Dr Ndafuda Shiponeni has joined the Department of Biological Sciences at UNAM, April 2008, where she graduated with BSc. 7 years ago. After leaving UNAM in 2000 as a graduate, I spent the following years either at other academic institutions undertaking ecological studies towards advanced degrees (MSc. and PhD. at Stellenbosch and Cape Town universities respectively), or with the Namibian Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET) where I have been employed as a Conservation Scientist until early 2008 when I joined UNAM as a Lecturer.
Resume/Vita
Area of research includes field-based ground investigations of ecosystem functioning, and a combination of such investigations and Remote sensing data and techniques to understand various aspects of the environment -habitat and vegetation dynamics, land degradation, ecosystem functioning, and restoration. Experience in different environments found in Southern Africa, ranging from a more humid Mediterranean Fynbos ecosystem through the arid semi-desert Karoo, and semi-arid savanna systems in Namibia, all acquired through a diverse environments I have been exposed to.
2001 – 2003 I was part of the Renosterveld Restoration project, based at the University of Stellenbosch, which was part of a strategy to enhance the conservation status of the highly fragmented Renosterveld vegetation in the Fynbos biome.
2004 – 2007 under the BIOTA project (phase II), I investigated the distribution and interaction of different vegetation growth forms, under current landuse, and as possible mechanisms to understand the likely impacts of climate change at climatic transition between winter and summer rainfall and associated Karoo biome transition.
My journey with MET started in 2000 when I was attached to the Northern Namibia Environmental Project (NNEP) as a Conservation Scientist for the north-central region, maintaining the GIS data and providing technical information and maps for community forests, conservancies and other upcoming protected areas in the region. Specific activities in 2003 included fire monitoring in Conservancies in the Caprivi Region, part of MET commitment to providing support to CBNRM. Current research is on Savanna ecosystems functioning, management and restoration through close supervision of students, as well as international and local collaboration. One aspect of my work is analysing ecological and financial implications of different methods used as bush control in bush encroached savanna systems and the impacts fire has on the productivity and quality of browse and grass.
Recently Taught Courses
Introduction to Ecology, Ecological Field Techniques, Plant form and Function, Land degradation and its Mitigation.
Part-time teaches Geographic Information Systems, at the Polytechnic of Namibia
Academic interest/ expertise
Vegetation ecology, habitat and vegetation dynamics, land degradation, ecological restoration, and the application of Remote Sensing in Biodiversity research.
Research and Publications
Shiponeni,N.N., Allsopp, N., Carrick, P.J, Vogel, M., Hoffman, MT. and Keil, M. (2008). Will a decreasing winter rainfall cause a shift in Succulent Karoo boundaries: Evidence from competition and vegetation-change analyses. In: Mucina, L. et al. (eds), Frontiers of Vegetation Science – An Evolutionary Angle. P. 171-172. Keith Phillips Images, Somerset West. Shiponeni, N.N.Carrick, P.J. and Allsopp, N. 2007. Competitive relationships between grass and leaf succulent shrub at the ecotone between arid grassland and succulent shrubland South African Journal of Botany, 73: 312 Shiponeni, N.N. and Milton, S.J. 2006. Seed dispersal in the dung of large herbivores: implications for restoration of Renosterveld shrubland old fields. Biodiversity and Conservation, 15: 3161-3175.
Krug, C.B., Krug, R.M., Midoko-Iponga, D., Walton, B.A., Shiponeni, N.N. and Milton, S.J. 2004. Restoration of west coast renosterveld: facilitating the return of a highly threatened vegetation type. In: Mediterranean shrubland of South Africa. In: Arianoutsou M & Papanastasis V (eds). Proceedings 10th MEDECOS Conference, April 25 – May 1, 2004, Rhodes, Greece. Millpress: Rotterdam.
Krug RM, Krug CB, Iponga DM, Walton BA, Milton SJ, Newton IP, Farley N and Shiponeni, N.N. 2004. Reconstructing West Coast Renosterveld: Past and present ecological processes. In: Mediterranean shrubland of South Africa. In: Arianoutsou M & Papanastasis V (eds). Proceedings 10th MEDECOS Conference, April 25 – May 1, 2004, Rhodes, Greece. Millpress: Rotterdam. Shiponeni N.N. 2003. Seed dispersal and banking in Renosterveld. Veld & Flora, 89 (1): 23-33.
Recent Professional Activities
Best paper presentation by a young scientist award at AZEF (Arid Zone Ecology Forum), 10-13 September 2007, Sutherland, Northern Province, South Africa.
Conferences paper presentations: N.N. Shiponeni, Allsopp, N., Carrick, P.J, Vogel, M., Hoffman, MT. and Keil, M. (2008). Will a decreasing winter rainfall cause a shift in Succulent Karoo boundaries: Evidence from competition and vegetation-change analyses. 51ST Annual Symposium of the International Association for Vegetation Science, 7-12 September 2008, Stellenbosch, South Africa. N.N. Shiponeni, Goetze, D., Hennenberg, K. J., Kersting, P., Allsopp, N., Carrick, P. J., Porembski, S. & Hoffman, M. T., 2008. Mechanisms of vegetation change: ecological transition zones sensitive to global change in South and West Africa. – International congress ‘Biodiversity of Africa – Observation and Sustainable Management for our Future!’, 29.9.–3.10.2008, Spier (South Africa).
