Seeking a PhD candidate to investigate:

Mammal diversity change and recovery following prescribed fire management on the Munywana Conservancy

Institutions:

Getty Asterism, Zuka Private Game Reserve

University of South Africa, Applied Behavioural Ecology and Ecosystem Research Unit (ABEERU) Department of Environmental Sciences

Start date:

1 January 2027

Supervisors:

Dr Haemish Melville (ABEERU)

Dr Anne Pandraud (Getty Asterism, Zuka Private Game Reserve)

Brief project background:

Bush encroachment is a widespread challenge affecting savanna ecosystems throughout southern Africa, altering habitat structure and potentially reducing the suitability of habitats for many wildlife species. Prescribed burning is commonly used as a management tool to reduce woody vegetation and restore more open habitat conditions. However, the response of mammal communities to bush encroachment treatment remains poorly understood, particularly in terms of the rate and extent of recovery following burning.

This project aims to investigate the diversity, abundance, and spatio-temporal activity of mammals  in encroached areas before and after prescribed burns. Specifically, the study will assess whether mammals return to treated areas following burning, how quickly recolonization occurs, and whether changes in species diversity and community composition are sustained over time. By monitoring mammal assemblages  before and after management interventions, the project will provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of prescribed burning as a restoration tool for wildlife habitat.

This research is a collaborative initiative between Getty Asterism, through the Munywana Conservancy, and the Applied Behavioural Ecology and Ecosystems research Unit. The findings will contribute to evidence-based land management practices and support the development of adaptive conservation strategies aimed at restoring ecosystem function and biodiversity in savanna landscapes.

Candidate:

We are looking for a candidate who holds a Master of Science degree in Zoology, Animal Ecology or similar field. The candidate must be comfortable with RStudio and/or Python and QGIS. The candidate will also have to run camera trap survey and go through many images thus, the use of camera trap image analysis software will be a requirement. We expect the candidate to develop the project focusing on the following areas of investigation: vegetation mapping, mammal diversity surveys, mammal species abundance estimation, mammal spatio-temporal distribution.

General:

The student will carry out the investigation while being registered -as a student of the University of South Africa. The study will be carried out on the Munywana Conservancy. While conducting fieldwork, on site accommodation will be provided. An initial stipend will also be provided (a portion of which can be allocated to registration fees) for the first year of the study and may be extended depending on the project development. Onsite transport will be provided by the reserve. While some core equipment will be made available (camera traps and small mammal traps), the candidate should be prepared to seek funding through bursaries and from other sources for additional equipment. The candidate must be in possession of a driver’s license that is valid in South Africa.