Pdf economic value of terrestrial and marine biodiversity. Excerpt from the report of the 28th session of the world heritage committee criterion ii. The cape floral region table mountain aerial cableway. Even in mountain areas, where agriculture is limited by poor soils, rooibos tea. The fynbos ecoregion is within the mediterranean forests. Climate is an important driver of biodiversity in the gcfr and the region is thus potentially vulnerable to climate change. Pdf the greater cape floristic region researchgate.
The domain encompasses an extension of approximately 60 km beyond the boundaries of the cfr. The cape floristic region lies entirely within south africa and is home to the. Framework for a conservation plan for the cape floristic. It is the only floristic region of the cape floristic kingdom, and includes only one floristic province, known as the cape floristic province. Considered the fifth floral kingdom, this relatively small region at the southwestern tip of africa is home to about 9,000 vascular plant species, 69 percent of which are endemic. The region includes the mountains in the west from the cape peninsula to the kouebokkeveld mountains, the south coast hinterland from elgin to port elizabeth, the mountains north of the little karoo from laingsburg to willowmore, and the inselberg hills within the little karoo. Impacts of invasive alien trees on threatened lowland.
Postfire regeneration in the cape floristic region of south africa adam m. Cape flora, a scrubland vegetation found along a narrow strip of the extreme southern coast of south africa, composed of many species of broadleaved evergreen shrubs, especially plants of the family proteaceae brownish or grayish shrubs often containing oil or resin. The cape floral region of south africawhich accounts for only onehalf of one percent of africahas the worlds widest variety of plants packed into such a small area. A brief history of the impacts of people on nature in this region is provided which argues that these are not divorced from social, economic, and political factors. The cape floristic region, the smallest of the six recognised floral kingdoms of the world, is an area of extraordinarily high diversity and endemism, and is home to over 9,000 vascular plant species, of.
Oct, 2006 aim the cape floristic region cfr cape floristic kingdom is currently narrowly delimited to include only the relatively mesic cape fold mountains and adjacent intermontane valleys and coastal plains. Landscapes, rock types, and climate of the greater cape. Incredibly, more than 6,200 69 percent of these species are found nowhere else in the world. Histories of fire in south africas cape floral region. And as the places on earth where the most biodiversity is under the most threat, hotspots are critical to human survival. Indeed, the floristic characteristics of the cape region are so unusual that it has. Patterns in the seed germination response to smoke in. The cape floristic region cfr is an appropriate recipient of cepf. Many of the region s 2,285 recorded plant species are endemic. The fynbos biome is one of the most invaded biomes in south africa richardson et al. Request pdf cape floristic region, south africa the highly diverse and unique cape floristic region near the southern tip of south africa has been a productive testing ground for evolving.
Since then, the strategy development process has taken the form of stakeholder workshops under the aegis of the cape ias task team. Nomination of the cape floral region, south africa, as a world heritage site 2003. The extended property includes national parks, nature reserves, wilderness areas, state forests and mountain catchment. Small mammal taphonomy and utilization by middle stone age. As protea plant species ranges contract, expand, and shift in response to climate change, new reserve selection methods are needed to account for this dynamism. It is one of the worlds six recognized floral kingdoms and houses an extraordinary diversity of plants exhibiting high levels of endemism. The cape floral region has been called the worlds hottest hotspot for plant diversity and endemism and it has recently been designated one of the iucn global centres of plant diversity. Summary the rugged topography of the cape floristic region cfr, south africa, is frequently invoked to explain the spectacular radiation of. The greatest threat to biodiversity in the cape floristic region hotspot is agricultural and urban expansion. The cape floristic region is one of the six floral kingdoms in the world. Considered regionally in the context of quaternary climate change, climate stability is. The property is a highly distinctive phytogeographic unit which is regarded as one of the six floral kingdoms of the world and is by far the smallest and relatively the most diverse. South africas cape floral region is a small area densely packed with an exceptionally high number of plant species.
Though evidence for the creation and use of symbols and for technological and social complexity have emerged from the cape floristic region of south africa cfr that date to the middle stone age msa, 285 30 thousand years ago, the relationship between these factors and the foraging strategies and use of landscapes by msa humans remains anomalous, particularly in relation to small. Cape floral region protected areas date of inscription. Plant diversity of the peter goldblatt2 and john c. Inscribed on the world heritage list in 2004, the property is located at the southwestern extremity of south africa. The cape floristic region cfr is one of the most biologically diverse regions on earth. The cape flower region is a nature area near the south end of south africa. Johnson, 2 1 horticultural research, kirstenbosch research centre, national botanical institute, cape town 7735, south africa horticultural research, kirstenbosch research centre, national botanical institute cape town 7735. Further warming and moderate drying are predicted for the region. The cape floral region forms a centre of active speciation where interesting patterns of endemism and adaptive radiation are found in the flora. The cfr alone has over nine thousand vascular plant species, twothirds of which are endemic to the region representing nearly half of the 20,000 vascular plant species in all of southern africa and is one of the most biodiverse regions globally 35. Cape floristic region atlas for the end of the world. This component of the project is being coordinated by the institute for plant conservation ipc of the university of cape town. We focused on catalyzing action by nongovernmental organizations, community groups and other civil society partners on the most urgent priorities identified by cape action for people and the environment c. Although the smallest of the worlds six principal floristic regions and in a temperate zone, it has by far the highest.
Pdf aim the cape floristic region cfr cape floristic kingdom is currently narrowly delimited to include only the relatively mesic cape fold. Sustainable tourism in estuaries of the cape floristic region. Framework for a conservation plan for the cape floristic region. Cape floral region protected areas unesco world heritage. Jul 16, 2017 the cape floral region represents less than 0. Topography as a driver of diversification in the cape floristic region. Pdf landscapes, rock types, and climate of the greater. The magnificent cape floristic region is, as its name implies, situated in the western cape and parts of the eastern cape provinces of south africa.
The cape fold mountains are important water catchment areas and provide most of the large cities and towns within the region. Challenges of conserving the cape floristic kingdom. Drying climate in cape floral region, south africa. This biodiversity hotspot in the western cape, known as the hottest hotspot, has the highest concentration of plant species in the world.
The planning domain for this study is centred on the cape floristic region cfr, as delimited by cowling and heijnis 2001, an area of 87,892 km 2. Apr 25, 2017 the cape floristic region, occupying an area of 78,555 square km, is located close to south africas southern tip, entirely within the borders of the country. Summary of the soil variables measured across 100 sites in the eastern cape floristic region, eastern cape, south africa, separated by biome association. In a biodiversity hotspot such as the cape floristic region encompassing the fynbos biome, it is crucial to identify possible barriers to restoration.
Sustainable tourism in estuaries of the cape floristic region this guideline document constitutes a part of a suite of documents for developing a local estuarine management plan as discussed in a framework for a generic estuarine management plan by l van niekerk and s taljaard. Understanding the origins and evolution of the worlds biodiversity hotspots. In 2004 the cape floral region a protected area measuring 553 000ha was declared a world heritage site by the united nations educational, scientific and cultural organization unesco. Climatic, edaphic and fire regime determinants of biome. Patterns in the seed germination response to smoke in plants from the cape floristic region, south africa n. The cape floristic region in south africas western cape is home to the worlds smallest floristic kingdom there are six in total, which includes the unique fynbos biome, and supports nearly 9,000 species of plants, of which around 69% are. The climate in the region has warmed over the last century, but there has been no clear trend in rainfall. A conservation plan for a global biodiversity hotspotthe. Bergh and others published vegetation types of the greater cape floristic region find, read and cite all the. The cape floristic region is home to the greatest nontropical concentration of higher plant species in the world, with 9,000 species crammed into its small extent.
Pdf on sep 18, 2014, mathieu rouget and others published conserving the cape floristic region find, read and cite all the research you need on researchgate. Its plant species diversity, density and endemism are among the highest worldwide, and it has been identified as one of the worlds 18 biodiversity hotspots. Economic value of terrestrial and marine biodiversity in the cape floristic region. Aim the cape floristic region cfr cape floristic kingdom is currently narrowly delimited to include only the relatively mesic cape fold mountains and adjacent intermontane valleys and coastal.
Pdf ants, altitude and change in the northern cape. Kaapprovinsie and colloquially as the cape afrikaans. Without species, there would be no air to breathe, no food to eat, no water to drink. It contains an estimated 9 500 species, of which 70% do not grow anywhere else in the world. What a landowner should know about the fact sheet indigenous fish of the cape floristic region. Summary of the landscapelevel environmental variables measured across 203 plots in the eastern cape floristic region, eastern cape, south africa, separated by biome association. The cape floristic region is a floristic region located near the southern tip of south africa. Pdf extreme hydroclimate response gradients within the. This chapter examines the impact the city of cape town, a growing city in the megadiverse cape floristic region, has on biodiversity and ecosystem services within and beyond its boundaries.
Pdf histories of fire in south africas cape floral region. The cape floristic region, the smallest of the six recognised floral kingdoms of the world, is an area of extraordinarily high diversity and endemism, and is home to over 9,000 vascular plant species, of which 69 percent are endemic. Distribution and status of the geometric tortoise, psammobates geometricus, in south africa. It is the only floristic region of the cape south african floristic kingdom, and includes only one floristic province, known as the cape floristic province the cape floristic region, the smallest of the six recognised floral kingdoms of the world, is an area of extraordinarily high diversity and. This area, however, is not only home to a remarkable number of plant species but also has a number of unique indigenous freshwater fish species. The city is located in the cape floristic region, the smallest and most diverse floral kingdom on earth. The cape floristic region is moreorless coincident geologically with the cape supergroup, a devonianordovician series of sedimentary strata, consisting of alternating layers of quartzitic sandstones the table mountain and witteberg groups and finegrained shales bokkeveld group deacon et al. It is the only floristic region of the cape south african floristic kingdom, and includes only one floristic province, known as the cape floristic province.
The region is the smallest of the six flower kingdoms of the world, as recognised by ronald good. Origins and evolution of a biodiversity hotspot, the biota. Two central themes of this work are 1 oxalis systematics and 2 plantfungalarthropod interactions within this region. As in cape plants, we have depended considerably on a diversity of botanical expertise available for the cape fl ora, with the benefi t of generous help from colleagues at the south.
The biota of the african cape floristic region as a case study g. Information about the cape floristic region biodiversity hotspot was developed using the ecosystem profile pdf 1. Cape floristic region wikipedia republished wiki 2. Agricultural land use has already consumed 26 percent of the hotspot and has devastated lowland areas. It is one of the worlds great centres of terrestrial biodiversity. Pdf aim the cape floristic region cfr cape floristic kingdom is currently narrowly delimited to include only the relatively mesic cape. These regions, which coincide closely with the faunal regions as mapped by animal geographers, are often considered with them as biogeographic regions.
It is significant for being one of the worlds most diverse and abundant floral areas, home to about onefifth of the vegetation in all of africa. Cepfs investment in the cape floristic region hotspot began in december 2001. The cape floristic region, mainly within the western cape province, is one of the six plant kingdoms of the world. Floristic region, any of six areas of the world recognized by plant geographers for their distinctive plant life. The outcome of phase 1 is a conservation plan for the cape floristic region cfr at the 1. The report is the final report for phase 1 of the terrestrial module 1 component. Bergh and others published vegetation types of the greater cape floristic region find, read and cite all the research you need on researchgate. Note that the scale for barplot varies per subplot and is relative to the number of sites sampled per biome. The biodiversity hotspot of the cape floristic region, south.
Drying climate in cape floral region, south africa global. Its formal title is the cape south africa floristic region. The aim of the workshops was to obtain stakeholder agreement on, and buyin into, the principles. Aim the cape floristic region cfr cape floristic kingdom is currently narrowly delimited to include only the relatively mesic cape fold mountains and adjacent intermontane valleys and coastal plains.
Cape flower region simple english wikipedia, the free. The cape floral region is one of the richest areas for plants than for any similar sized area in the world. Note that the xaxis scale varies for each subplot and is relative to the number of sites sampled per biome. About half of these areas are originally fynbos, and about half are. People, the cape floristic region, and sustainability. Abstract aim the cape floristic region cfr cape floristic kingdom is currently narrowly delimited to include only the relatively mesic cape. Diversity, threats and management interventions the cape floristic region, mainly within the western cape province. Pdf on sep 18, 2014, peter lawrence bradshaw and others published landscapes, rock types, and climate of the greater cape floristic region find, read and cite all the research you need on.
Th cape floristic kingdom is home to many endemic bird species, some of which like the orangebreasted sunbird are important pollinators of the plants. Ants, altitude and change in the northern cape floristic region. It encompassed the old cape colony, as well as walvis bay, and had cape town as its capital. A journey through the biological complexity of the cape floristic region, south africa m y research focuses on the diversity, evolution and ecology of the biota of the cape floristic region cfr of south africa sa. The cape floral region has been recognised as one of the most special places for plants in the world in terms of diversity, density and number of endemic species. Cape floristic region, as part of cape component 6. Impacts of climate change in the greater cape floristic region. The gcfr has been extensively used as test case for modelling climate change impacts on.