Assessment of status quo in the SCIONA study area Desktop study: Ecosystem management Editor: Vera De Cauwer SCIONA Desktop April 2019 1 | P a g e Contents Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 8 1. The SCIONA study area: Iona-Skeleton Coast TFCA and adjacent areas ............................................ 9 Marienfluss conservancy .............................................................................................................. 10 Orupembe conservancy ................................................................................................................ 11 Okanguati conservancy ................................................................................................................. 11 Epupa conservancy ....................................................................................................................... 11 2. Physical characteristics of the SCIONA study area............................................................................ 12 2.1 Topography ................................................................................................................................. 12 2.2 Geomorphology .......................................................................................................................... 13 Inselbergs and dykes ..................................................................................................................... 14 Mega-yardangs and Ventifacts ..................................................................................................... 15 Sand dunes .................................................................................................................................... 15 Kunene River Mouth ..................................................................................................................... 15 Fairy circles .................................................................................................................................... 16 2.3 Climate ........................................................................................................................................ 16 Historical ....................................................................................................................................... 16 Present .......................................................................................................................................... 18 2.4 Marine environment ................................................................................................................... 20 2.5 Freshwater resources.................................................................................................................. 21 Contributions: Marina Coetzee, Vera De Cauwer ......................................................................... 21 Rivers ............................................................................................................................................. 21 Springs ........................................................................................................................................... 22 Pans ............................................................................................................................................... 23 GIS data ......................................................................................................................................... 24 2.6 Geology ....................................................................................................................................... 24 Geological history ......................................................................................................................... 24 Geological data ............................................................................................................................. 27 Current geology and mines ........................................................................................................... 27 2.7 Soil ............................................................................................................................................... 28 Soil formation ................................................................................................................................ 28 Soil types ....................................................................................................................................... 29 Soil minerals .................................................................................................................................. 30 Soil data ......................................................................................................................................... 31 3. Biodiversity in the SCIONA study area .............................................................................................. 33 SCIONA Desktop April 2019 2 | P a g e 3.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 33 3.2 Microbial ecology ........................................................................................................................ 34 3.3 Vegetation ................................................................................................................................... 34 Endemic plants of the SCIONA study area .................................................................................... 37 Near endemic plants ..................................................................................................................... 37 Information gaps ........................................................................................................................... 38 3.4 Arthropods .................................................................................................................................. 38 Insects: overview .......................................................................................................................... 38 Insects as valuable protein source: Mopane worms .................................................................... 40 Insects as architects of fairy circles? ............................................................................................. 40 Other arthropods .......................................................................................................................... 41 3.5 Amphibians ................................................................................................................................. 41 3.6 Reptiles........................................................................................................................................ 42 3.7 Birds ............................................................................................................................................ 43 3.8 Freshwater invertebrates............................................................................................................ 43 3.9 Terrestrial mammals ................................................................................................................... 43 Historical mammal distribution and population trends ............................................................... 43 Potential flagship species .............................................................................................................. 44 Information gaps ........................................................................................................................... 50 3.10 Marine fauna ............................................................................................................................. 50 4. Human habitation with the SCIONA study area ............................................................................... 51 5. Current management within the TFCA and adjacent areas .............................................................. 51 5.1 TFCA ............................................................................................................................................ 51 5.2 Namibian Communal Conservancies .......................................................................................... 52 Gaps in existing monitoring systems and tools ............................................................................ 52 6. Critical conservation issues in the SCIONA study area ..................................................................... 53 6.1 Human-wildlife conflict ............................................................................................................... 53 6.2 Poaching ...................................................................................................................................... 54 6.3 Inadequate livestock management ............................................................................................. 55 6.4 Mining and prospecting .............................................................................................................. 55 6.5 Illegal fishing ............................................................................................................................... 55 6.6 Climate change ............................................................................................................................ 55 7. Towards