Mandela University Estuarine Ecology

Mandela University Estuarine Ecology We specialise on estuaries; their functioning, conservation and management.

We are Nelson Mandela University postgraduate students and researchers working with Professor Janine Adams as part of the DSI/NRF Research Chair in Shallow Water Ecosystems. Current research focus areas are:

Freshwater requirements of estuaries

Eutrophication and water quality management of shallow water ecosystems and coastal habitats

Responses to climate change including the ecophysiolog

y of macrophytes

Ecosystem services and blue carbon habitats. Past research has successfully linked science, policy and management through extensive collaboration and networking with different universities, institutes and government departments. We are highly committed to research excellence.Our aims include research training and capacity building,publishing extensively in both national and international journals and making a significant contribution to global knowledge on estuary ecology and aquatic botany.

💦Research spotlight🌱We revisited the Kromme Estuary to continue data collection for student projects after the recent fl...
27/05/2026

💦Research spotlight🌱

We revisited the Kromme Estuary to continue data collection for student projects after the recent flood. This included Zostera capensis and macroinvertebrate sampling, as well as the collection of water samples. A very big thank you to Dr Lucienne Human from SAEON for assisting us!

💦Research spotlight🌱We visited the Swartkops Estuary with Botany honours student Okuhle Cembi to continue her project da...
22/05/2026

💦Research spotlight🌱

We visited the Swartkops Estuary with Botany honours student Okuhle Cembi to continue her project data collection. This included Zostera capensis and macroinvertebrate sampling, and the collection of water samples. A very big thank you to Dr Lucienne Human from SAEON for assisting us!

Today is International Day for Biological Diversity. 🌱🦀🐟🪿This year’s theme is "Acting locally for global impact," highli...
22/05/2026

Today is International Day for Biological Diversity. 🌱🦀🐟🪿

This year’s theme is "Acting locally for global impact," highlighting how major changes begin on a small, local scale and that community actions are essential to halting and reversing biodiversity loss, through partnerships with communities, government, science, business and development partners. 🤝

South Africa is recognised globally for its high biodiversity, exceptional species richness, and high levels of endemism. South Africa has three global biodiversity hotspots, 31 Ramsar wetlands of international importance and the unique Agulhas Bank marine ecosystem. 🌍 Local actions for estuaries are the removal of pressures including overfishing, reduction of freshwater inflow, pollutant inputs, stabilization of banks and interference with tidal exchange. 🌊🌿

🌿 Research Spotlight 🌊Third-year Botany student Tanith Moreton is investigating the subsidence of the Knysna Estuary sal...
18/05/2026

🌿 Research Spotlight 🌊

Third-year Botany student Tanith Moreton is investigating the subsidence of the Knysna Estuary salt marshes and their response to rising sea levels. 🌊

Supervised by Professor Janine Adams, Mr Andreas De Beer, and Dr Taryn Riddin, in collaboration with SAEON (South African Environmental Observation Network) and Prof Bornman and Mr Weitz, this study aims to determine whether the Knysna salt marsh is maintaining its elevation relative to sea level rise. 🌍

As sea levels continue to rise, salt marshes are exposed to more intense and prolonged flooding, threatening the survival of important salt marsh species. While these ecosystems naturally respond by shifting further inland, surrounding developments often prevent this movement, resulting in “coastal squeeze”. 🌱

This research will make use of RSET (Rod Surface Elevation Table) data and long-term monitoring to better understand how these vital ecosystems are adapting to environmental change. An RSET is a portable, high-precision mechanical leveling device used by wetland scientists and coastal ecologists to measure millimeter-scale changes in the surface elevation of wetland soils. 👨‍🔬

Happy birthday Riaan! 🥳 We hope you have a wonderful day 🎂 Thank you for all you do for the team! 🌊
01/05/2026

Happy birthday Riaan! 🥳 We hope you have a wonderful day 🎂 Thank you for all you do for the team! 🌊

Last week, we revisited the Kromme Estuary with two NMU honours students to continue their project field work. Thi...
30/04/2026



Last week, we revisited the Kromme Estuary with two NMU honours students to continue their project field work. This included Zostera capensis and macroinvertebrate sampling, and the collection of water samples.💦🌱

Today, we celebrate Earth Day 🌍🌿Earth Day is an international day devoted to our planet. It draws attention to the envir...
22/04/2026

Today, we celebrate Earth Day 🌍🌿

Earth Day is an international day devoted to our planet. It draws attention to the environment and promotes conservation and sustainability. 🌱 Earth Day is important because it raises awareness and promotes action towards protecting our planet and its natural resources.

The theme for this year is "Our Power, Our Planet", highlighting that environmental progress is sustained by daily collective actions by communities, educators, and families caring for where they live and work. 🌊 Looking for small actions that can make a big difference? Check out the Earth Day website for 50 Earth Day tips:
https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-tips/

Happy birthday Anesu! 🥳 Have a fantastic day 👏🌱
21/04/2026

Happy birthday Anesu! 🥳 Have a fantastic day 👏🌱

! Blue carbon ecosystems (BCEs), including mangroves, salt marshes, and seagrasses, play a critical role in climate mit...
14/04/2026

!

Blue carbon ecosystems (BCEs), including mangroves, salt marshes, and seagrasses, play a critical role in climate mitigation due to their high carbon sequestration capacity. 🌊🌿🌴 This article synthesized blue carbon data from 87 publications (January 1993 - March 2026) to evaluate the current state of knowledge and regional variability.

Despite Africa's extensive and diverse coastal ecosystems, continent-wide assessments of blue carbon stocks and accumulation rates remain scarce. 🌍

The findings highlight the urgent need to strengthen technical capacity, standardize methodologies, expand regional empirical studies, and integrate local knowledge to fully realize the potential of BCEs in supporting climate mitigation and coastal community resilience in Africa. 🌱👏

📌 Check it out here:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0964569126001171

This study reviewed how the St Lucia estuarine system responded to the recently implemented management approach of re-e...
13/04/2026



This study reviewed how the St Lucia estuarine system responded to the recently implemented management approach of re-establishing the connection between the uMfolozi River and the St Lucia Estuary, using physical and biotic responses. 🌱🌊

The St Lucia Estuary is a core feature of the iSimangaliso World Heritage Site and a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance, and this research has important implications for the management of these systems. It was recommended that the current management approach should be modified urgently in order to prevent the St Lucia estuarine lake becoming transformed into a freshwater coastal floodplain wetland. ‼️

📌 Check it out here:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.2989/16085914.2026.2616055

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