Sandprawns provide insight into the ecological value of estuaries
Grahamstown has an opportunity to hear about cutting-edge marine research on South Africa’s coast at the 2014 Smith Memorial Lecture on 25 September.
Sandprawns provide insight into the ecological value of estuaries
Grahamstown has an opportunity to hear about cutting-edge marine research on South Africa’s coast at the 2014 Smith Memorial Lecture on 25 September.
The guest speaker for the annual lecture, marine ecologist Dr Deena Pillay, will speak at the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB) in Somerset Street.
The lecture commemorates Margaret and JLB Smith and their legacy of discovery and research in the field of Ichthyology.
"The sandy bottoms and mudflats of estuaries can give the illusion of being lifeless and barren, while other marine systems appear to be rich and teeming with colourful life," SAIAB's Penny Haworth said in a media release about the event.
"However, life thrives beneath the surface of marine sediments, and the activities of these organisms provide functions that are important in regulating processes in marine systems."
Pillay is interested in the life systems supported by the sedimentary layers in estuaries and lagoons. He completed his PhD in 2006 on the effects that the activities of sandprawns have in intertidal sandflats in Durban Bay and did post-doctoral research on the ecology of the St Lucia Estuary.
Currently his main area of work is on estuarine systems in the Western Cape, where he is working towards understanding how burrowing creatures such as sandprawns influence the ecology of soft-sediments.
In his lecture, entitled ‘Marine sedimentary ecosystems: ecological value and conservation threats’ Pillay will show that marine soft sediment habitats are amongst the largest ecosystems in the world. In comparison with other marine ecosystems such as coral reefs and rocky shores, sedimentary systems receive less conservation attention globally.
They are also more seriously disturbed by human activities because they are easily accessed and provide wonderful areas for recreation.
The lecture at SAIAB in Somerset Street is on Thursday 25 September from 6.30pm-8.00pm.
