Prof Marinus Otte is a wetland researcher with particular experience in wetland biogeochemistry. Wetland biogeochemistry involves complex interactions between hydrological processes, mineralogical transformations, bacterial and vegetation communities, and soil stores of carbon and nutrients. Wetlands provide crucial ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, nutrient transformation, and water quality improvement. These biogeochemical processes lay the foundation for the provision of many of these vital ecosystem services. In a country plagued by water quality issues, South Africa is in dire need of ecological infrastructure (EI) and nature-based solutions (NBS) for water security. Better understanding of these biogeochemical process will inevitably assist in the effective planning and implementation of EI and NBS in South Africa.