Biodiversity (1 - SRK Consulting

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Very few trees occur on the study site, which provided habitat for arboreal (tree-living) herpetofauna. As a result arboreal species like the Kalahari tree skink are excluded from the species list. The farm owner, Mr Deon Maasdorp, gave me a list of herpetofauna species he has found on his farm. Some interesting observations he and his family have make in the few years they have farmed on the study site, were that they have never seen a single frog, but have observed rock monitors on the property. Of the 56 reptile species, which are deduced to possibly occupy the study site (Table 1), six were confirmed during the site visit (Table 2) and of the possible 11 amphibian species which may occur on the study site (Table 1), none was confirmed during the site visit (Table 2). The number of species would certainly have been higher if the survey had been conducted during the summer months, especially after good rains. The three Red Data reptiles which may occur on the study site are discussed below. No exotic herpetofauna species are expected to occur on the study site. The species assemblage is typical of what can be expected in a fairly natural environment, with sufficient habitat to sustain populations. Most of the species of the resident diversity (Table 1) are fairly common and widespread (viz. Karoo tent tortoise, brown house snake, common egg eater, puff adder, horned adder, Cape cobra, Bibron’s tubercled gecko, giant ground gecko, Anchieta’s agama and western rock skink). The high species richness expected on the study site is due to the size of the study site, the renowned endemic biodiversity of the Northern Cape and the presence of three of the four habitat types. The excellent presence of rupiculous habitats have also enhanced the species richness. 10.3. Red Data Listed Reptiles The study site area falls outside the natural range of the speckled padloper, Namaqua day Gecko, Lawrence’s girdled lizard, Armadillo girdled lizard, Lomi’s blind legless skink, 120
Namaqua dwarf adder and the Southern African python, and these species should not occur on the study site. The Namaqua plated lizard inhabits dry sandy areas and are rocky hillsides (McLachlan 1988), which occur in abundance on the study site. This species has been recorded from Springbok (McLachlan 1988). Although the possibility is very small that this species may occur on the study site, it might be there nonetheless. Very few Fisk’s house snake specimens are ever collected and little is known of its biology. There is a specimen collected from Steinkopf in the Ditsong National Museum of Natural History (Transvaal Museum) (Broadley 1990). It is very difficult to confirm whether this cryptic snake is present on any study site, but it is highly unlikely that it occurs on this particular study site. 10.4. Red Data Listed Amphibians The study site area falls outside the natural range of giant bullfrogs, desert rain frog and the Karoo caco, and these species should not occur on the study site. The Namaqua stream frog occurs in areas which receive annual rainfall of < 60mm. In this arid environment, these frogs are restricted to the proximity of springs, seps, small permanent and non-permanent streams and artificial impoundments. (Channing 2004). The study site contains some of these water sources and the fact that a fragmented subpopulation has been recorded at the nearby Ghaamsberg, makes the occurrence of this frog species on the study site a real possibility. Due to this it is very important that all the water sources and drainage lines on the study site should be excluded from any development. 121
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A vegetation and vertebrate fauna d
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Some of the rare or beautiful succu
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6.3.3 Field Survey ................
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12.1 Specific mitigation measures .
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Figure 25. The vegetation sensitivi
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Figure 54. An easterly view from Bo
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Vegetation Althou
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designated sensitive areas and excl
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Holdings (SHE, Pty Ltd). The main c
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2. ASSIGNMENT Eco-Agent Ecological
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3. RATIONALE It is widely recognise
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4. SCOPE AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUD
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Figure 3. Satellite image showing t
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Topography and drainage The topogra
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Figure 6. Close-up satellite image
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6. METHODS Prior to the field visit
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6.1.3 Sensitivity Only High and Low
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• Low probability of occurrence w
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The biodiversity significance of an
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oth by reference to the comprehensi
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6.4. Herpetofauna 6.4.1. Field Surv
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• Armadillo Girdled Lizard (Cordy
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7.2 Description of the plant commun
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Figure 12. Stipagrostis namaquensis
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is low, 70-110 mm per annum, mostly
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Figure 14. Grassland on sandy hummo
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This plant community with its speci
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Crassula sericea Dicoma capensis Cu
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Figure 17. A scree slope 4.2.2 Stee
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species also occur on the mountain
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Schmidtia kalahariensis d Stipagros
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5.2 Washes The drainage lines withi
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in a population going extinct elsew
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7.4 Fine Scale Biodiversity Fine sc
Page 69 and 70: The SKEP (2005) biodiversity map fo
Page 71 and 72: National Herbarium. This is therefo
Page 73 and 74: Figure 26. A map indicating the Bla
Page 75 and 76: 7.10 References Acocks, J.P.H. 1988
Page 78 and 79: 8. RESULTS: MAMMALS Acocks (1988),
Page 80 and 81: Figure 27. A south-westerly view ov
Page 82 and 83: 8.2 Observed and Expected Mammal Sp
Page 84 and 85: √ Otocyon megalotis Bat-eared fox
Page 86 and 87: 8.4 Discussion Four pertinent matte
Page 88 and 89: Knobel, J. & Bredenkamp, G. 2005. T
Page 90 and 91: 9. RESULTS: AVIFAUNA 9.1 General Th
Page 92 and 93: Figure 33. View east from the Zuurw
Page 94 and 95: Figure 36. View north from the sout
Page 96 and 97: Figure 39. View west towards Hoedko
Page 98 and 99: Figure 42. Patch of green vegetatio
Page 100 and 101: Table 1: Rating of recognised on-si
Page 102 and 103: Burchell’s Coucal Centropus burch
Page 104 and 105: Karoo Eremomela Eremomela gregalis
Page 106 and 107: 9.4. Threatened and Red-Listed Bird
Page 108 and 109: The remaining four threatened speci
Page 110 and 111: Department of Environmental Affairs
Page 112 and 113: 10. RESULTS: HERPETOFAUNA 10.1. Her
Page 114 and 115: Figure 46. A view of red dunes and
Page 116 and 117: Figure 50. Man-made quarry on the w
Page 118 and 119: In the western corner of the study
Page 122 and 123: Table 1: Reptile and Amphibian spec
Page 124 and 125: ? Prosymna bivittata Two-striped Sh
Page 126 and 127: Psammophis notostictus Karoo Whip o
Page 128 and 129: 10.6 Conclusions The main conservat
Page 130 and 131: 11. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT
Page 132 and 133: assuming that the water does not ha
Page 134 and 135: Vegetation Deficient plant -5 Mediu
Page 136 and 137: Impact Table 2a:: Impact on biodive
Page 138 and 139: Substrate repair 1 2 2 1 2 15 Very
Page 140 and 141: maintenance, with designated passin
Page 142 and 143: M6: Control of plant diversity/stru
Page 144 and 145: Some Red Data plants and animals oc
Page 146 and 147: Flora Some areas of infrastructure
Page 148 and 149: (increasing or decreasing with time
Page 150 and 151: Table 2: Significance Rating Matrix
Page 152 and 153: APPENDIX 2: CURRICULII VITAE Abridg
Page 154 and 155: - >150 papers at national and inter
Page 156 and 157: Visits to Israel, Italy, Germany, U
Page 158 and 159: Abridged Curriculum Vitae: Ignatius
Page 160 and 161: Abridged Curriculum Vitae: Alan Cha
Page 162 and 163: - 15 contributions in or as books
Page 164 and 165: Abridged Curriculum Vitae: Jacobus
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