NFEPA Atlas 5.3_20111025_FINAL.indd - Biodiversity GIS - SANBI

4.1.1 Level 1 ecoregionsEcoregions classify the landscape into 30 categories based on topography, altitude, slope,rainfall, temperature, geology and potential natural vegetation (Kleynhans et al. 2005).1 Limpopo Plain9 Eastern Bankenveld16 South Eastern UplandsEcoregions broadly characterise the landscape through which a river flows, such thatrivers in the same ecoregion share similar broad ecological characteristics compared tothose in different ecoregions. For example, the Highveld is characterised by extensiveflat plains with gentle meandering rivers, compared to rivers in the Eastern Coastal Beltthat are often in steeply incised and confined valleys (Figure 4.2 and accompanyingphotographs).2 Soutpansberg3 Lowveld4 North Eastern Highlands5 Northern Plateau8 Bushveld Basin10 Northern Escarpment Mountains11 Highveld12 Lebombo Uplands13 Natal Coastal Plain14 North Eastern Uplands17 North Eastern Coastal Belt22 Southern Coastal Belt24 South Western Coastal Belt25 Western Coastal Belt31 Eastern Coastal Belt6 Waterberg30 Ghaap Plateau29 Southern Kalahari28 Orange River GorgeWilma Strydom Wilma Strydom Wilma Strydom Wilma Strydom12356897101242930111314282726151725181631232124192022Figure 4.ecosystem types.27 Namaqua Highlands 26 Nama Karoo 23 Western Folded Mountains 21 Great Karoo 20 South Eastern Coastal BeltWilma StrydomWilma StrydomWilma StrydomWilma Strydom7 Western Bankenveld15 Eastern Escarpment Mountains18 Drought Corridor19 Southern Folded MountainsWilma Strydom Wilma Strydom Wilma Strydom Wilma Strydom Wilma StrydomInput data layers- 48 -