Geophysics is a comparatively young science which only evolved as a distinct discipline during the 19th century. However, its phenomena (like earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions and lightning) had been objects of fear, curiosity and speculation since ancient times. In this book, Johan de Beer and his research team reveal that geophysical activity in South Africa can be traced back to as early as 1488. This is a truly astonishing revelation which deserves to be firmly entrenched as part of the country?s proud history. The book also discusses the history and formation of South African geophysical institutions that made a huge and seldom acknowledged contribution to the technological development of southern Africa.

This open access volume presents a comprehensive account of all aspects of biological invasions in South Africa, where research has been conducted over more than three decades, and where bold initiatives have been implemented in attempts to control invasions and to reduce their ecological, economic and social effects. It covers a broad range of themes, including history, policy development and implementation, the status of invasions of animals and plants in terrestrial, marine and freshwater environments, the development of a robust ecological theory around biological invasions, the effectiveness of management interventions, and scenarios for the future. The South African situation stands out because of the remarkable diversity of the country, and the wide range of problems encountered in its varied ecosystems, which has resulted in a disproportionate investment into both research and management. The South African experience holds many lessons for other parts of the world, and this book should be of immense value to researchers, students, managers, and policy-makers who deal with biological invasions and ecosystem management and conservation in most other regions.

Published in 1998, Ladies in the Laboratory provided a systematic survey and comparison of the work of 19th-century American and British women in scientific research. A companion volume, published in 2004, focused on women scientists from Western Europe. In this third volume, author Mary R.S. Creese expands her scope to include the contributions of 19th- and early 20th-century women of South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. The women whose lives and work are discussed here range from natural history collectors and scientific illustrators of the early and mid years of the 19th century to the first generation of graduates of the new colonial colleges and universities. Rarely acknowledged in publications of the British and European specialists, the contributions of these women nonetheless formed a significant part of the natural history information about extensive, previously unknown regions and their products. Rather than a biographical dictionary or a collection of self-contained essays on individuals from many time periods, Ladies in the Laboratory III is a connected narrative tied into the wider framework of 19th-century science and education. A well-organized blend of individual life stories and quantitative information, this volume is for everyone interested in the story of women's participation in 19th century science. The stories of these women make for fascinating reading and serve as a valuable source for the student of women's and colonial history.