Table of Contents - SRK Consulting

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Limpopo West Mine: Biodiversity and Impact Assessmentsouthern Africa have been recorded near the Study area: Stretocephaluscafer, S. macrourus, and S. indistinctus (Hamer & Brendonck 1997).Migratory SpeciesThere are several species of fish in the Limpopo River that migrate. These include: Threespot barb Barbus trimaculatus Broadstriped barb Barbus annectens Longbeard barb Barbus unitaeniatus Redeye labeo Labeo cylindricus Leaden labeo Labeo molybdinus Rednose labeo Labeo rosae Bulldog Marcusenius macrolepidotus Silver catfish Schilbe intermedius Brown squeaker Synodontis zambezensisGoods and ServicesThe most important Goods and Services provided by aquatic ecosystems within the studyarea is the supply of water and grazing for livestock and game. The potential for tourism andrecreation along the Limpopo River is also considered high.Maintenance of aquatic biodiversity is generally very low, with the notable exceptions of theLimpopo River and Brakpan (Site P1).There are no known commercial aquatic species in the study area, but all of the largerspecies of fish are certain to be caught for local subsistence consumption when river levelsare high or subside. Consumption of fish by local communities is likely to be very low andirratic because of the ephemeral nature of the river.Water supply for direct human use is likely to be very low because of poor quality.Several pest species are associated with aquatic ecosystems within the study area, andthese are regarded here as negative Goods and Services. This aspect is discussed infurther detail below.Pest SpeciesAquatic ecosystems in the study area provide habitat for a wide range of pest species, whichinclude:Malaria Mosquitoes (Anopheles gambiae complex), which are responsible fortransmitting the parasite that causes malaria, which is endemic in the region. Themost common vector of malaria in the area is A. arabiense, which typically breeds intemporary, shallow, sunlit pools, as well as many other temporary waterbodies, suchas discarded motorcar tyres. The latter is a well-known breeding ground for thesemosquitoes. Other members of the complex, such as A. funestus, prefer marginal134
Limpopo West Mine: Biodiversity and Impact Assessmentvegetation in more permanent waterbodies, such as the margins of the LimpopoRiver.The LWM is located outside the present (2006) distribution of malaria risk because ofan active and effective malaria control programme (Department of Health 2008).However, in the absence of malaria control, the Limpopo West Mine Study area has aModerate risk in summer (Department of Health 2008). In 2006, Limpopo Provincehad the highest number of malaria cases (6,369) in South Africa, including 57 deaths(57) (Gerritsen et al. 2008). An abnormal increase in malaria cases was reported inAkhado (Louis Trichardt) in January 2011, and the increase was attributed to migrantworkers returning to South Africa after their holiday in Zimbabwe or Mozambique (MrPhilip Kruger, Malaria Control Programme Manager of the provincial Department ofHealth and Social Development). Most South Africans have no natural immunity tomalaria (Gerritsen et al. 2008). An influx of workers and their families into the LWM,some of whom will be carrying the disease, together with the creation of temporaryartificial waterbodies, and the further development of resistance of the Anophelesfunestus group to pyrethroids, will certainly increase the likelihood of malariaoutbreaks within the LWM.The disease is likely to be highly seasonal, with peak transmission occurring towardsthe end of the rainy season (i.e. March to April). Mosquitoes are poor flyers, and areusually restricted to within a few hundred meters of their breeding sites. It follows thatcertain areas within the LWM area are likely to be significantly more prone tomosquitoes problems, and hence malaria transmission, than others.Biting Midges. Members of the genus Culicoides spp. (Family: Ceratopogonidae)are predicted to be abundant in the Study area (Baylis et al. 1998; Meiswinkle et al.2004). Culicoides imicola is the only proven vector of bluetongue and African horsesickness in South Africa, but it is suspected that many other members of the genusare equally capable of transmitting these diseases (Gert Venter, pers comm).Bilharzia Snails (Biomphalaria and Bulinus spp). Both genera of bilharzia snailsare likely to occur in the Study area, although only one was confirmed during thisstudy.135
Page 3:
AcknowledgmentsIn addition to the E
Page 6 and 7:
Remaining Natural Vegetation: Mediu
Page 8 and 9:
Limpopo West Mine: Biodiversity and
Page 10 and 11:
Page 12 and 13:
Page 14 and 15:
Page 16 and 17:
Page 18 and 19:
Page 20 and 21:
Page 22 and 23:
Page 24 and 25:
Page 26 and 27:
Page 28 and 29:
Page 30 and 31:
4.7. Wetland Protection and Sensiti
Page 32 and 33:
Page 34 and 35:
Page 36 and 37:
Page 38 and 39:
Page 40 and 41:
Page 42 and 43:
Page 44 and 45:
Page 46 and 47:
Page 48 and 49:
Page 50 and 51:
Page 52 and 53:
Page 54 and 55:
Limpopo West Mine - Biodiversity an
Page 56 and 57:
6.1. Floral AssessmentLimpopo West
Page 58 and 59:
Page 60 and 61:
Page 62 and 63:
Page 64 and 65:
Page 66 and 67:
Page 68 and 69:
Page 70 and 71:
Page 72 and 73:
Page 74 and 75:
Page 76 and 77:
Page 78 and 79:
Page 80 and 81:
Page 82 and 83:
Page 84 and 85:
Page 86 and 87:
Page 88 and 89:
Table 7-5 Vegetation structure of P
Page 90 and 91:
Page 92 and 93:
Page 94 and 95:
Page 96 and 97:
Page 98 and 99: Limpopo West Mine: Biodiversity and
Page 100 and 101: Table 7-23BushLimpopo West Mine: Bi
Page 106 and 107: 7.2.4. ReptilesLimpopo West Mine: B
Page 116 and 117: Table 7-38Limpopo West Mine: Biodiv
Page 118 and 119: 7.3.3. Description of Wetlands in t
Page 128 and 129: 7.3.12. Wetland Site MN9Limpopo Wes
Page 130 and 131: 7.3.14. Wetland Site MN11Limpopo We
Page 190 and 191: 12.1. Floral AppendicesLimpopo West
Page 192 and 193: CUCRBITACEAELimpopo West Mine: Biod
Page 198 and 199:
Page 200 and 201:
Page 202 and 203:
Page 204 and 205:
Page 206 and 207:
Page 208 and 209:
Page 210 and 211:
Page 212 and 213:
Page 214 and 215:
Page 216 and 217:
Page 218 and 219:
Page 220 and 221:
Page 222 and 223:
Page 224 and 225:
show all

Table of Contents - SRK Consulting

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?