Dr Martinus Scheepers

Position: PDP Postdoctoral Research Fellow, National Research Foundation-South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity 

African fish biodiversity, in spite of recent research efforts, is still relatively poorly understood. One of the major goals of systematics and taxonomy is to accurately describe and document biodiversity, with the aim to understand the evolutionary drivers that produce biological diversity. In developing countries, knowledge related to fish biodiversity is an indicator of ecosystem health and water quality, which in turn is linked to food security and human wellbeing.

Dr Martinus Scheepers’ research aims to understand African fish diversity, biogeography, and drivers of speciation, particularly in the family Cyprinidae, an infamously problematic group in terms of systematics. He uses a combination of morphological, molecular, and geographic data to revise the taxonomy, and to understand the evolution of cyprinids in Africa. In addition, he is developing protocols for the use of environmental DNA (eDNA) for freshwater fish biodiversity monitoring in South Africa. This involves constructing a reference database for a number of commonly used genetic markers for all South African freshwater fish species, and optimise sampling protocols for the wide range of aquatic ecosystems in the country. The promise of eDNA methods for biodiversity monitoring lies in the potential for more rapid, accurate, and cost effective monitoring compared to traditional approaches. Biodiversity monitoring is essential for assessing ecosystem health, and in particular for monitoring endemic endangered species and the early detection of invasive species, which are crucial to provide guidelines for more effective management of freshwater ecosystems.

Education

ORCID