News

Check out the latest EFTEON updates and team news, please contact us with further enquiries

Flying the EFTEON flag high at the annual congress of the Grassland Society of Southern Africa

Sachin Doarsamy, biodiversity technician for the Northern Drakensberg Landscape, Dr Lindokuhle Dlamini, a Professional Development Postdoctoral (PDP) fellow, and Dr Helga Knoetze, landscape scientist – Biodiversity, based in the Kimberley Landscape attedned the 59th Annual Congress of the Grassland Society of Southern Africa (GSSA) from 22 to 26 July in Gariep, Free State Province, South Africa. Read more: SAEON Newsletter.

EFTEON staff attend bioassessment method training course

EFTEON staff attended a training course on Aquatic Biomonitoring using the South African Scoring System (SASS) Version 5 Rapid Bioassessment Method for Rivers, presented by GroundTruth in Hilton, KZN.

Exploring future collaboration with climate observations and research groups in India

In June 2024 Warren Joubert accompanied a delegation led by Jongikaya Witi, Chief Director Climate Change Monitoring and Evaluation of the South African Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, in a research exchange visit to India, hosted by the Indian Institute for Tropical Meteorology’s Center for Climate Change Research. Read more: SAEON Newsletter.

Meet EFTEON’s new landscape scientist for biodiversity and ecology

Dr Helga Knoetze joined EFTEON in February 2024 as the landscape scientist for biodiversity and ecology. Read more: SAEON Newsletter.

Meet EFTEON landscape scientist Dr Warren Joubert

Dr Warren Joubert joined the Expanded Freshwater and Terrestrial Environmental Observation Network (EFTEON) in June 2023. As EFTEON’s landscape scientist, he is responsible for atmospheric and meteorological observations across the six EFTEON landscapes.

“With some experience in ocean processes, some in atmospheric processes, I am looking forward to enhancing my understanding in the terrestrial domain,” he explains. “The earth system is integrated in a way where the ocean, atmosphere and biosphere all play a role in affecting global climate.”

SAEON eNews spoke to Warren to learn more about his interest in meteorology, his exposure to advanced global research and technological expertise, and the exciting challenges he will be facing in this new position. Read more: SAEON Newsletter.

Newly graduated EFTEON student shares his PhD research findings

Watch Dr Amukelani Maluleke’s SAEON Seminar presentation on a portion of his PhD thesis research in a talk entitled ‘Carbon and water relations over three growing seasons in an African arid Savanna and grassy shrubland’.

EFTEON erects two test sites for hands-on learning

As a precursor to the selection of landscapes to serve as EFTEON (Expanded Freshwater and Terrestrial Environmental Observation Network) research sites, two test sites were erected at the De Beers-owned Benfontein Nature Reserve in the Free State. The site selection and tower erection were facilitated by the SAEON Arid Lands Node, who have had a long-standing research relationship with the researchers and management of Benfontein. The EFTEON test sites were selected based on biome type and vegetation structure – a Savanna site and Karoo site were agreed upon and given the thumbs-up in October 2019.

Crucial milestone for ecosystems research in South Africa

Extensive consultation with a wide range of stakeholders has led to the selection of six ecosystem research sites located across the country for the Expanded Freshwater and Terrestrial Environmental Observation Network (EFTEON), a large research infrastructure that is being developed under the South African Research Infrastructure Roadmap (SARIR) programme of the Department of Science and Innovation. EFTEON is hosted by SAEON, a programme of the National Research Foundation (NRF).

EFTEON