Research Priorities and Foresight Exercises in South Africa: Review and Recent Results

2016 ◽  
pp. 95-112
Author(s):  
Anastassios Pouris ◽  
Portia Raphasha
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Research Priorities

scholarly journals Impacts of invasive plants on animal diversity in South Africa: A synthesis

Bothalia ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Susana Clusella-Trullas ◽  
Raquel A. Garcia
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Animal Species ◽  
Research Priorities ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Alien Plant ◽  
Invasive Alien Plant ◽  
Country Level ◽  
Spatial Coverage ◽  
Animal Diversity

Background: Increasing numbers of invasive alien plant (IAP) species are establishing around the globe and can have negative effects on resident animal species function and diversity. These impacts depend on a variety of factors, including the extent of invasion, the region and the taxonomic group affected. These context dependencies make extrapolations of IAP impacts on resident biota from region to region a substantial challenge. Objectives: Here, we synthesised data from studies that have examined the effects of IAPs on animal diversity in South Africa. Our focus is on ectothermic organisms (reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates). Method: We sourced relevant articles using keywords relating to (1) the effects of IAPs on species diversity (abundance, richness and composition), (2) the IAP and (3) the native ectotherm. We extracted the taxonomic and spatial coverage of IAPs and affected native species and assessed the extent of information given on potential mechanisms driving IAP impacts. Results: Across the 42 studies, IAPs had a decreasing or neutral effect on native animal abundance and richness and significantly changed species composition. This review highlighted the paucity of studies and the research deficits in taxonomic and geographic coverage and in the mechanisms underlying IAP impacts on ectotherms. Conclusion: By assessing the status of knowledge regarding the impacts of IAPs on resident animal species in South Africa, this study identifies information gaps and research priorities at the country level with a view to informing monitoring and conservation efforts, such as alien plant removal and control programmes, and ensuring that endemic terrestrial animal diversity is maintained.

scholarly journals Science in the service of society: Is marine and coastal science addressing South Africa’s needs?

2019 ◽  
Vol 115 (1/2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevern L. Cochrane ◽  
Warwick H.H Sauer ◽  
Shankar Aswani
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Environmental Science ◽  
National Development ◽  
Research Priorities ◽  
Ecological Resilience ◽  
Modern World ◽  
Human Sciences ◽  
Societal Needs ◽  
Science Symposium

The modern world is confronted with many and diverse social and environmental challenges of high complexity. In South Africa, rapid and sustainable development is needed to address high levels of poverty and unemployment but this development has to take place in the context of an environment that is already severely impacted by human activities. Sound and relevant scientific input and advice, covering the full scope of each challenge, is essential for effective decisions and actions to address the needs. South Africa has the benefit of strong scientific capacity but the country’s National Development Plan reported that national research priorities were not always consistent with South Africa’s needs. We investigate the validity of that conclusion in the coastal and marine sciences by examining presentations made at the 2017 South African Marine Science Symposium on the theme of ‘Unlocking the ocean’s economic potential whilst maintaining social and ecological resilience’. Despite the theme, only 21% of the presentations were judged to be actionable and directly relevant to societal needs, as defined by the criteria used. Less than 7% were evaluated as being interdisciplinary within the natural sciences and approximately 10% were found to include both natural and human sciences. Poor representation by the human sciences was also noteworthy. This preliminary assessment highlights the need for an urgent review of the disciplinary representation and approaches in marine and coastal science in South Africa in the context of the priority practical needs of the country now and into the future. Significance: • Despite the urgent need for integrated scientific input and advice to guide responsible and sustainable national development, a preliminary snapshot of marine and coastal science in South Africa demonstrated a low regard for direct relevance and inter- and multidisciplinarity. • If these general results are verified by a more comprehensive review, urgent realignment of funding and incentives for marine and coastal science, and probably environmental science in general, is likely to be required to ensure science provides a greater service to society, which is the source of much of the country’s research funding.

scholarly journals A method for establishing taxonomic research priorities in a megadiverse country

Phytotaxa ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 203 (1) ◽  
pp. 55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janine Victor ◽  
Gideon F. Smith ◽  
ABRAHAM E. VAN WYK
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Research And Development ◽  
Research Priorities ◽  
End Users ◽  
Research Strategy ◽  
Taxonomic Information ◽  
Taxonomic Research ◽  
Types Of Information ◽  
Associated Data

A coordinated strategy for biosystematics research that addresses the needs of end-users can improve the relevance and impact of research products. The basic types of information that taxonomists provide, common to all organisms, are the names, descriptions, and a mechanism for identifying components of biodiversity, and associated data such as distribution information. This information is provided through taxonomic research.      A biosystematics research strategy has been developed in South Africa to focus on the main gaps in taxonomic knowledge. A prioritisation process has been developed and applied to plants, but can potentially be used for all organisms. The methodology for development of the taxonomic priorities to formulate a research strategy is described. Determining priorities for taxonomic research and development of the strategy will facilitate bridging the gaps among compilers, users and implementers of taxonomic information, and streamline the taxonomy-conservation impediment.

scholarly journals Research priorities for control of zoonoses in South Africa

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Greg Simpson ◽  
Fabiola Quesada ◽  
Pranab Chatterjee ◽  
Manish Kakkar ◽  
Matthew F Chersich ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Complex Disease ◽  
Reference Group ◽  
Research Priorities ◽  
Health Study ◽  
Anthropogenic Factors ◽  
Valley Fever ◽  
Research Priority ◽  
Systems Research ◽  
Wilderness Areas

Abstract Background Zoonoses pose major threats to the health of humans, domestic animals and wildlife, as seen in the COVID-19 pandemic. Zoonoses are the commonest source of emerging human infections and inter-species transmission is facilitated by anthropogenic factors such as encroachment and destruction of wilderness areas, wildlife trafficking and climate change. South Africa was selected for a ‘One Health’ study to identify research priorities for control of zoonoses due to its complex disease burden and an overstretched health system. Methods A multidisciplinary group of 18 experts identified priority zoonotic diseases, knowledge gaps and proposed research priorities for the next 5 y. Each priority was scored using predefined criteria by another group of five experts and then weighted by a reference group (n=28) and the 18 experts. Results Seventeen diseases were mentioned with the top five being rabies (14/18), TB (13/18), brucellosis (11/18), Rift Valley fever (9/11) and cysticercosis (6/18). In total, 97 specific research priorities were listed, with the majority on basic epidemiological research (n=57), such as measuring the burden of various zoonoses (n=24), followed by 20 on development of new interventions. The highest research priority score was for improving existing interventions (0.77/1.0), followed by health policy and systems research (0.72/1.0). Conclusion Future zoonotic research should improve understanding of zoonotic burden and risk factors and new interventions in public health. People with limited rural services, immunocompromised, in informal settlements and high-risk occupations, should be the highest research priority.

Time and Latitude in South Africa

1972 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 27-38
Author(s):  
J. Hers
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Cape Town ◽  
Astronomical Observations ◽  
Royal Observatory ◽  
The Republic ◽  
Astronomical Determination ◽  
Limited Accuracy ◽  
Better Than

In South Africa the modern outlook towards time may be said to have started in 1948. Both the two major observatories, The Royal Observatory in Cape Town and the Union Observatory (now known as the Republic Observatory) in Johannesburg had, of course, been involved in the astronomical determination of time almost from their inception, and the Johannesburg Observatory has been responsible for the official time of South Africa since 1908. However the pendulum clocks then in use could not be relied on to provide an accuracy better than about 1/10 second, which was of the same order as that of the astronomical observations. It is doubtful if much use was made of even this limited accuracy outside the two observatories, and although there may – occasionally have been a demand for more accurate time, it was certainly not voiced.

Combining Professional Interests and Travel: People to People Citizen Ambassador Program

2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 47-54
Author(s):  
Alex Johnson ◽  
Amanda Hitchins
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Health Education ◽  
Communication Disorders ◽  
Social Conditions ◽  
Speech Language Pathologists ◽  
Exchange Program

Abstract This article summarizes a series of trips sponsored by People to People, a professional exchange program. The trips described in this report were led by the first author of this article and include trips to South Africa, Russia, Vietnam and Cambodia, and Israel. Each of these trips included delegations of 25 to 50 speech-language pathologists and audiologists who participated in professional visits to learn of the health, education, and social conditions in each country. Additionally, opportunities to meet with communication disorders professionals, students, and persons with speech, language, or hearing disabilities were included. People to People, partnered with the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), provides a meaningful and interesting way to learn and travel with colleagues.

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