The effect of habitat fragmentation on faunal diversity

of Eastern Cape forests

Michael Cherry, Dept of Botany & Zoology, Stellenbosch University

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.

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

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

Where are forest-dependant birds disappearing? Sites across South Africa that experienced a loss of 20% or more of forest dependent bird species between the two South African Bird Atlas Project (SABAP) periods of 1987-1992 and 2007-present. Filled in sites indicate those that experienced a loss of indigenous forest during this period. The grey shaded area represents the former East Griqualand.

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Project Aims and Objectives • 1. We aim to survey the faunal composition of the forests in the Eastern Cape, in particular for six forest

subtypes which may be inadequately conserved. This will involve recording species occurrence and identity; population abundance and viability; the collection of DNA barcodes; and studies of population genetics in selected taxa. 2. We aim to determine species and sites which may require particular conservation measures or efforts. 3. We aim to achieve some understanding the processes affecting faunal biodiversity in and around these forests, particularly habitat fragmentation. 4. We aim to gain some understanding of the extent of harvesting of particular plant resources on which forest fauna are reliant, as well as any harvesting of fauna (e.g hunting of birds); and to contribute towards informed decision about future sustainable harvesting policies. We aim to contribute towards the accumulation of knowledge about plant and animal forest species used for medicinal purposes; and other species on which rural communities are dependent for their livelihoods 5. We aim to grow museum collections and to expand the databases of citizen science atlases; and contribute towards long-term environmental monitoring in the forest biome 6. We aim to build capacity by training graduate students and improving the expertise and qualifications of researchers in terms of forest ecology; taxonomy; population ecology; phylogeography and population genetics. 7. We aim to provide a basis for estimates of forest biodiversity loss associated with particular development projects. 8. We aim to investigate the extent to which changes in natural forest cover can be attributed to effects of natural fire pathways in the landscape confining natural forests to wind/fire shadow areas, as opposed to clearing of forest by people. 9. Forests and their role in mitigation have been at the centre of climate change negotiations for many years now, in particular in negotiations on REDD+ (Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation). While carbon stocks from SA forests, on account of their limited extent, are not regarded as of particular importance for climate change, we nonetheless aim to quantify the extent of deforestation in the Eastern Cape province since 1990.

Against this background the following hypotheses will be tested

H1: Natural fragmentation has impacted on the evolution of the forest-dependent fauna. H2: Additional fragmentation arising from anthropogenic deforestation has resulted in both a loss of habitat and reduced mobility of faunal taxa between forest fragments. H3: More sedentary forest dependent taxa (e.g. shrews, snails) will have been more impacted by fragmentation than more mobile taxa such as birds and fig wasps. H4: Genetic data will reveal the extent of gene flow between forests including those which have undergone contractions and expansions due to past climate changes, resulting in cladogenesis in some lineages. H5: Rural communities and other commercial ventures harvesting forest resources will impact forest fauna, in particular taxa which are dependent on the same resources.

We have attempted to choose pairs of forest in each subtype which enjoy

differing levels of protection

• Amathole mistbelt forest (Fort Fordyce; Pirie)

• Transkei mistbelt forest (Nqadu; Langeni)

• Eastern mistbelt forest (Gomo; Ngele)

• Pondoland scarp forest (Mbotyi; Mkambati)

• Transkei Coastal scarp forest (Manubi; Dwesa)

• Eastern Cape Dune Forest (Umtiza; Nxaxo/Koboqaba)

Team members and institutions

• Savel Daniels, Nox Makunga, Victor Rambau Stellenbosch University

• Werner Conradie Port Elizabeth Museum

• Mary Cole East London Museum • Buyiswa Mahala Amathole Museum • Simon van Noort Iziko Museums of Cape Town • Les Underhill University of Cape Town • Michelle Cocks, Steve Compton Rhodes University • Gonzalo Giribet Harvard University • Andrew Wannenburg Dept of Environment Affairs

• Sue van Rensburg SA Environmental Observation Network

• Dale Wright Birdlife Southern Africa • Coert Geldenhuys Forestwood CC • Jaco Greeff University of Pretoria • Leigh Richards Durban Museum • Musa Mlambo Albany Museum • Sizwe Cawe Walter Sisulu University