Rudi C Swart

Level of study: Research Associate

Name and surname: Dr Rudi C Swart

Research interests: Afromontane Forest Canopies, Insect Conservation, Tree Ecology, Landscape Ecology

Project Description:

Rudi Swart is currently one of our postdoctoral research associates, hosted by Dr Anina Coetzee and co-hosted by Prof. Sjirk Geerts from CPUT, investigating the pollination of Afrotemperate forest trees across the fragmented southern Cape landscape. His research interests include Afromontane forest ecology, insect diversity conservation and tree ecology. He is an avid tree climber and fascinated by the biodiversity within forest canopies.

Publications:

Geldenhuys, C. J., Moll, E. & Swart, R. C. (2026). Evergreen forests in South Africa – their composition, biogeography, ecological dynamics and sustainable use management. South African Journal of Botany. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sajb.2025.11.018

Van Bergen, G., Coetzee, A., Venter, J. A., Roets, F. & Swart, R. C. (2025). Dung and carrion beetle diversity in small forest patches versus large continuous forest in the southern Cape, South Africa. African Zoology. https://doi.org/10.1080/15627020.2025.2543237

Swart, R. C., Bradley, S., & Staude, H. (2024). A first ecological description of the lichen-clad larva of Eublemmistis chlorozonea Hampson, 1902 (Lepidoptera: Erebidae) from a southern Afrotemperate forest. Metamorphosis.

Swart, R. C., New, T. R., Kotze, J., & Samways, M. J. (2024) (book chapter). Insect conservation in boreal and temperate forests. Routledge Handbook of Insect Conservation. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003285793

Swart, R. C., Geerts, S., Pryke, J. P., & Coetzee, A. (2024). Generalist southern African temperate forest canopy tree species have distinct pollinator communities partially predicted by floral traits. Austral Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1111/aec.13523

Swart, R. C., Geerts, S., Geldenhuys, C. J., Pauw, J. & Coetzee, A. (2023). Weak latitudinal trends in reproductive traits of Afromontane forest trees. Annals of Botany, mcad080.

Swart, R. C., Samways, M. J., & Roets, F. (2022). Interspecific green leaf-litter selection by ground detritivore arthropods indicates generalist over specialist detritivore communities. Applied Soil Ecology, 174.

Swart, R. C., Samways, M. J., & Roets, F. (2021). Latitude, paleo-history and forest size matter for Afromontane canopy beetle diversity in a world context. Biodiversity and Conservation, 30, 659-672.

Swart, R. C., Samways, M. J., & Roets, F. (2020). Tree canopy arthropods have idiosyncratic responses to plant ecophysiological traits in a warm, temperate forest complex. Scientific Reports, 10, 19905.

Swart, R. C., Samways, M. J., Pryke, J. S., & Roets, F. (2020). Overhead tree canopy species has limited effect on leaf litter decomposition and decomposer communities in a floristically diverse, southern temperate rainforest. Applied Soil Ecology, 156.

Swart, R. C., Samways, M. J., Pryke, J. S., & Roets, F. (2020). Individual tree context and contrast dictate tree physiological features and arthropod biodiversity patterns across multiple trophic levels. Ecological Entomology, 45, 333-344.

Swart, R. C., Pryke, J. S., & Roets, F. (2019). The intermediate disturbance hypothesis explains arthropod beta-diversity responses to roads that cut through natural forests. Biological Conservation, 236, 243-251.

Steed, A., Swart, R. C., Pauw, M. J., & Roets, F. (2018). Response of arthropod communities to plant-community rehabilitation efforts after strip mining on the semi-arid west coast of South Africa. African Journal of Range & Forage Science, 35, 375-385.

Swart, R. C., Pryke, J. S., & Roets, F. (2018). Arthropod assemblages deep in natural forests show different responses to surrounding land use. Biodiversity and Conservation, 27, 583-606.

Swart, R. C., Pryke, J. S., & Roets, F. (2017). Optimising the sampling of foliage arthropods from scrubland vegetation for biodiversity studies. African Entomology, 25, 164-174.

Qualifications

BSc Conservation Ecology and Entomology (Stellenbosch University)

MSc Conservation Ecology (Stellenbosch University)

PhD Conservation Ecology (Stellenbosch University)

Social Profile:

Twitter - @crispinrudi