Prof. John J. Bolton

Research interests and output
Prof. John J Bolton is Professor of Botany at the University of Cape Town, and is a marine plant biologist. His research interests cover the biodiversity, biogeography, systematics, ecology and resource management of seaweeds, as well as the aquaculture of seaweeds and the integrated aquaculture of seaweeds and marine animals. He has authored over 90 publications in peer-reviewed journals, plus two books, 10 peer-reviewed book chapters and 5 peer-reviewed conference articles. He has supervised 9 successful PhD students, with 5 currently registered.

Academic training

B.Sc. (Hons.) (Botany): University of Liverpool, U.K. (1973)
Ph.D (Marine Botany): University of Liverpool, U.K. (1978).

Professional work experience

Post-Doctoral Fellow, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada: 1978-1979.

Research Fellow, Biologische Anstalt Helgoland, Germany: 1979-1982.

Lecturer (1983-1988), Senior Lecturer (1988-1993), Associate Professor (1993-2004), Professor (2005-current) in the Department of Botany, University of Cape Town.

Positions held

PRESIDENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL PHYCOLOGICAL SOCIETY (2008-9)
(Vice-President 2006-7, Past President 2010-2011)

HEAD OF BOTANY DEPARTMENT at the University of Cape Town, 1994-6.

Elected Member of the EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE INTERNATIONAL PHYCOLOGICAL SOCIETY (1996-8 and 2006-2011).

PRESIDENT of the PHYCOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA, 2006-7 (previously also President of PSSA, 1989-91). Council member: PSSA, 1986-94, and 2004-2008

DIRECTOR of the BOLUS HERBARIUM 1994-6.

Member of the ALGAL NOMENCLATURE COMMITTEE of the International Botanical Association 1998-present.

Member of the Editorial Board of the journal BOTANICA MARINA 1997-2005.

Member of the International Advisory Board of the journal AFRICAN JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE, 2005-current.

Undergraduate External Examining

External examiner for the Department of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa (2002-5).

External examiner for marine courses at the University of the Western Cape, 1998-2008.

External examiner for Marine Science curriculum at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (2007-8).

External examiner for Marine Science and Technology BSc (Hons) curriculum (2010- )

Project leadership

Current projects
Principal investigator on a project funded by NRF South African Biodiversity Initiative (SABI) on SEAWEED BIOSYSTEMATICS (2009-2011)

Principal investigator on a project funded by the NRF SeaChange Programme (Mariculture Thrust) on NEW PRODUCTS IN MARINE AQUACULTURE: SEAWEEDS AND URCHINS (2009-2011).

Partner in a project on the biodiversity of Sodwana Bay as part of the AFRICAN COELACANTH ECOLOGY PROGRAMME (ACEP). 2009-11 (led by Dr Tony Booth, South African Institute of Aquatic Biodiversity, Grahamstown).

Previous recent projects
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR of a suite of National Research Foundation projects with international links on both biodiversity and aquaculture (through the period 1995-2008). These involved:

Biodiversity
SEAWEED BIODIVERSITY (1st phase 1995-2000, 2nd phase 2001-3, 3rd phase 2004-8).
Principal Investigated of these NRF projects
These project had many international links (see below).

Co-leader (with Prof Eric Coppejans, University of Gent) of a project on BIOGEOGRAPHY AND BIODIVERSITY OF SEAWEEDS AND ECHINODERMS OF KWAZULU-NATAL. This is jointly funded (1999-2001) by the Community of Flanders and the FRD.

Co-leader (with Prof Coppejans) of a follow-up project MARINE SHALLOW-WATER BENTHIC MARINE ALGAE AND ECHINODERMS: BIOGEOGRAPHY AND DIVERSITY IN THE TRANSITION ZONE OF THE TROPICAL INDIAN OCEAN TO WARM TEMPERATE SOUTHERN AFRICA (KWAZULU-NATAL, SOUTH AFRICA). This was jointly funded (2002-2004) by the Community of Flanders and the NRF.

Project Leader on a project funded by SANPAD (South Africa/Netherlands) in 1999/2000 on 'RESEARCH AND TRAINING ON SEAWEED BIODIVERSITY OF THE EASTERN CAPE'. This project involved Dr Herre Stegenga, Rijksherbarium Leiden, Netherlands. This project trained marine science postgraduates from Historically Disadvanted Institutions's in the Eastern Cape (UNITRA and Fort Hare) in seaweed research techniques.

Project Leader in 2001-2003 on a SANPAD project: ADDING VALUE TO SEAWEED DIVERSITY IN THE EASTERN CAPE.

Full partner on a EU project coordinated by Prof Michael Guiry (University of Galway, Ireland) on 'UNDERPINNING SUSTAINABLE ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT OF SEAWEED RESOURCES IN AFRICA' (with partners in Ireland, Sweden, Portugal, South Africa, Namibia and Kenya). (2001-4).

Aquaculture
Gracilaria mariculture (1995-2000)
A multi-institutional project, including the following:
Sea Fisheries Research Institute: Dr. R.J. Anderson
University of the Western Cape: Prof. D.W. Keats
University of Port Elizabeth: Prof. B. Robertson

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR on 'INTEGATED AQUACULTURE OF SEAWEEDS AND ABALONE' (1st phase 2001-3. 2nd phase 2004-8). Funded by the NRF, as well as funding from the SA/Sweden joint research agreement. In collaboration with scientists from the University of Stockholm, Sweden, and Marine and Coastal Management and University of the Western Cape.

Local and international conference contributions:

CO-CONVENOR (with Dr. R.J. Anderson) and co-chairman of local organising committee of the XVIIth INTERNATIONAL SEAWEED SYMPOSIUM held at UCT, January/February 2001. This was attended by over 300 delegates from 51 countries.

Co-convenor (with Dr RJ Anderson) of workshop on 'Integrated aquaculture'. Hosted jointly by UCT, Marine & Coastal Management, and the University of Stockholm, Sweden. 23 January 2002. M&CM Aquarium, Sea Point.

Convenor of Mini-Symposium on 'Seaweed biogeography in Southern Africa' as part of XVIIth International Seaweed Symposium, Cape Town, 2001.

Invited speaker in Mini-Symposium on 'Biology and economics of coalescent seaweeds' organised by Prof. B. Santelices, University of Santiago, Chile, as part of the XVIIth International Seaweed Symposium, Cape Town, 2001.

Co-convenor (with Dr. R.J. Anderson) of workshop on 'Seaweeds as food for abalone' (45 delegates): June 1999.

Co-convenor (with Dr. R.J. Anderson) of workshop on "Seaweed resources: management policy in the future", South African Museum, June 1997.

Member of the INTERNATIONAL ORGANISING COMMITTEE for seven International Phycological Congresses, Melbourne, Australia (1988); Xingdao, China, (1994); Leiden, Netherlands (1997); Thessaloniki, Greece (2001); Durban, South Africa (2005), Tokyo, Japan (2009), Orlando, Florida, USA (2013).

Invited PLENARY SPEAKER at the 8th International Phycological Congress, Durban, South Africa (2005).

Publications in refereed journals (since 2000 only)

Stegenga, H., Anderson. R.J. & Bolton, J.J. (2000). Notes on Ceramiaceae from the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa III. Three new records from Tsitsikamma Coastal National Park, with a description of Scageliopsis tsitsikammae nov. spec. Blumea 45: 485--494.

Leliaert, F., R.J. Anderson, J.J. Bolton, & E. Coppejans (2000). Subtidal algal community Structure in kelp beds around the Cape Peninsula (Western Cape, South Africa).Botanica Marina 43: 359-366.

Stegenga, H., Anderson, R.J. & Bolton, J.J. (2001). Hypoglossum imperfectum nov. spec. (Rhodophyta, Delesseriaceae), a new species from the South African south coast. Botanica Marina 44: 157-162.

Bolton, JJ, Coppejans, E, Anderson, RJ, De Clerck, O, Samyn, Y Leliaert, F. & Thandar, AS (2001). Biodiversity of seaweeds and echinoderms in the western Indian Ocean; workshop report. S. Afr. J. Sci. 97: 453-454.

Schils, T, De Clerck, O, Leliaert, F, Bolton, JJ & Coppejans, EC (2001). The change in macroalgal assemblages through the Saldanha Bay/ Langebaan lagoon ecosystem (South Africa). Botanica Marina 44: 295-307

Leliaert F., De Clerck O., Bolton J.J. and Coppejans E. (2001) New records of the Chlorophyta from South Africa, with the emphasis on the marine benthic flora of KwaZulu-Natal. South Africa. S. Afr. J. Bot. 67: 450-459.

Stegenga, H., Engeldow, H. Bolton, JJ & Anderson, RJ (2001). The distribution of the family Erythropeltidaceae (Rhodophyta) along the temperate southern African coast, with the description of Erythrotrichia platyphylla nov. spec. Nova Hedwigia 73: 367-379.

De Clerck, O., Anderson. RJ, Bolton, JJ & Robertson-Andersson, D. (2002). Schimmelmannia elegans (Gloiosiphoniaceae, Rhodophyta): South Africa's first introduced seaweed? Phycologia: 41: 184-190.

De Clerck O., Leliaert F., Engledow H.R., Bolton J.J., Anderson R.J. and Coppejans E. (2002). Report of 20 new records of macroalgae from KwaZulu-Natal, SouthAfrica. Botanica Marina 45: 413-431.

Bolton, J.J. & Stegenga, H. (2002). Seaweed biodiversity in South Africa. South African Journal of Marine Science. 24: 9-18.

Stegenga, H, Bolton, JJ & Anderson, RJ (2002). Elachista endarachnae sp. Nov. (Phaeophyceae, Elachistaceae), a peculiar representative of the genus in South Africa. Phycologia 41: 432-435.

Stegenga, H., Bolton, JJ & Anderson, RJ (2002). The genus Ptilothamnion (Ceramiaceae, Rhodophyta) in South Africa, with the description of P. goukammae spec. nov. Blumea 47: 581-595.

Tronchin, EM, Freshwater, DW, Bolton, JJ & Anderson, RJ (2002). A Reassessment and Reclassification of Species in the Genera Onikusa Akatsuka and Suhria J. Agardh ex Endlicher (Gelidiales, Rhodophyta) Based on Molecular and Morphological Data. Botanica Marina 45: 548-558.

Tronchin, E., Anderson, RJ & Bolton JJ (2003). A socio-ecological investigation of the Gelidium harvesting industry of the Eastern Cape Province. In: Chapman ARO, Anderson RJ, Vreeland VJ & Davison IR (Eds). Proceedings of the 17th International Seaweed Symposium. Oxford University Press. 115-121.

Anderson, RJ, Bolton, JJ, Molloy, FJ & Rotmann, KWG (2003). Commercial seaweed production and research in southern Africa. In: Chapman ARO, Anderson RJ, Vreeland VJ & Davison IR (Eds).Proceedings of the 17th International Seaweed Symposium. Oxford University Press. 1-12.

Engledow, HE & Bolton, JJ (2003). Factors affecting seaweed biogeographical and ecological trends along the Namibian coast. In: Chapman ARO, Anderson RJ, Vreeland VJ & Davison IR (Eds).Proceedings of the 17th International Seaweed Symposium. Oxford University Press. 285-291.

Morley, T., Bolton, JJ & Anderson, RJ (2003). Phase dominance and reproductive characteristics in two Rhodophyta from the west coast of South Africa. In: Chapman ARO, Anderson RJ, Vreeland VJ & Davison IR (Eds).Proceedings of the 17th International Seaweed Symposium. Oxford University Press. 365-371.

Bolton, J.J., Levitt, G.J. & Morley, T. (2003). Population biology and experimental harvesting of coalescent seaweeds on the South African west coast. In: Chapman ARO, Anderson RJ, Vreeland VJ & Davison IR (Eds).Proceedings of the 17th International Seaweed Symposium. Oxford University Press. 151-157.

Tronchin E. M., Freshwater D. W., Bolton J. J. (2003) A re-evaluation of the genera Beckerella and Ptilophora (Gelidiales, Rhodophyta) based on molecular and morphological data. Phycologia 42: 80-89.

Bolton JJ, De Clerck O, John DM (2003). Seaweed diversity patterns in Sub-Saharan Africa. In: Proceedings of the Marine Biodiversity in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Known and the Unknown. Cape Town, South Africa, 23-26 September 2003: Edited by Cynthia Decker, Charles Griffiths, Kim Prochazka, Carmen Ras & Alan Whitfield: pp. 229-241 (CD ROM format)

Bolton JJ, F. Leliaert, O. De Clerck, R.J. Anderson, H. Stegenga, H. E. Engledow, and E. Coppejans (2004).Where is the western limit of the tropical Indian Ocean seaweed flora? An analysis of intertidal seaweed biogeography on the east coast of South Africa. Marine Biology 144: 51-60.

Stegenga H, Anderson RJ & Bolton JJ (2004). Aphanocladia ecorticata nov. sp. (Rhodophyta, Rhodomelaceae) from the South African south coast. Botanica Marina 47: 167-170

De Clerck O, Bolton JJ, Anderson RJ & Coppejans EC (2004). Aglaothamnion rigidulum nov. spec. (Rhodophyta, Ceramiaceae) from South Africa. Botanica Marina 47: 431-438.

Iyer I, De Clerck O, Bolton JJ & Coyne VE (2004). Morphological and taxonomic studies of Gracilaria and Gracilariopsis species (Gracilariales, Rhodophyta) from South Africa. South African Journal of Botany 70: 521-539.

Tronchin EM, De Clerck O, Freshwater DW, Bolton JJ & Anderson RJ (2004). Molecular and morphological support for two new species of Gelidiaceae (Rhodophyta) from South Africa, Ptilophora coppejansii and Ptilophora leliaertii. European Journal of Phycology 39: 395-410.

Iyer I, Bolton JJ & Coyne VE (2005). Gracilarioid species (Gracilariaceae, Rhodophyta) in southern Africa, with a description of Gracilariopsis funicularis sp. nov. African Journal of Marine Science 27: 97-106

Iyer, I, Tronchin EM, Bolton JJ & Coyne VE (2005). Molecular systematics of the Gracilariaceae (Gracilariales, Rhodophyta) with special reference to southern Africa. Journal of Phycology 41: 672-684.

Knott MG, Mkwananzi H, Arendse CE, Hendricks DT, Bolton JJ & Beukes DR (2005). Plocoralides A-C, polyhalogenated monoterpenes from the marine alga Plocamium corallorhiza. Phytochemistry 66: 1108-1112.

De Clerck O, Bolton JJ, Anderson RJ & Coppejans E (2005). Guide to the seaweeds of KwaZulu-Natal. Botanica Scripta Belgica 33: 294pp..

Anderson RJ, McKune C, Bolton JJ, De Clerck O & Tronchin E (2005). Patterns in subtidal seaweed communities on coral-dominated reefs at Sodwana Bay on the KwaZulu-Natal coast, South Africa. S. Afr. J. Mar. Sci. 27: 529-537.

Tronchin EM, Samaai T, Anderson RJ & Bolton JJ (2006). Sponge-seaweed associations in species of Ptilophora (Gelidiaceae, Rhodophyta). Phycological Research 54: 140-148.

Wakibia J, Bolton JJ, Keats DW, Raitt, LM (2006). Seasonal changes in carrageenan yield and gel properties in three commercial eucheumoids grown in southern Kenya. Botanica Marina 49: 208-215.

A.R.G. Price, L.P.A. Vincent, A.J. Venkatachalam, J.J. Bolton, P.W. Basson (2006). Concordance between different measures of biodiversity in Indian Ocean macroalgae. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 319: 85-91.

Troell M, Robertson-Andersson D, Anderson RJ, Bolton JJ, Maneveldt G, Halling C and Probyn T. (2006) Abalone farming in South Africa: perspectives on kelp resources, abalone feed, potential for on-farm seaweed production and socio-economic benefits. Aquaculture 257: 266-281.

E. Tronchin, J.J.Bolton & R.J. Anderson (2006). Diversity and systematics of Ptilophora (Gelidiaceae, Rhodophyta). Australian Systematic Botany 19: 359-386

Robertson-Andersson, DV, Leitao D, Bolton JJ, Anderson RJ, Njobeni A & Ruck K (2006). Can kelp extract (Kelpak®) be useful in seaweed mariculture. J. Appl. Phycol. 18: 315-321.

Wakibia J, Bolton JJ, Keats DW, Raitt, LM (2006b). Factors influencing the growth rates of three commercial eucheumoids grown in Kenya. J. Appl. Phycol. 18: 365-373.

Naidoo K, Maneveldt G, Ruck K &Bolton JJ (2006). A comparison of various seaweed-based diets and formulated feed on growth rates of abalone in a land-based aquaculture system. J. Appl. Phycol. 18: 437-443.

Mucina L, Adams JB, Knevel IC, Rutherford MC, Powrie LW, Bolton JJ, ven der Merwe JH, Anderson RJ, Bornmann TG, le Roux A, Janssen JAM (2006). Coastal vegetation of South Africa. In: The vegetation of South Africa and Swaziland. Mucina L & Rutherford MC (Eds). Strelitzia 19: 658-697.

Bolton JJ (2006). Commentary: Do we have the vision to integrate our marine aquaculture? S.A. J. Sci. 102: 507-8.

Bolton JJ, Oyieke HA & Gwada P (2007). The seaweeds of Kenya: checklist, history of seaweed study, coastal environment, and analysis of seaweed diversity and biogeography. S. Afr. J. Bot. 73: 76-88.

Mann MGA, Mkwanazi HB, Antunes EM, Whibley CE, Hendricks DT, Bolton JJ & Beukes DR (2007). Halogenated monoterpene aldehydes from the South African marine alga Plocamium corallorhiza. Journal of Natural Products 70 (4): 596-599.

Smit AJ, Robertson-Andersson D, Peall S, and Bolton JJ (2007). Dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) accumulation in abalone Haliotis midae (Mollusca: Prosobranchia) after consumption of various diets, and consequences for aquaculture. Aquaculture 269: 377-389.

Grundlingh ML, von St, Ange UB, Bolton JJ, Bursey M, Compagno L, Cooper R, Drapeau L, Griffiths CL, bel Hassan M, Herbert DG, Kirkman S, Ohland D, Robertson HG, Trinder-Smith T, van der Westhuysen J, Verheye HM, Coetzer W & Wilke C. (2007). AfrOBIS: a marine biogeographic information system for sub-Saharan Africa. S. Afr. J. Science 103: 91-93.

Anderson, R. J., Rand, A., Rothman, M. D. and J. J. Bolton 2007. Mapping and quantifying the South African kelp resource. Afr. J. Mar. Sci. 29 (3): 369-378.

Robertson-Andersson DV, Potgieter M, Hansen J, Bolton JJ, Troell M, Anderson RJ, Halling C, Probyn T (2008). Integrated seaweed cultivation on an abalone farm in South Africa. J. Appl. Phycology 20: 579-595.

Afolayan AF, Bolton JJ, Lategan CA, et al. (2008) Fucoxanthin, Tetraprenylated Toluquinone and Toluhydroquinone Metabolites from Sargassum heterophyllum Inhibit the in vitro Growth of the Malaria Parasite Plasmodium falciparum. ZEITSCHRIFT FUR NATURFORSCHUNG SECTION C-A JOURNAL OF BIOSCIENCES   Volume: 63   Issue: 11-12   Pages: 848-852   Published: NOV-DEC 2008

Bolton JJ, Robertson-Andersson DV, Shuuluka D & L. Kandjengo (2009). Growing Ulva (Chlorophyta) in integrated systems as a commercial crop for abalone feed in South Africa: a SWOT analysis. J. Appl. Phycol. 21: 575-583

Rothman M.D., R. J. Anderson, C. J. T. Boothroyd, F. A. Kemp, J. J. Bolton (2009). The gracilarioids in South Africa: long-term monitoring of a declining resource. J. Appl Phycol 21:47-53

Anderson RJ, Bolton JJ, Stegenga H (2009). Using the biogeographic distribution and diversity of seaweed species to test the efficacy of Marine Protected Areas in the warm temperate Agulhas Marine Province, South Africa. Diversity and Distributions 15: 1017-1027

Santelices B, Bolton JJ & Meneses I (2009). 6. Marine Algal Communities. In: Marine Macroecology. JD Whitman & K Roy (Eds). Chicago University Press. pp. 153-192.

Lategan C, Kellerman T, Afolayan AF, Mann MG, Antunes EM, Smith PJ, Bolton JJ, Beukes DR (2009). Antiplasmodial and antimicrobial activities of South African marine algal extracts Pharmaceutical Biology 47: 408-413  

Robertson-Andersson, D.V., D.T. Wilson, J.J. Bolton, R.J. Anderson & G.W. Maneveldt. 2009. A rapid assessment method for determining tissue nitrogen content using thallus colour in the cultivated algae Gracilaria gracilis Steentoft Irvine et Farnham and Ulva lactuca Linnaeus. African Journal of Aquatic Science 34(2): 169-172.

Smit AJ, Robertson-Andersson DV, Bolton JJ (2010). The effect of macroalgal and compound feeds on the sensory quality of cultivated South African abalone, Haliotis midae Linnaeus (Mollusca, Gastropoda). Aquaculture Nutrition (in press).

Rothman MD. Anderson RJ, Bolton JJ, Boothroyd, C & Kemp D (2010). A simple method for rapid estimation of Ecklonia maxima and Laminaria pallida biomass using floating surface quadrats. African Journal of Marine Science 32: 137-143.

Bolton JJ (in press). The biogeography of kelps (Laminariales, Phaeophyceae): a global analysis with new insights from molecular phylogenetics. Helgoland Marine Research

Up-dated: 29 June 2010