PROJECT PERIOD

2013-2016

PROJECT OVERVIEW AND AIMS

The SeaKeys Project is a large collaboration that aims to collate and increase marine biodiversity information and translate this information into products to support decision making and the development of new benefits for South African society. SeaKeys was the first large collaborative project funded through the Foundational Biodiversity Information Programme. The project is three year collaboration, co-ordinated through SANBI, and involves more than 30 team members with representatives from more than 17 different organisations including multiple government departments, research institutes, universities, citizen scientists and industry.

PROJECT LEADER:

Dr Kerry Sink, South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI)

COLLABORATIVE PARTNERS:

Dr Lara Atkinson, South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON);

Dr Wayne Florence, Iziko Museums of Cape Town; Dr Charles Griffiths, University of Cape Town;

Dr Samaai Toufiek, Department of Environmental Affairs (Oceans and Coast);

Prof Colin Attwood, University of Cape Town; Dr Sophie von der Heyden, Stellenbosch University;

Prof Mark Gibbons, University of the Western Cape; Dr Monica Mwale, South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB);

Dr Robert Anderson, Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries;

Dr Angus Macdonald, University of KwaZulu-Natal (Westville Campus);

Dr Tamara Robinson, Stellenbosch University; Prof John Bolton, University of Cape Town; Dr Carl van der Lingen, Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries; Ms Georgina Jones, Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries; Dr Gavin Gouws, South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB); Dr Linda Harris, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University; Dr Shirley Parker-Nance, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University; Dr Deon Durholtz, Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries; Ms Phumla, Petroleum Agency SA; Mr Lindelani Mudau, Department of Environmental Affairs (Oceans and Coast); Mr Xola Mkefe, Department of Environmental Affairs (Oceans and Coast); Dr Eleanor Yeld-Hutchings, WORLD WILDLIFE FOUNDATION (SA); Mr Sean Fennessy, Oceanographic Research Institute (SAAMBR); Dr Jean Harris, Ezemvelo Kwazulu-Natal Wildlife; Dr Kevin Christison, Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

South Africa lacks comprehensive marine biodiversity databases and the description, assessment and understanding of marine biodiversity lags behind that of other environments. These shortfalls hamper monitoring of marine biodiversity, global change understanding, provision of evidence-based policy and management advice, marine spatial planning and the ability of South Africans to derive sustainable benefits from our rich marine biological diversity.

This 3 year national project aims to unlock knowledge to remedy this situation. The large team from 15 institutions will provide for the collation, consolidation, generation and dissemination of foundational information to support sustainable resource use, spatial planning and development in South Africa’s marine and coastal environment. Large existing marine data sets will be made available and citizen scientists will be empowered to add to this, providing at least 193 000 new records and first inventories for seaweeds and 14 new animal groups. Targeted genetic research will provide a minimum of 250 barcodes and unlock key information for management. The diverse project team will address research gaps with a focus on habitat forming, resource, indicator and biosecurity species and ecosystems that deliver key services or are sensitive to impact. The knowledge will be applied in the assessment of stocks and species conservation status; ecosystem description, mapping and assessment; monitoring; invasive and disease species research; environmental impact assessment and marine spatial planning. This is important for management relevant to fisheries, mining, energy, trade, aquaculture and global change. Data will be disseminated through online databases, species pages, guides and maps along with publications and sector-specific guidance to ensure products support sustainable use and development. This project will unlock new capacity in terms of post graduate students, citizen scientists, EIA practitioners and decision makers.]

Data sets can be downloaded below.

Data set 1: SAEON: Historical Research Survey Database (1897-1949)

Data set 2: Marine species pages

PROJECT PERIOD

2016-2018

PROJECT OVERVIEW AND AIMS

The creepy crawlies and other animals which inhabit the misty forests of the Eastern Cape will be the subject of this three-year research project funded by the Foundational Biodiversity Information Programme (FBIP).  The proposed study area form part of the Maputoland-Pondoland-Albany Biodiversity Hotspot and involves scientists from Stellenbosch University (SU) and four other South African universities, as well as Harvard University in the US and six museums. Prof. Michael Cherry, from the Department of Botany and Zoology at Stellenbosch University and project leader, says that their data and findings could inform decisions on proposed dry gas and titanium mining operations in the area, as well as the new dam planned at Mzimvubu and the N2-Wild Coast Highway. And should SANParks proceed with the proclamation of the Pondoland National Park, the project could assist with determining the boundaries, he adds.

Project leader: Prof Michael Cherry, Stellenbosch University.

Participating institutions: The core investigators on the project are Prof Michael Cherry, Prof Nox Makunga, Prof Savel Daniels and Dr Victor Rambau, all from Stellenbosch University.  Other collaborators are from Walther Sisulu and Rhodes universities in the Eastern Cape, the universities of Pretoria and Cape Town, and Harvard University in the United States. No fewer than six museums are involved including four from the Eastern Cape (Amathole, Albany, Port Elizabeth and East London) plus Iziko Museums of Cape Town and the Durban Natural History Museum. Researchers from the South African Environmental Observation Network, the Agricultural Research Council, Birdlife Southern Africa, the Department of Environmental Affairs and Forestwood CC make are also working together with the team.

Forests make up only 0.56% of SA, but display unusually high biodiversity. Naturally patchy, they have been further fragmented by human activities: nearly 50% of indigenous forests are estimated to have experienced anthropogenic fragmentation, which together with the introduction of alien plantations, has led to range changes in dependent faunal species. Recent work has shown that half of SA forest dependent bird species have experienced range declines since 1992, mostly in the former Transkei and Ciskei homelands of the Eastern Cape. Two primary causes of these declines are habitat loss due to deforestation and forest degradation. In terms of global change, significant deforestation has taken place between 1990 and 2013/4, as indicated by National Land Cover data. Forests are important in terms of the bio-economy as they have traditionally been harvested by local rural communities, but post-democracy have experienced increased pressure for fuel wood and building material collection, grazing, burning for cultivation and collection of plants for medicine. Further degradation occurs where utilization of particular tree species by humans leads to declining forest condition, although boundaries may remain intact. Legal logging of indigenous trees takes place in only two forests in SA (Knysna and Pirie), but recently, larger scale illegal logging and harvesting of other plant material by commercial interests has been increasing, creating a potential conflict between these operations and communities which are partially dependent on forests for their livelihood. Our proposed area of study forms part of the Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany (MPA) Biodiversity Hotspot. Eastern Cape forest diversity has been well-documented only in terms of trees; and faunal diversity has been conspicuously poorly documented. As such, this area represents an excellent candidate for a FBIP, particularly as the Eastern Cape contains 46% of SA’s natural forests.]

Data sets will be made available once the project is concluded

PROJECT PERIOD

2016-2018

PROJECT OVERVIEW AND AIMS

Currently the Karoo is poorly surveyed for biodiversity and there are large gaps in our understanding of which species occur in which parts of the Karoo. This hampers efforts to determine priority habitats that may be sensitive to future proposed changes in landuse. The Karoo is seen as an important development area for South Africa, and there needs to be responsible decision-making around developments such as shale gas exploration, farming, mining, renewable energy infrastructure and the Square Kilometre Array. SANBI has led a consortium of institutions to a successful funding grant from the Foundational Biodiversity Information Programme (FBIP), so that we can advance our scientific understanding of valuable Karoo ecosystems and contribute to informed decision-making

Under the BioGaps Project, the current paucity of biodiversity data will be addressed through:

1) integrating and upgrading existing data for target taxa located in museums and herbaria around South Africa, and

2) conducting detailed surveys for 12 representative taxonomic groups (plants, mammals, fish, birds, amphibians and reptiles, as well as six invertebrate groups: bees, dragonflies, grasshoppers, scorpions, butterflies and spiders) in areas targeted for shale gas exploration.

PROJECT LEADER:

Ms Domitilla Raimondo

South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI)

COLLABORATIVE NETWORKS:

• The Agricultural Research Council’s Plant Protection Research Institute (ARC PPRI) – both fieldwork and collections relating to several invertebrate taxa.
• The American Museum of Natural History – for species identification and overseeing digitisation of 8000 scorpion specimens.
• The Lepidopterists’ Society of Southern Africa (‘LepSoc’) – fieldwork and identifications of species for butterflies.
• The South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON) – fieldwork and monitoring of permanent plots.
• The South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB) – fieldwork and threat assessments for fish species.
• BirdLife South Africa – fieldwork and threat assessments for bird species.
• Collections institutions that will be involved in digitisation and surveys: Albany Museum, Port Elizabeth Museum at Bayworld, Bews Herbarium (University of KwaZulu-Natal), Bolus Herbarium (University of Cape Town), Compton Herbarium (SANBI), Ditsong Museum, Iziko Museum, and National Museum.
• Universities that will be involved in surveys and co-supervising postgraduate research: KwaZulu-Natal, Cape Town, Stellenbosch, North West and Pretoria.
• DNA barcoding work will be a joint effort between SANBI, the National Zoological Gardens and the University of Johannesburg.
• Species threat assessment work will be supported by the NGOs the Botanical Society of South Africa, the Endangered Wildlife Trust and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

In this project, existing & new biodiversity data will be mobilised to support government decision-making for infrastructure development associated with exploitation of shale gas in the Karoo. South Africa, as a signatory to the Convention on Biological Diversity has committed to protect the environment, thus shale gas exploration & extraction must be achieved responsibly. Currently, the Karoo is poorly surveyed and existing data have major gaps, especially in the area targeted for shale gas exploration. In recognition, the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) as part of a Shale Gas Exploration Strategic Environmental Assessment (SGE SEA) has commissioned bioblitzes to improve data and foundational knowledge. The timeframe and funding of the bioblitzes are however insufficient, and 70-80% of the fracking domain will remain undocumented. Additional resources are therefore necessary to comprehensively survey the area to ensure increased geographic & taxonomic coverage that will allow us to map species ranges, identify important habitats, and classify wetlands & rivers, all of which will support decision-making. The project is led by a young female researcher, involves a consortium of researchers and institutions, provides research opportunities for 11 young scientists, and will train at least 8 students. It also pilots novel approaches in engaging and developing citizen scientists. Delivery of preliminary occurrence data sets and at least 20,000 records for 9 of the 11 taxa will occur in the 1^st phase of the project to inform the SGE SEA. By the end of the project 200,000 new primary occurrence records will inform species occupancy and habitat richness models which, along with 300 Red List assessments of species of conservation concern, will be served to decision makers via SANBI’s Land Use Decision Support (LUDS) tool.

Data sets will be made available once the project is concluded