Chapter 3: State of the Environment
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CHAPTER 3: STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT Table of content I. Specialist studies 4 II. Geology, topography, drainage and soils 7 III. Terrestrial ecology and biodiversity 14 IV. Alien invasive plant species 28 1. Alien invasive trees 29 a. Prosopis species 29 b. Eucalyptus camaldulensis 32 c. Populus canescens and Populus deltoides 32 d. Tamarix ramosissima 32 2. Alien invasive shrubs 34 a. Atriplex nummularia 34 b. Nerium oleander 34 c. Nicotiana glauca 35 3. Alien invasive succulents 36 a. Agave species 36 b. Cylindropuntia cacti 37 4. Alien invasive cactus 39 5. Herbaceous broadleaved weeds (opslag) 41 a. Argemone ochroleuca 41 b. Atriplex lindleyi subspecies inflata 42 c. Datura species 43 d. Salsola kali 44 e. Solanum elaeagnifolium 45 f. Xanthium spinosum (Cockleburr/Boetebos) 45 6. Alien invasive Grasses and Reeds 46 a. Pennisetum setaceum 47 b. Arundo donax 47 7. Summary of the Invasive alien plant species recorded in Karoo Central AAA 48 V. Aquatic ecosystems 50 VI. Archaeology, palaeontology and cultural heritage 56 VII. Combined sensitivity map 65 VIII. Society and Economy 66 SKA1_MID IEMP (2018) IX. Fundamental environmental principles 70 List of figures Figure 1: Karoo Supergroup sedimentary deposits ................................................................................. 8 Figure 2: Dolerite boulders in the SKA land core area ............................................................................ 9 Figure 3: Rainfall data for the Williston Spiral Arm ............................................................................... 10 Figure 4: Rainfall data for the Carnarvon/Vanwyksvlei Spiral Arm ....................................................... 10 Figure 5: Rainfall data for the Brandvlei Spiral Arm .............................................................................. 11 Figure 6: Soil types ................................................................................................................................ 13 Figure 7: Pans (vloëre) ........................................................................................................................... 14 Figure 8: Vegetation types .................................................................................................................... 16 Figure 9: Aloe dichotoma (quiver tree) forest ....................................................................................... 17 Figure 10: Fine-scale habitat map of the core of the SEA study area ................................................... 18 Figure 11: Rounded inselbergs in the SKA land core area..................................................................... 19 Figure 12: Lepus saxatilis or Lepus capensis .......................................................................................... 22 Figure 13: Otocyon megalotis................................................................................................................ 22 Figure 14: Felis caracal .......................................................................................................................... 23 Figure 15: Tragelaphus strepsiceros ...................................................................................................... 23 Figure 16: Hystrix africaeaustralis ......................................................................................................... 24 Figure 17: Very High sensitivity terrestrial ecology and biodiversity features ..................................... 27 Figure 18: Mix of invasive alien plants .................................................................................................. 29 Figure 19: Prosopis species and mesquite thicket ................................................................................ 30 Figure 20:Distribution of Prosopis species in the SEA study area ......................................................... 31 Figure 21: Pink Tamarix ......................................................................................................................... 33 Figure 22: Atriplex nummularia (Oumansoutbos) ................................................................................. 34 Figure 23:Nerium oleander (Oleander) ................................................................................................. 35 Figure 24:Nicotiana glauca (wild Tobacco, Wildetabak) ....................................................................... 36 Figure 25: Agave and Sisal plants .......................................................................................................... 37 Figure 26: Cylindropuntia cacti.............................................................................................................. 38 Figure 27:Cylindopuntia pallida (Rosea Cactus) .................................................................................... 39 Figure 28:Pinecone cactus ..................................................................................................................... 40 Figure 29: Prickly pear and Robusta Prickly Pear/Blou Turksvy ............................................................ 40 Figure 30: Echinopsis (orrelkaktus) ....................................................................................................... 41 Figure 31: Argemone species ................................................................................................................ 42 Figure 32: Atriplex lindleyi ..................................................................................................................... 43 Figure 33: Thorn Apple/ Stinkblaar/Olieboom ...................................................................................... 44 Figure 34: Russian Tumbleweed/Rolbos ............................................................................................... 45 Figure 35: Satan Weed .......................................................................................................................... 46 Figure 36: Cockle Burr/Boetebos species .............................................................................................. 46 Figure 37: Fountain Grass ...................................................................................................................... 47 Figure 38: Arundo donax (Spanish reed) and Phragmites (Fluitjiesriet) ............................................... 48 Figure 39: Ephemeral watercourse ....................................................................................................... 51 Figure 40: Ephemeral wetland .............................................................................................................. 52 Figure 41: Very high sensitivity aquatic ecosystem features ................................................................ 54 Figure 42: Sensitive aquatic ecosystem features .................................................................................. 55 Figure 43: Stuurmansfontein Corbelled House ..................................................................................... 58 Figure 44: Abandoned farmstead with corbelled house ....................................................................... 58 Figure 45: Grade II sites within the SEA study area............................................................................... 59 Figure 46: Rock Art ................................................................................................................................ 60 Figure 47: Grade IIIa sites within the SEA study area ............................................................................ 61 Figure 48: Landscape types of the SEA study area ................................................................................ 63 2 CHAPTER 3 – STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT SKA1_MID IEMP (2018) Figure 49: Visibility of a SKA dish-antenna at distance ranges ............................................................. 64 Figure 50: Combined sensitivities map for the SEA study area ............................................................. 65 List of tables Table 1: Specialist study authors and peer-reviewers ............................................................................ 4 Table 2: Technical studies for the conceptual design of SKA1_MID ....................................................... 7 Table 3: Species listed as Invasive ......................................................................................................... 48 Table 4: Study area landscape types ..................................................................................................... 62 3 CHAPTER 3 – STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT SKA1_MID IEMP (2018) I. Specialist studies This chapter of the Integrated Environmental Management Plan (IEMP) provides an overview of the state of the environment within the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) study area. The information contained in this chapter was informed by the biophysical and socio-economic specialist studies conducted during the SEA of the South African mid-frequency array of SKA Phase 1 (SKA1_MID) and associated infrastructure. All recommendations, impact management actions and impact management outcomes prescribed by the specialists are included in Chapter 5 of this IEMP. Table 1 lists the authors and peer-reviewers for all the specialist studies undertaken as part of the SKA1_MID SEA. The full specialist study reports are available on the project website1 for download. Table 1: Specialist study authors and peer-reviewers Author Peer-reviewer Terrestrial ecology