Final day of 2011 Enviro Outreach

Michelle van der Bank, the team leader

A successful Toyota Enviro Outreach has come to an end.  Yet again it was amazing to witness how scientists from different backgrounds and experiences can work as a group to achieve a common goal. The spirit and passion was fantastic. This year the scientific team consisted of specialists in the field of insects, plants, gastropods, fungi, and fish identification and was led by the University of Johannesburg. The team traveled to iSimangaliso Wetland Park to collect plant and animal specimens for DNA barcoding. A total of more than 1020 species representing approximately 2806 individuals were collected. Once the barcode for these samples is produced they will be uploaded onto the Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD), an online informatics platform where it will become part of a growing reference library of DNA barcodes for South African plants and animals that will be freely available for use by the broader scientific and amateur naturalist communities.

The African Centre for DNA Barcoding at the University of Johannesburg and our partners from the International Barcode of Life project are extremely grateful to Toyota SA providing a fleet of vehicles and the unique opportunity through the Toyota Enviro Outreach to collect samples for DNA barcoding. Special thanks must go to Gerhard and Elmarie Groenewald and their team from Klipbokkop Nature Reserve near Worchester; without the logistic support and constant encouragement we would never have achieved our goals. We are also grateful to the authorities at iSimangaliso Wetland Park and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife that assist us with the colleting permits. Finally we wish to thank all our other sponsors (4X4 Mega World, Camp World, National Luna, Good Year, Total) for their support and commitment to the DNA barcoding project.

Some final conclusions from the various disciplines:


The Fish & Mollusk Team: Herman and Richard’s comments
Although Maphelane hasn’t been as productive with respect to the marine gastropods, it has been very successful with respect to fish and terrestrial snails. We caught 13 species of fish including the poisonous Evil-eye Puffer Fish. We have also got 7 species of crustacean and 4 species of terrestrial snails. One of the snail species is the Tail Wagging Snail of which the biology is little known. It is possible that tail wagging is part of the courtship ritual.

This brings our total to 371 samples from around 75 species from this part of the trip alone.

Enthusiastic collector Fritz

Evil-eye Pufferfish

Tank Goby (glossogobius giuris) 

The plant Team: Olivier & Michelle
The last ten days spent in Kwazulu-Natal at both Kosi Bay and Maphelane permitted us to visit a broad range of ecosystems such as mangroves, swamps, and sand forests. Although rain came a bit late we were able to complete numerous collections of plants. Our main focus was to complete our sampling for the TreeBOL Africa project. We also focused on invasive species, which forms part of a collaborative project between the Early Detection and Rapid Response Program of the Working for Water Program and South African National Biodiversity Institute and the African Centre for DNA Barcoding at the University of Johannesburg. All our collections will be deposited both at the National herbarium in Durban and at the University of Johannesburg. The DNA collection will be incorporated in the UJ-ACDB DNA bank and made available on request for scientific purposes (www.acdb.co.za)

Turraea floribunda - Honeysuckle-tree

Peddiea africana - Poison Olive

Misteltoe

Inhambanella henriquesii - Milkpear

Grewia occidentalis - Cross-berry Raisin

Our sampling after 10 days reached a total of 190 collections, representing 59 families and we have so far positively identified 93 species including 45 new taxa for the DNA Bank at the ACDB.

The highlight of our collection were: Acacia kosiensis (Sweet Thorn), Barringtonia racemosa (Powder-puff Tree), Voaconga thouarsii (Wild frangiupani), Diospyros inhacahensis (Coast Jackal-berry), Drypetes gerrardii (Forest Ironplum), Inhambanella henriquesii (Milkpear), Parinari capensis subsp. Incohata  (Sand Mobola Plum), Robsonodendon eucleiforme (False Silki-bark), Turraea floribunda (Honeysuckle-tree), and Vangueria randii (Coast Wild-medlar).

Ants: Brigitte
The Toyota Enviro Outreach was a fantastic adventure for me. I enjoyed exploring the unique environments a lot. This trip has added many species to the ant collection. In total I found approximately 25 genera and 55 species in Kosi Bay and Maphelane. However some of these species I previously barcoded from other places and of some I only found one or two nests. Thus the total number of samples contributed by this trip is approximately 160. The number may still increase when I process the samples in the lab as some ant species look too similar to be distinguished in the field and I may thus have more species collected than I am currently aware of.

Camponotus nest

Arachnids: Robin
The spider diversity of Kosi Bay and Maphelane has been great to sample. The diversity of both areas has an approximate total of 50 families and 100 species. The exact number for the spiders will only be known once specimens have been sorted at the lab. Other orders of arachnid samples included scorpions, red romans and pseudo-scorpions. All of these are great finds since they will help to give an indication of the total arachnid diversity of both areas. A total number of 400 samples representing 100 different species were collected during the trip.

The Toyota trip has been a great experience for me personally. Not only was it possible for me to visit a part of the country I haven’t been too before. I have been able to form part of this unique barcoding project. Whilst I have only concentrated on arachnids I feel I have helped in my own way to fulfill the barcoding aim – to make every species count.

Vincent's conclusions
Here we go; it's already the last day of the trip! For the past few years, I have been heavily involved in DNA barcoding - editing scientific papers on this topic and having launched, together with Michelle van der Bank's team, the plant DNA barcodes. Thus, I was particularly interested to see what would be the outcomes of this sort of expedition.

One way of measuring the success of this trip is to count the number of specimens that have been collected - and I understand that the organisers are happy with the collecting figures. For me, success is also a lot about training and research outputs. For example, I have thoroughly enjoyed my discussions with students, Bezeng and Barnabas, making plans towards analysing their data or visiting my lab in London. Discussions with the plant team were particularly productive, for example debating the use of DNA barcodes to test recent ecological theories. Reading through Herman's manuscript and discussing with him how COI can help delineate species of marine snails was great too. Indeed, DNA barcoding has split the science community, and its detractors will be watching out whether or not solid scientific publications are being produced through DNA barcoding - this trip was particularly hopeful in this regard.

The partnership between the car industry and scientists was another intriguing side of this trip. It's undoubtedly a great mutual benefit to Toyota, the other sponsors and us that this 2-week trip was funded. However, longer-lasting investments - maybe such as the donation of a second-hand vehicle - would make a much bigger difference to the teams: as Michelle explains, car rental is the most expensive item for her work. I am of course very thankful to all sponsors for financing this trip, and I am equally thankful to the support team here who has looked after us so well. I have met so many wonderful people during the trip.

Finally, my thoughts must also go to this bull, who would have not expected his testicles to be the target of a French scientist - but what wouldn't I do to collect my favourite ticks...

Maphelane from the Sand Dune

UJ student group: Barnabas Daru (hello!!! - Hi!!)
The 2011 Toyota Enviro Outreach was a great experience for me. It accord me an opportunity to work in one of Africa’s six biodiversity hotspot areas, the Maputaland where I had first-hand experience working closely with a team of multi-disciplinary biologists (botanists, entomologists, zoologists, ecologists, and conservation biologists) for a common cause - to DNA barcode biodiversity.
One of the highlights of this Outreach for me, apart from the wonderful scenes in the thick tropical forests, was the visit to the primary school (Trelfall at Kosi Bay) where we taught the learners the importance of biodiversity to the environment including the tree-song: “My tree, my tree, my beautiful tree…”, a song which I believe will linger in the community for years to come.
This Outreach has been a truly rewarding experience for me, the memories which will be saved close to my heart. Thanks to the leaders, organisers and sponsors.

Insects: Christiaan
This was one amazing experience!! Thanks to Gerhard and his team and Toyota for helping me to contribute to the Barcode of Life Project. At Kosi-Bay we collected about 300 species, and added another 450 at Maphelane. This is not even close to the total potential that occurs in these areas, which means we will have to return to continue collecting samples in these beautiful areas.

From the organisers: Elmarie
I wish to thank all the participants of this year’s Outreach. A project of this magnitude can only succeed with a group of dedicated and enthusiastic scientists, like yourselves. Michelle has led this group well, and with her humble approach, created the space for all to excel.

Blog facilitator: Millene
It was a pleasure to keep everyone following this group’s progress, updated. With contributions, photographs and help from all, the quality of communication remained tops. Till next time…

Camp life at Maphelane Nature Resort

Invaders or visitors?...

Mornings start earlier than most of us would like; fortunately the morning chorus of birds in the campsite provides welcoming atmosphere. Red-capped Robin-Chats sing chirpy songs, greenbuls and bulbuls provide the background chorus and a couple of Nerina Trogons and the Livingstone Turacos provide colour and beauty.

Friend of Foe?

Friendly visitor

The invasion by the vervet monkeys forces one out of the tent to protect one’s belongings. We even take turns to do 'kettie' duty at the kitchen..
Early morning visitors to the ladies ablution block were met with a pile of monkey faces in front of the full length mirror this morning!!

Following just behind them is gang of banded mongoose raiding the dust bins and begging for scraps of food – at least they are very cute and not that cheeky.
And when the giant bush babies came to visit after dark, the Frenchmen could not understand why they are allowed in the kitchen and the monkeys are chased away.

Friendly visitors are the local bushbuck and the red duiker grazing around the camp site and posing for photographs. O yes! The mozzies are here and verrrryyy hungry after the long winter – fumes of Peaceful sleep and Tabard engulfs us all.

A welcome visitor was the rain of this morning because the scientists were waiting for the creepies and crawlies to appear – the back-up plan to move the open air labs under canopies and gazebos assure continuous processing.

Doctor at work again

Operations moved under cover as the rain commenced

And then we have our visitors from the media arriving regularly and the Toyotas do the airport run almost daily.


Gerhard Groenewald of Klipbokkop Mountain Reserve

Gerhard is the leader of the logistical support group. He has been taking groups of 4x4 wheel drivers on Eco Challenges and game rangers and park officials across borders to visit neighboring parks. He is also an expert on training and the design of new off-road tracks and has a reputed knowledge on environmental issues and other related fields of study.

In 2009 he combined his passion for environmental conservation and his desire to reach exotic destinations that can only be reached by sturdy off-road vehicles when he threw his weight in behind the iBol project. This cutting edge scientific research is in line with Toyota’s drive towards sustainable resources and cleaner water, cleaner air. Since then he has traveled many thousands of kilometers to find the most appropriate and unique destinations for scientists to explore terrains with biodiversity to maximise the possible samples that can be gathered by multi-disciplinary groups of specialists simultaneously.

The Toyota Enviro Outreach of 2011 is again a highly successful event and Gerhard contributes this achievement also to the continued involvement of many sponsors.
These sponsors are involved throughout the year with at least 6 research projects running continuously
Toyota provides the Hilux and Fortuner vehicles for transport to these destinations

• National Luna has been involved with these outreaches for many years and their reliable fridges and freezers make life easier
• Good Year is also a valued sponsor and highly appreciated for their involvement over the past 11 years
• Cross Country is sponsoring the vehicle insurance
• CAMPWORLD provides the tents and sturdy off-road Jurgens trailers
• Mega World has provided the camping equipment and all special accessories on the vehicles for the last 6 years.
• Total sponsors a big part of the fuel for these trips

Klipbokkop Mountain Resort, with Elmarie and Gerhard as owners, has a reputation of good maintenance and stewardship of these sponsored items and therefore the mentioned sponsors have been involved with them for many years.

Final Countdown

The Toyota Enviro Outreach of 2011 is in the final stages and some of our learned and respected colleagues and friends will soon be leaving for their other lives out there. The first timers amongst us will definitely have interesting impressions and experiences of the time shared with other researchers at the two different sampling locations.

They share their thoughts with blog followers before they leave us.

Prof Erik Holm

After my first stint with the local iBol-team I have this overwhelming feeling that this is the modest beginning of a whole new era in biology. Compared to space exploration we are now at the backyard rocket stage, but eventually this project can develop into a paradigm shift in biology.
The mid 19th to mid 20th century saw biology progressing through ambitious multidisciplinary expeditions – from the voyage of the Beagle to the Swedish Expedition to Southern Africa after WW2. I just missed the last of these great joint ventures of discovery in my youth, and it is immensely gratifying to experience a revival of them in my old age.
To me this shared interest and aim of the bio-science is more than a technical cooperation.
It is a revival of a joint fascination with life.

Dr Andrew Deacon
It is with confidence that I can say: the Toyota Environment Outreach project is the ultimate experience for any biodiversity enthusiast! Since a major part of my research in SANParks (Savanna Unit) involves aspects of biodiversity (which is also my hobby!), I am really privileged to be included in this project. What impressed me most is that all of us were enjoying the exciting coastal environment, while we were also living our passion.

And all of this is made possible by the 9 Toyota vehicles kitted with the best equipment, enabling thirty people to camp in luxury, while Gerhard and Elmarie Groenewald and their competent team run the logistic programme like a smooth-oiled machine. Three meals a day from the field kitchen, tents as accommodation and every camping utensil, a field laboratory, and much more!
It is also exciting to interact with well-known experts and share their experiences in their fields of knowledge. In the end, I do appreciate the knowledge that the ultimate outcome of the project is the fact that the huge amount of species sampled will form the basis of the very exciting IBOL system for this part of Southern Africa.

Danie van der Walt
When I retired in 2009 and handed the reigns of 50/50 over to the next production team, I stressed that - apart from the good work that the team might have done in creating a greater awareness of environmental issues – we sadly also did nothing more than show-casing  the destruction of our natural world and documenting the loss of our biotic diversity over the past 25 years – because of  human need and greed.

Danie interviewing Eric

Project Aardwolf on KYKNet has been following the TEO project since its inception.
Producer Hermien Roelvert and myself (camera) were assigned to cover the KwaZulu Natal leg for this show as Prof Erik Holm – one of our co-presenters – is also one of the field scientists on the project . It was a first for both of us in the field with the team and it proved to be a most amazing experience. Having being involved in environmental and wildlife documentaries for most of my career, one is acutely aware of the incredible biotic diversity in Southern Africa - but also that the loss of species is a continuously and insidious process – something we don’t notice until it is much too late.
One also do not have to be rocket scientist to know that everything on earth is inter-linked and dependant on other living beings to keep living. Yet year after year – at international scientific congresses – we hear of more and more species that are now gone. Many of these species that disappear have not yet been described or their roles and value in nature defined. As Prof Erik Holm said most of the species we know today were first described many decades and even centuries ago. Clearly this ambitious DNA coding project is hugely significant and of far greater value than that first meets the eye. It not only serves as a control for what species are still around – but also to check if our taxonomy in the past has been accurate.

The TEO DNA coding team is compiled of many renowned scientists representing all the many study fields. What strikes one as an outsider is the absolute dedication and enthusiasm that all of them displays when they are out – hunting down the examples of the species that they expect in a region. They know the crisis that we are facing. It is an ambitious project that will run for many before it is even near completion – a valuable project that needs the support of the whole country.

Some of us have been on Eco Challenges and Toyota Enviro Outreaches from the pioneer stages to this one. Our blog readers also have a role as “citizen scientists” to contribute… This is how:

Renier Balt
A wise man once said,
“You can only see the picture when you join the dots together. And you can only join the dots when you look backwards from where you came to where you are today…”
With the privilege of participation in the growing endeavour what has now become the TEO, it is clear this is a project with direction, with growing significance. This is where bio-scientists from various disciplines get together in an internationally recognized project and share information with each other, whilst contributing their time and unique knowledge in their fields.

For a citizen scientist to be part of this project is a unique and special experience. One experiences the vast knowledge of nature from the leaders in their respective fields, and understands the magnitude of the challenge for SA to participate sustainably in the iBol project. And (maybe) this will become the one dot that one can play a part in to connect…

• The importance of citizens and nature lovers to contribute must grow. The cost of bio-scientists to do al the work is just too high and could be prohibitive. Citizen scientists can contribute by helping scientists to find species and reduce the cost of sampling. In future, citizen scientists could even become increasingly involved in the sampling process, through proper training and with regulation in place.
• In the meantime, participation in the ViTH project (the Virtual Tree Herbarium (www.vmus.adu.org.za) is a small step for every interested person in the right direction. And more initiatives to involve the public and citizen scientists should be implemented soon.

The TEO is world class. It is the gateway for bio-scientists to meet and share and participate in iBol.

Renier Balt
(Citizen scientist)

Scientist at work

Christiaan

Marieke

Hermann & Richard

Barnabas

Team Botany

Maphelane - Highlight of the day

Early morning inspection of lab by monkey

What a wonderful place to do sampling. The day was perfect and cool and the scientists started early to collect samples of species around the swampy forest, the estuary and the beach area.
When they returned to camp with their findings and experiences, the highlights of the day was shared and this is what they had to say:

Marieka the fungi expert says:
"Our new camp site is considerably wetter than the previous site.  So I shifted focus now in looking for the larger fungi, which are so much more visual and easier to understand.  It is still quite dry and I did not manage to find as many fungi as I know is here, but I can now add a few of these to the barcode database."

"This made me think of how incredibly useful bar-coding can be to South African mycology, which is in such great need for exploration and identification.  Where previously I went to places with numerous mushrooms and other types of fungi, I could not find time afterwards to make something with the fungi I collected. Now, I can actually do something more meaningful.  I can add the fungi I collected to the kits for DNA bar-coding, keep my herbarium and information, and send these fungi off to Canada to get them into a database and with a linked DNA sequence that can help in future to slot these fungi into place.  The most difficult thing for fungi is that they are so incredibly numerous, so undescribed and there are so few people to do something with them.  The vast majority of sequences we will thus get we cannot give names to. It will thus be like starting a library but where the books have no names and we first have to read them to add their information.  But with barcodes we can still sort these unnamed books, and it will show us if in future we find something similar.  And with the system of cataloging enforced by BOLD, we will have everything necessary if the expertise comes to give these fungi names.  This is thus an ideal way to DO SOMETHING, even if it is only exploring the tips of the tips of the tips of the icebergs.
The ideal would be if I could return to these places later in summer with the rainy season in full swing. Fungi are also seasonal, and occur at different times.  I know they are here, but need to come repeatedly to find them.  Would it not be cool if this would be possible…  This opportunity gave to me by this Toyota Enviro Outreach and the support of the various people, however, already helped me to do much.
Tally thus far:  I have about 130 samples thus far, ranging from various lichens (estimate about 30 species that must be characterized by a colleague in the USA), about 40 pathogens, about 400 additional fungi I will try to obtain for each pathogen sample, and about 25 larger fungi I found today.  I will add these c. 600 species to literally about a thousand different types of fungi I will delimit from the environmental bar-coding I will do with the samples of waterberry.  Only the tip….
Fungus find of the day:  Let’s choose the unknown delicate and elegant mushroom hiding underneath a log."

Christian from the insect team has the following to say;
"We found a coastal endemic dung beetle scarabaeus bornemiza – a clear indication that we are sampling in a pristine environment. My highlight of the day overshadowed the low point: I broke prof. Holm’s 'kettie'."

Bezeng said that it was a great day as he worked with different researchers from the African Center for DNA Bar-coding assisting in preparing the plants that were collected. Most importantly he had to collect a  Scaevola Plumieri with beautiful flowers and also his first collection from the Lobeliaceae family. Finally it was great for Bezeng talking to Prof Vincent Savolainen. He shared his research interest and that gave Bezeng an open mind into research.

Olivier from the plant team:
"Today we visited several very exciting places such as dense forest and a swamp. We found 2 interesting plant species:
The first observation was a Drypetes natalensis (Stem fruit from the Iron plum from the Euphorbe family). It bears flowers on the trunk and male and females flowers are appearing on separate specimens."

Male Stem Fruit

Female Stem fruit

The second observation was an Inhambanella henriquesii (or Milk Pear of the Milk pear family). This species has a localized distribution in South Africa and is a new species for our sampling of trees of Southern Africa.

Vincent, from the prestigious Imperial College in London, is our DNA analyses expert and he was very excited about the find of Gladiola on the beach by Bezeng– he says it might be Gladiolus inudensis and it might interest a PHD student that he knows. It is a clear indication that radiation of this species was rapid (even faster than animal evolutionary radiation).

Robin the spider expert's highlight was she found a retreat web which is a unique web with tunnels. The spider stays in a silk lined tunnel with a number of thin strands which extends from the tunnel. This is used to help to detect pray and possible danger.

Tunnel web spider

Robin observing the spiders she just caught.

Richard from the marine team had a good day with fish sampling as a highlight. Four species of fish, two crabs and two terrestrial snails were found. Tomorrow mud skippers is his goal…

Brigitte, the ant expert, found that the camping area is dominated by a single species of ant, possibly an invasive species. Several new species were found outside the camping area. Some of these ants spent most of their time below ground or are mostly nocturnal. "Discovering these nest is exiting", she said.

Brigitte sampling ants

And then of course the highlight of the day for Elmarie and Isa was when the team, organized by Michelle, prepared supper for the group.

Everyone joined to make supper

So our stay at Kosi Bay Mouth ended…

Rough roads no match for the Toyota's & Jurgens Trailers

Arrival at new camp site 

Kitchen, camp & lab

The Lab

One of the 5 Jurgens off-road trailers

Our Howling Moon tents

Within 2 hours all tents, the entire kitchen, the scientific laboratory including telescopes, containers with samples and fishing tools were loaded on the Jurgens trailers and the Hiluxes and Fortuners. The team of Klipbokkop demonstrated what efficiency really means - everybody knew what to do and how to do it. Prof Erik remarked the other night that this scientific expedition is so much more effective due to the effective logistical support. The researchers can focus on their mission of sampling species and do not have to worry about food, lodgings and transport etc. They also really appreciate the effort to get them to these exotic destinations.

We left an hour before schedule and depart for our southernmost camp at Maphelane Nature Reserve on the KZN coast. We will surely miss the luxurious camp and friendly service of Ken and his staff at the Kosi Bay Mouth camping site.

Maphelane is a primitive but a beautiful camp site. Michele van der Bank, the project leader from UJ decided on this destination earlier this year and the necessary booking and arrangements were made for this Toyota Enviro Outreach. Elmarie has set up the kitchen without electricity but soon the gas burners and the camp fire were going and the batteries and generators will assist the scientist in the makeshift lab under the stars. We are really close to nature with the sound of the waves and the frogs croaking nearby.

The area is different to the habitat of Kosi Bay and the mangroves and the coastal forest resemble a rain forest. The scientist expects to find many different species of plants and insects in this area. According to Olivier ± 120 samples of plants were collected at Kosi Bay and they expect to find many more in this area. The insect people are just as exited to be here and Barnabas and the lab assistants hope to double their count of 300 species processed so far. Herman and his ocean team will be exploring the coast line for fish and other marine fresh water specimens.

Fogging, nudibrancs & local fish traps

Tiny spider catching a bee

Communications team processing photos & press releases

Since the rainy reason hasn't set in yet, the butterfly varieties are very low.

From the early hours of the morning the camp was bustling with activity as the different teams went out to do sampling at our last day in the Kosi Bay area. 

The insect experts set out to collect samples from the tree canopies. The method used to do the collecting is called ‘fogging’, using a synthetic parathyroid which breaks down very quickly in sunlight. All the insects affected by the ‘fog’ falls down to the ground where they are collected. Only one tree was sampled this way, as that gives a good indication of life in the tree canopies.

'Fogging' in process

Christian enjoying the 'fogging' process

Prof Holm collecting the samples after the 'fogging'

The fish experts ‘catch of the day’ is a rare, shy dark sleeper fish. This was caught using fyke nets. The fish’s main diet is prawns. Prof Hermann van der Bank said that it is the first time in 30 years that he caught this fish. Very little is known about them, and they have never been barcoded.

Sleeper Fish

This morning was neap tide with the water receding to the lowest levels in the month, revealing treasures otherwise hidden most of the month. We found some very beautiful nudibrancs whilst exploring. All the locals made use of the ideal conditions to collect red bait. 

Very beautiful nudibrancs 

Another beautiful nudibranc

When driving down to Kosi Bay mouth, one immediately notices the local fish traps. According to information gathered, there are roughly 300 of these traps, handed down through the generation to each family. Each trap, according to law, has to be a certain distance away from each other to avoid over fishing. It is also not allowed in the main channel of the river. These traps are designed for selective fishing so that only the large fish are caught thus making it a sustainable fishing practice to the area. The local fishing market was also visited, where records size Mozambique Tilapia was spotted.

Local fishing traps

The botanist ventured through the different types of vegetation in the area; sandy open grasslands with lots of bulbs, very dense humid forests with large trees and epiphytic ferns, swamps around the lake with adjacent grasslands with beautiful orchids.

'the bos-boytjies' botanist team

Tomorrow morning the camp will pack early, eager to explore the Greater St. Lucia Wetlands Park.