A checklist of indigenous flora in the Richtersveld National Park confirms high plant diversity in the arid north-western tip of South Africa
As a basis for conservation planning, a first comprehensive vascular plant species checklist for the core Richtersveld National Park was compiled, based on the collection of more than 3000 new herbarium vouchers and in total studying over 8000 specimens and more than 4000 iNaturalist observations. B...
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AOSIS
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Koedoe: African Protected Area Conservation and Science |
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| Online Access: | https://koedoe.co.za/index.php/koedoe/article/view/1822 |
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| author | Pieter van Wyk Hugo Bezuidenhout Norbert Jürgens |
| author_facet | Pieter van Wyk Hugo Bezuidenhout Norbert Jürgens |
| author_sort | Pieter van Wyk |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | As a basis for conservation planning, a first comprehensive vascular plant species checklist for the core Richtersveld National Park was compiled, based on the collection of more than 3000 new herbarium vouchers and in total studying over 8000 specimens and more than 4000 iNaturalist observations. By the end of April 2024, a total of 1077 indigenous taxa were recorded. The documented indigenous flora included 14 pteridophytes, 3 paleodicots, 246 monocotyledons and 815 dicotyledons. A total of 99 indigenous families and 392 genera were recorded. The largest family was the Asteraceae, and the second largest family was the Aizoaceae. In addition, 44 taxa were identified as invasive or alien flora. Seven species were regarded as extinct; of these, four species disappeared in a context of diamond mining, and three species were no longer found after the recent drought 2014 to 2022. The role of the peculiar biogeographical position and the high diversity of unique habitats within extreme environmental gradients were discussed in a review of published evidence. Reference to distribution and habitat was presented for each species in the appendices.
Conservation implications: The article offers a complete checklist of vascular plants that forms a baseline for monitoring, and which facilitates the identification of additional taxa. In addition, a total of 125 taxa listed on the SANBI Red List and 15 taxa on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List were recorded, as well as a total of 170 taxa of conservation concern. Twenty-nine taxa are listed as endangered, and 21 taxa were listed as critically endangered on the South African red list. A total of 38 taxa were regarded as endemic and 101 taxa as near endemic. The identification of these taxa in combination with the information on their habitat preferences and distribution will allow targeted conservation planning. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7b0171b965dc489ba8b24834b478befc |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0075-6458 2071-0771 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Koedoe: African Protected Area Conservation and Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-7b0171b965dc489ba8b24834b478befc2025-01-14T12:12:45ZengAOSISKoedoe: African Protected Area Conservation and Science0075-64582071-07712024-12-01661e1e1010.4102/koedoe.v66i1.18221323A checklist of indigenous flora in the Richtersveld National Park confirms high plant diversity in the arid north-western tip of South AfricaPieter van Wyk0Hugo Bezuidenhout1Norbert Jürgens2Richtersveld Desert Botanical Garden and Nursery, Ai-/Ais/ Richtersveld Transfrontier Park, SANParks, Richtersveld SendelingsdriftKimberley Scientific Services, Conservation Services, SANParks, Kimberley Department of Environmental Sciences, Applied Behavioural Ecology and Ecosystem Research Unit, University of South Africa, PretoriaInstitute of Plant Science and Microbiology, University of Hamburg, HamburgAs a basis for conservation planning, a first comprehensive vascular plant species checklist for the core Richtersveld National Park was compiled, based on the collection of more than 3000 new herbarium vouchers and in total studying over 8000 specimens and more than 4000 iNaturalist observations. By the end of April 2024, a total of 1077 indigenous taxa were recorded. The documented indigenous flora included 14 pteridophytes, 3 paleodicots, 246 monocotyledons and 815 dicotyledons. A total of 99 indigenous families and 392 genera were recorded. The largest family was the Asteraceae, and the second largest family was the Aizoaceae. In addition, 44 taxa were identified as invasive or alien flora. Seven species were regarded as extinct; of these, four species disappeared in a context of diamond mining, and three species were no longer found after the recent drought 2014 to 2022. The role of the peculiar biogeographical position and the high diversity of unique habitats within extreme environmental gradients were discussed in a review of published evidence. Reference to distribution and habitat was presented for each species in the appendices. Conservation implications: The article offers a complete checklist of vascular plants that forms a baseline for monitoring, and which facilitates the identification of additional taxa. In addition, a total of 125 taxa listed on the SANBI Red List and 15 taxa on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List were recorded, as well as a total of 170 taxa of conservation concern. Twenty-nine taxa are listed as endangered, and 21 taxa were listed as critically endangered on the South African red list. A total of 38 taxa were regarded as endemic and 101 taxa as near endemic. The identification of these taxa in combination with the information on their habitat preferences and distribution will allow targeted conservation planning.https://koedoe.co.za/index.php/koedoe/article/view/1822richtersveld national parkconservationsucculent karoo biomegariep centressanbi red listiucn red list |
| spellingShingle | Pieter van Wyk Hugo Bezuidenhout Norbert Jürgens A checklist of indigenous flora in the Richtersveld National Park confirms high plant diversity in the arid north-western tip of South Africa Koedoe: African Protected Area Conservation and Science richtersveld national park conservation succulent karoo biome gariep centres sanbi red list iucn red list |
| title | A checklist of indigenous flora in the Richtersveld National Park confirms high plant diversity in the arid north-western tip of South Africa |
| title_full | A checklist of indigenous flora in the Richtersveld National Park confirms high plant diversity in the arid north-western tip of South Africa |
| title_fullStr | A checklist of indigenous flora in the Richtersveld National Park confirms high plant diversity in the arid north-western tip of South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | A checklist of indigenous flora in the Richtersveld National Park confirms high plant diversity in the arid north-western tip of South Africa |
| title_short | A checklist of indigenous flora in the Richtersveld National Park confirms high plant diversity in the arid north-western tip of South Africa |
| title_sort | checklist of indigenous flora in the richtersveld national park confirms high plant diversity in the arid north western tip of south africa |
| topic | richtersveld national park conservation succulent karoo biome gariep centres sanbi red list iucn red list |
| url | https://koedoe.co.za/index.php/koedoe/article/view/1822 |
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