The Quality of Biodiversity Inputs to EIA in Areas with High Biodiversity Value — Experience from the Cape Floristic Region, South Africa

2015 ◽  
Vol 17 (03) ◽  
pp. 1550025 ◽  
Author(s):  
Trevor Winston Hallatt ◽  
Francois Pieter Retief ◽  
Luke Alan Sandham
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Cape Floristic Region ◽  
Public Consultation ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Impact Prediction ◽  
International Trends ◽  
Report Quality ◽  
Insufficient Time

The quality of biodiversity inputs to Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in areas with high biodiversity value was investigated by reviewing the quality of a sample of Biodiversity Impact Assessments (BIAs) in the Cape Floristic Region (CFR), South Africa. The results suggest that while the overall performance was satisfactory, several inadequacies were evident, confirming international trends. Inadequacies relate to consideration of alternatives, public consultation, monitoring programmes, and gathering of biodiversity baseline data during inappropriate seasons and over insufficient time periods. Positive outcomes include the incorporation of ecosystems processes in baseline studies and assessment as well as the wide adoption of a precautionary approach to impact prediction. It is recommended that best practice and biodiversity guidance as developed and implemented in the Western Cape Province, be adopted as widely as possible in other provinces, and that the BIA practitioner community be alerted to revealed weakness of BIA report quality.

Vegetation and vegetation-environment relationships at Grootbos Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa

Bothalia ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-102 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Mergili ◽  
S. Privett
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Nature Reserve ◽  
Soil Depth ◽  
Vegetation Type ◽  
Cape Floristic Region ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Floristic Diversity ◽  
Rock Cover ◽  
Scrub Forest ◽  
Fire Incidence

The private Grootbos Nature Reserve is located at the Western edge of the Agulhas Plain in the Cape Floristic Region of South Africa, an area characterized by high habitat and floristic diversity. The Reserve is covered in near-natural fynbos shrublands with a few patches of forest and wetland. The main objective of this study was to classify the vegetation into discrete units and relate them to the prevailing environmental conditions. The vegetation was analysed by numerical means (TWINSPAN, DC A, CCA) and mapped on GIS. At the vegetation type level. Forest Thicket and Fynbos formed distinctive clusters, whereas the wetland releves were intermixed, but without relationships to one of these units. Fire incidence served as the major determinant of the forest-fynbos boundary. The Forest Thicket grouping was separated into Thicket (as transitional to fynbos), Afromontane Forest and Milkwood Scrub Forest. Two broad complexes were distinguished within the Fynbos grouping, the Alkaline Sand Fynbos Complex corresponding to Coastal Fynbos. and the Acid Sand Fynbos Complex corresponding to Mountain Fynbos. They discriminated along gradients of pH. soil depth and rock cover. The complexes were further subdivided into formations by using one or a few subjectively chosen dominant species as indicators. The transitions between these formations were rather continuous than discrete. The vegetation type and complex levels correspond well to existing fynbos-wide classifications. Comparing the formations to the results of other vegetation studies is problematic even on the scale of the Agulhas Plain, due to the high regional plant diversity in the Fynbos Biome.

scholarly journals New scale insects (Homoptera: Coccinea) from the Cape Floristic Region

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilya A. Gavrilov-Zimin ◽  
Philipp E. Chetverikov
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Scale Insect ◽  
Cape Floristic Region ◽  
Scale Insects ◽  
Insect Species ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Western Cape Province ◽  
The Family

Three new scale insect species, Coccidohystrix daedalea Gavrilov-Zimin sp. nov., Mirococcopsis ptilura Gavrilov-Zimin sp. nov. (both from the family Pseudococcidae) and Cryptinglisia millari Gavrilov-Zimin sp. nov. (family Coccidae), are described and illustrated from the Western Cape Province of South Africa.

New species and taxonomic changes within Pentaschistis (Danthonioideae, Poaceae) from Western Cape, South Africa

Bothalia ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 157-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. A. Galley ◽  
H. P. Linder
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
New Species ◽  
Cape Floristic Region ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Coastal Plains ◽  
Fold Belt ◽  
Western Border ◽  
Taxonomic Changes ◽  
Three New Species ◽  
Cape Fold Belt

Three new species of Pentaschistis (Nees) Stapf are described from the Cape Floristic Region. P. trifida. P clavata and P. horrida. The former has been collected from inland ranges of the Cape Fold Belt, from the Cederberg to the Groot Swartberg. the last two each from single sites in the Koue Bokkeveld:  P. clavata on the wetter western border, and P. horrida on the Baviaansberg. Pentaschistis juncifolia Stapf is re-instated, a species from the coastal plains (Hardeveld) between Bredasdorp and Riversdale, which had been included in P. eriostoma (Nees) Stapf.

Cultivar and planting date effects on the growth, yield and quality of strawberries in the Western Cape, South Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 38 (5) ◽  
pp. 407-410
Author(s):  
Patience Parehwa ◽  
Gavin Linsley-Noakes ◽  
Johan Jordaan ◽  
Jeanette Pauw
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Growth Yield ◽  
Planting Date ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Yield And Quality

scholarly journals Comparison of the effects of different transport conditions and lairage times in a Mediterranean climate in South Africa on the meat quality of commercially crossbred Large white x Landrace pigs

2010 ◽  
Vol 81 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
L.C. Hoffman ◽  
P. Fisher
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Meat Quality ◽  
Drip Loss ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Post Mortem ◽  
Energy Reserves ◽  
Road Transportation ◽  
Large White ◽  
Ambient Temperatures

Information on the effect of road transportation conditions and lairage times on the meat quality of pork under South African conditions is very sparse. In this investigation, the effects of 2 road conditions (rough road with frequent stops -A; smooth road, few stops - B) and 2 lairage holding periods (2 h and 24 h) on the physical meat quality attributes of commercially produced pigs during summer (ambient temperatures >30 °C) in the Western Cape (South Africa) were investigated. Pig meat from pigs transported on a road that caused more stress (A), had lower pH45 (measured 45 min post mortem) values after 2 h lairage than pigs transported over a smoother road. Pigs B had a lower muscle pH24 (measured 24 h post mortem) than group A, indicating that they had more glycogen reserves available for post mortem glycolysis. Road conditions A were more stressful resulting in a higher incidence of PSE pork, as shown by the percentage drip loss and the L* values. When the lairage period was increased to 24 h prior to slaughter, pigs transported under road conditions A had time to replenish their energy reserves and thepH45, drip loss and L* values were within an acceptable range. However, pigs transported under road conditions B had lower pH45 and higher pH24 values, indicating that the lairage period was too long and that energy reserves were depleted in order to adapt to the stressful conditions. Results from this investigation indicate that improvement of the transport/road conditions will result in better pork quality.

scholarly journals The distribution of the dwarf succulent genus Conophytum N.E.Br. (Aizoaceae) in southern Africa

Bothalia ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew J. Young ◽  
Philip G. Desmet
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Southern Africa ◽  
Conservation Planning ◽  
Cape Floristic Region ◽  
Geographical Range ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Succulent Karoo ◽  
Winter Rainfall ◽  
Rainfall Region

Background: The dwarf succulent genus Conophytum N.E.Br. is one of the most species rich in the Aizoceae. The genus is most closely associated with a region of high floral endemism and biodiversity, the Succulent Karoo biome in south-western Africa.Objectives: To examine the distribution of Conophytum in south-western Namibia and in the Northern and Western Cape Provinces of South Africa.Method: A database comprising 2798 locality records representing all known species and subspecies of the genus Conophytum has been constructed.Results: The genus is primarily restricted to the arid winter-rainfall region of the Northern and Western Cape Provinces of South Africa and south-western Namibia, within the Greater Cape Floristic Region. Whilst taxa are found across all the main biomes in the region (the Succulent Karoo, Nama Karoo, Desert and Fynbos biomes), 94% of Conophytum taxa are found only in the Succulent Karoo biome and predominantly (88% of taxa) within South Africa. Endemism within specific bioregions is a feature of the genus and ~60% of taxa are endemic to the Succulent Karoo. Approximately 28% of all taxa could be considered point endemics. Whilst the genus has a relatively wide geographical range, we identify a pronounced centre of endemism in the southern Richtersveld.Conclusion: The genus Conophytum can be used as a good botanical model for studying patterns of diversity and speciation in the Succulent Karoo biome, the effects of climate change on dwarf succulents, and for informing conservation planning efforts.

scholarly journals Health risk behaviours of stroke patients in the Western Cape, South Africa

2008 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Biggs ◽  
A. Rhoda
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
At Risk ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Stroke Patients ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Lifestyle Choices ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Self Administered Questionnaire

Stroke is a leading cause of death and a major cause of disability globally. Individuals with physical disabilities, including thosewho have suffered a stroke are at risk of secondary complications due to the impact of their disability, which may be exacerbated by their lifestylechoices. The aim of the present study was to determine the health riskbehaviours and factors that influence these behaviours of stroke patients inthe Metropole Region of the Western Cape, South Africa. A cross – sectionalsurvey, utilizing a self-administered questionnaire on a convenient sampleof 417 stroke patients, was used to collect data. A sub-sample of 10 parti-cipants was purposively selected for in-depth, face-to-face interviews.Approximately forty percent (40.3%) of the participants did not engage in physical exercise. While 30.2% smoked only9% abused alcohol. A significant association was found between age and smoking (p<0.002). Information gathered in the in-depth interviews revealed factors that influenced the behaviours of the participants. These factors includedlack of financial resources and lack of access to information. As participants were found to be at risk of secondarycomplications because of poor lifestyle choices, there is a clear need to implement health promotion programmes topromote well-ness enhancing behaviours in order to enhance the quality of health of patients who have suffered astroke in the Western Cape, South Africa.

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