Sukhmani Mantel

Qualifications:

2014: Professional Certificate, Geographical Information Systems
2004: PhD (Stream Ecology), The University of Hong Kong
1999: BSc (Environmental Science), The University of Hong Kong
1990: MSc (Electrical Engineering, Biomedical Systems design), New Jersey Institute of Technology, USA
1988: BSc (Electrical Engineering), New Jersey Institute of Technology, USA
Email: s.mantel()ru.ac.za

Biography:

Research Interests: My training is as a river ecologist with focus on desktop research using GIS and earth observation data and analyses. My research focus has been on assessing cumulative impacts of small dams on river hydrology and water quality, catchment modelling, land impacts on river water quality, and impacts of invasive aliens on rangelands.

Recent projects:

Project Leader on a two year funded WRC project K5/2928/1&2 (The role, benefits and prioritisation of Ecological Infrastructure (EI) in mitigating the impacts of droughts in South Africa; April 2019 - Mar 2021).

Project Leader on a three year funded NRF Indigenous Knowledge Systems grant no. 105153 (IKS to Enhance Rewards for Ecosystem Services in Rangelands Infested with Invasive Alien Plants; Jan 2017 – December 2019).

Project Leader on a five year funded WRC project K5/2400/4 (Rehabilitation of Grasslands after Eradication of Alien Invasive Trees; April 2014 – March 2019). In collaboration with Agricultural Research Centre – Animal Production Institute, Stellenbosch University, and Glasgow Caledonian University.
Project Leader on a three year funded NRF project UID 105153 (IKS to enhance Rewards for Ecosystem Services in rangelands infested with invasive alien plants; January 2017 – December 2019). In collaboration with Agricultural Research Centre – Animal Production Institute.
Manager, National Research Foundation funded Eddy Covariance and Large Aperture Scintillometer equipment for measurement of evapotranspiration and carbon flux.

Leadership positions:

Associate Editor, African Journal of Aquatic Sciences (AJAS) (2014 to 2018).
Treasurer, The Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA), Grahamstown Branch (April 2009 to March 2015) and for the Eastern Cape Region (February 2015 to present).
Fresh Water Working Group board member and Vice President (2016), Society for Conservation Biology (global group; 2011 to present). Co-organised a symposium and round table on Barriers to Biodiversity in Fluvial Ecosystems at the ICCB-ECCB2015 meeting in Montpelier, France (August 2015; doi: 10.13140/RG.2.1.4233.4489/1). I designed the following two logos (Barriers_to_Riverine_Diversity and HeartTheRivers) for fundraising for the FWWG group. FWWG website manager https://conbio.org/groups/working-groups/freshwater