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WCS Report Template Biodiversity Assessment for the Proposed Sylvania Resources Volspruit Mine near Mokopane in the Limpopo Province For: EScience Associates Bradley Thorpe P.O. Box 2950 Saxonwold, 2132 Johannesburg, 2192 Tel: +27 (0)11 728 2683 By: Wetland Consulting Services (Pty) Ltd Wetland Consulting Services (Pty.) Ltd. PO Box 72295 Lynnwood Ridge Pretoria 0040 Tel: 012 349 2699 Fax: 012 349 2993 Email: [email protected] Reference: 590/2012 Biodiversity Assessment for the Proposed Sylvania Resources Volspruit Mine near Mokopane in the Limpopo Province November 2012 DOCUMENT SUMMARY DATA PROJECT: Biodiversity Assessment for the Proposed Sylvania Resources Volspruit Mine near Mokopane in the Limpopo Province CLIENT: EScience Associates CONTACT DETAILS: Bradley Thorpe P.O. Box 2950 Saxonwold, 2132 Tel: +27 (0)11 728 2683 E-mail: [email protected] CONSULTANT: Wetland Consulting Services, (Pty) Ltd. CONTACT DETAILS: PO Box 72295 Lynnwood Ridge 0040 Telephone number: (012) 349 2699 Fax number: (012) 349 2993 E-mail: [email protected] PROJECT TEAM: Shavaughn Davis (Zoologist & Project Management) David Hoare (Botanist) Dieter Kassier (Wetlands & Project Management) Pieter Kotze (Aquatic Ecology - Fish) Norma Sharratt (Aquatic Ecology – SASS5) Biodiversity Assessment for the Proposed Sylvania Resources Volspruit Mine near Mokopane in the Limpopo Province November 2012 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. BACKGROUND INFORMATION 8 2. SCOPE OF WORK 8 3. LIMITATIONS 8 4. STUDY AREA 9 4.1 Location 9 4.2 Catchments 10 4.3 Geology and Soils 11 4.4 Topography 13 4.5 Climate 13 5. APPROACH 14 5.1 Vegetation 14 5.1.1 Assessment philosophy 14 5.1.2 Plant species of conservation concern 15 5.1.3 Protected trees 16 5.1.4 Vegetation habitats of concern 16 5.2 Terrestrial Ecology 19 5.3 Wetlands 19 5.3.1 Wetland Delineation and Classification 20 5.3.2 Present Ecological State and Ecological Importance & Sensitivity 21 5.4 Aquatic Ecology 21 5.4.1 Site Habitat Integrity (SHI) 21 5.4.2 Water Quality 22 5.4.3 Sampling Sites 22 5.4.4 Diatoms 25 5.4.5 Aquatic macroinvertebrates 26 5.4.6 Icthyofauna (Fish) 27 6. FINDINGS 29 6.1 Vegetation 30 6.1.1 Broad vegetation types of the region 30 6.1.2 Central Sandy Bushveld 30 6.1.3 Springbokvlakte Thornveld 31 6.1.4 Subtropical Freshwater Wetlands 31 6.1.5 Habitats on site 32 6.1.6 Protected trees 32 6.1.7 Red List plant species of the study area 33 6.1.8 Sensitivity assessment 34 6.2 Terrestrial Ecology 35 6.2.1 Habitat 35 6.2.2 Potential Faunal Assemblage within the Study Area 37 i Biodiversity Assessment for the Proposed Sylvania Resources Volspruit Mine near Mokopane in the Limpopo Province November 2012 6.2.3 Red Data List Species 38 6.2.3.1 Amphibians 41 6.2.3.2 Avifauna 41 6.2.3.3 Mammals 41 6.2.3.4 Reptiles 42 6.2.4 Habitats of Conservation Importance 42 6.3 Wetlands 43 6.3.1 Background to the Nylsvley Wetland 43 6.3.1.1 Ramsar Wetland 43 6.3.1.2 Formation 44 6.3.1.3 Hydrology & Flooding 45 6.3.1.4 Freshwater Ecosystem Priority Area 47 6.3.2 Wetland Delineation and Classification 48 6.3.3 Wetland Biodiversity 51 6.3.3.1 Flora 51 6.3.3.2 Fauna 53 6.3.4 Functional Importance 54 6.3.5 Present Ecological Status (PES) Assessment 55 6.3.6 Ecological Importance and Sensitivity (EIS) 57 6.4 Aquatic Ecology 59 6.4.1 Habitat Integrity 59 6.4.2 Water Quality 60 6.4.3 Diatoms 61 6.4.4 Aquatic Macroinvertebrates 62 6.4.5 Icthyofauna (Fish) 63 6.4.5.1 Habitat Type and Availability 63 6.4.5.2 Fish species composition (pre-disturbance/reference and present) 64 6.4.5.3 Habitat preference and intolerance to environmental degradation 66 6.4.5.4 Relative intolerance of fish to environmental change 68 6.4.5.5 Conservation status 68 6.4.5.6 Alien fish species 69 6.4.5.7 Migration 70 6.4.5.8 Biotic integrity based on fish 70 7. IMPACT ASSESSMENT 72 7.1 Project Description 72 7.2 Impact Assessment Methodology 74 7.3 Vegetation 75 7.3.1 Impact 1: Loss of populations of threatened plants 77 7.3.2 Impact 2: Loss of individuals of protected tree species 78 7.3.3 Impact 3: Loss or fragmentation of indigenous natural vegetation (terrestrial) 79 7.3.4 Impact 4: Damage to wetland vegetation 80 7.3.5 Impact 5: Establishment and spread of declared weeds and alien invader plants 81 7.3.6 Information gaps and required studies 83 7.4 Terrestrial Ecology 83 7.4.1 Construction – Habitat loss and fragmentation 84 7.4.2 Construction - Interruption of Local Migration Routes 84 7.4.3 Construction – Loss of Biodiversity including Red Data List & Protected Species 85 7.4.4 Construction – Habitat degradation through air, water and soil pollution 86 7.4.5 Construction – Habitat degradation through the encroachment of exotic species 86 7.4.6 Construction – Disturbance of biodiversity through noise and vibration 87 7.4.7 Construction – Disturbance of biodiversity through illumination 88 ii Biodiversity Assessment for the Proposed Sylvania Resources Volspruit Mine near Mokopane in the Limpopo Province November 2012 7.4.8 Construction – Hydrological changes 88 7.4.9 Construction – Increased access to previously inaccessible areas 89 7.4.10 Operation – Interruption of Local Migration Routes 90 7.4.11 Operation – Loss of Biodiversity Including Red Data List and Protected Species 90 7.4.12 Operation – Habitat Degradation through Air, Water and Soil Pollution 91 7.4.13 Operation – Habitat Degradation through the Encroachment of Exotic Species 92 7.4.14 Operation - Disturbance of Biodiversity through Noise and Vibration 92 7.4.15 Operation – Disturbance of biodiversity through illumination 93 7.4.16 Operation – Hydrological changes 93 7.4.17 Operation – Increased access to previously inaccessible areas 94 7.4.18 Decommissioning & Closure – Loss of Biodiversity including Red Data List and Protected Species 95 7.4.19 Decommissioning & Closure – Habitat Degradation through Air, Water and Soil Pollution 96 7.4.20 Decommissioning & Closure – Habitat Degradation through the Encroachment of Exotic Species 97 7.4.21 Decommissioning & Closure – Hydrological Changes 97 7.4.22 Cumulative Impacts 98 7.5 Wetlands 99 7.5.1 Construction – Loss and disturbance of wetland habitat 99 7.5.2 Construction – Increased sedimentation in the wetland 100 7.5.3 Construction – Altered flow and flooding characteristics 101 7.5.4 Construction – Water Quality Deterioration 101 7.5.5 Operation – Decreased extent and duration of flooding 102 7.5.6 Operation – Changes in habitat and loss of biodiversity 103 7.5.7 Operation – Water quality deterioration 104 7.5.8 Decommissioning & Closure – Water quality deterioration 105 7.5.9 Cumulative Impacts 105 7.6 Aquatic Ecology 106 7.6.1 Construction – Increased turbidity and sedimentation 106 7.6.2 Construction – Altered hydrology 107 7.6.3 Construction – Spread of alien fish species 108 7.6.4 Construction – Increased pressure on fish stock 108 7.6.5 Construction – Water quality deterioration 109 7.6.6 Operation – Water quality deterioration: Mining 110 7.6.7 Operation – Disturbance from Blasting 111 7.6.8 Operation – Altered Habitat Suitability and Availability 111 7.6.9 Operation - Alteration of natural hydrological regimes: erosion and sedimentation 112 7.6.10 Operation - Alteration of natural hydrological regimes: groundwater ingress 112 7.6.11 Operation – Loss of Biodiversity 113 7.6.12 Operation – Water quality deterioration related to accidental spills/leaks 113 7.6.13 Decommissioning & Closure – Water quality deterioration 114 7.6.14 Decommissioning & Closure – Biodiversity Loss 115 7.6.15 Decommissioning & Closure – Erosion and Sedimentation 115 7.6.16 Decommissioning & Closure – Water quality deterioration due to spills/leaks. 116 7.6.17 Cumulative Impacts to the Aquatic environment 117 8. MONITORING 118 8.1.1 Monitoring of populations of threatened plant populations 118 8.1.2 Monitoring of alien invasive plants 119 8.1.3 Post-rehabilitation landscape functionality monitoring 119 8.1.4 Aquatic Biomonitoring 119 9. CONCLUSION 119 iii Biodiversity Assessment for the Proposed Sylvania Resources Volspruit Mine near Mokopane in the Limpopo Province November 2012 Vegetation 120 Terrestrial ecology 120 Wetlands 121 Aquatic ecology 121 Impact Assessment 122 10. REFERENCES 123 APPENDIX 1: PLANT SPECIES OF CONSERVATION IMPORTANCE (THREATENED, NEAR THREATENEDAND DECLINING) THAT HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN RECORDED IN THE STUDY AREA. 126 APPENDIX 2: LIST OF PROTECTED TREE SPECIES (NATIONAL FORESTS ACT). 127 APPENDIX 3: LIST OF PLANT SPECIES PREVIOUSLY RECORDED IN THE QUARTER DEGREE GRID. 128 APPENDIX 4: APPENDIX VI: LIST OF FAUNA WITH DISTRIBUTION RANGES COVERING QDS 2428BD 134 APPENDIX 5:RAMSAR WETLAND 144 APPENDIX 6: LIST OF DIATOM SPECIES AND ASSOCIATED ABUNDANCES PER SITE IN DECEMBER 2010. 146 TABLE OF FIGURES Figure 1. Map showing the regional location of the study area. ............................................................... 10 Figure 2. Map showing the study area in relation to the quaternary catchment. .................................. 11 Figure 3. Map of the underlying geology of the study area and surroundings (based on the 1:250 000 geological map series). .................................................................................................................................. 12 Figure 4. Landtypes of the site of the proposed mine. .................................................................................. 13 Figure 5. Diagram illustrating the position of the various wetland types within the landscape. ....... 20 Figure 6. Google EarthTM image of Volspruit mine study area (demarcated in white), indicating sampling sites (green place marks) relative to the position of the ore bodies (demarcated in red). ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 23 Figure 7. Photographs of sites sampled (numbered sequentially from 1 to 7). .................................... 25 Figure 8.
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