Dr Anthony R. Palmer B.Sc (Hons) MSc PhD
Agricultural Research Council-Animal Production Institute, PO Box 101, Grahamstown 6140, South Africa
Tel: +27 (0) 466222638 Fax: +27 (0) 46 6362623; Email: palmert@arc.agric.za
TERTIARY EDUCATION
University
University of Natal, Durban, South Africa
University of Natal, Durban, South Africa
Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa
Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa
Career History
2008 – present
Degree
B.Sc.
B.Sc.(Hons.)
M.Sc. Botany
Ph.D. Botany
Senior Specialist Scientist, ARC-Animal Production Institute, Grahamstown, South Africa.
2005 – 2008: Research Co-ordinator, Dept of Environmental Sciences, University of Technology Sydney,
Sydney, NSW, Australia
1997 – 2005:
Specialist Scientist, Agricultural Research Council-Animal Production Institute,
Grahamstown, South Africa
1987 – 1996:
Senior Researcher, South African National Botanical Institute.
1979 – 1987:
Nature Conservation Scientist, Cape Depart of Nature and Environmental Conservation
Expertise: Rangeland ecology, remote sensing, landscape condition assessment, climate change, rangeland
production and water use.
Experience
African experience
Dr Palmer leads a research group in the ARC-Animal Production Institute that focuses on using remote sensing to
evaluate landscape water use. The group also uses a range of spatial and temporal resolution imagery (very high
resolution NIR imagery to 1 km MODIS imagery) to monitor rangeland condition across rural areas of southern
Africa. Recent papers on this research have appeared in several international high impact journals including
Austral Ecology, Ecosystems, Ecohydrology, Plant and Soil, Australian Journal of Botany, Functional Plant
Biology, African Journal of Range and Forage Science, Research Letters in Ecology, International Journal of
Remote Sensing and Catena. As a consultant on various World Bank-funded projects, he used satellite imagery
to map and monitor land-use in southern Africa. Foremost of these was the World Bank’s Global Environmental
Facility (GEF), the Sub-tropical Thicket Environmental Project from 1999-2002. During 2002, he was the regional
co-ordinator for the National Land Cover Mapping project of the Dept of Agriculture.
Dr Palmer co-operated with the National Botanical Institute in the preparation of an improved new vegetation map
for South Africa and continues to be involved in the establishment of a database of plant species data for the
Nama-karoo, Succulent karoo, grassland, thicket and savanna biomes. This has involved synthesizing the total
floristic data collected in all these biomes.
He has developed landscape analysis techniques which detect changes in natural rangeland (field survey, remote
sensing, forage production modelling) and defined new perspectives on rangeland condition assessment (e.g.
high resolution infra-red imagery and landscape function analysis). In 2009, he was awarded a C2 rating by the
National Research Foundation (NRF) for his research on the use of MODIS products to estimate landscape scale
plant water use and net primary production.
International experience
As Research Co-ordinator in the Ecohydrology Research Group, he co-operated on a number of environmental
research projects within Department of Environmental Sciences at UTS. From March 2005 to January 2008, he
led the remote sensing and GIS component of the Plant Eco-physiology Research Group (PERG) under the
leadership of Prof Derek Eamus. This research provided a crucial link between leaf and stand level
measurements of plant water status and the satellite-derived images from the MODIS satellite. The MOD15 Leaf
Area Index (LAI) defines an important structural property of a plant canopy and is crucial to catchment water
balance estimates. The PERG Laboratory collects leaf and stand level data on tree water use routinely at several
sites throughout New South Wales. After careful and meticulous field measurements, the group identified an
important relationship between MODIS LAI and leaf and stand level measurements.
Productivity
90 peer-reviewed scientific publications in international scientific journals and books.
>70 presentations at local and international conferences.
Selected relevant publications:
Isa A. M. Yunusa, Derek Eamus, Daniel Taylor, Rhys Whitley, Willis Gwenzi, Anthony R. Palmer , Zheng Li . In
press. Partitioning of turbulent flux reveals woody vegetation has larger cooling potential than grassland
during heat waves in south-eastern Australia. Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society.
Published on line April 2015
Zeppel, MJB, Harrison, SP, Adams HD, Li G, Kelley DI, West A, Dawson T, Fensham R, Medlyn BR, Palmer
AR, Tissue DT, McDowell NG. 2015. Drought and resprouting plants. New Phytologist 206: 582-589
Finca, A, Palmer, AR and Kakembo, V. 2015. Exploring ground-based methods for the validation of remotely
sensed evapotranspiration African Journal of Range and Forage Science. 32(1): 41-50.
Palmer, AR, C Weideman, N Hannan, C Everson, A Finca, W Ellery. 2015. Modelling annual evapotranspiration
in a semi-arid, African savanna: functional convergence theory, MODIS LAI and the Penman-Monteith
equation. African Journal of Range and Forage Science 32(1):33-39.
Meissner, HH, Scholtz, MM, Palmer AR. 2013. Sustainability of the South African Livestock Sector towards 2050.
Part 1: Worth and impact of the sector. South African Journal of Animal Science 43 (3), 282-297
Palmer, AR and Bennett, J, 2013. Degradation of communal rangelands in South Africa: towards an improved
understanding to inform policy. African Journal of Range and Forage Science 30 (1&2), 57–63.
Műnch, Z Conrad, JE, Gibson, LA, Palmer, AR. 2013 Satellite earth observation as a tool to conceptualize
hydrogeological fluxes in the Sandveld, South Africa. Hydrogeology Journal 21 (5), 1053-1070
Bennett, JE, Palmer, AR, Blackett, MA. 2013 Range degradation and land tenure change: insights from a
‘released’communal area of Eastern Cape province, South Africa. Land Degradation and Development.
23: 557–568
Fabiana G. Barbosa, Valério D. Pillar, Anthony R. Palmer & Adriano S. Melo 2013. Predicting the current
distribution and potential spread of the exotic grass Eragrostis plana Nees in South America and
identifying a bioclimatic niche shift during invasion. Austral Ecology 38, 260–26
Stringer, LC; Dougill, AJ; Thomas, AD; Spracklen, DV; Chesterman, S; Ifejika Speranza, C; Rueff, H; Riddell, M;
Williams, M; Beedy, T; Abson, DJ; Klintenberg, P; Syampungani, S; Powell, P; Palmer, AR; Seely, MK;
Mkwambisi, DD; Falcao, M; Sitoe, A; Ross, S; Kopolo, G. 2012. Challenges and opportunities in linking
carbon sequestration, livelihoods and ecosystem service provision in drylands, Environmental Science
and Policy, 19-20, pp.121-135. doi:10.1016/j.envsci.2012.02.004
Yunusa, I.A.M., Zolfaghar, S; Zeppel, M.J.B., Li, Z, Palmer, A.R., Eamus, D. 2012. Fine root biomass and its
relationship to evapotranspiration in woody and grassy vegetation covers for ecological restoration of
Waste Storage and Mining Landscapes. Ecosystems 15, 113-127.
Palmer, A. R. and I. Yunusa 2011. Biomass production, evapotranspiration and water use efficiency of arid
rangelands in the Northern Cape, South Africa. Journal of Arid Environments. Published on line 15 June
2011
Yunusa, I.A.M., Fuentes, S., Palmer, A.R., Macinnis-Ng, C.M.O., Zeppel, M.J.B., Eamus, D. 2011. Latent heat
fluxes during two contrasting years from a juvenile plantation established over a waste disposal
landscape. Journal of Hydrology 399, 48-56.
Palmer, AR. Short A. and Yunusa, IAM. 2010. Biomass production and water use efficiency of grassland in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. African Journal of Range and Forage Science. 27(3): 163-169
Yunusa, I.A.M., Zeppel, M.J.B., Fuentes, S., Macinnis-Ng, C., Palmer, A.R., Eamus, D. 2010. An assessment of
the water budget for contrasting vegetation covers associated with waste management. Hydrological
Processes 24, 1149–1158. DOI: 10.1002/hyp.7570
Macinnis-Ng CMO, Fuentes S, O’Grady AP, Palmer AR, Taylor D, Whitley RJ, Yunusa I, Zeppel MJB, Hardie M,
Eamus D. 2010. Root biomass distribution and soil properties on a duplex soil in a Cumberland Plain
woodland, New South Wales. Plant and Soil. 327, (1) 377-388
Palmer, A.R., Fuentes, S., Taylor, D., Macinnis-Ng, C., Zeppel, M., Yunusa, I., Eamus, D. 2010. Towards a
spatial understanding of water use of several land-cover classes: an examination of relationships
amongst pre-dawn leaf water potential, vegetation water use, aridity and MODIS LAI. Ecohydrology 3, 110. DOI: 10.1002/eco.63.
Palmer AR, Fuentes S, Taylor D, Macinnis-Ng C, Zeppel M, Yunusa I, February E and D Eamus. 2008. Using
pre-dawn leaf water potential and MODIS LAI to explore seasonal trends in the phenology of Australian
and southern African woodlands and savannas. Australian Journal of Botany 56, 557–563.
Fuentes S, Palmer AR, Taylor D, Hunt C, Eamus D. 2008 Automated procedures for estimating LAI of
Australian woodland ecosystems using digital imagery, Matlab programming and LAI / MODIS LAI
relationship. Functional Plant Biology 35(10) 1070–1079.
Zeppel M, Macinnis-Ng C, Palmer A, Taylor D, Whitley R, Fuentes S, Yunusa I, Williams M and Eamus D.
2008.An analysis of the sensitivity of sap flux to soil and plant variables assessed for an Australian
woodland using a Soil-Plant-Atmosphere model. Functional Plant Biology 35, 509--520.
Eamus, D and Palmer, A. 2007. Is climate change a possible explanation for woody thickening in arid and semiarid regions? International Journal of Ecology (formerly Research Letters in Ecology) Volume 2007
(2007), Article ID 37364, 5 pages
Palmer, AR and Ainslie, A. 2007. Using rain-use-efficiency to explore livestock production trends in rangelands in
the Transkei, South Africa. African Journal of Range and Forage Science. 24 (1): 43-50
Jahansooz MR, Yunusa IAM, Coventry D and Palmer AR. 2007. Radiation and water-use associated with growth
and yields of wheat and chickpea in sole and mixed crops. European Journal of Agronomy 26 (3):257282
Kakembo V, Rowntree, K and Palmer, AR. 2007. Topographic controls on the invasion of Pteronia incana (blue
bush) onto hillslopes in Ngnushwa (formerly Peddie) district, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Catena 70 (2):
185-199.
Palmer AR, Peel M and Kerley GIH. 2006. Arid and semi-arid rangeland production systems of Southern Africa:
wildlife In: Range and animal production in world arid lands. (Current state of knowledge 2005) Parcours
et production animale en zone aride : État des connaissances en 2006 edited by H.N. Le Houérou,
Secheresse Special Edition June 2006. 17 (1-2): 363-70.
Palmer AR and Ainslie A. 2006. Arid rangeland production systems of Southern Africa. In: Range and animal
production in world arid lands. (Current state of knowledge 2006 ) Parcours et production animale en
zone aride : État des connaissances en 2006 edited by H.N. Le Houérou, Secheresse Special Edition
June 2006. 17 (1-2): 98-104.
Kakembo, V., Palmer AR and Rowntree, K. 2006. The use of high resolution digital camera imagery to
characterise the distribution of Pteronia incana invader species in Ngqushwa (formerly Peddie) District,
Eastern Cape, South Africa. International Journal of Remote Sensing 27 (13): 2735-2752.
Books chapters
Hoare D, Mucina L, Rutherford MC, Vlok JHJ, Euston-Brown D, Palmer AR, Powrie LW, Lechmere-Oertel RG,
Proches SM, Dold, AP, Ward RA. 2006. Albany Thicket Biome. In; The vegetation of South Africa,
Lesotho and Swaziland. L. Mucina, MC Rutherford (eds). Strelitzia 19: 541-567. South African National
Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria. ISBN-13: 978-1-919976-21-1. 816 pp.
Mucina, L. Rutherford, MC, Palmer, AR, Milton, SJ, Scott, L., Lloyd, W, van der Merwe, . Hoare, D, Vlok JHJ,
Euston-Brown, D. Powrie, LW, Dold, AP. 2006. Nama-Karoo. In; The vegetation of South Africa, Lesotho
and Swaziland. L. Mucina, MC Rutherford (eds). Strelitzia 19: 325-347. South African National
Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria. ISBN-13: 978-1-919976-21-1. 816 pp.
Palmer, AR and Ainslie, A. 2005. Grasslands of South Africa. In: Grasslands of the World Plant Production and
Protection Series No. 34. Edited by J.M. Suttie, S.G. Reynolds and C. Batello FAO, 2005. ISBN 92-5105337-5 pp 77-120.
Palmer A.R., Novellie, P. And J. W. Lloyd. 1999. Chapter 12. Community patterns and dynamics. In: Dean
W.R.J. and S.J. Milton. The Karoo: ecological patterns and processes. Cambridge University Press,
Cambridge. pp. 208-223. ISBN-13: 9780521554503
Palmer A.R. & Hoffman M.T. 1997. Nama-Karoo In: Cowling R.M., Richardson, D.M. & S.M. Pierce. Vegetation of
Southern Africa. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. pp 167-188.
Selected recent research grants:
Developing techniques for rangeland condition assessment. (Grant number SSTC 150). ZAR1million per annum
since 2005
Modelling of net primary production in natural rangeland using MODIS LAI and fPAR (Grant number SSTC151).
ZAR140000 since September 2009
Describing the key management attributes of successful rangeland management systems in the semi-arid
rangelands of the Eastern Cape (Grant number SSTC140).
Capacity Building for Natural Resource Management in the former Ciskei (Grant number SSTC141). ZAR40000
per annum since March 2008
Ph D (Awarded)
Dr V. Kakembo. 2004 Aspects of the Ecology Of Pteronia incana in the Degraded Communal Rangelands of the
Eastern Cape. Ph D Thesis in the Department of Geography, Rhodes University, Grahamstown
Dr M. Robertson 2002. Modelling the potential distribution of economically important alien invasive and
indigenous problem plant species. Department of Botany, Rhodes University.
Dr N. Birch. 2001 Modelling the potential vegetation of the Great Fish River Valley. Department of Botany,
Rhodes University. Ms Birch was awarded her Ph D in 2001.
M.Sc (Awarded)
C Weideman 2013. Linking satellite and point micrometeorological data to estimate vegetation water use:
Distributed evapotranspiration modelling based on MODIS LAI, Penman-Monteith and Functional Convergence
Theory
A. Finca
2012. Modelling trends in evapotranspiration using the MODIS LAI for selected Eastern Cape
Catchments. Dept of Geosciences, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth. Ms Finca is currently
employed by the ARC-API
A. Fortescue. 1997 The use of remote sensing and GIS techniques to interpret savanna ecosystem patterns in
the Sab. Sand Game reserve, Mpumalanga Province. Department of Geography, Rhodes University,
Grahamstown. (Awarded with distinction) 1997. Mr Fortescue is currently Head: High Resolution Remote
Sensing Division, Satellite Applications Centre, CSIR. We continue to co-operate.
F. Tanser. 1997 The development of a landscape diversity index using remote sensing and GIS to identify
degradation patterns in the Great Fish River Valley, Eastern Cape Province. Department of Geography, Rhodes
University, Grahamstown. (Awarded with distinction). 1997. Mr Tanser is currently employed by the Medical
Research Council on important Malaria control projects in KwaZuluNatal, and we continue to co-operate in
manuscript writing.
I. De Moor 1995 Biogeographical studies of alien fish taxa in southern Africa (Awarded with distinction) 1995.
Department of Ichthyology and Fisheries Science, Rhodes University, Grahamstown