Josie South

Dr Josie South is a Lecturer in Ecology at the School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds. Her research focuses on aquatic ecology and conservation, with particular emphasis on sustainable management of freshwater and marine fishes in Southeast Asia.

Dr South's primary research interests include:

• Aquatic ecology and conservation biology
• Freshwater and marine fish conservation
• Sustainable harvesting practices for the aquarium trade
• Peat swamp ecosystem conservation

Based in Indonesia, Dr South collaborates extensively with Universitas Airlangga, Universitas Bangka-Belitong and The Tangokkers NGO on the conservation of critically endangered peat swamp fishes on Bangka-Belitung Island. Her work encompasses species descriptions, biological inventories, population assessments, and threat assessment and mitigation strategies to develop actionable conservation measures. She has recently initiated a marine fisheries project focused on developing scientifically robust methods to determine sustainable harvesting levels for marine ornamental species in the aquarium trade, with findings intended to directly inform policy decisions and CITES assessments.

Dr South's research demonstrates a strong commitment to bridging academic science with practical conservation outcomes, emphasizing international collaboration to address biodiversity challenges in critical ecosystems.