Roggeveld (100929)
South Africa, Africa
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1a, A1b, A1c, B1, B2, B3a, B4, E
Year of last assessment: 2024
National site name: Roggeveld
Central coordinates: Latitude: -32.2073, Longitude: 20.6481
System: terrestrial, freshwater
Elevation (m): 892 to 1793
Area of KBA (km2): 7425.31077
Protected area coverage (%): 1.61
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: No
Site details
Site description: Roggeveld is a very large terrestrial site that is unprotected, found in the Northern Cape, South Africa. A diverse landscape including vast stretches of slightly undulating hills, steeper mountain slopes as well as extensive slightly sloping plateaus. The dominant image of the vegetation is sparse dwarf shrubland with high proportions of both succulent and nonsucculent (low microphyllous shrubs). The dominant shrubby genera include Antimima, Eriocephalus, Pentzia, Pteronia and Salsola. The occurrence and structural appearance of grasses (Aristida, Stipagrostis, but also Ehrharta) is notable. These characters indicate the transitional position of Roggeveld Karoo between the Succulent Karoo and Nama-Karoo Biomes. Also includes undulating, slightly sloping plateau landscape, with low hills and broad shallow valleys, supporting mainly moderately tall shrublands dominated by renosterbos, with a rich geophytic flora in the wetter and rocky habitats.
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, 83 species meet one or more KBA criteria for this site. The KBA trigger species at this site include birds, butterflies, fish, mammals, plants, and reptiles. The site meets criterion A1 due to the presence of significant proportions of the global populations of 19 threatened species. Effectively the entire global populations of 2 Endangered species are within the site. The site regularly holds 64 individual geographically restricted species, therefore meeting criterion B1. Assemblages of co-occurring range-restricted species in the Asparagales, Asterales, Caryophyllales, Oxalidales, and Saxifragales taxonomic groups regularly present within the site meet criterion B2. Co-occurring species endemic to the Succulent Karoo xeric shrublands terrestrial ecoregion present at the site meet criterion B3. A quantitative analysis of irreplaceability indicates that the site is 100% irreplaceable for the global persistence of 33 species, therefore meeting criterion E. The site holds significant proportions of the global extent of 3 geographically restricted ecosystems (meeting criterion B4).
Additional biodiversity: 70 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 regional conservation authority responsible for enforcing statutory regulations on landuse change in Critical Biodiversity Areas and threatened ecosystems.
Delineation rationale: Distinctive arid mountain range and plateau partly categorised as Critical Biodiversity Area.
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: Shrubland (98%)
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Scale Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Wood & pulp plantations | 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)