Palesa Mohlopi
Project Title: phylogenetic investigation of versatility hypothesis in ethnobiology
Project outline: in her project, Ms Mohlopi will first apply modern statistics to test the versatility hypothesis. Then, she will reconstruct the timing of the diversification history of plants of different uses (medicinal, food, condiments), hypothesizing that medicinal plants diversified at a later stage than plants of other uses.
Project title: Urban Green Spaces as Catalysts for Economic Activity
Project outline: This project will assess how the presence, quality, and types of urban green spaces influence nearby business density, consumer foot traffic. Using spatial analysis and field surveys, Ms Inga will compare commercial performance indicators around selected parks and non-green urban areas. Findings will inform city planning strategies to optimize green infrastructure for sustainable economic growth.
Project title: Evolutionary diversification history of Pentazinae.
Project outline: Ms. Ayanda Buti will be estimating the divergence times of major lineages within Pentazinae using molecular clock analysis. She will further analyse the historical biogeography of Pentazinae by inferring ancestral geographic range and dispersal patterns and lastly, she will assess morphological character evolution by mapping key traits onto the reconstructed phylogeny.
Project Title: Taxonomy and Biome Colonization of Phylica in South Africa
Project outline: This project will examine the taxonomic classification and phylogenetic relationships of Phylica within the family Rhamnaceae. In addition, Ms Sadiki will reconstruct the evolutionary history of the distribution of Phylica species across major South African biomes.
Ms. Balbine Alindekon
Project outline: MSc research on Urban heat island and human well-being in Africa
Project title: The future of global biome in the context of biological invasions.
Project outline: Mr Lesibana project investigates global patterns of alien plant diversity by applying island biogeography theory to explain variation in alien species richness across cities worldwide. It reconstructs the phylogenetic regionalization of the world based on alien plant assemblages to reveal evolutionary and biogeographic structuring. Finally, it tests the relationship between alien plant species richness and human population density to assess the role of anthropogenic pressure in shaping global invasion patterns.
Project Title: Integrating remote sensing, environmental drivers and phylogenetic structure to study vegetation phenology and plant-insect synchrony across South Africa.
Project outline: My PhD integrates remote sensing, phylogenetic data, and insect time-series to investigate how environmental gradients and evolutionary history shape vegetation phenology and plant–insect interactions across South Africa. I quantify the drivers of vegetation phenology across habitats, test whether phenological patterns are phylogenetically structured, and assess the extent of synchrony and mismatch between plants and insects. By combining large-scale spatial modelling with targeted field validation, the study aims to improve understanding of biodiversity dynamics and ecosystem functioning under changing environmental conditions.
Project Title: Climate-Driven Phenological Shifts and Pollination Network Vulnerability in Congo Basin Trees
Project Outline: This study examines how climate variability shapes flowering phenology, temporal trends, and phylogenetic patterns of tree species in the Congo Basin. It tests whether different pollination modes influence phenological strategies and sensitivity to climate change. Finally, it assesses whether phenological shifts increase pollination mismatch and extinction risk, threatening ecological stability and evolutionary resilience.
Andre Tiawoun
Post Doctoral fellow
I am a conservation ecologist focused on understanding plant diversity, evolutionary history, and the factors driving species extinction. My work integrates field studies, spatial analysis, and phylogenetic tools to inform conservation strategies and prioritize efforts for threatened flora across Africa.
Host: Prof. Kowiyou Yessoufou
Mr. Lesibana Sedibana, MSc student in Environmental Management, working on biological invasion, supervised by Prof. Yessoufou (ACDB, UJ).
Ms. Patience Mamathaba, PhD student in Environmental Management, working on mathematical modelling of population dynamics of Securidaca longepedunculata, supervised by Prof. Yessoufou (ACDB, UJ) and Prof. Orou Gaoue, University of Tennessee, USA.
Mr. Gregoire Sadiki, PhD student in Environmental Management, working on chemical ecology of Encephalartos villosus, supervised by Prof. Yessoufou (ACDB, UJ) and Dr Terence Suinyuy (University of Mpumalanga, South Africa).