Natural resources and the environment

Kruger Park mortalities investigated Following two incidents of clustered wild animal mortalities in the Kruger National Park in 2005 and again in 2007, CSIR microbiologist Dr Paul Oberholster and four fellow scientists embarked on a study to identify the cause and source of the deaths.

Toxic blooms in Midmar Dam Chronic exposure to various toxic freshwater blooms found in water supply reservoirs may pose long-term hazards to human health. Climate changes that cause an increase in the minimum surface water temperatures in dams such as Midmar Dam in KwaZulu-Natal promote the growth of toxic blooms.

Should Africa contribute to climate change mitigation? In celebration of World Environment Day - a United Nations initiative - the Department of Geography at Unisa presented a seminar on the impending crisis of climate change, and the necessary tools to keep our planet and its inhabitants safe and healthy. The CSIR's Rina Tavir was one of the invited speakers.

CSIR geophysicist takes the lead Stefaans du Plessis, geophysicist and specialist in applied geoscience, has been elected President of the prestigious Geophysical Association of South Africa (SAGA) for the 2008/09 term.