Dr Anthony Bernard
Research Interests:
National assessment of South Africa’s Marine protected Areas (MPAs)
Position: Instrument Scientist, South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity.
Dr Bernard’s research focuses on understanding the ecology of subtidal reef and benthic ecosystems, their ability to support provisioning services (e.g., fisheries) and the effect of disturbances, such as climate change on ecosystem structure and condition. Integral to this research is the role marine protected areas play for biodiversity and resource management and as experimental controls, or baselines, from which to measure the effects of disturbances. Dr Bernard works with a team of students, technicians and collaborators to carry out research within South Africa and, more broadly, within the Western Indian Ocean.
A large component of his research activity is also directed towards methodological research and development of sampling methods to best survey fish and invertebrate populations associated with reef and benthic habitats from the shallow subtidal down into the deep sea. As an instrument scientist, Dr Bernard provides support to research projects that use the MARIP infrastructure.
SACNASP Registration Number: 129222
