Threatened Ecosystems in South Africa: Descriptions and Maps DRAFT May 2009 South African National Biodiversity Institute Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism Contents List of tables .............................................................................................................................. vii List of figures............................................................................................................................. vii 1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 8 2 Criteria for identifying threatened ecosystems............................................................... 10 3 Summary of listed ecosystems ........................................................................................ 12 4 Descriptions and individual maps of threatened ecosystems ...................................... 14 4.1 Explanation of descriptions ........................................................................................................ 14 4.2 Listed threatened ecosystems ................................................................................................... 16 4.2.1 Critically Endangered (CR) ................................................................................................................ 16 1. Atlantis Sand Fynbos (FFd 4) .......................................................................................................................... 16 2. Blesbokspruit Highveld Grassland (GP 1)........................................................................................................ 18 3. Blinkwater Valley (KZN 1) ................................................................................................................................20 4. Boesmanspruit Highveld Grassland (GP 2) ..................................................................................................... 22 5. Bronberg Mountain Bushveld (GP 3) ............................................................................................................... 24 6. Cape Flats Sand Fynbos (FFd 5)..................................................................................................................... 26 7. Cape Lowland Alluvial Vegetation (Aza 2)....................................................................................................... 28 8. Central Rûens Shale Renosterveld (FRs 12)................................................................................................... 30 9. Durban Metropole North Coast Grassland (KZN 2) ......................................................................................... 32 10. Eastern Rûens Shale Renosterveld (FRs 13) ................................................................................................ 34 11. Elgin Shale Fynbos (FFh 6) ........................................................................................................................... 36 12. Elim Ferricrete Fynbos (FFf 1) ....................................................................................................................... 38 13. Entumeni Valley (KZN 3) ............................................................................................................................... 40 14. Eshowe Mtunzini Hilly Grasslands (KZN 4) ................................................................................................... 42 15. Glen Austin Pan (GP 4) ................................................................................................................................. 44 16. Highover Nature Reserve and Roselands Farm Surrounds (KZN 5) ............................................................. 46 17. Interior North Coast Grasslands (KZN 6)....................................................................................................... 48 18. Interior South Coast Grasslands (KZN 7) ...................................................................................................... 50 19. Kaapsehoop Quartzite Grasslands (MP 1) .................................................................................................... 52 20. Klipriver Highveld Grassland (GP 5) .............................................................................................................. 54 21. Knysna Sand Fynbos (FFd 10) ...................................................................................................................... 56 22. Kogelberg Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 11) ......................................................................................................... 58 23. Kwambonambi Dune Forest (KZN 8)............................................................................................................. 60 24. Kwambonambi Hygrophilous Grasslands (KZN 9)......................................................................................... 62 25. Langkloof Shale Renosterveld (FRs 17) ........................................................................................................ 64 26. Lourensford Alluvium Fynbos (FFa 4)............................................................................................................ 66 27. Magaliesberg Pretoria Mountain Bushveld (GP 6)......................................................................................... 68 28. Margate Pondoland-Ugu Sourveld (KZN 10) ................................................................................................. 70 Threatened Ecosystems in South Africa: Descriptions and Maps i DRAFT May 2009 29. Mlazi Gorge (KZN 11).................................................................................................................................... 72 30. Muscadel Riviere (Azi 8)................................................................................................................................74 31. New Hanover Plateau (KZN12) ..................................................................................................................... 76 32. Ngoye Scarp Forests and Grasslands (KZN 13)............................................................................................ 78 33. North Coast Dune Forest (KZN 14)................................................................................................................ 80 34. North Coast Forest Collective (KZN 15)......................................................................................................... 82 35. Northern Coastal Grasslands (KZN 16) ......................................................................................................... 84 36. Oakland and Townhill Ridge (KZN 17)........................................................................................................... 86 37. Overberg Sandstone Fynbos (FFs 12)........................................................................................................... 88 38. Peninsula Granite Fynbos (FFg 3)................................................................................................................. 90 39. Peninsula Shale Renosterveld (FRs 10)........................................................................................................ 92 40. Rietvleiriver Highveld Grassland (GP 7) ........................................................................................................ 94 41. Roodepoort Reef Mountain Bushveld (GP 8)................................................................................................. 96 42. Rûens Silcrete Renosterveld (FRc 2)............................................................................................................. 98 43. Southern Coastal Grasslands (KZN 18)....................................................................................................... 100 44. Swartland Alluvium Fynbos (FFa 3)............................................................................................................. 102 45. Swartland Granite Renosterveld (FRg 2)..................................................................................................... 104 46. Swartland Shale Renosterveld (FRs 9)........................................................................................................ 106 47. Swartland Silcrete Renosterveld (FRc 1)..................................................................................................... 108 48. Umvoti Valley Complex (KZN 19) ................................................................................................................ 110 49. Western Highveld Sandy Grassland (Gh 14) ............................................................................................... 112 50. Western Rûens Shale Renosterveld (FRs 11) ............................................................................................. 114 51. Wilge Mountain Bushveld (GP 9)................................................................................................................. 116 52. Witwatersberg Pretoria Mountain Bushveld (GP 10) ................................................................................... 118 53. Woodbush Granite Grassland (Gm 25)........................................................................................................ 120 4.2.2 Endangered (EN)............................................................................................................................... 122 54. Agulhas Sand Fynbos (FFd 7) ....................................................................................................................