Mpumalanga Biodiversity Conservation Plan Handbook - bgis-sanbi

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TABLE 4.2: Types of biodiversity features used in the terrestrial assessment BIODIVERSITY FEATURES DESCRIPTION EXTENT/SIZE CHAPTER 4 - BIODIVERSITY SPATIAL ASSESSMENT Vegetation Types 68 Vegetation types: National Vegetation Types 68 Types: 9 forest; 28 grassland; 31 other than forests (biodiversity surrogates) savanna Amphibians Modelled distributions of important species 3 species Birds 16 threatened species (known, modelled and/or Feeding and known sites - 19 spp nesting sites – 24 features in total) Nesting sites - 7 species Invertebrates Buffered known localities and point localities 17 species Mammals Modelled distributions, actual distributions and buffered sites 13 species Plants Known point localities 187 species Reptiles Modelled distributions 10 species Special features Selected pans and wetlands with unique Point records identify wetlands and pans with biodiversity; all natural caves unique features. Caves have 250m buffer Processes Key landscape features maintain ecological and Escarpment/summit corridors; evolutionary processes centred on biological Centres of endemism; Montane and highveld movement and connectivity grassland patches; Forest patches LAND-USE PRESSURES (CURRENT & FUTURE) In planning for development to avoid areas where biodiversity is threatened, or where there is an anticipated conflict with existing land use, it is important to assess the socioeconomic context and likely future pressures on biodiversity. Three factors that put pressure on natural habitats are included in this assessment: land of high agricultural potential (high capability land); high mining potential; and high urban growth potential. A fourth factor was included, representing areas with a high likelihood of being degraded by alien plant invasions (Fig 4.3). These factors were combined into one GIS layer representing areas of likely conflicts with biodiversity and therefore high risk areas for meeting biodiversity targets. Site selection is made to avoid these areas if options exist for meeting targets elsewhere. M P U M A L A N G A Biodiversity CONSERVATION PLAN HANDBOOK 29 SPATIAL ASSESSMENT
MPUMALANGA BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION PLAN HANDBOOK FIGURE 4.3: Maps showing future pressures on terrestrial biodiversity. RESULTS Marxan calculates the smallest area required to meet all targets while minimizing land-use conflict and protecting important aquatic areas. It is able to calculate the ‘irreplaceability’ value of a parcel of land. This irreplaceability value is defined as the likelihood of a particular parcel being needed to meet biodiversity targets. The irreplaceability value and the minimum area required were then sorted into meaningful biodiversity assessment categories. These categories are: Protected areas: already managed for biodiversity protection; Irreplaceable: 100% Irreplaceable - no other options available to meet targets; 30 M P U M A L A N G A Highly Significant: 50 - 99% Irreplaceable - very limited options available to meet targets; Biodiversity Important & Necessary: lower irreplaceability value, less than 50% but still required to meet targets; Least Concern: areas of natural habitat that could be used to meet some targets but not needed now, as long as other areas are not lost; No natural habitat remaining: virtually all natural habitat has been irreversibly lost as a result of cultivation, timber plantations, mining, urban development. CONSERVATION PLAN HANDBOOK
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Mpumalanga Biodiversity Conservation Plan Handbook - bgis-sanbi

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