The status and asessment of biodiversity in south africa introduction

1. 
   Overview of Biodiversity in South Africa
   

South Africa is one of the most biologically diverse countries in the world. The country is surrounded by three oceans and home to about 15% of known coastal marine species, 2% of the world’s plants and 7% of the reptiles, birds and mammals. The country includes several biomes, three of which have been declared global biodiversity hotspots. Alien invasive species are one of biggest threats to South Africa’s biodiversity especially to indigenous vegetation.

2. 
   Biodiversity in the Western Cape Province of South Africa
   

1. 
   Flora
   

The role of remnants in supporting animal life is less well documented. However, a study on the insect pollinators showed that while the overall species richness of bees, flies and butterflies did not vary significantly between small and large fragments of renosterveld shrublands, the abundance of a particular species of bee and monkey beetle was significantly affected by fragment size.

2. 
   Fauna
   

The Western Cape supports 50% of South Africa’s mammal species. Of the 160 species that occur here, six are endemic. Fifty species are regarded as threatened according to the World Conservation Union (IUCN). An estimated eleven species have become extinct in the Western Cape. Six species have yet to be re-established in formal conservation areas including the Lion, Spotted Hyena, African Wild dog, Black Rhinoceros, Hippopotamus and African Buffalo.

The Western Cape supports 50% of South African bird life. The South African Bird Atlas Project has listed 344 of the country’s total 686 species in the Western Cape. The majority were recorded in protected areas. Of these 53 species are listed in the Red Data Book for Birds. Eight species including the Wattled Crane, Lappet Faced Vulture and Cape Parrot, are already extinct in the region.

Two out of every five species of amphibians known to occur in Southern Africa are found in the Western Cape Province. At least 22 species (50%) are endemic to the region, occurring in habitats that are highly susceptible to change. Six species are listed as threatened, of which the micro frog and the Table Mountain Ghost Frog are regarded as critically endangered. South Africa hosts 350 reptile species, more than 5% of the world total. The Western Cape contains 41% of this total, and boasts the highest diversity of terrestrial tortoises in the world. Not only can one find here one of the world’s largest tortoises (the mountain tortoise) but also the smallest (southern speckled padloper) and one of the rarest (geometric) tortoises. Of the 92 lizard species seven are threatened and 17 endemic, while of the 41 snake species, three are threatened and two species are endemic to the Western Cape.

Of the 18 species of freshwater fish found in the Western Cape, an alarming 15 are listed as threatened. Of these, 50% are endemic and thus reliant on effective conservation of river systems and Aquatic habitats. Unfortunately the Western Cape has many invasive fish species, posing a major threat to indigenous fish and other aquatic life. A genetic variety of the Berg river redfin was exterminated from the Eerste River in the 1940s due to the introduction of rainbow trout. If the situation is allowed to deteriorate even further species such as the highly Twee River redfin may become extinct within the next 20 years.

3. 
   Biodiversity within the City of Cape Town in the Western Cape
   

Cape Town is home to a total of 19 different and distinct vegetation types. This enormous variety is mainly because the City is uniquely located at the convergence point of a great many different soil types and micro-climates. These 19 vegetation types are mostly restricted to unusually small areas, and several are completely endemic to the City – occurring nowhere else in the world. The vegetation types include the following.

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  Atlantis Sand Fynbos
  
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  Boland Granite Fynbos
  
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  Cape Flats Dune Strandveld
  
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  Cape Flats Dune Fynbos
  
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  Cape Winelands Shale Fynbos
  
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  Hangklip Sand Fynbos
  
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  Kogelberg Sandstone Fynbos
  
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  Lourensford Alluvium Fynbos
  
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  Peninsula Granite Fynbos
  
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  Peninsula Sandstone Fynbos
  
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  Peninsula Shale Renosterveld
  
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  Swartland Alluvium
  
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  Swartland Alluvium Renosterveld
  
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  Swartland Granite Renosterveld
  
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  Swartland Shale Renosterveld
  
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  Swartland Silcrete Renosterveld
  
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  Southern Afrotemperate Forest
  
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  Cape Lowland Freshwater Wetland
  

1. 
   Introduction
   

All around the world biodiversity is under threat. Climate change is altering the face of our Planet and with it our biodiversity and many of the ecosystems and associated services on which we depend. Other global threats to biodiversity are associated with human activities. Humans are an integral part of ecosystems so our activities can affect ecosystems. Human activities can be direct drivers of change in biodiversity through habitat loss and damage, or they can be indirect drivers of change through social, cultural and economic policies or practice. Changes in biodiversity can affect how ecosystems work and loss of ecosystem services may irreplaceable or only replaceable at great cost. As biodiversity decreases ecosystems tend to deteriorate.

2. 
   Impact Assessment as a tool for biodiversity conservation
   

International Conventions such as the Ramsar Convention on wetlands and the Convention for Biological Diversity (CBD), recognize Impact Assessment (IA) as an important decision support tool to help plan and implement development with biodiversity in mind. IA provides an opportunity to ensure that biodiversity values are recognized and taken into account in decision making and/or planning process. Importantly IA adopts a participatory approach - involving people who might be affected by proposed development. The IA should be applied to individual projects through EIA processes, and to collective policies, plans and programmes through Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). Considerable progress has been made in the application of IA to further aims of the CBD and related conventions. IA’s are generally informed by Environmental Authorities, Local Authorities, Biodiversity Agencies, Agriculture and Water authorities and Key non-government organizations.

3. 
   Challenges that need to be addressed in relation to IA
   

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  Raising awareness of biodiversity, its values and importance.
  
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  Building capacity to commission, carry out and review assessments.
  
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  Obtaining and communicating reliable up to date information on biodiversity in an accessible form.
  
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  Providing guidance to communities, governments and businesses
  

4. 
   Guiding Principles for IA
   

The following guiding principles set out to achieve no net loss of biodiversity:

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  Avoid irreversible losses of biodiversity.
  
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  Seek alternative solutions that minimize biodiversity losses.
  
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  Use mitigation to restore biodiversity resources.
  
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  Compensate for unavoidable loss by providing substitutes of at least similar biodiversity values.
  
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  Seek opportunities for enhancement:
  

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  Use the ecosystem approach - objectives of ecosystem management are a matter of societal choices and should be set with a long term view. Ecosystem managers should consider the effect of their activities on adjacent and other ecosystems. Ecosystems should be managed within the limit of their functioning. The approach must be undertaken at appropriate spatial temporal scales and should seek an appropriate balance between integration of conservation and use of biodiversity. All forms of relevant information should be considered and all relevant sectors of society and scientific disciplines should be involved.
  

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  Positive planning - encourages an early analysis of the opportunities and constraints posed by the natural environment. Encourages the early identification of alternatives that could avoid or prevent significant impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services. Encourages early identification that could enhance and secure benefits for safeguarding biodiversity and ecosystem services.
  

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  Ensure sharing - ensure traditional rights and uses of biodiversity are recognized in IA and the benefits from commercial use of biodiversity are shared fairly. Consider the needs of future as well as current generations. Seek alternatives that do not trade in biodiversity.
  

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  Always consider alternatives - good planning should clearly identify and select those alternatives that offer and avoid undesirable impacts for the good of society. Decision making should strive towards this (i.e. evaluation of alternatives is essential part of assessment and decision making).
  

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  Apply the precautionary principle - this should be applied in any situation where important biodiversity may be threatened. Requires that development consent should be delayed while steps are taken to ensure that best available information can be obtained through consultation with local stake holders/experts.
  

5. 
   Operating Principles for IA
   

1. 
   Screening- to determine whether important biodiversity resources maybe affected. Should include potential impacts on protected areas and areas supporting species. Include activities posing a particular threat to biodiversity (in terms of their type magnitude, location, duration, timing reversibility). Include areas that provide important biodiversity services including extractive reserves, indigenous people’s territories, wetlands, fish breeding grounds, soils prone to erosion, relatively undisturbed or characteristic habitat storage areas, groundwater recharging areas, etc.
   

2. 
   Scoping - defining the issues and the methods that will be used. Use scoping as an opportunity to raise awareness of biodiversity concerns and discuss alternatives to avoid/ minimize negative impact biodiversity.
   

3. 
   Impact study and preparation of EIS - address biodiversity at all appropriate levels and allow for enough survey time to take seasonal features into account.
   

4. 
   Mitigation measures - include restoration and rehabilitation. Apply the positive planning approach where avoidance has priority and compensation. Look for opportunities to positively enhance biodiversity.
   

5. 
   Review decision making - peer review of environmental reports with regards to biodiversity should be undertaken by specialist, with appropriate expertise where biodiversity impacts are significant.
   

6. 
   Decision making - avoid putting conservation goals against development goals, try to balance conservation with sustainable use for economically viable and socially, sustainable solutions.
   

7. 
   Management, monitoring, evaluation and auditing - it is important to recognize that all prediction of changes in biodiversity in relation to perturbation is uncertain, especially over long time frames.