World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!
Award Badge
Ecology and Evolution
South Africa
2026

D-Index & Metrics

Ecology and Evolution

D-Index
74
Citations
17954
World Ranking
1133
National Ranking
10

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

If you think any of the details on this page are incorrect, let us know.

Report an issue

We appreciate your kind effort to assist us to improve this page, it would be helpful providing us with as much detail as possible in the text box below:

Related Online Degrees & Career Pathways

If you are interested in studying Ecology and Evolution, there are many related online degree options that can open diverse career pathways. Many students begin with science-focused bachelor’s degrees—such as biology or environmental science—then continue with specialized fields. Comparing programs, like capella university vs wgu rn to bsn, helps prospective students find the school that best aligns with their career goals and learning preferences.

For those transitioning between degrees, affordability is key. Exploring the cheapest bsn to msn online programs can offer a more cost-effective path to advanced credentials and roles within the scientific and research fields.

Quality and accreditation are equally important. Many students look to enroll in nonprofit online universities to ensure their degree is respected and recognized.

Lastly, those with a military background should review military friendly colleges, which often provide additional resources and support for service members transitioning to civilian science careers.

Best Scientists Citing Alan K. Whitfield

Trending Scientists