In the Orange–Senqu River Basin
BIOMES AND PROTECTED AREAS IN THE ORANGE–SENQU RIVER BASIN The Orange–Senqu River basin can be broadly C Southern Kalahari Savannah (600–1,400 mamsl) This divided into five biomes that share similar open, lightly wooded sandveld savannah is characterised by deep, physical features – climate, geology and soil – wind-blown sands forming vegetated linear dunes interspersed with pans. Rains produce little runoff. Ephemeral drainage courses flow and plant and animal life. briefly after exceptional rains, but are subject to invasion by alien plants, in particular Prosopis. The main form of land use in this sparsely populated area is extensive A Drakensberg–Maloti Highlands At 2,200–3,482 mamsl, livestock farming; degradation is evident around water points and this is the coolest and wettest biome in the basin. It is characterised by settlements. Wildlife is still relatively abundant and a large area is alpine grasslands and low, woody heather communities. About 30% protected within the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. of the 3,100 species found here are endemic to these mountains. This biome also supports a network of unique high-altitude bogs and D Nama–Karoo This arid biome covers a vast area on the sponges. These play a crucial role in the hydrological cycle of the central plateau (500–2,000 mamsl). It merges into Succulent Karoo A Orange–Senqu through their retention and slow release of water, in the west and Highveld Grasslands in the east. The dominant © Teboho Maliehe Drakensberg–Maloti Highlands which stabilises stream flow, attenuates floods, reduces sediment loads vegetation is grassy, dwarf shrubland, with trees along ephemeral and absorbs nutrients.
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