Bruce McKenzie’s An Ecological Guide to the Bush captures the
essence of what makes the bush tick. Here you’ll find the basic
principles of how ecosystems work, with the emphasis on energy
flow through the bushveld and the adaptations that the plants
and animals make in facilitating this energy flow.
The book is based on Bruce’s approach to interacting with students and citizen scientists over the past 40 years and will enrich the understanding of bushveld management and conservation.
Bruce McKenzie was nurtured into bushveld ecology from his
early years, spent on the family livestock farm outside Kimberley.
After graduating from the University of Cape Town he taught at
the then University of Transkei (now Walter Sisulu University).
He completed his doctorate degree while there. He describes
his career as a continuous journey of listening, learning and
lecturing on southern African ecosystems. His approach to this
bush guide is an example of his ability to examine issues from
a variety of perspectives and apply alternative approaches.
Join BirdLife South Africa's Dr Melissa Whitecross in conversation with Bruce about the book and the importance of ecology in bird conservation.
