Another session within the Marine and Antarctic Research Strategy research theme :  Ecosystems, biodiversity and biodiscovery  was chaired  by Donald Cowan of the University of Pretoria, he also chaired the session for Thulani Makhalanyane’s project research. Dr Dowan started of the first section with his own presentation followed by research within his project.

Above (l-r): Pedro Lebre, Silindile Maphosa, Lefentse Mashamaite

• Don Cowan:  Microbial ecology of Antarctic desert soils. (Abstract)
• Pedro Lebre:  Biogeographic survey of soil microbial communities across Antarctica. (Abstract)
• Silindile Maphosa:  Exploring the functional potential of microbial metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) from sub-Antarctic islands. (Abstract)
• Lefentse Mashamaite:  Microbial diversity in Antarctic Dry Valley soils across an altitudinal gradient. (Abstract)

Prof Makhalanyane project presentations. Above (l-r): Runesu Bakasa,  Marike Hillocks, Riaan Pierneef, Mancha Mabaso, Choaro Dithugoe

• Runesu Bakasa:  Elucidating the role of biosynthetic genes in the adaptation of bacterial mixotrophs in the South Atlantic. (Abstract)
• Marike Hillocks: Phage satellites of the deep Southern Ocean. (Abstract)
• Riaan Pierneef:  Polar opposites; bacterioplankton susceptibility and mycoplankton resistance to ocean acidification. (Abstract)
• Mancha Mabaso:  Marine microbiome responses to Fe supplementation. (Abstract)
• Choaro Dithugoe:  Bacteria and archaea regulate particulate organic matter export in suspended and sinking marine particle fractions. (Abstract)

  Above: (l-r)Nosipho Hlalukana, Nyasha Mafumo, Phillip Mawire, Mayinbogwe Buthelezi

• Nosipho Hlalukana:  Disentangling the biosynthetic potential of the South Atlantic Ocean microbiome. (Abstract)
• Nyasha Mafumo:  Disentangling the effects of the Agulhas Current on marine viruses. (Abstract)
• Phillip Mawire  :  Genomic analysis of Acidobacteria from polar region soils: Delineating the mechanisms leading to diversity and successful adaptation to the polar regions. (Abstract)
• Mayinbogwe Buthelezi:  Investigation of microbial genomics to understand the cycling of organosulfur compounds in the marine environments. (Abstract)

Poster Presentations. Above (l-r): Sade Magabotha, Christophe Lefebvre, Elizabe Malan, Benjamin Abraham, Nelisiwe Hedebe, Michelle Bekker

• Sade Magabotha: A reproducible microbiome pipeline for the identification of horizontally acquired mobile genetic elements. (Abstract)
• Christophe Lefebvre: Using computational tools to shed light on microbes with capacity to degrade microplastics in the oceans. (Abstract)
• Elizabe Malan: Understanding the dynamics of microbial communities in the Congo River plume. (Abstract)
• Benjamin Abraham:  Nutrient Co Limitation of Bacterial Communities within the Southern Ocean. (Abstract)
• Nelisiwe Hedebe:  Charting the diversity of Giant viruses of Antarctic dry valley permafrost. (Abstract)
• Michelle Bekker: Phage diversity in the Southern Ocean. (Abstract)

Although Prof Makhalanyane(left) could only attend the National Committee and not the presentations, his students from Pretoria University were able to visit his new workplace at Stellenbosch University. (Photo credit: Riaan Pienaar)