Welcome to the Simaika Lab , at UNESCO-IHE, Delft, The Netherlands. My research is very much applied, focusing predominantly on the conservation of insects in land- and water-scapes.
Current outgoing research projects are on:
- Response of benthic communities to change in water quality caused by invasive alien plants in riparian zones
- Assessing the potential impact of fracking on freshwater insect diversity
- Research and development of a freshwater biomonitoring index for eastern and southern African wetlands
Translating conservation science into conservation action is a core aim of my work, and for this reason I am actively involved with the IUCN Freshwater Conservation Sub-Committee, the IUCN Species Monitoring Specialist Group, and the IUCN Dragonfly Specialist Group. I am also Conservation Chair of the South African Chapter of the Society for Conservation Biology.
I am always looking for collaborators, PhD’s, and MSc’s. If you find any of the above projects interesting, and see a possibility for synergy, do contact me.
You can also follow me on Google Scholar and Research Gate.
Recent lab events
New project launch on Kickstarter: “Drones and dragons“, using drone technology to detect dragonflies in the field, engage citizen scientists in regular monitoring. Check it out! #dronesandragons.
Hot off the press: “Manual of Freshwater Assessment for South Africa: The Dragonfly Biotic Index”. A free PDF of the publication is available on the SANBI Graphics & Editing page on the Biodiversity Advisor website. Here a recent review (opens PDF) by Dr. Helen Barber-James, Albany Museum, Grahamstown.
Simaika Lab 