A numerical perspective on Nature authors.

Susan Ringrose is a professor in water resource management at the Harry Oppenheimer Okavango Research Centre in Botswana. She has worked all over the world, studying the use of natural resources. But being in Africa is different, she says, because the issues are closer to ordinary people's lives and she can make a direct contribution to the local community.

Ringrose says that she and her colleagues get a local perspective on the issues that are the focus of their research, such as ecosystems, governance and tourism. These viewpoints often differ from those of international researchers, she says, making the need for joint collaborative work crucial.

One of Ringrose's recent collaborations with researchers worldwide reports details of the primary factors influencing African savanna ecosystem structure (see page 846).

1 paper with contributing authors from Botswana has been published in Nature during 2005.

3 papers published in Nature in the course of 2005 have reported findings from Botswana.

30 authors working in Africa have published their research in Nature this year (total number of authors=5,641).

44 submissions this year have been made to Nature from Africa.