Monique Nunes

Estuarine ecologist internship, Hosted by the SAEON GFW node Having grown up in the Western Cape and spending my vacations next to the coast instilled in me an absolute fascination for nature. This passion is what paved the way for my endeavors. I completed my tertiary education at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University where I obtained my B.Tech Degree in Nature Conservation (2009) and MSc. Degree in Botany (2012). My MSc was supervised by Prof. Janine B. Adams and focused on investigating the response of the abiotic and biotic variables of the temporarily open/closed Great Brak Estuary during a prolonged drought. I am currently working as a DST-NRF ecological intern at the Grasslands-Forests-Wetlands Node. My main projects for the year include initiating a Calendar Garden Project in conjunction with the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA) and Midlands Meander Education Project (MMEAP), analysing a five year data set focusing on the seasonal variation in avian community composition of the Midmar Dam as well as drafting a proposal for water quality monitoring for the St. Lucia Estuary (which include recommended sampling design and protocols).