Aquatic ecology centres around two major themes, namely parasitology and wetland ecology. In parasitology, the focus is on aquatic parasites (in both marine and freshwater environments) and include aspects such as taxonomy, ecology, morphology, parasite/host relationships and phylogeny of parasites. In wetland ecology, the research concentrates on chemical and physical conditions in wetlands, biotic communities in wetlands, threats to wetlands, wetlands as biological filters, production and productivity, as well as wetlands in arid environments.

Due to the scope of aquatic parasitology, the individual researchers have developed their own areas of expertise in certain specialist areas. Student projects (Honours, MSc, and PhD) are chosen from the wider field of aquatic parasitology.

Study group members

• Prof Jo van As
• Prof Linda Basson
• Prof Liesl van As

Postgraduate students and research titles

• Miss Deidre West, PhD
  
                      "Plankton succession of ephemeral rivers in Southern Africa."

• Miss Mia Otto, PhD
  
                      "The ecology and taxonomy of Southern African Diatoms"

• Mr Pieter Swanepoel, MSc
  
                      "Parasites of Barbus SPP. (Cyprinidae) of Southern Africa."

• Mr Mogorosi Katlego, MSc.
  
                      "General disease and parasite survey of commercially important fishes of the Free State"

• Mr Gerhard de Jager, MSc.
  
                      “Morphological and molecular taxonomic evaluation of Trichodina heterodentata (Duncan, 1977)”