The first part of her research entailed photographic and collecting data about the cusion plant, Azorella selago, a plant that is common on Marion Island. She then cut cylindrical core samples from the plants and extracted hidden insects by using a gradient extractor: when heated from the top, the insects crawl out of the bottom! Next, Lizel identified and counted the insects which turned out to be predominantly springtails and mites.

In the second phase of her project, she determined wherther there was any connection between the number and type of insect, the size of the cushion plant clump where they were gathered, and the amount of grass growing in it. The presence of grass on Marion Island indicates higher temperature and lower rainfall.

Lizel did find any connection. Simply put, the more grass there was the more insects she found. And the more insects there are, the warmer and drier the climate. This conncetion represents a convenient and quantifiable tool for monitoring climate change on Marion Island, which can then be extrapolated more broadly.

Lizel's project is one of many which look at the terrestrial ecology of Marion Island. She believes that Marion is the perfect place to study biodiversity and the factors which influence it because it is isolated and species poor. It is therefore feasible to study entire communities and thereby aquire an in-depth understanding of the island's ecology.

Lizel describes her year on Marion as a fantastic experience. She enjoyed living intimately with 12 South Africans from very different backgrounds.

Althought she found the base very comfortable, her field research was demanding. She got lost on her first field trip and a walk that should have been a three hour dawdle turned into a seven hour slog. But her work was interspersed with unique experiences, such as watching killer whales from very close quarters and playing "mire rugby" in the freezing mud.

Lizel feels privileged to have worked on Marion Island and hopes to stay with Antarctic research if possible because "every experience there is an adventure".