Agulhas Current

Principal Investigator: Prof Johann Lutjeharms (University of Cape Town)

Title: A multi-disciplinary study of the landward edge of the Agulhas Current along its full length and its influence on the adjacent shelf, including the Agulhas Bank.

Project Summary: The Agulhas Current is known to dominate the ocean on South Africa’s east coast, but its direct effect on the adjacent shelf is only partially understood. This project aims to determine where this influence starts, its effect on the Natal Bight, along the coast and on the Agulhas Bank.

Students:
Mathilde Schapira (Post Doc):

Tinus Sonnekus (PhD): Phytoplankton of the greater Agulhas Large Marine Ecosystem. Supervisors: Professor Eilene Campbell and Dr. Derek Du Preez.

Madison Hall (MSc): Effects of competition and abiotic factors on the distributions of the invasive mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis and the indigenous mussel Perna perna on the South African coast. Supervisor: Professor Christopher McQuaid

International Collaboration:
The project has done well to well to attract international collaboration which has extended to:
• Brazil under the IBSA (India-Brazil-South Africa agreement) with Prof. Edmo Campos of the University of São Paolo (upwelling inshore of Agulhas)
• Italy with Dr Paolo Luschi of Pisa University (the movement of leatherback turtles relative to the Agulhas Current)
• France with Dr S. Speich of the University of East Brittany (modelling of the Agulhas Current)
• Germany with Dr. Arne Biastoch of the University of Kiel (modelling of the Agulhas Current)
• United States with Dr Lisa Beal of the University of Miami under the ACT (Agulhas Current Time-series) project [see http://act.rsmas.miami.edu/about.html] to investigate temporal variations in the Agulhas Current.

Posters:
A Multi-disciplinary study of the Agulhas Current and its influence on the adjecent shelf - J.R.E. Lutjeharms and C.D. McQuaid.pdf