OceanExpert ID : 6970
South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity
SAIAB
Private Bag 1015
Grahamstown
6140
South Africa
Type
Research
Telephone
27 (0)46 603 5800
Fax
27 (0)46 622 2403
http://www.saiab.ac.za/index.php?pid=1
Activities
South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB) is an internationally recognised centre for the study of aquatic biodiversity. As a National Facility of the NRF, SAIAB serves as a major scientific resource for knowledge and understanding the biodiversity and functioning of globally significant aquatic ecosystems. By virtue of its unique position with regard to both marine and freshwater biogeographical boundaries, southern Africa is ideally placed to monitor and document climate change. From a marine perspective South Africa forms the southern apex of a major continental mass, flanked by very different marine ecosystems on the east and west coasts, and projecting towards the cold southern Ocean large marine ecosystem. The biodiversity of inland waters is equally relevant to the national interest and SAIAB’s scientific leadership and expertise in freshwater aquatic biodiversity is vital when dealing with issues arising from exponentially increasing pressures of human population growth and development.