Dr Phikolomzi Matikinca

Name: Dr Phikolomzi Matikinca 

Office No.: 4.07.01 

Email: phikolomzi.matikinca@uct.ac.za 

Qualifications 

PhD in Zoology (Stellenbosch University), MSc in Climate Change and Sustainable Development (University of Cape Town), BSc Honours in Environmental Science (with distinction) (Rhodes University), BSc in Environmental Science and Geology (Rhodes University). 

 

Academic Profile 

With his diverse academic background and training, Dr Phikolomzi Matikinca has vast experience in quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods research. He has taught Biostatistics at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, focusing on univariate, bivariate and multivariate statistical methods. He enjoys coding and analysing data in R and RStudio, and learning about Machine Learning approaches and their applications.  

His research work broadly focuses on (i) climate change driven variability in coastal carbonate chemistry (ocean acidification) and implications thereof, (ii) the intersections between climate change and social-ecological systems, (iii) climate change and sustainable development, and (iv) adaptation to climate change. Recently, he has been studying the implications of the predicted climate change induced variability in seawater temperature and coastal carbonate chemistry for marine biota. 

Methodologically, he is interested in transdisciplinary work and engaged scholarship that foster collaboration between different stakeholders and interested parties (i.e. academics, civic society, government etc.).  

 

Research Interests 

  • Social-ecological systems in a changing climate. 

  • Variability in coastal carbonate chemistry (ocean acidification) and implications thereof. 

  • Intersections between climate change and invasive species. 

  • Adaptation to climate change. 

  • Marine ecology research. 

  • Biofouling – settlement patterns, impacts, regulation and management. 

 

Some Awards and Achievements 

  • First Prize for best student presentation of the day, ICMB XI Conference in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. 

  • PeerJ Award for best overall student presentation of the conference, ICMB XI Conference in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. 

  • Member of the Golden Key International Honour Society, Rhodes University, South Africa. 

  • International travel grant prize for best PhD presentation at the Annual Research Meeting, Centre for Invasion Biology, Stellenbosch University, South Africa. 

  • BSc Honours Academic Colours, Environmental Science, Rhodes University, South Africa. 

  • Recipient of the John and Maureen Summers Memorial Scholarship

 

Recent Publications 

 

  • Matikinca, P. and Robinson TB. Fouling communities from the South African west coast are vulnerable to cooling and ocean acidification. Marine Biodiversity. 2024; 54 (2). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12526-024-01420-0 

 

  • Matikinca, P., Nyamakura, B. and Shackleton, S. Climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction in South Africa’s local municipal plans. South African Journal of Science. 2024; 120 (7/8). https://doi.org/10.17159/sajs.2024/15797  

 

  • Robinson, TB., Martin, N., Loureiro, TG., Matikinca, P. and Robertson, MP. Double trouble: the implications of climate change for biological invasions. NeoBiota. 2020; 62. https://doi.org/10.3897/neobiota.62.55729 

 

  • Matikinca, P., Ziervogel, G. and Enqvist, JP. Drought response impacts on household water use practices in Cape Town, South Africa. Water Policy. 2020; 22 (3). https://doi.org/10.2166/wp.2020.169 

 

Research Profile Links 

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=tZwu5IQAAAAJ 

ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Phikolomzi-Matikinca