biological sciences 5
B I O L O G I C A L S C I E N C E S
tional role as publisher of the African Jour- mals. Undoubtedly though, much of the
nal of Marine Science, the primary vehicle major research over the past four decades
for marine bioscience publications in the has been spearheaded by the Mammal Re-
region. search Institute at UP. African mammalogy
has embraced both the marine and ter-
The last and most diverse group comprises restrial environments; marine mammalogy
researchers at universities and non-govern-
has concentrated on the cetaceans and pin-
mental organisations. Several coastal uni-
nipeds that frequent the coastline and the
versities have significant marine bioscience
sub-Antarctic islands, whereas terrestrial
groupings, notably UCT, University of the
mammalogy can be divided into research
Western Cape (UWC) and SU in the Western
on the large and charismatic mammals of
Cape, and UKZN, RU and Nelson Mandela
the sub-region, and the less studied smaller
Metropolitan University (NMMU). Other
mammal fauna. The major disciplines of
organisations include the Oceanographic
ecology (including behavioural ecology
Research Institute and Natal Sharks Board
and conservation ecology) and ecophysi-
in Durban. Researchers in such groupings
ology have been the main thrusts in large
have considerable freedom to pursue wider
mammal biology. The fields of ecophysiol-
research agendas and their interests are
ogy, sociobiology, ecology and behavioural
correspondingly diverse. However, some
ecology have been the major focus of work
co-ordination of marine research within
on small mammals. In addition, work on
the country has been encouraged and
mammalian systematics, conducted princi-
sustained by the South African Network
pally by groups at SU, UP and several mu-
for Coastal and Ocean Research (SANCOR),
seums, embraces standard morphological
which provides a forum for interaction and
as well as modern molecular phylogenetics
collaboration among local researchers and
and the use of chromosome painting that
has developed a series of co-ordinated the-
have greatly advanced our knowledge of
matic research programmes.
the relationships of mammals at the ordinal
and family level. In the field of ecology, the
5.3.4 Mammalian zoology
deployment of the latest electronic tech-
nology has allowed for the satellite tracking
M
ammalogy has been a strong dis-
of large marine and terrestrial mammals.
cipline in the biological sciences
within South Africa for the past
There are strong research groups in South
50 years, with a number of universities (UP,
Africa currently working in the disciplines
UCT, RU, NMMU and UKZN) playing major of thermophysiology, evolutionary ecol-
roles in its development. The Iziko, North- ogy, ecology, behavioural ecology, repro-
ern Flagship, McGregor, the Durban Natural ductive physiology and systematics. This is
Science Museum and the National Museum further recognised by the awarding of two
of Bloemfontein have had a strong involve- DST-NRF research chairs in the broad field
ment in maintaining collections of mam- of mammalogy.
151
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