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The state of marine science in South Africa. PW Froneman Rhodes University. Background. Number reports exist on the state of marine research in South Africa. SANCOR estuaries programme South African Southern Ocean Research programme SANCOR occasional reports
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The state of marine science in South Africa PW Froneman Rhodes University
Background • Number reports exist on the state of marine research in South Africa. • SANCOR estuaries programme • South African Southern Ocean Research programme • SANCOR occasional reports • Many outdated/regionally/discipline biased and thus provide little support/indication of the current state of marine research in South Africa. • Questions thus arise of where should SANCOR be focussing its future research and how it can address any perceived weaknesses within the marine science community. • Current study was commissioned by NRF (covered the period 1994-2008). • Study was conducted by Scherman Colloty and Associates cc.
15 Governmental/parastatal institutions 14 tertiary/research institutes
Data • Total of 45914 citations /documents were reviewed during the study of which 9568 were marine and coastal related. • During the study, the following data bases were populated: • Total/type of publication • Discipline • Geographic variability • Gender contribution • Cohort contribution • Transformation
Outputs • 34% of publications appeared in peer reviewed journals • 72% of the peer reviewed publications appeared in ISI accredited journals. • Strong preference for local journals (e.g. South African Journal of Marine Science (African Journal of Marine Science), South African Journal of Science, African Journal of Aquatic Science, African Journal of Zoology). • Book/book chapters contributed < 1% of the total number of publications per annum. • Significant increase in production of “grey literature” • Changes in environmental legislation • Management reports • Need to disseminate information in popular press.
Conclusions Findings of the current study are broadly in agreement with similar studies conducted in South Africa (e.g. Dieb & Gevers, 2009). Significant increase in total number of peer reviewed articles over period of study. Natural sciences still strongest discipline within marine research (54% of all publications). Strong regional differences in output/postgraduate students (dominance by Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal). Little evidence in support of emergence of new generation of young researchers. Some progress with respect to transformation Increase in contribution of woman and HDI in outputs