PAST TEAM MEMBERS

FORMER POSTDOCS

Jeff Zeyl – jeffreyzeyl.ca
Project: Do seabirds use infrasound to navigate the vast ocean?

Raquel Garcia – raquelgarciaresearch.wordpress.com
Project title: Exploring the interacting effect of climate change and species’ traits on biological invasions.

Mike Logan, University of Nevada, Reno – evolutioninthetropics.com
Project title: Natural selection in response to geographic and temporal variation in climate.

Melissa Plasman, Universidad Autonoma de Tlaxcala, Mexico
Project title: Climate effects on costs and benefits of food intake and assimilation in the lizard Agama atra.

FORMER STUDENTS

Grant Smith (Honours) (co-supervisor: P. Richardson)
Project title: Spotting the true beauty: investigating the association between elytral and body cuticle melanisation in Harmonia axyridis

Gaylen Carelse, (MSc)
Project title: The influence of life-stage and microsite use on the temperature tolerance of the Harlequin lady beetle Harmonia axyridis

Jody Thorburn, (Honours)
Project title: Three-dimensional models of museum specimens improve estimates of lizard surface area: implications for biophysical modelling

Cath Flanagan, (Honours)
Project title: Sex-specific plasticity of melanisation in field populations of the beetle Harmonia axyridis

Welri Nortje, (MSc)
Project title: Exploring behavioural thermoregulation in squamates: an analytical approach

Courtney Klink, Honours (co-supervisor)
Project title: Investigating the thermal ecology of plant-pollinator interactions in spring-flowering daisies

Heinre Stander, Honours
Project title: Temperature effects on the water balance of an invasive urban-dweller diurnal gecko

Pauline Dufour, (PhD) (co-supervisor)
Project title: Climate change, wildlife trade, and the ecophysiological consequences of nocturnal versus diurnal activity in lizards.

Nicole Martin, (PhD) (co-supervisor)
Project: Implications of changing ocean temperature and pH for the predatory whelk Trochia cingulata

Amy Collop, (MSc) (co-supervisor)
Project: The worldwide population genetics of Harmonia axyridis: How the invasive Harlequin Ladybird invaded, and moves within, South Africa

Federico Massetti, (PhD) (co-supervisors: M. Shawkey; L. D’Alba)
Project title: Exploring the thermal properties of coloured integument using cordylid lizards

Amy Williams, Honours
Project title: Oviposition site selection and temperature-dependent development of the harlequin lady beetle Harmonia axyridis

Jonathan Goldenberg, (PhD) (co-supervisor)
Project title: Evolution and thermal properties of colour producing mechanisms in squamates. A past, present and future synopsis (2021)

Karla Alujevic, (PhD) (co-supervisors: M. Logan, J. Streicher)
Project title: Does behavior mediate evolutionary trajectories to climate adaptation? (2020)

Ella Morran, (MSc) (co-supervisor: R. Garcia)
Project title: Effects of invasive alien plants on the thermal landscape and food resources of the parrot-beaked dwarf tortoise, Homopus areolatus (2019)

Dianah Kutama, (MSc) (co-supervisor: I. Minnaar)
Project title: Developmental plasticity of Harmonia axyridis:a test of relationships between melanisation and performance (2019)

Ingrid Minnaar, (PhD)
Project title: Species traits and their phenotypic plasticity as determinants of insect invasiveness: combining statistical and experimental approaches (2018)

Tiaan Barnard, Honours
Project title: Intra-specific competition for thermal resources did not impact thermoregulatory behaviour in the lizard Agama atra (2017)

Casey Broom, (MSc)
Project title: Thermal adaptation and behaviour: the interplay between performance and personality in the intertidal teleost Clinus superciliosus (2016)

Paula Strauss, (MSc) (co-supervisor)
Project title: Investigating the genetic and physiological adaptive potential of Meroles knoxii (Family: Lacertidae) in response to climate change (2016)

Ruben Schoombie, (MSc) (co-supervisor)
Project title: Physiological Ecology of a Cape Floristic Region frog, Breviceps montanus (2015)

Skye Butterson, Honours
Project title: Transgenerational plasticity of temperature tolerance in the invasive ladybird, Harmonia axyridis (2015)

Jessica Allen, PhD
Project title: Examining the relative contributions of latitudinal variation and phenotypic plasticity to thermal tolerance in arthropods (2015)

Sarah Davies, PhD
Project title: Geographic range, spread and potential distribution of the painted reed frog Hyperolius marmoratus in the Western Cape Province, South Africa (2014)

Rebecca Shinner, (MSc)
Project title: Thermal biology of the invasive ladybird Harmonia axyridis: physiological plasticity, thermoregulatory behaviour and fitness (2014)

Elsje Schreuder, (MSc)
Project title: Impacts of alien invasive pines on lizard diversity and thermal habitat quality (2014)

Ryan R.J. Daniels, (MSc) (co-supervisor)
Project title: Dispersal potential and gene flow of lacertid Pedioplanis lineoocellata based on mark-recapture and microsatellites (2014)

Helene Basson, (MSc)
Project title: Thermal adaptation in the lizard Cordylus oelofseni: physiological and behavioural responses to temperature variation (2013)

Nanike Esterhuizen, (MSc) (co-supervisor)
Project title: Effects of thermal history on temperature-dependent flight performance in insects: Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae) as a model organism (2013)

Katelyn Faulkner, (MSc)
Project title: Phenotypic plasticity of upper thermal tolerance in marine invertebrates at several hierarchical and geographical scales (2012)

Casey Broom, Honours (co-supervisor)
Project title: Thermal physiology of South African Clinid fishes: a comparison of three species occupying contrasting coastal habitats (2013)

Wilna Jansen, Honours (co-supervisor)
Project title: Morphological traits and bioindicators: a case study on dung beetles in the Maputaland Centre of Endemism (2009)