Richard M. Cowling

I am interested in many of aspects of nature and how humans interact with these; consequently, my research interests are broad. Most of my research can be classified as "applied" in that it seeks to be user-inspired and embedded in a social process in order to enhance the likelihood of implementation. A smaller amount is driven by my own curiosity about nature; this I term "curiosity research". My applied research focuses on: (i) conservation assessment, planning and implementation, (ii) identifying, valuing and mainstreaming the safeguarding of ecosystem services and (iii) fire ecology of fynbos (mediterranaen scrub) ecosystems. Most of my curiosity research deals with the evolutionary ecology of the Greater Cape Floristic Region (fynbos, succulent karoo and subtropical thicket). Here I have highlighted the role of historical factors (especially climatic stability) in explaining the "uniqueness" of diversity patterns in the flora, both in a regional and a global context.