Biodiversity ! WHAT IS BIODIVERSITY ! BIODIVERSITY IN SA/FS ! BENEFITS/ROLES OF BIODIVERSITY ! CAUSES OF BIODIVERSITY LOSS ! CONSERVATION, EDUCATION &

SUSTAINABILITY Susan Mandla

BIODIVERSITY?

WHAT IS BIODIVERSITY "  Biological diversity – or biodiversity –

is the term given to the variety of life on Earth.

"  It is the variety within and between all species of plants, animals and micro-organisms and the ecosystems within which they live and interact.

"  However, without adequate protection, it will diminish, and make all of us poorer.

! Species diversity "  Species diversity is the number of different species in a particular area weighted by some measure of abundance such as number of individuals or biomass.

! Ecosystem diversity "  is a term that incorporates both habitat and community diversity. An ecosystem is a unique combination of plant, animal and microorganism communities and their non-living physical characteristics interacting as a functional unit. Inherent in ecosystem diversity are thus both biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) components, which makes it different from both genetic and species diversity.

! Genetic diversity "  refers to both the vast numbers of different species as well as the diversity within a species. The greater the genetic diversity within a species, the greater that species' chances of long-term survival. This is because negative traits (such as inherited diseases) become widespread within a population when that population is left to reproduce only with its own members

FYNBOS

SUCCULENT KAROO

DESERT

FOREST

GRASSLAND BIOME

NAMA-KAROO BIOME

SAVANNA

ALBANY THICKET BIOME

INDIAN OCEAN COASTAL BELT

GRASSLAND BIOME (FS)

FAUNA •  REPTILES

MAMMALS & BIRDS

Chinspot Batis

Egyptian Geese Mongoose

Rabbit

FISH

AMPHIBIANS

FLORA Hypoxis (Africa Potato) African wormwood

Kooigoed (Helichrysum) Pelargonium

Arum Lily

Orange river lily

Agapanthus Pineapple flower

BENEFITS OF BIODIVERSITY •  BIOLOGICAL

BENEFITS •  AESTHETIC BENEFITS

MEDICINE "  FUEL "  FURNITURE "  WATER "  AIR "  CULTURAL VALUES "  SOIL FORMATION & PROTECTION "  RESEARCH "  POLLINATION "  MAINTENANCE OF THE

ECOSYSTEM SERVICES "  CLOTHES "  CARBON SEQUESTRATION "  CONTRIBUTION TO CLIMATIC

STABILITY "  SHELTER "  ORNAMENTAL PLANTS "  ABILITY TO ADAPT TO CHANGE

CAUSES OF BIODIVERSITY LOSS AIR QUALITY

•  POUCHING

A total number of rhinos poached in SA from 2010-14 rose to 3244.The highest number of killings is in the Kruger National Park with 1932 rhinos, followed by Limpopo province with 408, KZN with 294, North West with 289, Mpumalanga with 213, Eastern Cape with 39, Gauteng with 30, Free State province with 15, MNP (Sanparks) with 13, Western Cape 9, Northern Cape with 2 rhinos lost.

HABITAT LOSS OR DEGRADATION

•  DEFORESTATION

•  MINING

ALIEN INVASSIVE PLANTS •  OVER UTILIZATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES

•  URBAN DEVELOPMENT

The National Spatial Biodiversity Assessment * Numbers of ecosystems threatened in South Africa:

Types of ecosystems

Total number of

ecosystems in S.A.

% of ecosystems threatened

Critically Endangered

Endangered Vulnerable Least Threatened

Terrestrial Ecosystems

440 40% 9%

(i.e. 22 ecosystems - mostly fynbos

and forest)

11%

(i.e. 57 ecosystems -

mostly grasslands

and savanna)

19%

(mostly fynbos and grassland)

60%

River signatures

223 82% 26% 19% 13% 42%

Wetlands 800 65% 50% 12% 5% 35%

Estuaries 300 43% 39% 2% 2% 58%

Marine & Coastal

136 47% 17% 7% 23% 41%

* Numbers of species threatened in South Africa:

Taxonomic Group Total SA species

Number of threatened

species % of

threatened

species Number of

non-threatened

species

Plants 20692 2505 12% 88% Freshwater fishes 114 24 21% 79% Amphibians 118 17 14% 86% Reptiles 421 36 9% 91% Birds 851 133 16% 84% Mammals 307 60 20% 80%

Butterflies 793 59 7% 93%

RESPONSES TO BIODIVERSITY LOSS A. Conventions and Legislation

United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, June 1992, Rio de Janeiro 150 countries agreed upon five

documents: 1. The Rio Declaration on Environment and Development 2. Agenda 21

3. The Convention on Biological Diversity 4. The Framework Convention on Climate Change 5. Principles for Sustainable Management of Forests

The Convention on Biological Diversity

Objectives :

- The conservation of biodiversity - The sustainable use of resources - The fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources

On 31 May 2004, the Biodiversity Bill was signed

by President Thabo Mbeki – NEMA (Biodiversity Act) The National Botanical Institute became the

South African National Biodiversity Institute

SANBI is tasked with:

#  Spearheading biodiversity research #  Sharing biodiversity knowledge #  Promoting conservation – network of NBGs

Also responsible for: #  Climate change and bio-adaptation research #  Environmental Education #  Multi-partner biome programmes #  Custodianship of some of the most valuable flora collections in the world.

Wha

t can

we

do?

Strengthening teachers’ and learners’ content knowledge base

Wha

t can

we

do?

Teachers developing lesson plans that will

lead to action projects with learners

Wha

t can

we

do? Schools and communities developing

indigenous gardens

Wha

t can

we

do?

Promote careers in biodiversity

THANK YOU!!!!