Dr Mark Keith completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Pretoria (UP) and has been doing research at the University since 2013.

His research focuses on understanding how mammal species and mammal guilds are structured and able to persist in landscapes that are undergoing land use change.

“If we have a better understanding of how mammal species and mammal guilds persist and respond in lieu of land use change and management decisions, we will be able to improve system resilience, ecosystem services and survival of species,” he says.

Dr Keith is part of a collaborative team working on the Biodiversity of the Waterberg Mountain Complex under principal investigator (PI) Professor Nigel Barker of UP’s Department of Plant Sciences. This research will include botanical, entomological, mammalian, avian, fish and herpetological assessments that provide key baseline biodiversity data; this data will offer information and insight into how to assist in essential management and conservation planning and decisions. Dr Keith regards this endeavour as a research highlight as well as the use of artificial intelligence to explore big datasets.

He hopes his research will contribute to a better understanding of ecosystems, which can lead to more informed management and conservation strategies.

He is also a collaborator on the Snapshot Safari South Africa work undertaken by PI Prof Jan Venter of Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University.

Dr Keith’s research matters because with the increasing impacts of human-associated global change, we need to understand how to maintain systems and species in order to supply and maintain ecosystem services.

“We require urgent information on how species persist, and how guilds are constituted and maintained in landscapes undergoing change,” he says. “If we cannot protect and manage these systems, we will lose more species with the associated loss in ecosystem resilience and services.”

As for advice to school learners and undergraduates interested in his field, he says: “There are a lot of amazing opportunities out there, but many of these are difficult to find and secure, and often require some sacrifice. For example, it could be away from home or you may have to work in remote places. Be passionate, and find and take on these opportunities.”

On a personal level, Dr Keith is interested in new technologies to assist in research and conservation.