Potts Research Group:

Plant Ecology

This Research Group is interested in many aspects of South African ecology, including palaeovegetation distributions, plant phylogeography, drivers of biome boundaries, and Succulent Subtropical Thicket ecology (e.g. physiology, seed dispersal and restoration). It is based predominantly in the Eastern Cape ​— which is a melting pot for almost all of South Africa's vegetation types.

Alastair has shifted to a strong focus on Succulent Thicket restoration in response to the UN Decade of Restoration and the growing interest in Portulacaria afra planting for the international carbon market.

Students: If you are interested in joining the research group, please visit the Research Themes and Projects page to get a sense of what we do. Also feel free to make an appointment discuss your interests or ideas with Alastair (in person or over the phone).

If you join this team, please read the extensive research group information document (which includes the ins and outs of admin) and fill out this in-case-of-emergency form.

If you need Alastair to write you a letter of reference, please download this form.

If you are a recently-gradated postgraduate student, please fill out this evaluation form.