Key Threats: South Africa

Threats to Biodiversity

• Large, informal settlements near urban areas put pressure on remaining habitat through demands for fuel wood and water (Richardson et al 2000).

• The conversion of lowland vegetation to high-intensity agriculture has affected over 25% of the Cape Floristic Region. The lands were converted to allow cultivation of wheat, irrigated pasture, subsidized cereal production, and more recently for bush teas, wild flowers for the horticultural trade, and vineyards (Richardson et al 1996; Rouget et al. 2003).
• Renosterveld communities, which are particularly rich in perennials, have suffered disproportionately from conversion to agriculture because they tend to inhabit more fertile soils (Cowling 1990; Low and Rebelo 1996)
• Agricultural and other land uses have caused heavy fragmentation of natural habitat. A fragmented fynbos stand exhibits significantly fewer plant species than the same size of continuous habitat (Bond et al 1988; Cowling and Bond 1991).

• South African shrublands consist of plants which require fire to reproduce; however, fire regimes have been altered due to fragmentation and increased fuel loads from the invasion of non-native shrubs and trees.

• Many natural communities are affected and dominated by invasive alien plants introduced primarily from Australia, including species such as Acacia and Eucalyptus. Studies indicate that woody invasive plants can reduce rainfall runoff up to 80%, causing significant damage to South Africa’s economy (Burgers et al. 1995).

Climate Change & Severe Weather

• According to predictions, climate change will have an adverse affect on the fynbos vegetation. Areas to the north and portions of the west coast could be lost, and the range of many species of Proteaceae is predicted to shrink (Midgeley et al 2003).

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