Prof Paulette Bloomer
Professor and Head

 
paulette.bloomer [at] up.ac.za 

Qualifications: 

BSc BSc(Hons)(Potchefstroom) PhD(Pretoria)

Teaching subjects: 

GTS251
GTS363 (up to 2009)

Research focus: 

My research group is interested to know how genetic diversity contributes to speciation and population structure within species. Typical questions we ask are: What processes have driven speciation? Why do species occur where they are found today? What is a population? What is the extent of gene flow within and among populations? We use data from different disciplines to identify processes that may underlie the patterns of genetic diversity we observe. Our phylogeographic research contributes to several biodiversity issues in South Africa, amongst others, the conservation of endangered endemic vertebrate species and the sustainable utilisation of living marine resources. 

Publications:

• Russo IM, Chimimba CT, Bloomer P. 2010. Bioregion heterogeneity underlies extensive mitochondrial DNA diversity in the Namaqua rock mouse Micaelamys namaquensis Smith, 1834 (Rodentia: Muridae) species complex from southern Africa. BMC Evolutionary Biology 10:307.
• Asher RJ, Maree S, Bronner G, Bennett NC, Bloomer P, Czechowski P, Meyer M, Hofreiter M. 2010. A phylogenetic estimate for golden moles (Mammalia, Afrotheria, Chrysochloridae). BMC Evolutionary Biology 10:69.
• Swartz ER, Skelton PH, Bloomer P. 2009. Phylogeny and biogeography of the genus Pseudobarbus (Cyprinidae): shedding light on the drainage history of rivers associated with the Cape Floristic Region. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 51:75-84.
• Swartz ER, Skelton PH, Bloomer P. 2007. Sea-level changes, river capture and the evolution of populations of the Eastern Cape and fiery redfins (Pseudobarbus afer and Pseudobarbus phlegethon, Cyprinidae) across multiple river systems in South Africa. Journal of Biogeography 34: 2086-99.
• Ryan PG, Bloomer P, Moloney CL, Grant TJ, Delport W. 2007. Ecological speciation in South Atlantic island finches. Science 315: 1420-3.

Postdoctoral fellows: 

Emilie Boissin
Tim Bray
Thierry Hoareau
Sarita Maree

Postgrad students:
 

PhD:	MSc:
Albert Chakoena(Rhodes/SAIAB)	Ilkser Kiper
Shannon Hampton (UCT)	Samantha Mynhardt
Lucille Hermann (part time)
Amanda Maswanganye	Hons:
Moloko Matlala (part time)	Miekie Haasbroek
Carel Oosthuizen
Kerry Reid
Danie van Eeden (part time)

Technical and research assistant:

 Arrie Klopper (MEEP Lab Manager),
Carel Oosthuizen (Research Assistant)

Community involvement:

 President of the Southern African Society for Systematic Biology (2008-2010)

Member of the IUCN Specialist Group on Afrotheria

South African Bio-Systematics Initiative(SABI) Steering Committee(2007-present)

              Society memberships:

 SASSB

SAWMA

ZSSA