Identification and Collation of Existing Information on the Wetlands of the Western Cape
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IDENTIFICATION AND COLLATION OF EXISTING INFORMATION ON THE WETLANDS OF THE WESTERN CAPE January 2006 Helen Dallas, Colleen Seymour, Kate Snaddon and Justine Ewart-Smith The Freshwater Consulting Group / Freshwater Research Unit University of Cape Town Prepared for: The TABLE MOUNTAIN FUND of WWF-SOUTH AFRICA Project: ZA 5095 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION...............................................................................................1 1.1 Background.......................................................................................................1 1.2 Approach...........................................................................................................2 2. RESULTS .........................................................................................................2 2.1 Identification of current regional and national initiatives in wetland research, conservation and management ........................................................................3 2.2 Collation of existing information on wetlands of the Western Cape ..................6 2.2.1 Directory of information on wetlands of the Western Cape...............................6 2.2.2 Geographical Information System (GIS) data .................................................12 2.3 A generic field datasheet for the collection of wetlands data ..........................14 3. USING THE WESTERN CAPE WETLANDS DIRECTORY DATABASE AND GIS COVERS.........................................................................................14 3.1 The Western Cape Wetlands Directory Database ..........................................14 3.1.1 Metadata – Information Source.......................................................................15 3.1.2 Wetland Information ........................................................................................17 3.1.3 Querying the data............................................................................................20 3.2 Using the Geographic Information System GIS covers...................................22 3.2.1 Notes on how the GIS coverage relates to the database................................22 4. ANALYSIS AND TRENDS IN DATA..............................................................22 4.1 Metadata – Information Source.......................................................................22 4.2 Wetland characteristics and spatial distribution ..............................................25 4.3 Available data..................................................................................................29 4.3 Catchment condition, land use and threats to wetlands..................................30 5. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A WETLAND INVENTORY DATABASE .................................................39 5.1 Utility of the Directory Database......................................................................39 5.2 Constraints and limitations ..............................................................................39 5.3 Observations related to data quality................................................................40 5.4 Maintenance of the Western Cape Wetlands Directory Database..................40 5.5 Development of the Western Cape Wetlands Inventory database .................40 6. REFERENCES................................................................................................41 LIST OF FIGURES, TABLES AND APPENDICES Table 1 Key regional (Western Cape) and national initiatives in wetland research, conservation and management ........................................................3 Table 2 A description of each field in the “Metadata – Information Source” ..................8 Table 3 A description of each field in the “General Wetland Information”......................9 Table 4 A description of each field in the “Wetland Characterisation” .........................10 Table 5 A description of each field in the “Available Information” ................................11 Table 6 A description of each field in the “Catchment Condition and Land Use”.........12 Table 7 A description of each field in the “Management and Social Issues”................12 Table 8 Summary information of GIS coverages provided as supplementary information for this project but not created by The Freshwater Consulting Group............................................................................................13 Table 9 Menu Bar details of the Western Cape Wetlands Directory Database ...........15 Table 10 Pre-define queries in the Western Cape Wetlands Directory Database .........20 Figure 1 Directory structure of the Western Cape Wetlands Directory database............7 Figure 2 “Metadata – Information Source” form ............................................................16 Figure 3 “Wetland Information – General Wetland Information” form ...........................17 Figure 4 “Wetland Information – Wetland Characterisation” form .................................18 Figure 5 “Wetland Information – Available Information” form........................................18 Figure 6 “Wetland Information – Catchment Condition and Land Use” form ................19 Figure 7 “Wetland Information – Management and Social Issues” form .......................19 Figure 8 Querying the data............................................................................................21 Figure 9 Viewing the query data, sorting and exporting to Microsoft Excel...................21 Figure 10 Number of information sources (total = 449) in each Information Source category..............................................................................................23 Figure 11 Number of information sources (total = 362) per 10 year period, from 1930 to 2005. (Note Wetlands Datasheets and WC Wetlands Map Input have been excluded for this analysis)....................................................24 Figure 12 Number of information sources (total = 362) per 10 year period, from 1930 to 2005, showing the number in each Information Source category. (Note Wetlands Datasheets and WC Wetlands Map Input have been excluded for this analysis).............................................................24 Figure 13 The number of data sources per geographic region (total = 449)...................25 Figure 14 The spatial distribution of wetlands in the Western Cape incorporated in the Directory Database ...............................................................................26 Figure 15 The number of wetlands per type or classification (total = 703)......................28 Figure 16 Number of wetlands in each size, depth, pH and salinity class (total = 703, note this is an approximation).................................................................29 Figure 17 The number of wetlands with physico-chemical data. The different variables are provided. Physico-chemistry data were collected at approximately 56% of the 703 wetlands. ........................................................30 Figure 18 The number of wetlands with biotic and habitat data. Biotic and habitat data were collected at approximately 74% and 12% of the 703 wetlands respectively......................................................................................29 Figure 19 Spatial distribution of wetlands with physico-chemical data............................30 Figure 20 Spatial distribution of wetlands with vegetation data.......................................30 Figure 21 Spatial distribution of wetlands with mammal data .........................................31 Figure 22 Spatial distribution of wetlands with bird data .................................................31 Figure 23 Spatial distribution of wetlands with reptile data .............................................32 Figure 24 Spatial distribution of wetlands with amphibian data.......................................32 Figure 25 Spatial distribution of wetlands with fish data..................................................33 Figure 26 Spatial distribution of wetlands with aquatic invertebrate data........................33 Figure 27 Spatial distribution of wetlands with plankton data..........................................34 Figure 28 Spatial distribution of wetlands with algal data................................................34 Figure 29 Spatial distribution of wetlands with bacterial data..........................................35 Figure 30 Spatial distribution of wetlands with data on endemic species .......................35 Figure 31 Spatial distribution of wetlands with threatened species.................................36 Figure 32 Spatial distribution of wetlands with habitat assessment data ........................36 Figure 33 Catchment land uses that potentially threaten to wetlands.............................38 Appendix 1 User groups consulted for the identification of national and regional initiatives and the production of the generic field datasheet for the collection of wetlands data..............................................................................43 Appendix 2 A list of studies relevant for Western Cape Wetlands including studies incorporated into the Western Cape Wetlands Directory database................44 Appendix 3 Metadata for Geographical Information Systems (GIS) coverages.................79 Appendix 4 Western Cape Wetland Inventory Datasheet..................................................86 Appendix 5 Table of wetlands incorporated into the Directory Database, giving Data Source Identifier (DSI), type/classification,