Water is a scarce commodity in southern Africa, where many aquatic ecosystems are currently on a trajectory of rapid deterioration. The sustainable use of our water resources, and their rehabilitation where necessary, requires that adaptive management structures are continuously provided with scientific knowledge on the processes that govern aquatic ecosystems and their health.
Estauries, their functioning, conservation and management is the specialist research field of Professor Janine Adams, who has been appointed by the National Research Foundation (NRF) as the Chair Holder for this SARChI Shallow Water Ecosystems until 2023. Professor Adams was the Interim Chair, following Professor Renzo Perissinotto from 2018. She has published over 150 articles in peer-reviewed research journals, and is currently Associate Editor for the international journal Wetlands, and for a special issue on southern hemisphere estuaries and coasts for the journal Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science. Her postgraduate training record is excellent: she has successfully supervised over 55 Masters and PhD students throughout her career. She has made a significant contribution to global knowledge on shallow water ecosystems.
This Research Chair's current focus areas are blue carbon ecosystems and response to climate change, mangrove and salt marsh ecology, and water quality management of estuaries. Professor Adams and her team play an important role in ensuring science and knowledge of aquatic environments is communicated to managers and policymakers. The Chair is involved in collaborative projects with the University of Rennes, University of Essex, Eduardo Mondlane University, University of Oldenburg, and the University of Wollongong. Locally, the Research Chair works with scientists from a wide range of institutes, including the CSIR, the University of the Western Cape, the South African INstitute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB) and the South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON).