Dr Berndt Janse Van Rensburg
Coordinator: Master of Conservation
School of the Environment
+61 7 336 58382
Researcher biography
My research interests span a broad range of topics, including biogeographic and macroecological studies, spatial ecology, invasion biology and the integration of these fields. I therefore have a general interest to understand the mechanisms, both biological and anthropogenic, that account for changes in environmental variables and that translate into altered patterns in the distribution of biodiversity. Understanding such patterns at different spatial scales while considering different taxonomic groups is in my opinion an important component of efficient conservation planning. I also have a major interest in topics related to conservation focusing on the identification of bioindicator species that may reflect some measure of the character of the habitat within which they are found. As coordinator of the Masters of Conservation Biology course, I will be responsible for the development and running of the course. I hold an Extra-ordinary Professor position with the University of Pretoria (Dept. Zoology & Entomology).
Book Chapters
Hart, L. A., Rogers, A. and van Rensburg, B. J. (2020). Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis Linnaeus, 1766). Invasive birds: global trends and impacts. (pp. 25-32) edited by Colleen T. Downs and Lorinda A Hart. Wallingford, United Kingdom: CAB International. doi: 10.1079/9781789242065.0025
Symes, Craig T. , Roller, Kathryn, Howes, Caroline, Lockwood, Geoffrey and van Rensburg, Berndt J. (2017). Grassland to urban forest in 150 years: avifaunal response in an African metropolis. Ecology and conservation of birds in urban environments. (pp. 309-341) edited by Enrique Murgui and Marcus Hedbloom. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing AG. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-43314-1_16
Journal Articles
Ghimirey, Yadav, Acharya, Raju, Yadav, Kaushal, Rai, Jeevan, Baral, Rishi, Neupane, Utsav, Basnet, Binod, Gilbert, Martin, Poudel, Shashank and van Rensburg, Berndt J. (2024). Challenges and possible conservation implications of recolonizing dholes Cuon alpinus in Nepal. Oryx, 1-9. doi: 10.1017/s003060532300073x
Rogers, Andrew M., Lermite, Françoise, Griffin, Andrea S., van Rensburg, Berndt J. and Kark, Salit (2023). Alien vs. predator: Impacts of invasive species and native predators on urban nest box use by native birds. Animals, 13 (11) 1807, 1-14. doi: 10.3390/ani13111807
Filer, Alannah, Meyer, Edward A. and van Rensburg, Berndt J. (2022). Distributional overlap and potential competition between a threatened habitat specialist and generalist frog species in coastal wallum habitats of
South East
Queensland, Australia. Austral Ecology, 47 (7), 1-6. doi: 10.1111/aec.13236
Teixeira, Daniella, Linke, Simon, Hill, Richard, Maron, Martine and van Rensburg, Berndt J. (2022). Fledge or fail: Nest monitoring of endangered black-cockatoos using bioacoustics and open-source call recognition. Ecological Informatics, 69 101656, 101656. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoinf.2022.101656
Gan, Hongxiao, Zhang, Jinglan, Towsey, Michael, Truskinger, Anthony, Stark, Debra, van Rensburg, Berndt J., Li, Yuefeng and Roe, Paul (2021). A novel frog chorusing recognition method with acoustic indices and machine learning. Future Generation Computer Systems, 125, 485-495. doi: 10.1016/j.future.2021.06.019
Rogers, Andrew M, Griffin, Andrea S, Lermite, Françoise, van Rensburg, Berndt, Archibald, Carla and Kark, Salit (2021). The role of invasion and urbanization gradients in shaping avian community composition. Journal of Urban Ecology, 7 (1) juab030. doi: 10.1093/jue/juab030
Delzoppo, Nicholas A., Berris, Karleah, Teixeira, Daniella and van Rensburg, Berndt (2021). The impact of fire on the quality of drooping sheoak (Allocasuarina verticillata) cones for the endangered Kangaroo Island glossy black-cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus lathami halmaturinus). Global Ecology and Conservation, 28 e01645, 1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01645
Teixeira, Daniella, Hill, Richard, Barth, Michael, Maron, Martine and van Rensburg, Berndt J. (2021). Vocal signals of ontogeny and fledging in nestling black-cockatoos: implications for monitoring. Bioacoustics, 31 (4), 1-18. doi: 10.1080/09524622.2021.1941257
Filer, Alannah, Burchardt, Lara S. and Rensburg, Berndt J. (2021). Assessing acoustic competition between sibling frog species using rhythm analysis. Ecology and Evolution, 11 (13) ece3.7713, 1-17. doi: 10.1002/ece3.7713
Hoffman, Louwrens C., van Schalkwyk, Diana L., Muller, Magdalena, Needham, Tersia, van Rensburg, Berndt J. and McMillin, Kenneth W. (2020). Carcass yields and physiochemical meat quality characteristics of Namibian gemsbok (Oryx gazella) as influenced by muscle, gender and age. Meat Science, 169 108208, 108208. doi: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2020.108208
Gan, Hongxiao, Zhang, Jinglan, Towsey, Michael, Truskinger, Anthony, Stark, Debra, van Rensburg, Berndt J., Li, Yuefeng and Roe, Paul (2020). Data selection in frog chorusing recognition with acoustic indices. Ecological Informatics, 60 101160, 101160. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoinf.2020.101160
Teixeira, Daniella, Hill, Richard, Barth, Michael, Maron, Martine and van Rensburg, Berndt J. (2020). Nest-associated vocal behaviours of the south-eastern red-tailed black cockatoo, Calyptorhynchus banksii graptogyne, and the Kangaroo Island glossy black cockatoo, C. lathami halmaturinus. Austral Ecology, 45 (7), 990-1006. doi: 10.1111/aec.12921
Needham, Tersia, Engels, Retha A., Bureš, Daniel, Kotrba, Radim, van Rensburg, Berndt J. and Hoffman, Louwrens C. (2020). Carcass yields and physiochemical meat quality of semi-extensive and intensively farmed impala (Aepyceros melampus). Foods, 9 (4) 418, 418. doi: 10.3390/foods9040418
Leitner, Monica, Davies, Andrew B., Robertson, Mark P., Parr, Catherine L. and van Rensburg, Berndt J. (2020). Termite mounds create heterogeneity in invertebrate communities across a savanna rainfall gradient. Biodiversity and Conservation, 29 (4), 1427-1441. doi: 10.1007/s10531-020-01943-5
Rogers, Andrew M., Griffin, Andrea S., van Rensburg, Berndt J. and Kark, Salit (2020). Noisy neighbours and myna problems: Interaction webs and aggression around tree hollows in urban habitats. Journal of Applied Ecology, 57 (10) 1365-2664.13698, 1891-1901. doi: 10.1111/1365-2664.13698
Filer, Alannah, Beyer, Hawthorne L., Meyer, Ed and Van Rensburg, Berndt J. (2020). Distribution mapping of specialized amphibian species in rare, ephemeral habitats: implications for the conservation of threatened “acid” frogs in south‐east Queensland. Conservation Science and Practice, 2 (1) e143. doi: 10.1111/csp2.143
Hoffman, Louwrens C., van Schalkwyk, Diana L., Muller, Nina M., van Rensburg, Berndt J. and McMillin, Kenneth W. (2019). Carcass yields and physicochemical meat quality characteristics of Namibian springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis) as influenced by muscle, sex and age. Meat and Muscle Biology, 3 (1), 344-355. doi: 10.22175/mmb2019.05.0016
Teixeira, Daniella, Maron, Martine and Rensburg, Berndt J. (2019). Bioacoustic monitoring of animal vocal behavior for conservation. Conservation Science and Practice, 1 (8) e72. doi: 10.1111/csp2.72
Bishop, Tom R., Parr, Catherine L., Gibb, Heloise, van Rensburg, Berndt J., Braschler, Brigitte, Chown, Steven L., Foord, Stefan H., Lamy, Kévin, Munyai, Thinandavha C., Okey, Iona, Tshivhandekano, Pfarelo G., Werenkraut, Victoria and Robertson, Mark P. (2019). Thermoregulatory traits combine with range shifts to alter the future of montane ant assemblages. Global Change Biology, 25 (6), 2162-2173. doi: 10.1111/gcb.14622
Simmonds, Jeremy S., van Rensburg, Berndt J., Tulloch, Ayesha I. T. and Maron, Martine (2019). Landscape-specific thresholds in the relationship between species richness and natural land cover. Journal of Applied Ecology, 56 (4), 1019-1029. doi: 10.1111/1365-2664.13320
Joyce, Meera, Barnes, Megan D., Possingham, Hugh P. and Van Rensburg, Berndt J. (2018). Understanding of avian assemblage change within anthropogenic environments using citizen science data. Landscape and Urban Planning, 179, 81-89. doi: 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2018.07.006
Dalerum, Fredrik, Retief, Tarryn Anne, Havemann, Carl Peter, Chimimba, Christian T. and Janse van Rensburg, Berndt (2018). The influence of distance to perennial surface water on ant communities in Mopane woodlands, northern Botswana. Ecology and Evolution, 9 (1), 154-165. doi: 10.1002/ece3.4692
Asefa, Addisu, Davies, Andrew B., McKechnie, Andrew E., Kinahan, Anouska A. and van Rensburg, Berndt J. (2017). Effects of anthropogenic disturbance on bird diversity in Ethiopian montane forests. Condor, 119 (3), 416-430. doi: 10.1650/CONDOR-16-81.1
Bishop, Tom R., Robertson, Mark P., van Rensburg, Berndt J. and Parr, Catherine (2017). Coping with the cold: minimum temperatures and thermal tolerances dominate the ecology of mountain ants. Ecological Entomology, 42 (2), 105-114. doi: 10.1111/een.12364
Simmonds, Jeremy S., van Rensburg, Berndt J. and Maron, Martine (2017). Non-random patterns of vegetation clearing and potential biases in studies of habitat area effects. Landscape Ecology, 32 (4), 1-15. doi: 10.1007/s10980-016-0482-7
Bishop, Tom R., Robertson, Mark P., Gibb, Heloise, van Rensburg, Berndt J., Braschler, Brigitte, Chown, Steven L., Foord, Stefan H., Munyai, Thinandavha C., Okey, Iona, Tshivhandekano, Pfarelo G., Werenkraut, Victoria and Parr, Catherine L. (2016). Ant assemblages have darker and larger members in cold environments. Global Ecology and Biogeography, 25 (12), 1489-1499. doi: 10.1111/geb.12516
Davies, Andrew B., van Rensburg, Berndt J., Robertson, Mark P., Levick, Shaun R., Asner, Gregory P. and Parr, Catherine L. (2016). Seasonal variation in the relative dominance of herbivore guilds in an African savanna. Ecology, 97 (6), 1618-1624. doi: 10.1890/15-1905.1
Kalwij, Jesse M., Robertson, Mark P. and van Rensburg, Berndt J. (2015). Annual monitoring reveals rapid upward movement of exotic plants in a montane ecosystem. Biological Invasions, 17 (12), 3517-3529. doi: 10.1007/s10530-015-0975-3
Bishop, Tom R, Robertson, Mark P, van Rensburg, Berndt J and Parr, Catherine L (2015). Contrasting species and functional beta diversity in montane ant assemblages. Journal of Biogeography, 42 (9), 1776-1786. doi: 10.1111/jbi.12537
Davies, A.B., Eggleton, P., Van Rensburg, B.J. and Parr, C.L. (2015). Seasonal activity patterns of African savanna termites vary across a rainfall gradient. Insectes Sociaux, 62 (2), 157-165. doi: 10.1007/s00040-014-0386-y
Davies, Andrew B., Levick, Shaun R., Robertson, Mark P., van Rensburg, Berndt J., Asner, Gregory P. and Parr, Catherine L. (2015). Termite mounds differ in their importance for herbivores across savanna types, seasons and spatial scales. Oikos, 125 (5), 726-734. doi: 10.1111/oik.02742
Davies, Andrew B., Robertson, Mark P., Levick, Shaun R., Asner, Gregory P., van Rensburg, Berndt J. and Parr, Catherine L. (2014). Variable effects of termite mounds on African savanna grass communities across a rainfall gradient. Journal of Vegetation Science, 25 (6), 1405-1416. doi: 10.1111/jvs.12200
Davies, Andrew B., Levick, Shaun R., Asner, Gregory P., Robertson, Mark P., van Rensburg, Berndt J. and Parr, Catherine L. (2014). Spatial variability and abiotic determinants of termite mounds throughout a savanna catchment. Ecography, 37 (9), 852-862. doi: 10.1111/ecog.00532
Bishop, Tom R., Robertson, Mark P., van Rensburg, Berndt J. and Parr, Catherine L. (2014). Elevation-diversity patterns through space and time: ant communities of the Maloti-Drakensberg Mountains of southern Africa. Journal of Biogeography, 41 (12), 2256-2268. doi: 10.1111/jbi.12368
Berthouly-Salazar, Cécile, Hui, Cang, Blackburn, Tim M., Gaboriaud, Coline, van Rensburg, Berndt J., van Vuuren, Bettine Jansen and Le Roux, Johannes J. (2013). Long-distance dispersal maximizes evolutionary potential during rapid geographic range expansion. Molecular Ecology, 22 (23), 5793-5804. doi: 10.1111/mec.12538
Davies, Andrew B., van Rensburg, Berndt J., Eggleton, Paul and Parr, Catherine L. (2013). Interactive effects of fire, rainfall, and litter quality on decomposition in savannas: frequent fire leads to contrasting effects. Ecosystems, 16 (5), 866-880. doi: 10.1007/s10021-013-9657-0
Davies, Andrew B., Eggleton, Paul, van Rensburg, Berndt J. and Parr, Catherine L. (2013). Assessing the relative efficiency of termite sampling methods along a rainfall gradient in African savannas. Biotropica, 45 (4), 474-479. doi: 10.1111/btp.12030
van Rensburg, Berndt J., Hugo, Sanet, Levin, Noam and Kark, Salit (2013). Are environmental transitions more prone to biological invasions?. Diversity and Distributions, 19 (3), 341-351. doi: 10.1111/ddi.12026
Berthouly-Salazar, Cecile, Cassey, Phillip, van Vuuren, Bettine Jansen, van Rensburg, Berndt Janse, Hui, Cang, Gardner, Michael G. and Le Roux, Johannes J. (2012). Development and characterization of 13 new, and cross amplification of 3, polymorphic nuclear microsatellite loci in the common myna (Acridotheres tristis). Conservation Genetics Resources, 4 (3), 621-624. doi: 10.1007/s12686-012-9607-8
Boutigny, A. L., Beukes, I., Small, I., Zühlke, S., Spiteller, M., Van Rensburg, B. J., Flett, B. and Viljoen, A. (2012). Quantitative detection of Fusarium pathogens and their mycotoxins in South African maize. Plant Pathology, 61 (3), 522-531. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-3059.2011.02544.x
Hugo, Sanet, Van Rensburg, Berndt J., Van Wyk, Abraham E. and Steenkamp, Yolande (2012). Alien phytogeographic regions of southern Africa: Numerical classification, possible drivers, and regional threats. Plos One, 7 (5) e36269, e36269.1-e36269.10. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0036269
Mokhatla, Mohlamatsane M., Measey, G. John, Chimimba, Christian T. and van Rensburg, Berndt J. (2012). A biogeographical assessment of anthropogenic threats to areas where different frog breeding groups occur in South Africa: implications for anuran conservation. Diversity and Distributions, 18 (5), 470-480. doi: 10.1111/j.1472-4642.2011.00870.x
Berthouly-Salazar, Cecile, van Rensburg, Berndt J., Le Roux, Johannes J., van Vuuren, Bettine J. and Hui, Cang (2012). Spatial sorting drives morphological variation in the invasive bird, Acridotheris tristis. PLoS One, 7 (5) e38145, e38145.1-e38145.9. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0038145
Davies, Andrew B., Eggleton, Paul, van Rensburg, Berndt J. and Parr, Catherine L. (2012). The pyrodiversity-biodiversity hypothesis: a test with savanna termite assemblages. Journal of Applied Ecology, 49 (2), 422-430. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2664.2012.02107.x
Robertson, M. P., Harris, K. R., Coetzee, J. A., Foxcroft, L. C., Dippenaar-Schoeman, A. S. and van Rensburg, B. J. (2011). Assessing local scale impacts of Opuntia stricta (Cactaceae) invasion on beetle and spider diversity in Kruger National Park, South Africa. African Zoology, 46 (2), 205-223. doi: 10.3377/004.046.0202
Greve, M., Chown, S. L., van Rensburg, B. J., Dallimer, M. and Gaston, K. J. (2011). The ecological effectiveness of protected areas: a case study for South African birds. Animal Conservation, 14 (3), 295-305. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-1795.2010.00429.x
van Rensburg, Berndt J., Weyl, Olaf L. F., Davies, Sarah J., van Wilgen, Nicola J., Spear, Dian, Chimimba, Christian T. and Peacock, Faansie (2011). Invasive vertebrates of South Africa. Biological Invasions: Economic and Environmental Costs of Alien Plant, Animal, and Microbe Species, 2Nd Edition, 325-378.
van Rensburg, B. Janse, Flett, B. C., Mc Laren, N. W. and Mc Donald, A. H. (2011). Sampling variation in the quantification of fumonisins in maize samples. South African Journal of Plant and Soil, 28 (2), 90-96. doi: 10.1080/02571862.2011.10640018
Wolmarans, Rene, Robertson, Mark P. and van Rensburg, Berndt J. (2010). Predicting invasive alien plant distributions: how geographical bias in occurrence records influences model performance. Journal of Biogeography, 37 (9), 1797-1810. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2699.2010.02325.x
Haddad, Charles R., Honiball, Allet S., Dippenaar-Schoeman, Anna S., Slotow, Rob and van Rensburg, Berndt J. (2010). Spiders as potential indicators of elephant-induced habitat changes in endemic sand forest, Maputaland, South Africa. African Journal of Ecology, 48 (2), 446-460. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2028.2009.01133.x
Davies, Andrew B., Parr, Catherine L. and van Rensburg, Berndt J. (2010). Termites and fire: current understanding and future research directions for improved savanna conservation. Austral Ecology, 35 (4), 482-486. doi: 10.1111/j.1442-9993.2010.02124.x
Hugo, Sanet and Van Rensburg, Berndt J. (2009). Alien and native birds in South Africa: patterns, processes and conservation. Biological Invasions, 11 (10), 2291-2302. doi: 10.1007/s10530-008-9416-x
Coetzee, Bernard W. T., Robertson, Mark P., Erasmus, Barend F. N., van Rensburg, Berndt J. and Thuiller, Wilfried (2009). Ensemble models predict Important Bird Areas in southern Africa will become less effective for conserving endemic birds under climate change. Global Ecology and Biogeography, 18 (6), 701-710. doi: 10.1111/j.1466-8238.2009.00485.x
van Rensburg, Berndt J., Peacock, Derick S. and Robertson, Mark P. (2009). Biotic homogenization and alien bird species along an urban gradient in South Africa. Landscape and Urban Planning, 92 (3-4), 233-241. doi: 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2009.05.002
van Rensburg, Berndt J., Levin, Noam and Kark, Salit (2009). Spatial congruence between ecotones and range-restricted species: implications for conservation biogeography at the sub-continental scale. Diversity and Distributions, 15 (3), 379-389. doi: 10.1111/j.1472-4642.2008.00545.x
Belton, Lydia E., Dalerum, Fredrik and Van Rensburg, Berndt J. (2008). Factors associated with suni distribution in Tembe Elephant Park, South Africa: implications for management and conservation of a small antelope. African Journal of Ecology, 46 (4), 631-636. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2028.2008.00945.x
Kalwij, Jesse M., Robertson, Mark P. and van Rensburg, Berndt J. (2008). Human activity facilitates altitudinal expansion of exotic plants along a road in montane grassland, South Africa. Applied Vegetation Science, 11 (4), 491-498. doi: 10.3170/2008-7-18555
Foord, S. H., Mafadza, M. M., Dippenaar-Schoeman, A. S. and Van Rensburg, B. J. (2008). Micro-scale heterogeneity of spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) in the Soutpansberg, South Africa: a comparative survey and inventory in representative habitats. African Zoology, 43 (2), 156-174. doi: 10.3377/1562-7020-43.2.156
Hugo, Sanet and van Rensburg, Berndt J. (2008). The maintenance of a positive spatial correlation between South African bird species richness and human population density. Global Ecology and Biogeography, 17 (5), 611-621. doi: 10.1111/j.1466-8238.2008.00391.x
Greve, Michelle, Gaston, Kevin J., van Rensburg, Berndt J. and Chown, Steven L. (2008). Environmental factors, regional body size distributions and spatial variation in body size of local avian assemblages. Global Ecology and Biogeography, 17 (4), 514-523. doi: 10.1111/j.1466-8238.2008.00388.x
Wilson, John W., van Rensburg, Berndt J., Ferguson, J. Willem H. and Keith, Mark (2008). The relative importance of environment, human activity and space in explaining species richness of South African bird orders. Journal of Biogeography, 35 (2), 342-352. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2699.2007.01792.x
van Rensburg, B. Janse, Flett, B. C., Mc Laren, N. W. and Mc Donald, A. H. (2008). Variation in the identification of fusarium spp. in maize samples due to enumerator and growth medium. South African Journal of Plant and Soil, 25 (2), 105-110. doi: 10.1080/02571862.2008.10639903
Peacock, Derick S., van Rensburg, Berndt J. and Robertson, Mark P. (2007). The distribution and spread of the invasive alien common myna, Acridotheres tristis L. (Aves: Sturnidae), in southern Africa. South African Journal of Science, 103 (11-12), 465-473.
Coetzee, B. W. T., van Rensburg, B. J. and Robertson, M. P. (2007). Invasion of grasslands by silver wattle, Acacia dealbata (Mimosaceae), alters beetle (Coleoptera) assemblage structure. African Entomology, 15 (2), 328-339. doi: 10.4001/1021-3589-15.2.328
Wilson, John W., van Aarde, Rudi J. and van Rensburg, Berndt J. (2007). Effects of habitat fragmentation on bird communities of sand forests in southern Mozambique. Ostrich, 78 (1), 37-42. doi: 10.2989/OSTRICH.2007.78.1.6.50
Evans, Karl L., van Rensburg, Berndt J., Gaston, Kevin J. and Chown, Steven L. (2006). People, species richness and human population growth. Global Ecology and Biogeography, 15 (6), 625-636. doi: 10.1111/j.1466-822x.2006.00253.x
van Eeden, D. G., van Rensburg, B. J., De Wijn, M. and Bothma, J. du P. (2006). The value of community-based conservation in a heterogeneous landscape: an avian case study from sand forest in Maputaland, South Africa. South African Journal of Wildlife Research, 36 (2), 153-157.
Botes, Antoinette, McGeoch, Melodie A. and van Rensburg, Berndt J. (2006). Elephant- and human-induced changes to dung beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) assemblages in the Maputaland Centre of Endemism. Biological Conservation, 130 (4), 573-583. doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2006.01.020
Kark, Salit and van Rensburg, Berndt J. (2006). Ecotones: marginal or central areas of transition?. Israel Journal of Ecology and Evolution, 52 (1), 29-53. doi: 10.1560/IJEE.52.1.29
Richardson, David M., Rouget, Mathieu, Ralston, Samantha J., Cowling, Richard M., Van Rensburg, Berndt J. and Thuiller, Wilfried (2005). Species richness of alien plants in South Africa: environmental correlates and the relationship with indigenous plant species richness. Ecoscience, 12 (3), 391-402. doi: 10.2980/i1195-6860-12-3-391.1
van Rensburg, BJ, Koleff, P, Gaston, KJ and Chown, SL (2004). Spatial congruence of ecological transition at the regional scale in South Africa. Journal of Biogeography, 31 (5), 843-854. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2699.2003.00996.x
van Rensburg, BJ, Erasmus, BFN, van Jaarsveld, AS, Gaston, KJ and Chown, SL (2004). Conservation during times of change: correlations between birds, climate and people in South Africa. South African Journal of Science, 100 (5-6), 266-272.
Chown, S. L., van Rensburg, B. J., Gaston, K. J., Rodrigues, A. S. L and van Jaarsveld, A. S. (2003). Energy, species richness, and human population size: conservation implications at a national scale. Ecological Applications, 13 (5), 1233-1241. doi: 10.1890/02-5105
McGeoch, MA, Van Rensburg, BJ and Botes, A (2002). The verification and application of bioindicators: a case study of dung beetles in a savanna ecosystem. Journal of Applied Ecology, 39 (4), 661-672. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2664.2002.00743.x
van Rensburg, BJ, Chown, SL and Gaston, KJ (2002). Species richness, environmental correlates, and spatial scale: A test using South African birds. American Naturalist, 159 (5), 566-577. doi: 10.1086/339464
Gaston, KJ, Rodrigues, ASL, van Rensburg, BJ, Koleff, P and Chown, SL (2001). Complementary representation and zones of ecological transition. Ecology Letters, 4 (1), 4-9. doi: 10.1046/j.1461-0248.2001.00196.x
van Rensburg, BJ, Chown, SL, van Jaarsveld, AS and McGeoch, MA (2000). Spatial variation and biogeography of sand forest avian assemblages in South Africa. Journal of Biogeography, 27 (6), 1385-1401. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2699.2000.00502.x
van Rensburg, B. J., McGeoch, M. A., Matthews, W., Chown, S. L. and van Jaarsveld, A. S. (2000). Testing generalities in the shape of patch occupancy frequency distributions. Ecology, 81 (11), 3163-3177. doi: 10.1890/0012-9658(2000)081[3163:TGITSO]2.0.CO;2
Van Rensburg, BJ, McGeoch, MA, Chown, SL and Van Jaarsveld, AS (1999). Conservation of heterogeneity among dung beetles in the Maputaland Centre of Endemism, South Africa. Biological Conservation, 88 (2), 145-153. doi: 10.1016/S0006-3207(98)00109-8
Conference Papers
Gan, Hongxiao, Zhang, Jinglan, Towsey, Michael, Truskinger, Anthony, Stark, Debra, Van Rensburg, Berndt, Li, Yuefeng and Roe, Paul (2019). Recognition of frog chorusing with acoustic indices and machine learning. IEEE 15th International Conference on eScience, eScience 2019, San Diego, CA, United States, 24-27 September 2019. Piscataway, NJ, United States: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. doi: 10.1109/eScience.2019.00019
Kalwij, Jesse M., Robertson, Mark P. and van Rensburg, B. J. (2014). Propagule pressure, not climate change, instigates rapidly ascending upper altitudinal limits of exotic plants. 57st Annual Symposium of the International Association for Vegetation Science, Perth, WA, Australia, 1–5 September 2014. Perth, Australia: Kwongan Foundation.
Kalwij, J. M., Robertson, M. P. and Van Rensburg, B. J. (2012). Rapid colonization by annual alien plants of a high montane roadside in the Drakensberg, South Africa. 38th Annual Congress of the South African Association of Botanists, Pretoria, South Africa, 15-18 January 2012. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.sajb.2012.02.002
Hugo, S., Van Rensburg, B. J., Van Wyk, A. E. and Steenkamp, Y. (2011). Alien phytogeographic regions of southern Africa: numerical classification, possible drivers, and regional threats. South African Association of Botanists – Annual Meeting 2011, Grahamstown, South Africa, 17–19 January 2011. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier.