MARGARET SWIFT
  • home
  • about
  • cv & pubs
  • research =
    • rare antelope population crash and non-recovery
    • how water access drives antelope movements
    • undergraduate work
  • communication =
    • free lesson plans & tutorials
    • 2022 gradx ted talk
    • 2023 savanna science
    • skype a scientist
    • science writing
  • decoloniality & dei =
    • decolonizing my science
    • my land acknowledgements
    • going beyond land acknowledgement
    • reading list
  • art =
    • short fiction
    • nature photography
    • portraits
  • blog

research


I study how fire, grazing, climate, and surface water interact to shape tropical savanna communities, using mathematical modeling and remote sensing techniques. Read more below, or click each picture to learn about my current research interests and dissertation chapters.
A female nyala posing for a picture amongst some shrubbery, Kruger NP 2021

antelope & Water

Antelope rely on surface water to meet hydration needs, especially during the dry season. I study how dynamic waterholes in Namibia and Botswana drive roan and gemsbok movements over the seasons. Read more ➡ 
Two large African buffalo drink from a puddle on bare stone. Two oxpeckers sit on the face of the buffalo to the right.

Megaherbivore interactions

Large herbivores change landscapes through grazing, browsing, migration, and interactions with other mammals. I study how these big animals compete and work together to shape the savanna of the Kruger National Park, in South Africa. Read more ➡
A majestic kudu bull reaches out to nibble on some new spring leaves amidst a backdrop of dry thorny shrub.

how drought changes herbivore populations

Coming soon!
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  • home
  • about
  • cv & pubs
  • research =
    • rare antelope population crash and non-recovery
    • how water access drives antelope movements
    • undergraduate work
  • communication =
    • free lesson plans & tutorials
    • 2022 gradx ted talk
    • 2023 savanna science
    • skype a scientist
    • science writing
  • decoloniality & dei =
    • decolonizing my science
    • my land acknowledgements
    • going beyond land acknowledgement
    • reading list
  • art =
    • short fiction
    • nature photography
    • portraits
  • blog