Browsing by Author "Kirkman, Stephen"

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    Advancing coastal cross-realm integration for planning and assessment
    (NMU; Stellenbosch University; SANBI; DEA; Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife; CSIR, 2018-06-20) Harris, Linda; Bessinger, Mariel; Holness, Stephen; Kirkman, Stephen; Livingstone, Tamsyn; Amanda, Lombard; Luck-Vogel, Melanie; van Niekerk, Lara
    The coast is one of South Africa’s most valuable national assets but has been poorly included in biodiversity plans because the realm has been split into its “land” and “sea” components. Even if planners intended to include the coast meaningfully, this has been impossible because the terrestrial and marine ecosystem type maps don’t align along the shore. Thus, a key step in progressing cross-realm integration for both planning and assessment is to generate a fine-scale coastal ecosystem-type map that is seamless among realms. We explicitly avoided controversial boundaries, rather choosing the most stable boundaries available that divide the ecotone into ecologically meaningful zones. We defined and mapped (at <1:3000) the “seashore” as the land-sea interface between the dune scrub/thicket break and the back of the surf zone. The seashore is divided at the dune base into a landward “backshore” (which replaces the seashore vegetation type) and seaward “shore”. Given the dynamic nature of the coast, temporal aspects were included in the boundary delineation and ecosystem type classification, where appropriate. The estuary delineation from the National Biodiversity Assessment 2018 was also embedded in the map. South Africa is now the first country with a wall-to-wall ecosystem type map for its territory and Exclusive Economic Zone.
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    Ecologically or Biologicaly Significant Areas (EBSAs) in South Africa: Linking scientific information with marine planning and management
    (2018-06-20) Kirkman, Stephen; Holness, Stephen; Harris, Linda
    Ecologically or Biologically Significant Areas (EBSAs) are areas of the oceans that have special ecological or biological importance. South Africa currently has 14 EBSAs that have been endorsed by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Assisted by the “Marine Spatial Management and Governance” project, which is implemented through the Benguela Current Convention, South Africa is in the process of determining gaps in its EBSA network, identifying new potential EBSAs and refining existing EBSA boundaries, based on up-to-date information and a systematic conservation planning approach. Further work will include undertaking status assessments of EBSAs and translating scientific information into recommended management protocols. Ultimately, the aims are to fully embed EBSAs into a robust, spatially explicit, Marine Spatial Planning process; and to secure tangible and improved management outputs for these key biodiversity assets. Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are but one of the options available to secure appropriate management of EBSAs. In South Africa, focussed portions of most of the existing EBSAs were gazetted as proposed MPAs in terms of the Phakisa Initiative. EBSAs therefore potentially provide a means of identifying further key areas for South Africa’s MPA network, in line with the National Protected Areas Expansion Strategy and addressing CBD targets for protection.
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    First impressions of benthic biodiversity patterns of the Cape Canyon and its surrounding areas
    (2018-06-20) Filander, Zoleka; Lamont, Tarron; van den Berg, Marcel; Snyders, Laurenne; Lombi, Mfundo; Tutt, Gavin; Cawthra, Hayley; Kirkman, Stephen; Atkinson, Lara; Lombard, Amanda
    The Cape Canyon off the west coast of South Africa is one of the largest known submarine canyons in the country. It extends from 200m depth where its head incises the continental shelf, to 3000m offshore. Although submarine canyons are internationally recognised as sensitive ecosystems and biological hotspots, focused studies are required to validate this view. To increase understanding of the ecological patterns and processes of the Cape Canyon and adjoining areas inshore and offshore of it, hydrographic, oceanographic and biodiversity data were collected during three summer research cruises undertaken during 2016 – 2018. A total of 50 camera and 65 dredge stations were completed under a randomly-stratified design. Preliminary results show that the canyon is predominately unconsolidated with scavengers such as ophuiroidea and decapoda prevalent within habitats ranging from sandy areas, to patches of inshore and offshore mud belts. Furthermore, interesting consolidated habitats were observed at the canyon head and inshore areas, while boulders covered in gorgonians and stylasterines were revealed at <100m in some non-canyon areas. Oceanographic profiles revealing anoxic conditions of bottom layers in near-shore areas were confirmed by the benthic structure in these areas. This new research will contribute to marine biodiversity planning and management efforts.
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    Iterative mapping of marine ecosystems for spatial status assessment, prioritization, and decision support
    (2023-03-31) Harris, Linda R.; Karenyi, Natasha; Porter, Sean; Kirkman, Stephen; Pfaff, Maya; van Niekerk, Lara; Atkinson, Lara J.; Bernard, Anthony; Cawthra, Hayley; de Wet, Willem; Filander, Zoleka; Green, Andrew; Herbert, David; Holness, Stephen; Lamberth, Stephen; Livingstone, Tamsyn; Lück-Vogel, Melanie; Mackay, Fiona; Makwela, Mapula; Palmer, Ryan; van Zyl, Wilhem
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    South African National Biodiversity Assessment 2018 Technical Report Volume 4: Marine Realm. South African National Biodiversity Institute
    (SANBI, 2019-09-29) Harris, Linda; Atkinson, Lara; Kirkman, Stephen; Karenyi, Natasha
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    Systematic Conservation Planning as a Tool to Advance Ecologically or Biologically Significant Areas and Marine Spatial Planning
    (Springer International Publishing AG, 2019-02) Harris, Linda R; Holness, Stephen; Finke, Gunnar; Kirkman, Stephen