The Biological Sciences Department incorporates the following research areas:
- Animal Evolution & Systematics Group (AES)
- Biogeography/ ecology and economics of marine and freshwater algae
- Centre for Invasion Biology
- Bolus Herbarium
- Bryophyte evolution and ecology
- Ecophysiology of plant responses to pollution and global change and plant nutrition
- Entomology
- Marine Biology
- Palaeobiology
- Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology (PFIAO)
- Plant Conservation Unit
- Plant molecular systematics, angiosperm biosystematics
- Plant population, community and reproductive ecology
- Savanna Ecology
- Systematics,floristics,biogeography and evolutionary biology of the unique Cape Floral Kingdom and its response to different land use practices
- Weed Biological Control Entomology
