevier, 2006) Troella, M. D.; Robertson-Andersson, Deborah; Anderson, Robert J.; Bolton, John J.; Maneveldt, Gavin; Halling, C.; Probyn, T.
The South African abalone cultivation industry has developed rapidly and is now the largest producer outside Asia. With a rapid decline in wild abalone fisheries, farming now dominates the abalone export market in South Africa. Kelp (Ecklonia maxima) constitutes the major feed for farmed abalone in South Africa, but this resource is now approaching limits of sustainable harvesting in kelp Concession Areas where abalone farms are concentrated. This paper gives an overview of the development of the South African abalone industry and analyses how abalone farming, natural kelp beds and seaweed harvesting are interlinked. It discusses options and constraints for expanding the abalone industry, focussing especially on abalone feed development to meet this growing demand. Kelp will continue to play an important role as feed and kelp areas previously not utilised may become cost-effective to harvest. There are many benefits from on-farm seaweed production and it will probably be a part of future expansion of the abalone industry. Abalone waste discharges are not at present regarded as a major concern and farming brings important employment opportunities to lower income groups in remote coastal communities and has positive spill-over effects on the seaweed industry and abalone processing industry.
Abundance and species composition of non-geniculate coralline red algae epiphytic on the South African populations of the rocky shore seagrass Thalassodendron leptocaule M.C. Duarte, Bandeira & Romeiras
(Elsevier, 2013) Browne, Catherine M.; Maneveldt, Gavin; Bolton, John J.; Anderson, Robert J.
Seagrasses support a great diversity of epiphytic organisms and new research has shown that non-geniculate coralline red algae are important occupiers of space on the fronds of seagrasses. Except for a few scant records, there are no detailed published accounts of non-geniculate coralline algae epiphytic on seagrasses in South Africa. The seagrass Thalassodendron leptocaule (previously known as Thalassodendron ciliatum) is unique among southern African seagrasses in that it occurs on exposed rocky outcrops along the Mozambique and north eastern South African coast; most other seagrasses are restricted to sheltered bays and estuaries. Here we present descriptions of three species of non-geniculate coralline red algae which we have identified growing epiphytically on this seagrass in northern KwaZulu-Natal: Hydrolithon farinosum, Pneophyllum amplexifrons and Synarthrophyton patena. Two of the corallines (P. amplexifrons and S. patena) were restricted to the seagrass' stems while the third (H. farinosum) occurred only on the leaves. Of the three coralline epiphytes, P. amplexifrons contributed most to the biomass (average wet weight per plant 0.6±1.18 g); its wet weight, however, varied between habitats. Hydrolithon farinosum and other smaller turf algae amounted to no more than 0.1 g (wet weight) per leaf. Synarthrophyton patena was far more sparsely evident and contributed to less than 0.1 g (wet weight) per stem. Pneophyllum amplexifrons and H. farinosum appear to be pioneer epiphytes and form additional surfaces onto which other seaweed epiphytes attach and grow. Distribution of these epiphytes is explained by the longevity of the stems and leaves of the seagrass.
Acoustic cues to development of African penguins (Spheniscus Demersus) begging calls
(John Wiley and Sons Inc, 2024) Zanoli Anna; Ludynia Katrin; Tenneriello Chiara
Avian begging calls mediate parent–offspring conflict and direct parental care to genetically related progeny. We found that the fundamental frequency of begging calls of African Penguins Spheniscus demersus decreases as the penguins age and gain mass, before reaching a lower plateau when the chick reaches about 1 kg. Our results suggest that the food solicitation signals of this species may inform parents of the offspring’s body mass. Our results may also lead to the development of non-invasive tools for facilitating censusing chick growth in wild colonies.
Acoustic observations of jellyfish in the Namibian Benguela
(Inter-Research, 2001) Brierley, Andrew S.; Axelson, Bjorn Erik; Buecher, Emmanuelle; Sparks, Conrad A.J.; Boyer, Helen; Gibbons, Mark J.
Multi-frequency acoustic data (18, 38 and 120 kHz) were collected in conjunction with pelagic trawl sampling for gelatinous macrozooplankton during a cruise to the Namibian Benguela in September 1999. Sampling focused specifically on the scyphozoan Chrysaora hysoscella and the hydrozoan Aequorea aequorea, both of which occur in large numbers, are probably of major ecological importance, and physically hamper pelagic fishing and diamond extraction activities. C. hysoscella was detected predominantly at an inshore station and A. aequorea was found in greatest abundance further offshore in deeper water. Echo-sounder observations were linked directly to net catches, and relationships between catch density (number of individuals m–3) and nautical area scattering coefficients (sA) at each frequency were determined for both species in order to estimate target strength (TS) using the comparison method. TS for C. hysoscella (mean umbrella diameter 26.8 cm) was –51.5 dB at 18 kHz, –46.6 dB at 38 kHz and –50.1 dB at 120 kHz; for A. aequorea (mean central umbrella diameter 7.4 cm) TS was –68.1 dB at 18 kHz, –66.3 dB at 38 kHz and –68.5 dB at 120 kHz. These TS values compared favourably with previously published estimates for related species. Jellyfish were caught at high numerical densities (maxima 3 C. hysoscella per 100 m3, 168 A. aequorea per 100 m3). These high densities, combined with the not unsubstantial TS at frequencies used for fisheries surveys, imply that jellyfish could potentially bias acoustic estimates of fish abundance. We suggest a simple multifrequency approach that could be used to discriminate between echoes from jellyfish and some commercially important pelagic fish in the northern Benguela ecosystem.
African rangelands and pastoralism in a changing continent: Perspectives and opportunities
(Taylor and Francis Group, 2023) Samuels, M Igshaan; Egeru, Anthony; Mugabe, Prisca
Eighty-five years ago, Africa was described as a land of promise because it provided an immense opportunity for maximum return in the minimum time (Olaniyan 2000). It was treated this way because it was considered more for its deposits of natural wealth and less for its potential for settlement or as a destination market for goods and services produced in Europe and elsewhere (Le Clair 1937). For over 50 years, this narrative held ground but in the last 20 years, perception has shifted with Africa becoming a destination market and a growth opportunity creator, whilst holding ground as a resource provider (Sy 2016).
An ambusher’s arsenal: chemical crypsis in the puff adder (Bitis arietans)
(The Royal Society, 2015) Miller, Ashadee Kay; Maritz, Bryan; McKay, Shannon; Glaudas, Xavier; Alexander, Graham J.
Ambush foragers use a hunting strategy that places them at risk of predation by both visual and olfaction-oriented predators. Resulting selective pressures have driven the evolution of impressive visual crypsis in many ambushing species, and may have led to the development of chemical crypsis. However, unlike for visual crypsis, few studies have attempted to demonstrate chemical crypsis. Field observations of puff adders (Bitis arietans) going undetected by several scent-orientated predator and prey species led us to investigate chemical crypsis in this ambushing species. We trained dogs (Canis familiaris) and meerkats (Suricata suricatta) to test whether a canid and a herpestid predator could detect B. arietans using olfaction. We also tested for chemical crypsis in five species of active foraging snakes, predicted to be easily detectable. Dogs and meerkats unambiguously indicated active foraging species, but failed to correctly indicate puff adder, confirming that B. arietans employs chemical crypsis. This is the first demonstration of chemical crypsis anti-predatory behaviour, though the phenomenon may be widespread among ambushers, especially those that experience high mortality rates owing to predation. Our study provides additional evidence for the existence of an ongoing chemically mediated arms race between predator and prey species.
Ancient mitogenomics clarifies radiation of extinct Mascarene giant tortoises (Cylindraspis spp.)
(Nature research, 2019) Campbell, Patrick D; Graciá, Eva; Kehlmaier, Christian
The five extinct giant tortoises of the genus Cylindraspis belong to the most iconic species of the enigmatic fauna of the Mascarene Islands that went largely extinct after the discovery of the islands. To resolve the phylogeny and biogeography of Cylindraspis, we analysed a data set of 45 mitogenomes that includes all lineages of extant tortoises and eight near-complete sequences of all Mascarene species extracted from historic and subfossil material. Cylindraspis is an ancient lineage that diverged as early as the late Eocene. Diversification of Cylindraspis commenced in the mid-Oligocene, long before the formation of the Mascarene Islands. This rejects any notion suggesting that the group either arrived from nearby or distant continents over the course of the last millions of years or had even been translocated to the islands by humans. Instead, Cylindraspis likely originated on now submerged islands of the Réunion Hotspot and utilized these to island hop to reach the Mascarenes. The final diversification took place both before and after the arrival on the Mascarenes. With Cylindraspis a deeply divergent clade of tortoises became extinct that evolved long before the dodo or the Rodrigues solitaire, two other charismatic species of the lost Mascarene fauna.
Ancient mitogenomics clarifies radiation of extinct mascarene giant tortoises (cylindraspis spp.)
(scientific reports, 2019) Hofmeyr, Margaretha
The five extinct giant tortoises of the genus Cylindraspis belong to the most iconic species of the enigmatic fauna of the Mascarene Islands that went largely extinct after the discovery of the islands. To resolve the phylogeny and biogeography of Cylindraspis, we analysed a data set of 45 mitogenomes that includes all lineages of extant tortoises and eight near-complete sequences of all Mascarene species extracted from historic and subfossil material.
Applying science to pressing conservation needs for penguins
(Wiley-Blackwell, 2020) Waller, Lauren J.; Boersma, P. Dee; Borboroglu, J. P.G.
More than half of the world's 18 penguin species are declining. We, the Steering Committee of the International Union for Conservation of Nature Species Survival Commission Penguin Specialist Group, determined that the penguin species in most critical need of conservation action are African penguin (Spheniscus demersus), Galápagos penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus), and Yellow-eyed penguin (Megadyptes antipodes). Due to small or rapidly declining populations, these species require immediate scientific collaboration and policy intervention. We also used a pairwise-ranking approach to prioritize research and conservation needs for all penguins. Among the 12 cross-taxa research areas we identified, we ranked quantifying population trends, estimating demographic rates, forecasting environmental patterns of change, and improving the knowledge of fisheries interactions as the highest priorities. The highest ranked conservation needs were to enhance marine spatial planning, improve stakeholder engagement, and develop disaster-management and species-specific action plans. We concurred that, to improve the translation of science into effective conservation for penguins, the scientific community and funding bodies must recognize the importance of and support long-term research; research on and conservation of penguins must expand its focus to include the nonbreeding season and juvenile stage; marine reserves must be designed at ecologically appropriate spatial and temporal scales; and communication between scientists and decision makers must be improved with the help of individual scientists and interdisciplinary working groups.
Assessing the effects of in vitro imposed water stress on pineapple growth in relation to biochemical stress indicators using polynomial regression analysis
(AcademicPres, 2020) Sershen, Naidoo; Gómez, Daviel; Escalante, Doris
Knowing the mechanisms that operate under water stress in commercial crops, particularly those that can affect productivity, such as phenolic or cell wall metabolism, is becoming increasingly important in a scenario of global climate change. However, our understanding of how to analyse statistically the relationships between these commonly used biochemical markers of water stress and growth in crops like pineapple, needs to be improved. In the present work, we have addressed the question of whether polynomial regression analysis can be used to describe the influence of selected plant metabolites (chlorophylls, carotenoids, phenolics and aldehydes) on shoot biomass, in response to a mannitol-induced water stress in temporary immersion bioreactors (TIBs). Polynomial regression analysis has been applied to investigate plant stress responses in many species but is very seldom used in in vitro screening studies. Here, the relationship between biochemical indicators (x; independent variable) and shoot growth (y; dependent variable) has been characterised, with y modelled as an nth degree polynomial in x.
An assessment of the influence of host species, age, and thallus part on kelp-associated diatoms
(MDPI, 2020) Mayombo, Ntambwe Albert Serge; Majewska, R.; Smit, Albertus J.
Diatom community composition and abundances on different thallus parts of adult and juvenile specimens of Ecklonia maxima and Laminaria pallida were examined in False Bay, South Africa, using light and scanning electron microscopy. Altogether, 288 thallus portions were analysed. Diatom abundances ranged from 0 to 404 cells mm−2 and were generally higher on E. maxima and juvenile thalli than L. pallida and adult specimens. Moreover, diatom abundances differed between the various thallus parts, being highest on the upper blade and lowest on the primary blade. A total of 48 diatom taxa belonging to 28 genera were found. Gomphoseptatum Medlin, Nagumoea Witkowski and Kociolek, Cocconeis Ehrenberg, and Navicula Bory were the most frequently occurring genera, being present in 84%, 65%, 62.5%, and 45% of the analysed samples, respectively. Among these, Cocconeis and Gomphoseptatum were the most abundant, contributing 50% and 27% of total diatom cells counted collectively across all samples.
Austral winter marine epilithic diatoms: Community composition and distribution on intertidal rocky substrate around the coast of South Africa
(Elsevier, 2020) Cotiyane-Pondo, P; Dąbek, P; Bornman, T. G
The knowledge on the composition and spatial distribution of marine benthic diatoms around the coast of South Africa remains limited. Epilithic diatom assemblages from natural intertidal rocky substrate and physico-chemical variables were investigated during July–August in 2016 and 2017 along the South African coastline. A total of 85 diatom taxa from 31 genera were observed at 15 sites along the coast. Taxa with the highest contribution included Nitzschia (9 species), Cocconeis (7 species) and Achnanthes (6 species) and the observed Shannon–Wiener diversity (H’) during the study varied from 0.44 (Kraalbaai) to 2.09 (Bird Island). Non-metric multidimensional scaling ordination (nMDS) separated the diatom assemblages into three groups with 20% similarity among sites (grouped according to coastal sections) and PERMANOVA analysis revealed a significant difference between the coastal sections. The observed diatom composition was shown to be influenced by both nutrient concentrations along the west coast and temperature along the east coast. This study provides insights on the abundance and distribution patterns of marine littoral diatoms along the coastline and the potential environmental drivers. The observed variations in diatom composition and distribution warrant further investigations if they are to be considered as potential indicator species of change.
Beyond the jellyfish joyride and global oscillations: advancing jellyfish research
(Oxford University Press, 2013) Gibbons, Mark J.; Richardson, Anthony J.
There has been debate in the literature recently about increases in jellyfish populations in response to anthropogenic change, and this has attracted widespread media interest. Despite an international collaborative initiative [National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS) working group on jellyfish blooms] to investigate trends in global jellyfish numbers, interpretations from the data remain ambiguous. Although this is perhaps to be expected given the diversity of potential drivers, the debate has not been helped by a general lack of rigorous data and loose definitions. There is a need for the community to refocus its attention on understanding the implications of jellyfish blooms and managing them, because regardless of global trends, jellyfish are a problem in some coastal marine ecosystems. Here, we provide recommendations for advancing jellyfish research. These include directing research toward better managing jellyfish impacts, expanding research into socio-economic consequences to grow the money available for research, building more operational and ecosystem models for tactical and strategic management, filling in the gaps in our biological knowledge for supporting models, improving surveillance using observing systems and making jellyfish research more rigorous. Some vehicles to address these recommendations include international standardization of methods, a discipline-specific journal for jellyfish research and an international science program on the global ecology and oceanography of jellyfish.
Biocontrol Potential of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus tequilensis against Four Fusarium Species
(MDPI, 2023) Baard, Vejonepher; Bakare, Olalekan Olanrewaju; Daniel, Augustine Innalegwu; Nkomo, Mbukeni; Gokul, Arun
The use of biological control agents as opposed to synthetic agrochemicals to control plant pathogens has gained momentum, considering their numerous advantages. The aim of this study is to investigate the biocontrol potential of plant bacterial isolates against Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium proliferatum, Fusarium culmorum, and Fusarium verticillioides. Isolation, identification, characterization, and in vitro biocontrol antagonistic assays of these isolates against Fusarium species were carried out following standard protocols. The bacterial endophytes were isolated from Glycine max. L leaves (B1), Brassica napus. L seeds (B2), Vigna unguiculata seeds (B3), and Glycine max. L seeds (B4). The bacterial isolates were identified using 16S rRNA PCR sequencing. A phylogenetic analysis shows that the bacterial isolates are closely related to Bacillus subtilis (B1) and Bacillus tequilensis (B2–B4), with an identity score above 98%. All the bacterial isolates produced a significant amount (p < 0.05) of indole acetic acid (IAA), siderophores, and protease activity. In vitro antagonistic assays of these isolates show a significant (p < 0.05) growth inhibition of the fungal mycelia in the following order: F. proliferatum > F. culmorum > F. verticillioides > F. oxysporum, compared to the control. The results suggest that these bacterial isolates are good biocontrol candidates against the selected Fusarium species
Biodiversity: so much more than legs and leaves
(AOSIS OpenJournals, 2013) Cowan, Donald A.; Rybicki, Edward P.; Tuffin, Marla; Valverde, Angel; Wingfield, Michael
Microorganisms inhabit virtually every possible niche on Earth, including those at the outer envelope of survival. However, the focus of most conservation authorities and ecologists is the ‘legs and leaves’ side of biology – the ‘macrobiology’ that can be seen with the naked eye. There is little apparent concern for the preservation of microbial diversity, or of unique microbial habitats. Here we show examples of the astounding microbial diversity supported by South Africa’s ecosystems and argue that because microbes constitute the vast majority of our planet’s species they should be considered seriously in the future protection of our genetic resources.

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