Threat to SA plants, animals
2004-01-08 06:53
Cape Town - As many as a million species worldwide, including up to 40% of the Western Cape's Protea species and nearly two thirds of the Kruger National Park's protected species may become extinct within the next half century because of global warming.
A quarter of all plant species and animal life is facing extinction unless manmade hothouse gasses, which contribute to global warming, are severely reduced. This is clear from a recent study published in Nature.
Researchers at the National Botanical Institute (NBI) at Kirstenbosch took part in this study, which is seen as the most comprehensive of its kind yet.
The research sketches a bleak picture of the future of the world's fauna and flora and the prospects for South Africans approximately 23 000 plant species.
A fifth of the world's surface area, on which 1 103 plant and animal species are found, was included.
The researchers found that between 15% and 37% of all species studied in the area, could be extinct by 2050. Similar trends could be seen in other parts of the world.
These damning predictions were compiled using, among other things, computer models.
"If these predictions are applied worldwide, it seems as if up to one million species may face extinction because of global warming," Chris Thomas of the British University of Leeds said.
"The study shows without doubt that climatic changes are the biggest threat for the existence of species," Lee Hannah of Conservation International said. "The combination of the loss of habitat together with climate shifts are concerning. Rises in temperature can force species to move to (cooler) high lying areas."
Guy Midgley of the NBI said the study found that in some cases, specied had no alternative habitat. "The distribution area of some species will be reduced dramatically, which will make them even more sensitive for other threats."
Midgley said the current tempo of climatic changes could also influence the ability of species to adapt and survive because their habitat will change dramatically.
South African floral areas such as the Cape "fynbos" and Karoo succulent kingdom could be reduced by half within five decades because of global warming. Agricultural activities in the Western Cape could be heavily hit.
The NBI is of the opinion that only the most hardened of the Karoo succulents will survive the shifts in temperature.
Midgley said large-scale conservation plans were necessary to reduce the effect of climatic changes on nature. Studies show that the temperature worldwide is rising faster than natural phenomena can account for.