ResearchSpace :: Browsing by Author "Van Niekerk, Lara"

Browsing by Author "Van Niekerk, Lara"

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Advancing ecosystem accounting in estuaries: Swartkops Estuary case study
(2023-03) Taljaard, Susan; Van Niekerk, Lara; Adams, JB; Riddin, T
Rapid degradation of ecosystems and loss of ecosystem services have sparked interest in developing approaches to report and integrate such change with socio-economic information systems, such as the System of National Accounts. Here we describe an approach and application of ecosystem accounting for individual estuaries, building on approaches previously applied at national and bay levels. Using the Swartkops Estuary as a case study, the focus is on physical accounts for ecosystem extent and condition, as well as accounts for two important ecosystem services (carbon sequestration and recreational use). Pressure accounts are also introduced to demonstrate the value of identifying key areas for management and restoration interventions in response to changes in extent and/or condition accounts. Greater resolution in these account reports, achieved through zoning, provides spatially explicit information on ecosystem assets and their services within an estuary to also inform management decision-making at local level. Further, these accounts can also inform local restoration prioritisation, in support of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021–2030), for example offsetting irreversibly degraded areas in one zone with restoration or maintenance of similar habitats in another.
Advancing land-sea integration for ecologically meaningful coastal conservation and management
(Elsevier, 2019-09) Harris, LR; Bessinger, M; Dayaram, A; Holness, S; Kirkman, S; Livingstone, TC; Lombard, AT; Lück-Vogel, Melanie; Pfaff, M; Sink, KJ; Skowno, AL; Van Niekerk, Lara
Coasts are among our most valuable natural assets but are under intense pressure from human use and climate change. Despite this, coasts – as a coherent ecological unit – have been poorly included in conservation plans, largely because they are inadequately delineated. There are usually gaps and overlaps at the edges of the separate terrestrial-, estuarine- and marine-realm maps, and often no clarity on which specific coastal boundary (e.g., high-water mark) was used, other than vaguely, ‘the coastline’. This particularly compromises conservation and management of ecotonal, intertidal ecosystems along realm-map seams because they are poorly defined and mapped. Therefore, a key step in advancing coastal conservation, assessment, planning and management is to generate a fine-scale ecosystem-type map that is seamless across realms. We undertook this for South Africa, aiming to delineate the ecotone into ecologically meaningful zones comprising structurally and functionally appropriate ecosystem types. We defined and mapped (at<1:3000) the ‘seashore’ as the land-sea interface between the dune scrub-thicket break and the back of the surf zone. The seashore is divided at the dune base into a landward ‘backshore’ and seaward ‘shore’, with the inherent dynamic variability included in the boundary delineation and constituent ecosystem types. Estuaries were also embedded into the map. Finally, we created rules for including adjacent terrestrial and marine ecosystem types in an ecologically determined coastal zone. We describe what tools this seashore integration and coastal delineation has unlocked, and how this places South Africa in a strong position to manage and conserve its coast
Advancing mouth management practices in the Groot Brak Estuary, South Africa
(Delft Academic Press, 2020-02) Van Niekerk, Lara; Adams, JB; Taljaard, Susan; Huizinga, Piet; Lamberth, S; Slinger, J; Taljaard, Susan; D'Hont, F; Mittal, A
The early 1990s in South Africa were characterised by a strongly hierarchical and technocratic regime where planning and development decisions regarding the environment were made at national government level with little or no public consultation (Slinger et al., 2005). One such a decision was the construction of the 70 m high and 270 m wide Wolwedans Dam (with a capacity of 23 × 106 m3) only 3 km upstream of the Groot Brak Estuary (also known as the Great Brak Estuary) by the South African Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) (Figure 6.1). However, then the local community of the Town of Groot Brak feared the effects of reduced water supply on the health of the estuary, as well as the risk of flooding during dam failure. Increasing public pressure, and consequent media coverage, culminated in the DWAF setting up a steering committee, the Groot Brak River Environmental Committee (GEC). This committee was tasked to investigate the effect of the dam on the estuary, and to establish a management plan for the optimal use of the reserved water (1 x 106 m3) to maintain current ecological health. The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) were commissioned to undertake this assessment (CSIR, 1990; Slinger et al., 2005).
Advancing the science of environmental flow management for protection of temporarily closed estuaries and coastal lagoons
(2021-02) Stein, ED; Gee, EM; Adams, JB; Irving, K; Van Niekerk, Lara
The science needed to inform management of environmental flows to temporarily closed estuaries and coastal lagoons is decades behind the state of knowledge for rivers and large embayments. These globally ubiquitous small systems, which are often seasonally closed to the ocean’s influence, are under particular threat associated with hydrologic alteration because of changes in atershed land use, water use practices, and climate change. Managing environmental flows in these systems is complicated by their tight coupling with watershed processes, variable states because of intermittently closing mouths, and reliance on regional scale sediment transport and littoral processes. Here we synthesize our current understanding of ecohydrology in temporarily closed estuaries (TCEs) and coastal lagoons and propose a prioritized research agenda aimed at advancing understanding of ecological responses to altered flow regimes in TCEs. Key research needs include agreeing on a consistent typology, improving models that couple watershed and ocean forcing at appropriate spatial and temporal scales, quantifying stress–response relationships associated with hydrologic alteration, improving tools to establish desired conditions that account for climate change and consider cultural/indigenous objectives, improving tools to measure ecosystem function and social/cultural values, and developing monitoring and adaptive management programs that can inform environmental flow management in consideration of other stressors and across different habitat types. Coordinated global efforts to address the identified research gaps can help guide management actions aimed at reducing or mitigating potential impacts of hydrologic alteration and climate change through informed management of freshwater inflows.
Assessing and planning future estuarine resource use: A scenario-based regional-scale freshwater allocation approach
(Elsevier, 2019-03) Van Niekerk, Lara; Adams, JB; Allan, DG; Taljaard, Susan; Weerts, Steven P; Louw, D; Talanda, C; Van Rooyen, P
Rapid urbanisation and industrial growth in South Africa increases the need for proactive allocation of freshwater resources on a regional scale. A nine-step method is described that sets long-term targets for water resource condition and future use with a focus on estuary water quantity and quality requirements. The approach specifically focuses on the environmental flow allocation to estuaries, nested within a broader, regional (multi-catchment and multi-estuary) water resource landscape. The method differs to most other approaches in that the responses of multiple estuaries to escalating future development in a region are coherently quantified (versus only considering a single estuary in a single catchment). A case study that assessed the health, biodiversity importance and resilience to current and future pressures of 64 estuaries is used to illustrate the method. Projected growth in the study area was integrated into a range of future dam development and wastewater discharge scenarios. The results showed that estuaries around the urban centres were in poor condition, but those in the more rural areas in a more natural state. As a result of their small size, most of the estuaries in the region had little resilience to changes in freshwater quantity and nutrient loading. In contrast, the larger systems, targeted for dam development, only showed sensitivity to water abstraction during low-flow periods when base-flow reduction caused mouth closure and changes in nutrient processes. Broadly, the approach aimed to find a balance between ecological requirements and socio-economic development, which meant that maintaining larger systems in relatively good condition would be at the expense of smaller systems that are already in a poor condition. The approach developed was successful in quantifying the responses of multiple estuaries to escalating future pressures on a regional scale, and could be replicated to assist in managing water resources elsewhere in data-limited environments.
Assessing habitat type in KZN estuaries using VHR remote sensing imagery
(2014-10) Lück-Vogel, Melanie; Mbolambi, Cikizwa; Van Niekerk, Lara; Rautenbach, K; Adams, J
Within the presented project, we are comparing ecosystem and land cover classifications for the Greater St Lucia region derived from multispectral RapidEye (5m resolution), WorldView-2 (2m resolution), SPOT-6 (5.55m resolution) data with and without the additional use of LiDAR derived elevation data. Aiming for transferability of the classification approach, prior to classification, all images were corrected for atmospheric and radiometric effects. As ground reference, a GIS-derived wetland classification based on site visits and aerial photos from 2013 have been used. The respective wetland classes are aligned with existing habitat keys (e.g. from the South African National Biodiversity Assessment), which will enable implementation of our classification in existing management practices. For non-wetland areas, existing land cover classes from the SPOT-5 based KZN Land Cover from 2008 were used as reference. From both reference data sets, stratified random points for each class were extracted and part of it was used for the training of the classification and the remainder for the validation of the results. The same set of points was used for each satellite classification. This allowed an unbiased comparison of the classification results. Classification algorithms used are Maximum Likelihood and a non-parametric decision tree approach.
Assessing the feasibility of mapping changes of ecosystem functional groups in South African estuaries using Landsat and Sentinel images of 1990, 2014, 2018 and 2020
(2024-12) Van Deventer, Heidi; Apleni, P; Adams, JB; Riddin, T; Whitfield, E; Machite, A; Van Niekerk, Lara
This study evaluates the feasibility of using medium-resolution satellite sensors to monitor changes in the extent of ecosystem functional groups (EFGs) in South African estuaries, for reporting on the 2030 targets of the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). Landsat and Sentinel-1 and -2 image collections in Google Earth Engine (GEE) were used to generate output layers for each of the national land cover years—1990, 2014, 2018 and 2020. Image composites of each year’s two growth seasons and one dry season, vegetation indices and topographic data were generated. Changes in the extent and accuracies of three estuarine (mangroves, salt marshes and submerged macrophytes) and three freshwater (forested wetlands, freshwater marshes and large macrophytes) EFGs were calculated and compared to a manually mapped through image interpretation, high-confidence layer. Overall, estuarine EFGs comprised between 10 and 18% of the extent of the EFGs, while freshwater EFGs made up 15% of the extent of estuaries. The overall accuracies of detection of EFGs for 1990 were < 64% compared to the > 71% attained for 2014, 2018 and 2020. In comparison to manual delineations of some of these habitats, the outputs generated from these medium-resolution sensors resulted in overestimation of extent for all EFGs; for mangroves by 115% and for salt marshes and submerged macrophytes by 150–230%. Finer spatial resolution images, and time-series mapping would be critical for improved delineation and monitoring of South Africa’s estuarine habitats.
Assessment of the conservation priority status of South African estuaries for use in management and water allocation
(Water Research Commission, 2002-04) Turpie, JK; Adams, JB; Joubert, A; Harrison, TD; Colloty, BM; Maree, RC; Whitfield, AK; Wooldridge, TH; Lamberth, SJ; Taljaard, Susan; Van Niekerk, Lara
The future health and productivity of South Africa's approximately 250 estuaries is dependent on two main factors; management and freshwater inputs. Both management and water allocation decisions involve trade-offs between conservation and various types of utilisation. In order to facilitate decision-making in both of these spheres, it is necessary to understand the relative conservation importance of different estuaries. This study devises a method for prioritising South African estuaries on the basis of conservation importance, and presents the results of a ranking based on the collation of existing data for all South African estuaries. Estuaries are scored in terms of their size, type and biogeographical zone, habitats and biota (plants, invertebrates, fish and birds). Thirty-three estuaries are currently under formal protection, but they are not representative of all estuarine biodiversity, We performed a complementarity analysis, incorporating data on abundance where available, to determine the minimum set of estuaries that includes all known species of plants, invertebrates, fishes and birds. In total, 32 estuaries were identified as 'required protected areas', including 10 which are already protected. An estuary's importance status (including 'required protected area' status) will influence the choice of management class and hence freshwater allocation under the country's new Water Act, and can be used to assist the development of a new management strategy for estuaries, which is currently underway.
Blue Carbon at the southern tip of Africa: Current knowledge and future perspectives for dynamic estuarine environments
(2025-09) Adams, JB; Buttner, D; Hawkes, S; Human, LRD; Machite, A; Mfikili, AN; Ndhlovu, A; Smit, L-A; Van Deventer, Heidi; Van Niekerk, Lara
Blue Carbon Ecosystems (BCEs), specifically salt marsh, seagrass, mangroves, occur in South Africa's relatively small, sheltered estuaries that are often disconnected from the ocean. These are dynamic environments where shifts between BCEs and other habitats along ecotones occur in response to mouth changes, floods and droughts, as well as anthropogenic pressures. Although Blue Carbon is becoming well established in South Africa, critical knowledge gaps remain; these are summarised under seven themes and future research and management actions identified. A holistic approach is recommended for Blue Carbon studies in estuaries to measure across elevation gradients (rather than focusing on individual vegetation types) and to include reeds, sedges and forested wetlands. Additionally, quantifying data deficient carbon stocks and processes, modelling future climate change impacts, instilling a sustainable long-term monitoring program, incorporating relevant emerging blue carbon stocks, realizing nationally inclusive restoration and protection co-management plans, and aligning local approaches with global frameworks of reporting are advocated as future recommendations with respect to South African BCEs. South Africa has high biodiversity and unique pressures influencing BCEs and is well positioned to inform the global research agenda. While the limited spatial extent of BCEs restricts the feasibility of carbon credit opportunities, high biodiversity values of these ecosystems hold potential under emerging ‘nature credit’ frameworks.
Blue carbon sinks in South Africa and the need for restoration to enhance carbon sequestration
(2023-02) Raw, JL; Van Niekerk, Lara; Chauke, O; Riddin, T; Adams, JB
Blue carbon ecosystems (mangroves, salt marshes, and seagrasses) contribute towards climate change mitigation because they are efficient at sequestering atmospheric CO2 into long-term total ecosystem carbon stocks. Destruction or disturbance therefore reduces sink capacity and leads to significant CO2 emissions. This study reports the first national estimates of: 1) total carbon storage, 2) CO2 emissions from anthropogenic activities, 3) the potential for restoration to enhance carbon sequestration for blue carbon ecosystems in South Africa. Mangrove ecosystems have the greatest carbon storage per unit area (253–534 Mg C ha-1), followed by salt marshes (100–199 Mg C ha-1) and seagrasses (45–144 Mg C ha-1). Salt marshes are the most extensive and contribute 67 % to the national carbon stock of 4000 Gg C. Since 1930, 6500 ha has been lost across all blue carbon ecosystems (26 % of the natural extent), equivalent to losing 1086 Gg C from the national carbon stock. Historic CO2 emissions were estimated at an average rate of 30,266 t CO2e yr-1. Despite losses, a total of 3998 ha could be restored to increase carbon sequestration and CO2 removals of 14,845 tCO2e.yr-1. Extractive activities have declined rapidly in recent decades, but abiotic pressures on estuarine ecosystems (flow modification, reduced water quality, and artificial breaching) have been increasing. There is an urgent need to quantify the potential impact of these pressures and include them in estuarine management and restoration plans. Blue carbon ecosystems cover a relatively small area in South Africa, but they are valued for their multiple ecosystem services that contribute towards climate change adaptation and biodiversity co-benefits. These ecosystems need to be included in national policies driving climate change response in the Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land-Use (AFOLU) sector, such as incorporating them into the wetland subcategory of the national GHG inventory.
Case studies of modified South African estuaries and implications for ecological restoration in these systems
(2019-09) Weerts, Steven P; MacKay, F; Taljaard, Susan; Van Niekerk, Lara
Presentation on the case studies of modified South African estuaries and implications for ecological restoration in these systems.
Changes in invasive alien aquatic plants in a small closed estuary
(Elsevier, 2020-09) Nunes, M; Adams, JB; Van Niekerk, Lara
Invasive alien aquatic plants (IAAPs) are rapidly spreading in South African estuaries because of anthropogenic nutrient loading and persistent freshwater conditions. This study investigated changes in IAAP cover in relation to development pressures in the temporarily closed, subtropical uThongathi Estuary. Changes over time (1937-2018) were assessed using historical aerial photographs and rectified satellite imagery. The IAAP cover was assessed quarterly in relation to river flow, physico-chemical and nutrient monitoring data (2015-2018). The estuary floodplain has been transformed by sugarcane farming, urban development, uncultivated fields and sand mining operations, occupying 27% of the estuarine functional zone. In the past, agricultural return flow and urban runoff facilitated the sporadic growth of IAAPs in the estuary. Since 1983, discharges from the Tongaat Central Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTW) increased daily nutrient loads (current contribution: 1.8 kg d−1 N and 9.63 kg d−1 P), resulting in persistent IAAP growth in the estuary. Discharge from the WWTW represents 15% of the estuary volume and the increased inflow has changed the estuary functionality to a predominantly open, low salinity state. Aerial photograph analysis showed that IAAPs have established along the entire length of the estuary (∼7 km) and are abundant during all mouth states. They are flushed out of the estuary during high flow events (≥ 5 m3s−1) but steadily re-establish (within 3 months) after floods. The likely source of IAAPs are heavily infested upstream dams. A nutrient management reduction strategy integrated with manual/biological control methods and increased salinity (> 5) are needed to restore estuary function and prevent infestations.
Characteristics and landcover of estuarine boundaries: implications for the delineation of the South African estuarine functional zone
(Taylor & Francis, 2015-11) Veldkornet, DA; Adams, JB; Van Niekerk, Lara
This study investigated whether the current lateral boundary for estuaries in South Africa, i.e. the estuarine functional zone (EFZ), includes all estuarine habitats. The EFZ covers 173 930 ha in 304 estuaries/outlets nationally. Field surveys and analysis of available aerial images showed that 82 (12 956.70 ha) of these estuaries (26%) had estuarine habitats occurring outside of this boundary. As a result of mapping scale, the National Vegetation Map does not represent habitats that are associated with small estuaries (approximately 50% of South Africa’s estuaries). For estuaries in the Western and Eastern Cape provinces, most habitats have been lost due to urban development, whereas in subtropical areas (northern Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal), cultivation has removed estuarine habitat. Although delineation of boundaries can be complicated by landcover changes, the estuarine lateral boundary in Cape estuaries could be identified based on sediment characteristics (moisture content, organic content, electrical conductivity), groundwater characteristics (salinity, conductivity and depth) and plant species. The delineation of the EFZ needs to be consistent, inclusive of all estuarine physical and biological processes, and cost-effective to identify so that it can protect estuarine habitats.
Charting a course for freshwater biomonitoring: The grand challenges identified by the global scientific community
(2025-07) Yates, AG; Brua, RB; Culp, JM; Aguiar, FC; Ajayan, AP , AG Brua; Aspin, T; Bundschuh, M; Calderón, MR; Van Deventer, Heidi; Van Niekerk, Lara
The past 50 years have seen biomonitoring emerge as an essential means of generating the knowledge needed to inform protection and restoration of freshwater ecosystems. Despite the successes of biomonitoring, most freshwater ecosystems remain unmonitored. Moreover, degradation of freshwaters continues at a rapid rate with new threats and novel stressors emerging that are difficult to assess using existing techniques. New technologies and techniques have been developed to improve biomonitoring, but application has been slow and integration with existing approaches is often problematic. Clearly, freshwater biomonitoring faces many important challenges that must be addressed to meet management needs of the coming decades. We identify Grand Challenges facing freshwater biomonitoring with the aim of encouraging research and practice to address these challenges. We asked 256 biomonitoring scientists from around the globe to identify what they considered the most important challenges. From their submissions we established five Grand Challenges and 18 associated subchallenges. For each Grand Challenge, we outline the current state of biomonitoring practice and suggest promising pathways and approaches to address them. By identifying and describing these challenges, we strive to position freshwater biomonitoring to take advantage of emerging opportunities and enhance its capacity to meet current and future management needs.
Climate change and the Knysna Estuary
(Knysna Basin Project, 2023) James, J; Van Niekerk, Lara; Lamberth, S; Whitfield, A; Breen, C; Read, R
Estuaries are shallow coastal environments that are influenced by both tidal action and freshwater inflow. As a result of the mixing of marine and fresh waters, estuaries are naturally dynamic, unstable environments with physico-chemical conditions oscillating on hourly, daily, seasonal, yearly and decadal scales1. Climate change is expected to modify the physical structure and biological functioning of estuaries, by changing the magnitude of these oscillations, as well as changing long-term average physico-chemical conditions (such as average temperature, salinity and dissolved oxygen levels). In addition to rising temperatures, climate change in the coastal and estuarine environment also incorporates changes in temperature variability (land and sea), winds and ocean currents, freshwater flow (rainfall), extreme weather events, sea level and ocean acidification; all of which will have profound consequences for species living in estuaries. In this chapter these different drivers of change, such as temperature, rainfall and hydrology, floods and droughts, sea level rise, storm surges and ocean acidification are reviewed with a focus on the effects of these drivers of change on the Knysna Estuary.
Climate change impacts on South Africa’s estuaries, estuarine associated fish species and potential for mitigation and adaptation
(2024-10) James, Nicola; Van Niekerk, Lara; Lamberth, Stephen; Potts, Warren; Edworthy, Carla; Whitfield, Alan; Deyze, Shaun
The presentation details the climate change impacts on South Africa’s estuaries, estuarine associated fish species and potential for mitigation and adaptation.
Collating data for freshwater biodiversity planning in South Africa
(2010-03) Petersen, C; Nel, JL; Smith-Adao, Lindie B; Maherry, A; Van Deventer, Heidi; Van Niekerk, Lara; Amis, M; Bhengu, S; Hardwick, D; Mack, S; Mbona, N; Swartz, E; Wistebaar, N
The National Freshwater Ecosystem Priority Areas (NFEPA) project builds on the river component of the National Spatial Biodiversity Assessment (NSBA) 2004, and will feed directly into the National Biodiversity Assessment (NBA) 2010. This multi-partner project between CSIR, WRC, SANBI, DWEA, WWF, SAIAB and SAN Parks aims to identify a national network of freshwater conservation areas and to explore institutional mechanisms for their implementation. A range of input data layers were used in the NFEPA project. These data layers include for example river networks, sub-quaternary catchments, river types, mosaiced land cover and transformed water bodies, river condition, free-flowing rivers, wetland delineations, significant wetland clusters, estuary delineations, high groundwater recharge areas, high water yield areas per primary catchment, fish sanctuaries, etc. The data layers were refined and finalized following regional expert review from May to July 2009 for the NFEPA planning process. These data layers will be incorporated into a series of maps per Water Management Area, showing the freshwater ecosystem areas identified. The input GIS layers used are briefly described, together with methods that were used to collate the data. Furthermore, data dissemination through for example SANBI's BGIS website (http://bgis.sanbi.org) will be discussed as well as the development of an atlas of freshwater conservation planning in South Africa.
Conservation and restoration of Blue Carbon Ecosystems for a resilient future
(2024-10) Adams, J; Raw, J; Van Niekerk, Lara
This study investigated where Blue Carbon can be maximised through conservation of natural ecosystems and restoration of degraded areas.
Conserving cross-realm coastal biodiversity when real-world planning and implementation processes split the land and sea
(2025-04) Harris, LR; Van Niekerk, Lara; Holness, SD; Sink, KJ; Skowno, AL; Dayaram , A; Van Deventer, Heidi; Job, N; Lamberth , SJ; Adams, JB; Raw, JL; Riddin, T; MacKay , CF; Perschke, MJ
Conservation planning and implementation are typically applied in land and sea areas separately, placing already impacted coastal biodiversity – which spans the divide – at risk of being inadequately managed and conserved. In South Africa, we tested how well existing land-based and marine biodiversity priority areas cover coastal priorities that we identified cross-realm using Marxan with >1000 biodiversity features. Existing priorities covered 83% of coastal priorities, indicating good but incomplete coverage. Proportionately, the seashore (foredunes, shores) and estuaries had greatest selection as coastal priorities, confirming their important biodiversity value. Finally, we developed a map of Critical Biodiversity Areas for the South African seashore and estuaries, with management recommendations. To include coastal biodiversity in real-world planning, we propose: co-developing data and targets for cross-realm features; identifying broad coastal priorities that can be used in land-based and marine plans; and developing dedicated seashore and estuary priorities to seamlessly align land-based and marine prioritisation maps.
The contribution of the WRC to estuarine research in support of effective policy development and resource
(Water Research Commission, 2021-01) Van Niekerk, Lara; Adams, J; Taljaard, Susan; Lamberth, S; Day, J; Day, B; Reizenberg, J
The Water Research Commission (WRC) has been a staunch and enduring funder of estuarine research in South Africa, with support ranging from identifying research gaps, to the development of dedicated research programs, student advancement, capacity building and funding the development of policy and management tools. In drafting this overview, we have largely project leaders and steering committee members of a number of WRC projects. We have supported our experiential knowledge through a literature review to ensure that key outcomes were captured. The intent here is not to reflect all contributions through the decades, but rather to identify seminal research outputs that have resulted in clear policy and management interventions, or key research ‘stepping stones’ in the generation of new insights and knowledge on estuaries. In particular, we focus on the research that built multi-disciplinary understanding on estuarine ecosystem function, development of environmental water requirement methods, science that has contributed to integrated estuarine management, developments in estuarine monitoring in support of policy and management, and estuarine resource use and quantification of benefits. Finally, we touch on restoration,an emerging field of research supported by the WRC, and conclude with ideas on the role of the WRC in advancing future research in support of the protection and management of our valuable estuarine resources.

Browsing by Author "Van Niekerk, Lara"

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