Staff 
Chair of Botany
Contact
Tel: +27 (0) 33 260 6018
Fax: +27 (0) 33 260 5105
E-mail:
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Research interests
My research interests lie in the field of the ecology and genetics of plant-animal interactions. In particular, I am interested in the effects of herbivory by large mammals on the population biology, population genetics and conservation of plant populations, especially trees. Most of my work focuses on savanna ecology, although I maintain a strong interest in desert studies. I firmly believe in the value of field experiments to allow us to gain a mechanistic understanding of the factors that create large-scale vegetation patterns.
Selected publications
Link to ISI List of Publications
Ward, D. 2009. The Biology of Deserts. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
Sher, A. A; Wiegand, K; Ward, D. 2010. Do Acacia and Tamarix trees compete for water in the Negev desert? Journal of Arid Environments In press
Orians, C. M and Ward, D. 2010. Evolution of plant defenses in non-indigenous environments. Annual Review of Entomology 54: 147-163 [pdf] [Supplemental material]
Wilson, A-L; Ward, D; Brown, M; Johnson, S. D. 2009. Seed production in a threatened Aloe is not affected by birds exclusion or population size. Plant Ecology 203: 173-182 [pdf]
Moustakas, A; Wiegand, K; Meyer, K. M; Ward, D; Sankaran, M. 2009. Learning new tricks from old trees: new theroies and data on studying savannas. Plant Ecology and Diversity In press
Moustakas, A; Sakkos, K; Wiegand, K; Ward, D; Meyer, K. M; Eisinger, D. 2009. Are savannas patch dynamic systems? A landscape model. Ecological Modelling In press
Meyer, K. M; Wiegand, K; Ward, D. 2009. Patch dynamics intergrate mechanics for savanna tree-grass coexistence. Basic and Applied Ecology 10: 491-499 [pdf]
Mbatha, K. R; Ward, D. 2009. The effects of grazing, fire, nitrogen and water availability on nutritional quality of grasses in semi-arid savanna, South Africa. Journal of Arid Environments In press
Green, A. K; Ward, D; Griffiths, M. E. 2009. Direct dispersal of mistletoe (Plicosepalus acacia) by Yellow-vented Bulbuls (Pycnonotus xanthopygos). Journal of Ornithology 150: 167-173 [pdf]
Wiegand, K; Saltz, D; Ward, D; Levin, S. A. 2008. The role of size inequality in self-thinning: A pattern-oriented simulation model for arid savannas. Ecological Modelling 210: 431-445 [pdf]
Ruiz, N; Ward, D; Saltz, D. 2008. Leaf compensatory growth as a tolerance strategy to resist herbivory in Pancratium sickenbergeri. Plant Ecology 198: 19-26 [pdf]
Meyer, K. M; Ward, D; Wiegand, K; Moustakas, A. 2008. Multi-proxy evidence for competition between savanna woody species. Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics 10: 63-72 [pdf]
Mboumba, G. B; Ward, D. 2008. Phenotypic plasticity and local adaption in two extreme populations of Acacia karroo. African Journal of Range and Forage Science 25: 121-130 [pdf]
Meyer, K. M; Wiegand, K; Ward, D; Moustakas, A. 2007. The rhythm of savanna patch dynamics. Journal of Ecology 95: 1306-1315 [pdf]
Or, K; Ward, D. 2007. Maternal effects on the life histories of bruchid beetles infesting Acacia raddiana in the Negev desert, Israel. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 122: 165-170 [pdf]
Katjiua, M; Ward, D. 2007. Pastoralists' perceptions and realities of vegetation change and browse consumption in the northern Kalahari, Namibia. Journal of Arid Environments 69: 716-730 [pdf]
Henly, S. R; Ward, D; Schmidt, I. 2007. Habitat selection by two desert adapted ungulates. Journal of Arid Environments 70: 39-48 [pdf]
Wiegand, K; Saltz, D; Ward D. 2006. A patch dynamics approach to savanna dynamics and bush encroachment-insights from an arid savanna. Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics: 7: 229-242 [pdf]
Ward, D; Shrestha, M. K; Musli, I. 2006. Are invasive mistletoes killing Ziziphus spina-christi? Israel Journal of Plane Sciences 54: 113-117 [pdf]
Smet, M; Ward, D. 2006. Soil quality gradients around water-points under different management systems in a semi-arid savanna, South Africa. Journal of Arid Environments 64: 251-269 [pdf]
Ruiz, N; Saltz, D; Ward, D. 2006. Signal selection in a desert lily, Pancratium sickenbergeri. Evolutionary Ecology Research 8: 1461-1474 [pdf]
For a full list of publications click here.
For reprint requests please contact Vanessa Stuart on
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