Morgan Raath

I am a plant ecologist, with a particular interest in population and community ecology. My research to date has focused primarily on the relationship between inter- and intra-specific interactions, how the outcome of these interactions changes in relation to changing abiotic conditions, and how the fine-scale impact of these interactions scale-up to influence broader community patterns. During my B.Sc. (Honours) degree, I became interested in the impact of biotic interactions on species’ performance, survival, and distributions. Subsequently, for my M.Sc. I examined the dynamics of insect-host plant interactions and the importance of biotic interactions in mediating species’ current and future projected distributions. For my Ph.D., I examined the impact of biotic interactions (both within species and bidirectionally between species) on species’ performances and distributions, using sub-Antarctic Marion Island as a model system. I revealed several key ecological findings, with implications for understanding plant-plant interactions in abiotically-severe environments.

As I moved forward in my career, I developed an interest in multidisciplinary collaborative research. In 2020, I accepted a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Johannesburg and in a multi-disciplinary study, I am using genomics in conjunction with ecological data and an engineering model of wind flow to understand species’ range expansion rates and colonization and the drivers (both biotic and abiotic) of observed ecological and genetic patterns. I am currently also involved with a project at the University of Pretoria which aims to advance our understanding of the ecological impacts of climate change using spatial variation in plant functional traits, community composition and ecosystem processes across multiple spatial scales in alpine grasslands. For this project, I assisted in the running and managing of large fieldwork campaigns as well as collating and cleaning the fieldwork data.

During my research career, I have gained experience working with and analyzing large datasets, honing my skills in data management and analysis. I have successfully navigated complex datasets, extracting valuable insights and driving data-informed conclusions to key study questions (which have been published in the form of peer-reviewed scientific publications). Whether it involved cleaning, transforming, or merging data from diverse sources, I have demonstrated attention to detail to ensure data integrity and accuracy. Using statistical methods, I have effectively identified patterns, trends, and anomalies within the data, uncovering actionable insights into understanding study questions. With my analytical mindset and proficiency in programming languages such as R, I am adept at developing scalable solutions to handle vast amounts of data efficiently. I believe that my experience working with complex datasets has equipped me with the skills necessary to deliver impactful data-driven solutions and contribute to the success of any organization. Moreover, during my research career, I have gained experience editing and reviewing documents, reports, and manuscripts (all of which have been published in reputable scientific journals). Over time I have refined my skills in ensuring clarity, coherence, and accuracy in written content. During my experience editing and reviewing documents, reports, and manuscripts, I have developed a keen eye for detail and a strong grasp of language conventions. Additionally, I pay keen attention to the document's intended audience, tailoring the language and style accordingly. Using my expertise, I am able to provide constructive feedback to authors, addressing areas for improvement while maintaining their unique voice and style.  My inter-disciplinary experience has allowed me to work with diverse subjects, enabling me to adapt my approach to meet the unique needs of each project. Through thorough proofreading and attention to detail, I take great pride in delivering polished and refined documents that meet or exceed the highest standards.

I am a plant ecologist, with a particular interest in population and community ecology. My research to date has focused primarily on the relationship between inter- and intra-specific interactions, how the outcome of these interactions changes in relation to changing abiotic conditions, and how the fine-scale impact of these interactions scale-up to influence broader community patterns. During my B.Sc. (Honours) degree, I became interested in the impact of biotic interactions on species’ performance, survival, and distributions. Subsequently, for my M.Sc. I examined the dynamics of insect-host plant interactions and the importance of biotic interactions in mediating species’ current and future projected distributions. For my Ph.D., I examined the impact of biotic interactions (both within species and bidirectionally between species) on species’ performances and distributions, using sub-Antarctic Marion Island as a model system. I revealed several key ecological findings, with implications for understanding plant-plant interactions in abiotically-severe environments.

As I moved forward in my career, I developed an interest in multidisciplinary collaborative research. In 2020, I accepted a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Johannesburg and in a multi-disciplinary study, I am using genomics in conjunction with ecological data and an engineering model of wind flow to understand species’ range expansion rates and colonization and the drivers (both biotic and abiotic) of observed ecological and genetic patterns. In 2022, I accepted a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Pretoria - I am currently also involved with a project which aims to advance our understanding of the ecological impacts of climate change using spatial variation in plant functional traits, community composition and ecosystem processes across multiple spatial scales in alpine grasslands. For this project, I assisted in the running and managing of large fieldwork campaigns as well as collating and cleaning the fieldwork data.

I have also worked part-time as a data analyst for Nerospec Pty (Ltd).

I completed my PhD at the University of Pretoria in January 2020. My PhD research focused on understanding how biotic interactions may mediate species’ responses to climate change. Using a combination of experimental and observational data, my research revealed several key findings related to biotic interactions.