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ARU launches SA component of global project towards understanding the future of alpine systems

26 October 2021 | Story Nonsindiso Qwabe | Photo Nonsindiso Qwabe

Read more new — From the right: Dr Ralph Clark,, with fellow researchers, Dr Stephanie Payne, Dr Sandy-Lynn Steenhuisen, Dr Onalenna Gwate and Evelin Iseli, a Swiss PhD student on RangeX at the open top chambers on the Maloti-Drakensberg mountain range.

What impact has global change had on alpine vegetation in our own mountains and those around the world, and why are certain plants in mountains around the world rapidly expanding their ranges?

This is the question on which the Afromontane Research Unit (ARU) on the Qwaqwa Campus will be shining the research lens over the next three years, through Project ‘RangeX’, a multi-institutional research consortium under the Mountain Invasive Research Network (MIREN), with ETH Zurich (Switzerland) leading the research project. The project is underway in the Witsieshoek area of the Free State component of the Maloti-Drakensberg, as part of a global consortium to better understand the ecological drivers of range-expanding plant species in mountains around the world.

South Africa’s participation in the project is led by the ARU Director, Dr Ralph Clark. Other RangeX partners are Germany, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Australia, China, Chile, and France, with research locations in the Swiss Alps, Himalayas, Andes, Australian Alps, and Scandes.

The official launch of the research site for the Maloti-Drakensberg mountains, which took place on 20 October, marked the beginning of the South African component of globally coordinated research to understand how range-expanding species may affect current alpine environments under future climatic conditions. The launch involved a site visit to the summit of the Maloti-Drakensberg. Situated at 3 100 m above sea level in the Witsieshoek area, the research seeks to determine whether typical range-expanding species might colonise the alpine zone above 2 800 m under a simulated future warmer climate.

The South African component of RangeX is funded by the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) through BiodivERsA, an initiative of the European Union’s Horizon 2020, which promotes research on biodiversity and ecosystem services and offers innovative opportunities for the conservation and sustainable management of biodiversity.

Speaking at the launch of the project, Dr Clark said the alpine zone of the Maloti-Drakensberg is an ecologically severe environment, resulting in only specialised species being found above 2 800 m. “However, with climate warming, it can be expected that many lower elevation plants might start to ‘climb’ the mountain and invade its upper reaches. This will have a major impact on ecology, livelihoods, endemic alpine species, and water production.”

This is the first time that such experiments will be undertaken in the alpine context of the Maloti-Drakensberg, Dr Clark explained. The ARU is using this project to promote an ambitious and long-term alpine research programme centred on the Mont-aux-Sources area, where the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, and Lesotho meet.

Toto Matshediso, Deputy Director: Strategic Partnerships at DSI, said the Range X project with South African funding from the DSI was aligned with the departmental priorities for investment in global change and biodiversity research and innovation.

“The research conducted is strengthening international cooperation in terms of research collaboration with its European Union partners as a region, as well as bilateral partners involved in the project. The project is also located in an area that has been historically disadvantaged, and the DSI is proud to be part of contributors to mountain research initiatives and direct contribution to the local community. The project also places the spotlight on the rich biodiversity data of the area, and how it could contribute to the overall government priorities regarding biodiversity.”

News Archive

UFS can lead SA in race relations - Ramphele

2010-08-06

Pictured are: Dr Boesak and Dr Ramphele
Photo: Mangaliso Radebe

The University of the Free State (UFS) could well be a perfect model of excellence in race relations that the whole of South Africa could emulate.

This was said by Dr Mamphela Ramphele, the first African to be a Managing Director of the World Bank, during the Anti-Racism Network in Higher Education (ARNHE) Colloquium held at the UFS recently.

“Healing circles need to be constructed on this campus to address issues raised by the Reitz incident,” she said.

“You might yet be the pioneer of what needs to happen on a nation-wide level.

“Can we confidently commit today to go on this quest for a true humanity and walk together as fellow citizens and strive for a more human face for our society? That is our challenge. That is what the UFS is called to give leadership to.”

“It is this human face which has the power to liberate us from the body of death and strengthen us in our struggle for meaningful life together in South Africa,” added one of the main speakers, Dr Allan Boesak, a cleric and former anti-apartheid activist.

However, said Dr Ramphele, this could only be achieved if all South Africans, black and white, abandoned the fear for each other that was hindering, if not stalling, progress in this regard.

“Fear of each other is the most important impediment to the sustainability of our journey into a society united in our diversity,” she said.

“People in this country are afraid to stand up and be counted, including many vice-chancellors and clerics. They are afraid of being seen to be difficult, and that is a major problem. Fear is the most destructive emotion that you can have because it makes you really incompetent and unable to respond to challenges.”

She said the biggest impediment, though, to ending racism was denial. “White people deny vehemently that they are or have ever been racist,” she said.

“We need to go through a process of acknowledging our wounds and scars from our racist past and present missteps in public policy.”

“Instead of saying they are sorry, those who are conscious of their whiteness should rather say what they are sorry for,” said another main speaker, Prof. Dennis Francis, the Dean of the Faculty of Education at the UFS.

On the other hand, according to Dr Boesak, blacks were and still are, to a large extent, also to blame for their own ongoing oppression. “The key here was the acknowledgement of our sheepish timidity, our complicity,” he said.

The Chairperson of ARNHE, Prof. Norman Duncan, had this to say: “If we are to confront and eradicate racism in higher education institutions, we should not do so to create comfort zones for ourselves.”

The theme of this ARNHE Colloquium was Black consciousness and those conscious of their whiteness. It was presented by the International Institute for Studies in Race, Reconciliation and Social Justice at the UFS.

Media Release:
Mangaliso Radebe
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2828
Cell: 078 460 3320
E-mail: radebemt@ufs.ac.za
6 August 2010

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