Despite global recognition of the significance of the below-ground component of diversity for ecosystem functioning, the spatial variation in the abundance and richness of soil arthropods is poorly understood in South Africa. This is particularly true for the Fynbos biome. Whilst knowledge is increasing for epigaeic groups such as ants, other significant groups such as the springtails remain largely unexplored. Springtails are used as indicators of environmental conditions in other parts of the world, but the possible use in African systems is hampered by poor taxonomic knowledge. In this study we begin to address this serious knowledge gap using modern morphological and molecular techniques. In addition, sampling using litter trap techniques on a local and regional scale will provide an indication of the alpha and beta diversity that can be expected for springtails across the Fynbos. This project addresses ecological and evolutionary processes of high relevance for the maintenance and conservation of biodiversity. It will also examine the correlates (and perhaps determinants) of springtail diversity in the Fynbos. In addition to springtail diversity and taxonomy, I am also interested in insect physiology, the traits or characteristics of invasive species and the effects of climate change on these traits.
Steven Hamilton award 2009: R Rubridge
CITATION JUSTIFYING THE AWARD OF THE STEVENSON HAMILTON MEDAL IN RECOGNITION OF SIGNIFICANT ZOOLOGICAL CONTRIBUTIONS BY AN AMATEUR TO SCIENCE IN SOUTH AFRICA IN THIS INSTANCE SPECIFICALLY TO THE SCIENCE OF PALAEONTOLOGY 2009.05.26
Richard Stephen Rubidge was born on the farm Wellwood in the Graaff-Reinet district of the Eastern Cape Province on 8 January 1929. He received his schooling at the Union High School in Graaff-Reinet and St Andrews College Grahamstown, and after school studied for an agricultural diploma at Glen Agricultural College in Bloemfontein. After a period of learner farming on different agricultural estates in the Karoo and an extended tour to Australia to visit various merino studs he returned to the family farm Wellwood. This estate, which had been in the Rubidge family since 1838, in 1951 passed on to the custodianship of Richard Rubidge when he turned 21 -- the fourth generation of Rubidge to manage the family estate.
Wellwood is internationally noted for the quality of its Merino sheep stud, established in 1838, which is today the oldest Merino stud in South Africa, and possibly one of the oldest in the world to be managed by a single family. Through scientific farming, breeding and management practises over successive generations the Rubidges have continuously sought to improve the gene pool through the importation of top sires from France and Australia. Over the years and up to the present day, the owner of Wellwood has maintained: a daily diary of events since 1838; rainfall records since 1874; detailed records of the Merino breeding programme. Richard Rubidge has himself continued this tradition for 68 years and so contributed to a scientific database which is of national significance, is available to scientists for research purposes and has resulted in several scientific papers and books.
Richard Rubidge has led a life of service to his community having served on numerous local boards including those of the Merino Stud Breeders Association and Reinet House Museum. While he has contributed greatly to the Graaff-Reinet community in numerous ways, he has earned an international reputation for his contribution towards breeding an economically productive Merino sheep under natural arid veld conditions, as well as the conservational agricultural procedures he has practiced on Wellwood in an effort to combat soil erosion and improve natural grazing under arid environmental conditions.
In addition to managing a productive Karoo farming estate, Richard also curated a large collection of Karoo fossils which had been amassed in the 1930s to 1940s through the passion of his father Sidney Rubidge in association with Dr Robert Broom, and later the Kitching family from Nieu Bethesda. Broom himself paid 24 visits to Wellwood. This collection of fossils, one of the pioneering Karoo fossil collections in South Africa, has received international acclaim because of the number of well preserved fossilized skulls in the collection and the fact that 118 holotype specimens are curated here. During the second World War Sidney Rubidge had built a modest building to house his growing collection of fossils. Despite not having a scientific training Richard, realizing the importance of this collection, at great personal sacrifice and expense, set about ensuring the best possible curation of the collection. In 1965 he restored a building on the farm specifically to house the collection. He designed special display cabinets to display the fossils to best advantage, and commissioned a cabinet maker to build the cases. This huge undertaking was done at a time that farmers were suffering the financial effects of crippling droughts. Together Richard and his wife Pam transferred the large fossil collection to its new surrounds, painstakingly wrote up accession cards for each of the specimens and, with assistance from the Bernard Price Institute for Palaeontological Research at the University of the Witwatersrand, wrote up a detailed catalogue for all the fossils in the collection. The result is that this privately owned and funded collection is today the best curated collection of Karoo fossils in South Africa.
Palaeontologists from all continents of the world (except Antarctica) visit this collection for research purposes and take specimens on loan for further preparation. All these people have been welcomed through the years by Richard who has done all in his power to facilitate further research on the collection.
Despite being involved in the day to day management of a busy and difficult Karoo farming enterprise, Richard also made the collection available to scientists andvisitors from around the globe who wish to study or view the collection. Richard, who grew up with the collection of fossils developing around him, knows all the specimens and has earned a reputation for the informative yet humerous and entertaining talks he gives on the development of life and evolution which are blended with witty anecdotes of his father and Dr Broom. Despite receiving on average at least 4 visitors to view the collections on a daily basis, many of whom arrive unannounced, Richard gave personalized tours of the collection and seldom turned anybody away, even when an unexpected visitor was untimely. He certainly never entertained the thought of charging for the visit.
Despite the collection being curated on a Karoo farm, Richard has probably interested more people in the wonders and excitement of Karoo palaeontology than any museum in the country – perhaps this is the reason why in the early 1990s four of the approximately 25 palaeontologists who were then employed in South Africa, had grown up in the Graaff-Reinet district. Sidney Rubidge established the Rubidge fossil collection, Robert Broom described the specimens, and Richard Rubidge has made a huge contribution to the nation by taking on the massive ongoing task of curating the collection and making it available for scientific research and education of people.
Friday, 04 September 2009