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Alan K. Whitfield
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Ecology and Evolution
South Africa
2026

D-Index & Metrics

Ecology and Evolution

D-Index
74
Citations
17954
World Ranking
1129
National Ranking
10

Alan K. Whitfield publication distribution in Ecology and Evolution in 2026

The chart shows the distribution of publications by all Research.com ranked scientists in the field of Ecology and Evolution in 2026. The highlighted bar marks where Alan K. Whitfield sits on this spectrum.

37–41 publications: 2 scientists 42–46 publications: 9 scientists 47–51 publications: 10 scientists 52–56 publications: 31 scientists 57–61 publications: 56 scientists 62–66 publications: 91 scientists 67–71 publications: 92 scientists 72–76 publications: 127 scientists 77–81 publications: 173 scientists 82–86 publications: 236 scientists 87–91 publications: 227 scientists 92–96 publications: 240 scientists 97–101 publications: 333 scientists 102–106 publications: 280 scientists 107–111 publications: 300 scientists 112–116 publications: 285 scientists 117–121 publications: 305 scientists 122–126 publications: 287 scientists 127–131 publications: 278 scientists 132–136 publications: 289 scientists 137–141 publications: 273 scientists 142–146 publications: 262 scientists 147–151 publications: 246 scientists 152–156 publications: 235 scientists 157–161 publications: 205 scientists 162–166 publications: 199 scientists 167–171 publications: 174 scientists 172–176 publications: 164 scientists 177–181 publications: 173 scientists 182–186 publications: 189 scientists 187–191 publications: 170 scientists 192–196 publications: 139 scientists 197–201 publications: 128 scientists 202–206 publications: 117 scientists 207–211 publications: 115 scientists 212–216 publications: 107 scientists 217–221 publications: 124 scientists 222–226 publications: 81 scientists 227–231 publications: 82 scientists 232–236 publications: 85 scientists 237–241 publications: 75 scientists 242–246 publications: 66 scientists 247–251 publications: 81 scientists 252–256 publications: 69 scientists 257–261 publications: 70 scientists 262–266 publications: 55 scientists 267–271 publications: 64 scientists 272–276 publications: 49 scientists 277–281 publications: 48 scientists 282–286 publications: 44 scientists 287–291 publications: 45 scientists 292–296 publications: 36 scientists 297–301 publications: 39 scientists 302–306 publications: 38 scientists 307–311 publications: 30 scientists 312–316 publications: 34 scientists 317–321 publications: 25 scientists 322–326 publications: 22 scientists 327–331 publications: 28 scientists 332–336 publications: 30 scientists 337–341 publications: 22 scientists 342–346 publications: 30 scientists 347–351 publications: 26 scientists 352–356 publications: 22 scientists 357–361 publications: 29 scientists 362–366 publications: 21 scientists 367–371 publications: 12 scientists 372–376 publications: 18 scientists 377–381 publications: 17 scientists 382–386 publications: 13 scientists 387–391 publications: 21 scientists 392–396 publications: 13 scientists 397–401 publications: 10 scientists 402–406 publications: 15 scientists 407–411 publications: 8 scientists 412–416 publications: 9 scientists 417–421 publications: 8 scientists 422–426 publications: 4 scientists 427–431 publications: 10 scientists 432–436 publications: 10 scientists 437–441 publications: 5 scientists 442–446 publications: 4 scientists 447–451 publications: 10 scientists 452–456 publications: 2 scientists 457–461 publications: 4 scientists 462–466 publications: 7 scientists 467–471 publications: 7 scientists 472–476 publications: 6 scientists 477–481 publications: 6 scientists 482–486 publications: 3 scientists 487–491 publications: 3 scientists 492–496 publications: 4 scientists 497–501 publications: 4 scientists 502–506 publications: 8 scientists 507–511 publications: 5 scientists 512–516 publications: 4 scientists 517–521 publications: 5 scientists 522–526 publications: 4 scientists 527–530 publications: 5 scientists 531+ publications: 100 scientists
37 publications 531+

This scientist: 236 publications — 83rd percentile

83% of scientists in this discipline score the same or lower.

The last bar groups every scientist with 531 publications or more.

Alan K. Whitfield D-index placement in Ecology and Evolution in 2026

The chart shows the D-index (discipline H-index) distribution of Ecology and Evolution scientists ranked by Research.com in 2026. The highlighted bar marks where Alan K. Whitfield sits on this spectrum.

30 D-Index: 95 scientists 31 D-Index: 123 scientists 32 D-Index: 191 scientists 33 D-Index: 245 scientists 34 D-Index: 252 scientists 35 D-Index: 244 scientists 36 D-Index: 249 scientists 37 D-Index: 244 scientists 38 D-Index: 254 scientists 39 D-Index: 254 scientists 40 D-Index: 280 scientists 41 D-Index: 274 scientists 42 D-Index: 266 scientists 43 D-Index: 233 scientists 44 D-Index: 248 scientists 45 D-Index: 208 scientists 46 D-Index: 201 scientists 47 D-Index: 213 scientists 48 D-Index: 207 scientists 49 D-Index: 172 scientists 50 D-Index: 209 scientists 51 D-Index: 199 scientists 52 D-Index: 153 scientists 53 D-Index: 169 scientists 54 D-Index: 163 scientists 55 D-Index: 148 scientists 56 D-Index: 120 scientists 57 D-Index: 146 scientists 58 D-Index: 137 scientists 59 D-Index: 140 scientists 60 D-Index: 104 scientists 61 D-Index: 119 scientists 62 D-Index: 118 scientists 63 D-Index: 99 scientists 64 D-Index: 77 scientists 65 D-Index: 100 scientists 66 D-Index: 86 scientists 67 D-Index: 83 scientists 68 D-Index: 75 scientists 69 D-Index: 94 scientists 70 D-Index: 57 scientists 71 D-Index: 68 scientists 72 D-Index: 59 scientists 73 D-Index: 63 scientists 74 D-Index: 66 scientists 75 D-Index: 60 scientists 76 D-Index: 42 scientists 77 D-Index: 49 scientists 78 D-Index: 39 scientists 79 D-Index: 37 scientists 80 D-Index: 43 scientists 81 D-Index: 41 scientists 82 D-Index: 45 scientists 83 D-Index: 34 scientists 84 D-Index: 40 scientists 85 D-Index: 35 scientists 86 D-Index: 55 scientists 87 D-Index: 24 scientists 88 D-Index: 24 scientists 89 D-Index: 30 scientists 90 D-Index: 23 scientists 91 D-Index: 25 scientists 92 D-Index: 27 scientists 93 D-Index: 27 scientists 94 D-Index: 13 scientists 95 D-Index: 23 scientists 96 D-Index: 12 scientists 97 D-Index: 14 scientists 98 D-Index: 19 scientists 99 D-Index: 16 scientists 100 D-Index: 14 scientists 101 D-Index: 5 scientists 102 D-Index: 21 scientists 103 D-Index: 16 scientists 104 D-Index: 10 scientists 105 D-Index: 7 scientists 106 D-Index: 7 scientists 107 D-Index: 7 scientists 108 D-Index: 6 scientists 109 D-Index: 9 scientists 110 D-Index: 11 scientists 111 D-Index: 12 scientists 112 D-Index: 9 scientists 113 D-Index: 7 scientists 114 D-Index: 3 scientists 115 D-Index: 8 scientists 116 D-Index: 5 scientists 117 D-Index: 11 scientists 118 D-Index: 4 scientists 119 D-Index: 2 scientists 120 D-Index: 5 scientists 121+ D-Index: 100 scientists
30 D-Index 121+

This scientist: 74 D-Index — 87th percentile

87% of scientists in this discipline score the same or lower.

The last bar groups every scientist with 121 D-Index or more.

Research.com Recognitions

  • 2026 - Research.com Ecology and Evolution in South Africa Leader Award
  • 2025 - Research.com Ecology and Evolution in South Africa Leader Award
  • 2022 - Research.com Ecology and Evolution in South Africa Leader Award

Overview

Alan K. Whitfield is affiliated with the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity in South Africa. Their research primarily focuses on environmental science with significant contributions to the study of aquatic environments, especially estuaries.

The scientist has published extensively in several fields including global and planetary change, ecology, nature and landscape conservation, aquatic science, and oceanography. Their main topics of work concentrate on marine and fisheries research, coral and marine ecosystems studies, fish biology and ecology studies, fish ecology and management studies, aquatic ecosystems and biodiversity, ichthyology and marine biology, and marine bivalve and aquaculture studies.

Whitfield has a notable record of publications in key journals related to aquatic research. Frequent publication venues include:

  • Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science
  • African Journal of Aquatic Science
  • Journal of Fish Biology
  • Environmental Biology of Fishes
  • Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries

Some of their recent papers are:

  • An Estuary Ecosystem Classification that encompasses biogeography and a high diversity of types in support of protection and management (2020), published in African Journal of Aquatic Science
  • Estuaries - how challenging are these constantly changing aquatic environments for associated fish species? (2021), published in Environmental Biology of Fishes
  • Littoral habitats as major nursery areas for fish species in estuaries: a reinforcement of the reduced predation paradigm (2020), published in Marine Ecology Progress Series
  • A socio-ecological systems approach towards future research for the restoration, conservation and management of southern African estuaries (2020), published in African Journal of Aquatic Science
  • Estuarine fish and tetrapod evolution: insights from a Late Devonian (Famennian) Gondwanan estuarine lake and a southern African Holocene equivalent (2020), published in Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society

Frequent co-authors who have collaborated with Alan K. Whitfield include:

  • Trevor D. Harrison
  • Nicola C. James
  • Paul D. Cowley
  • Janine B. Adams
  • Michael Elliott

Best Publications

  • The guild approach to categorizing estuarine fish assemblages: a global review

    Michael Elliott;Alan K Whitfield;Ian C Potter;Stephen J M Blaber

  • Fishes as indicators of environmental and ecological changes within estuaries: a review of progress and some suggestions for the future

    A. K. Whitfield;M. Elliott

  • Ichthyofaunal assemblages in estuaries: A South African case study

    Alan K. Whitfield

  • Challenging paradigms in estuarine ecology and management

    M. Elliott;A.K. Whitfield

  • The ways in which fish use estuaries: a refinement and expansion of the guild approach

    Ian C Potter;James R Tweedley;Michael Elliott;Alan K Whitfield

  • Biology and ecology of fishes in Southern African estuaries

    Alan K. Whitfield

  • A CHARACTERIZATION OF SOUTHERN AFRICAN ESTUARINE SYSTEMS

    A. K. Whitfield

  • The role of seagrass meadows, mangrove forests, salt marshes and reed beds as nursery areas and food sources for fishes in estuaries

    Alan K. Whitfield

  • Comparisons between the roles played by estuaries in the life cycles of fishes in temperate Western Australia and Southern Africa

    Ian C. Potter;Lynnath E. Beckley;Alan K. Whitfield;Rodney C. J. Lenanton

  • Paradigms in estuarine ecology - a review of the Remane diagram with a suggested revised model for estuaries

    Alan K. Whitfield;Michael Elliott;Alberto Basset;Stephen J. M. Blaber

  • A global review of the cosmopolitan flathead mullet Mugil cephalus Linnaeus 1758 (Teleostei: Mugilidae), with emphasis on the biology, genetics, ecology and fisheries aspects of this apparent species complex

    A. K. Whitfield;Jacques Panfili;Jean-Dominique Durand

  • Do Shallow-water Habitats Function as Refugia for Juvenile Fishes?☆

    A.W. Paterson;A.K. Whitfield

  • Potential effects of artificial light associated with anthropogenic infrastructure on the abundance and foraging behaviour of estuary‐associated fishes

    Alistair Becker;Alan K. Whitfield;Paul D. Cowley;Johanna Järnegren

  • Assessment of the conservation priority status of South African estuaries for use in management and water allocation

    J. K. Turpie;J. B. Adams;A. Joubert;T. D. Harrison

  • Temperature and salinity as primary determinants influencing the biogeography of fishes in South African estuaries

    T.D. Harrison;A.K. Whitfield

  • A multi-metric fish index to assess the environmental condition of estuaries

    T. D. Harrison;A. K. Whitfield

  • Systematics of the grey mullets (Teleostei: Mugiliformes: Mugilidae): molecular phylogenetic evidence challenges two centuries of morphology-based taxonomy.

    J.-D. Durand;K.-N. Shen;W.-J. Chen;Brian Wade Jamandre

  • Ecoengineering with ecohydrology: Successes and failures in estuarine restoration

    Michael Elliott;Michael Elliott;Michael Elliott;Lucas Mander;Krysia Mazik;Charles Simenstad

  • South African Estuaries and Their Importance to Fishes

    J.H. Wallace;H.M. Kok;L.E. Beckley;B. Bennett

  • Abundance of larval and 0+ juvenile marine fishes in the lower reaches of three southern African estuaries with differing freshwater inputs

    AK Whitfield

  • Coastal Lagoons – Critical Habitats of Environmental Change

    Alan K. Whitfield

  • Biology and Ecology of Fishes in Southern African Estuaries

    Michael J. Kennish;Alan K. Whitfield

Frequent Co-Authors

Paul D. Cowley
Paul D. Cowley South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity
Janine B. Adams
Janine B. Adams Nelson Mandela University
Tatenda Dalu
Tatenda Dalu University of Mpumalanga
Michael Elliott
Michael Elliott University of Hull
Ryan J. Wasserman
Ryan J. Wasserman Rhodes University
Ian C. Potter
Ian C. Potter Murdoch University
P.W. Froneman
P.W. Froneman University of Cape Town
Lynnath E. Beckley
Lynnath E. Beckley Murdoch University
George M. Branch
George M. Branch University of Cape Town
Eric Wolanski
Eric Wolanski James Cook University

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Best Scientists Citing Alan K. Whitfield

Janine B. Adams

Janine B. Adams

Nelson Mandela University

Publications: 78

Ian C. Potter

Ian C. Potter

Murdoch University

Publications: 72

Henrique N. Cabral

Henrique N. Cabral

INRAE : Institut national de recherche pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement

Publications: 68

Michael Elliott

Michael Elliott

University of Hull

Publications: 61

Marcus Sheaves

Marcus Sheaves

James Cook University

Publications: 48

Rod M. Connolly

Rod M. Connolly

Griffith University

Publications: 40

P.W. Froneman

P.W. Froneman

University of Cape Town

Publications: 36

Paul D. Cowley

Paul D. Cowley

South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity

Publications: 30

Thomas A. Schlacher

Thomas A. Schlacher

University of the Sunshine Coast

Publications: 28

Mário Barletta

Mário Barletta

Federal University of Pernambuco

Publications: 27

Francisco Gerson Araújo

Francisco Gerson Araújo

Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro

Publications: 27

Ángel Borja

Ángel Borja

AZTI

Publications: 26

Andrew D. Olds

Andrew D. Olds

University of the Sunshine Coast

Publications: 26

Marina Dolbeth

Marina Dolbeth

University of Porto

Publications: 24

Ryan J. Wasserman

Ryan J. Wasserman

Rhodes University

Publications: 23

Olaf L. F. Weyl

Olaf L. F. Weyl

South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity

Publications: 22

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