Cederberg (100744)
South Africa, Africa
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1a, A1b, A1e, B1, B2, B3a, B3b, B4, E
Year of last assessment: 2024
National site name: Cederberg
Central coordinates: Latitude: -32.3883, Longitude: 19.1851
System: terrestrial, freshwater
Elevation (m): 161 to 1733
Area of KBA (km2): 2435.32102
Protected area coverage (%): 66.26
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: No
Site details
Site description: Cederberg is a large terrestrial site with substantial protection, found in the Western Cape, South Africa. Most of the landscape is flat to gently east- or north-sloping tableland, with steeper west-facing slopes both being rugged and dominated by rocky outcrops with gullies and flats of deep sand. Isolated mountain peaks occur and a more dissected mountainous terrain occurs in the west. Characteristic of the Cederberg is the long, linear step or plateau that dominates the landscape between the upper and lower blocks of rugged sandstone (Cedarberg Shale Band). Vegetation consists of closed restiolands on deeper moister sands, with low, sparse shrubs that become denser and Restionaceae less dominant in the drier areas. Structurally it is predominantly asteraceous, restioid and proteoid fynbos. A smaller portion of the site includes mountains alternating with broad ridges and plains, supporting medium dense, moderately tall, restioid and ericoid shrubland with open, emergent, tall proteoid shrubs. This is a diverse fynbos, with all structural types of fynbos (except graminoid fynbos) represented. In drier, lower areas it is replaced by karoo shrublands on sandstone. The boundary between the fynbos and karoo occurs where the restioids thin out to the point where succulent plants become dominant. This unit comprises a combination of communities tending to occur on the rocky west-facing slopes of the Cederberg where bare rock and cliffs are dominant and there is less accumulation of sand. The rock provides fire protection, resulting in the dominance of Cape thicket and asteraceous fynbos with interspersed low trees and tall shrubs forming a medium tall shrub matrix. Proteoid fynbos is most prominent on the lowermost slopes and sandy plateaus and restioid fynbos occurs on deeper sands and shallower soils.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for 3 criteria described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs. Based on current available information, 118 species meet one or more KBA criteria for this site. The KBA trigger species at this site include birds, butterflies, dragonflies, fish, plants, and reptiles. The site meets criterion A1 due to the presence of significant proportions of the global populations of 29 threatened species. Effectively the entire global populations of 2 Endangered and 4 Critically Endangered species are within the site. The site regularly holds 93 individual geographically restricted species, therefore meeting criterion B1. Assemblages of co-occurring range-restricted species in the Actinopterygii, Asparagales, Asterales, Caryophyllales, Ericales, Oxalidales, Proteales, Reptilia, and Sapindales taxonomic groups regularly present within the site meet criterion B2. Co-occurring species endemic to the Fynbos terrestrial bioregion present at the site meet criterion B3. A quantitative analysis of irreplaceability indicates that the site is 100% irreplaceable for the global persistence of 43 species, therefore meeting criterion E. The site holds significant proportions of the global extent of 5 geographically restricted ecosystems (meeting criterion B4).
Additional biodiversity: 305 other potential trigger species meet minimum population parameter thresholds for the site, but presence and/or minimum reproductive units required to meet KBA criteria cannot be confirmed with available data.
Manageability of the site: This site is managed primarily by a protected area management authority, with parts of the site managed by a regional conservation authority responsible for enforcing statutory regulations on landuse change in Critical Biodiversity Areas and threatened ecosystems, and Conservancy management team.
Supersedes another site: Cedarberg - Koue Bokkeveld complex ZA080 [100%]
Delineation rationale: Delineation follows the boundaries of a large protected area complex and World Heritage Site, including private Conservancy and Mountain Catchment Areas. Most of it was formerly recognized as an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area and Alliance for Zero Extinction (AZE) site, and the boundaries of these delineations were also considered.
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: Shrubland (95%)
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Wood & pulp plantations | Scale Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Scale Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Residential & commercial development | Commercial & industrial areas | Ongoing |
Additional information
Contributors: Gavin Masterson (Fathom Data), Warrick Stewart (Resilience Environmental Advice), Anisha Dayaram (South African National Biodiversity Institute), Maphale Monyeki (South African National Biodiversity Institute), Sediqa Khatieb (South African National Biodiversity Institute), Craig Hilton-Taylor (IUCN)