A5039327896- Climate variability and models
- Hydrology and Drought Analysis
- Meteorological Phenomena and Simulations
- Climate change impacts on agriculture
- Science and Climate Studies
- Urban Green Space and Health
- Urban Heat Island Mitigation
- Climate Change and Health Impacts
- Allergic Rhinitis and Sensitization
- Air Quality Monitoring and Forecasting
- Geology and Paleoclimatology Research
- Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology
- Hydrology and Watershed Management Studies
- Tropical and Extratropical Cyclones Research
- Energy and Environment Impacts
- Climate Change and Sustainable Development
- Solar Radiation and Photovoltaics
- Evolution and Paleontology Studies
- Geological formations and processes
- Plant responses to elevated CO2
- Agricultural risk and resilience
- Precipitation Measurement and Analysis
- Indoor Air Quality and Microbial Exposure
- Flood Risk Assessment and Management
- Atmospheric and Environmental Gas Dynamics
University of the Witwatersrand
2017-2024
Agricultural Research Council of South Africa
2022-2024
University of the Free State
2022-2024
Institute for Soil, Climate and Water
2023
Abstract The 6th Assessment of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change projects increasing thermal‐associated morbidity and mortality under anthropogenically induced warming. Over 100 indices exist to quantify thermal stress, among these, Universal Thermal Index (UTCI) was developed for regional investigations stress influences human health. Although by definition a universal index, current applications are mainly limited Europe. For regions such as Africa, use UTCI has been hampered...
Abstract Changes in rainfall seasonality across South Africa may have detrimental impacts on crop yields and surface water supplies. Despite this, these rarely been investigated the African summer‐, winter‐ year‐round zones (SRZ, WRZ YRZ respectively) using consistent methods. Rainfall changes are explored here daily temperature records for 1987–2016 from 46 meteorological stations spanning a grid Africa. Focusing comparable methods that statistically define SRZ, WRZ, YRZ, we apply ratio of...
Abstract Airborne fungal spores and pollen (aerospora), synergistic with air pollution, are key triggers of allergic respiratory diseases. Effective diagnosis treatment requires up-to-date location-specific knowledge on the temporal variability aerospora types levels. Johannesburg is largest city in South Africa has grown substantially three decades, changes ground cover, population density yet until now, no continuous sampling occurred. We present a daily two-year (August 2019–July 2021)...
Climate change research is broad, diverse and constantly growing. Cross- interdisciplinary understanding essential for generating robust science advice policy. However, it challenging to prioritise navigate the ever-expanding peer-reviewed literature. To address this, we gathered input from experts across various fields through an online questionnaire prioritised a set of 10 key advances with high policy relevance. This year, focus on: (1) Declining aerosol emissions, (2) soaring methane (3)...
Over regions with sparse observation networks, including South Africa’s Northern Cape Province, gridded data sets represent valuable supplementary sources enabling spatially detailed climate investigations. Their performance is, however, influenced by regional characteristics, thus a assessment should be prerequisite for any application. Through pairwise comparison eight point-based temperature records, we evaluated the AgERA5 representation of mean summer (November–March; Tms) and winter...
Consistent with global patterns, heatwaves have increased in frequency, duration and intensity across southern Africa; under enhanced warming this is projected to worsen. Heatwaves many adverse impacts, but biologically unique mountainous regions, like the Maloti-Drakensberg region, impacts on ecological processes hydrological cycles are particularly dire given their highly sensitive nature. Despite this, extreme temperature changes interannual variability patterns remain understudied owing...
The Umlindi newsletter was developed to provide information towards climate advisories, considering, for instance, drought conditions, presented in a relevant manner the agricultural and disaster sectors South Africa. This newsletter, which is disseminated on monthly basis, provides derived from climate-related monitoring products obtained an integration of remote sensing situ data weather stations. It contains useful indicators, such as rainfall, vegetation, fire that overview conditions...
Heavy rainfall events negatively impact agricultural productivity (e.g. crop damage) and human health waterborne disease outbreaks). Under anthropogenically induced warming, South Africa may experience more frequent heavier during the summer wet-season. Evidence from point-based records suggests that such changes already be occurring across many zone regions; however, understanding thereof is spatially unresolved. Therefore, focusing on Free State Province, we used CHIRPS dataset for...
Near-modern geography and atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations (∼400 ppmv) coupled with temperatures ∼3°C warmer than the pre-Industrial era are suggested to make mid-Pliocene warm period (mPWP; 3.264–3.025 Ma) an important near-future climate change analogue. To date, however, few studies explore mPWP hydroclimatic characteristics for full southern Africa area using proxy records and/or Pliocene Model Intercomparison Project (PlioMIP) projections. Hence, we analyse precipitation...
Abstract Sunshine influences a range of biometeorological parameters, from human health to the enjoyment touristic destinations. has therefore become an important meteorological variable in indices and causal analysis impact climate on humans. However, ground-based recording sunshine hours is sparse, particularly African countries. Methods estimate more ubiquitously measured or modelled parameters offer prospect supplement these datasets, are thus appealing for studies. It critically explore...
Landfills produce pollutants that negatively impact humans and the environment.In developing countries such as South Africa, landfilling is most common form of solid waste management.People living in close proximity to landfills are particularly at risk harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs).Although VOCs only constitute ~1% landfill gas (LFG) emissions, they concern associated with these high.Of particular within VOCs, BTEX group (viz.benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene xylenes).These wind...