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1. BIMF 2012 Abstracts
Tools, technology and innovation
1. iSpot southern Africa- SANBI’s exciting new citizen science initiative
Sarah-Leigh Hutchinson and Ismail Ebrahim, SANBI
iSpot southern Africa is an exciting new website that the South African National Biodiversity Institute
(SANBI) has started exploring to encourage greater public participation in biodiversity recording,
monitoring and identification. The site works via a Virtual Museum interface enabling anyone to share with
others anything they have discovered in nature by uploading georeferenced photographs of their
observations, whether plants, insects, animals, fish, birds or fungi, onto an easy to use database. Unlike
other Virtual Museum’s, however, iSpot is unique in that it encompasses all the biodiversity of life, is
extremely interactive and user-friendly and is linked directly to the Encyclopedia of Life and the Red List
of Plants. The site is also far more than merely a collection of data: it is a buzzing space on the web
where nature enthusiasts, both beginners and experts, share their knowledge and help each other identify
species. In this way, iSpot is user-driven and provides a fun way to progress from a being a novice in
species identification to a learned expert.
Since SANBI released iSpot for testing in March last year, the site has already gained over 600 registered
users who have submitted over 13 000 observations! What is truly astounding, however, is that most of
these observations (95%) have received ID’s, all given by iSpot’s users. New developments on the site
are constantly being made- such as the interactive map function which allows users to filter observations,
and the common and scientific name dictionaries which makes finding species a breeze. iSpot also allows
societies and groups to register and start projects, surveys and atlases with their own badge displayed
(providing a link to the society’s home page for each observation) and to set up a ‘tag’ which categorizes
observations according to their specific project or survey. A smart phone application is also available for
Android phones and interactive identification keys are also being developed.
SANBI’s vision is to see iSpot raise up a new generation of biodiversity ambassadors and to witness
great leaps accomplished for the conservation of our rich natural heritage. Visit iSpot southern Africa at
http://za.ispot.org.uk to find out more and begin making a difference by iSpotting.
2. Using georeferencing tools to enrich biodiversity data.
Burgert Muller, KwaZulu-Natal Museum
The effective application of biodiversity information is of the utmost importance in managing our natural
resources. Many historical, and in some cases current, collection and occurrence data, specifically
geographic data, are sparse at best. Some software tools, including UC Berkeley’s Georeferencing
Calculator and batch georeferencing tools such as Geolocate and Biogeomancer, which can aid in
making previously unfit data usable for certain applications depending on the scale of the project will be
discussed . More well-known and general tools such as Google Maps and Google Earth will be discussed
in conjunction with other online resources to ease georeferencing procedures.
3. Addressing key scientific questions through the development of tools that
use multiple data resources
Les Powrie, Applied Biodiversity Research Division (and National Vegetation Map Committee), SANBI,
Cape Town.
Pieter Winter, Applied Biodiversity Research Division, SANBI, Cape Town.

2. This presentation demonstrates some benefits of using combined botanical datasets for various
applications including modelling the impact of climate change on species, and in gathering data for
inclusion in the book The Vegetation of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. Combining taxon or
specimen data from all SA collections could provide great strength to many biodiversity research projects
and ventures in South Africa. SABONET (Southern African Botanical Diversity Network) created a
common platform for botanical data and facilitated the digitisation of several herbarium collections.
PRECIS.pc was implemented in many herbaria across southern Africa. SABIF (South African Biodiversity
Information Facility) currently publishes more than 11 million biodiversity data records from 19 institutions
across South Africa. The implementation of a new primary plant data management system using
BRAHMS software in SANBI and several other herbaria in the region will further encourage such
institutions to manage their own data, and subsequently to share this data via the SABIF knowledge
management system using common standards and protocols. The availability of this data will encourage
its use in tools and implementations (as demonstrated here) that could potentially combine/integrate data
for scientific analysis.
4. Southern African Plant Invader Atlas: an essential resource for Invasive
Species management
Philip Ivey, Early Detection Rapid Response, SANBI
South Africa has been and continues to be invaded by species from around the globe. It is estimated that
there are approximately 9000 non-indigenous plant species in South Africa. The National Environmental
Management: Biodiversity Act (2004) identifies 238 of these non-indigenous species as invasive and in
need of some management intervention.
Accurate and accessible data on distribution and likely spread of invasive is required in order to make key
decisions regarding which species to target first and the most appropriate management plans for
particular species. The Southern African Plant Invader Atlas has data for ~700 naturalized plant species
in South Africa gathered over a period of thirty years. In this presentation the use of this data is
discussed and some examples are explored.
In order for this data to be useful in the future and for the database to continue to serve invasive species
management efforts it is important that accurate new data is added and that sustainable management
structures are put in place.
5. Cybertracking emerging invasive alien species – field trials in KZN
Ntombifuthi Mthimkhulu, Jerome Sullivan, Ingrid Nänni and Philip Ivey
Early Detection and Rapid Response Programme, SANBI, P. Bag X7, Claremont 7735
Using Trimble GPS units and Cybertracker software, emerging weed clearing contractors employed in
KZN have accurately recorded locality information of target invasive alien plants. GPS locations are
automatically recorded while photographs and population data are entered by the contractor. The
interface is designed to enable users with no computer skills to capture data rapidly and accurately,
eliminating the need for transcribing GPS data manually and introducing mistakes. The software
comprises a pictorial key of ca. 700 species of IAPs in South Africa, but in this trial we have focused on
two species that have been targeted for clearing. The results show an improvement in locality data
compared with two previous years of clearing effort, when some records were indicated in the Indian
Ocean.
6. GIS and conservation monitoring and evaluation tools
Stefan Steenekamp, Peace Parks Foundation

3. Peace Parks Foundation have an extensive GIS which assists with land use planning, ecosystem
services and landscape level concepts all of which form an Integral part of Transfrontier Conservation
Areas (TFCAs) in Southern Africa.
In order to track progress and the 'state of health' of the various TFCAs, the Foundation GIS has
developed a visual tool to assist with the monitoring and evaluation of generic indicators which allow for
the mapping of progress (or lack thereof) of the various TFCAs. These monitoring, evaluation and
reporting tools are used by TFCA and protected area decision makers including various governmental
authorities.
7. SAEON Streamflow & Weather Database
Victoria Goodall, SAEON
In 2009, SAEON took over the management and responsibility for a long-term catchment and weather
monitoring program. The only remaining active monitoring site is the Jonkershoek valley outside
Stellenbosch, where monitoring of streamflow and rainfall had started in 1938. However, the original
monitoring network was far larger with long-term data available for catchments in Kwazulu-Natal,
Mpumalanga, Limpopo, Eastern Cape and other catchments in the Western Cape. SAEON took over
custodianship of all the data collected in all of these catchments, which mostly stretches back to the
1940s, collected hourly. This custodianship came with a number of challenges. The volume of data is
huge, with over 20 million records and this is increasing daily! These data need to be made easily
accessible to researchers, and originally had to be extracted from an old desktop computer in an historic
format that was difficult to extract.
The new SAEON Streamflow and Weather database has been developed using a SQL Server database,
and has been designed to be fully extendable for future requirements. The database schema is a subset
of the EnviroDB schema, and can allow for simple transformation to SensorWeb. Numerous data sources
can be specified, including data from automated weather stations and water level meters, as well as ad
hoc files from scientists, researchers or farmers! Data can be easily downloaded into .csv files, with
output queried and filtered by the user.
These data are unique – only 3 other catchments in the world can compare in length to the Jonkershoek
experiment and the others are all in the northern hemisphere. SAEON is currently expanding the
monitoring network, with the potential to restart monitoring at Cathedral Peak and other catchments. This
database now provides SAEON with a tool for archiving and disseminating these valuable data.
8. The future of SANBI’s publications
Louisa Liebenberg, SANBI Publications
Currently SANBI’s publications – Strelitzia, Flowering Plants of Africa, Flora of Southern Africa and the
journal Bothalia - are produced in hard copy.
The publications department of SANBI is looking at options to ensure free and open access to all
historical and future publications. Issues and challenges include ensuring that transformation from hard
copy to digital includes all potential customers and continues to protect the intellectual property of authors
and artists.
This talk will look at the future and open access of all SANBI publications but in particular the
transformation of the in house journal from Bothalia to African Biodiversity and Conservation.

4. 9. Open Global Resource of Literature for African Biodiversity Scientists
William Ulate, Global BHL Project Coordinator
As part of the scientific method and peer review followed by scientists and particularly taxonomists, it is
essential to be able to access the specimens and original publications used to describe a new species
and published in books and journals for more than three centuries ago.
The Global BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library) is a cooperative network of autonomous organizations and
institutions that operate programs and projects to support the goal of making biodiversity literature
available to all through open access. Currently, the European Commission, the Chinese Academy of
Sciences, the Atlas of Living Australia, BIREME through SciELO Brazil, and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina
in Egypt have all created regional BHL nodes. These projects are working together to share content,
protocols, services, and digital preservation practices to support research, policy and conservation
through appropriate repatriation of scientific information.
In recent years, several biodiversity informatics initiatives have been promoted in Africa by different
donors. One of them, the JRS Foundation, supported in November 2011, that ten African librarians,
biologists, computer scientists, publishers and students were brought together in Chicago, USA during
the Life and Literature Conference, to decide on African needs and objectives related to Biodiversity
Literature Digitization.
A follow-up organizational meeting will take place in June 2012, to collaborate on the development of a
BHL node for Africa, an open global resource of literature for African biodiversity scientists. Among the
topics to be covered are the sharing of previous experiences organizing a BHL Node following on the
successful model developed in Australia and Brazil, the appropriate metadata delivery infrastructure, how
to coordinate the scanning and synchronize the repositories of titles that are important for biodiversity
scientists in Africa, including gray literature and publications produced within the continent.
Showcasing data digitisation and application
1. The forgotten Pollinators: Filling a Biodiversity Information Gap
Jonathan F. Colville, Applied Biodiversity Research Division, South African National Biodiversity Institute
Insects can be considered as the very glue that holds earth’s ecosystems together. They are vital to life
on earth due to their involvement in key ecosystem functions and services, such as nutrient recycling and
plant pollination. Worryingly however, is that we have very limited baseline data on where species occur
and their concentrations – essential information for biodiversity management. For example, insect
diversity within South Africa's two global biodiversity hotspots of the fynbos and succulent karoo are
poorly-documented when compared to the renowned flora. However, these biomes are world centres of
richness, endemism and adaptive radiation for several insect groups. We attempt to fill this information
gap by collating distribution and diversity information through digitization of natural history collections of
selected insect pollinator groups. Selected groups include those that have high conservation value
(richness and endemism), taxonomically well-know, and have well-sampled collections. I use the SABIF-
funded project for digitization of fruit chafer beetles as an example of linking digitizing, curatorial, and
taxonomic skills through cross-institutional collaboration to fill the insect biodiversity gap.
2. Data in action: taking parasitology from the arcane to the applied
Graeme Cumming, Percy Fitzpatrick Institute, University of Cape Town
Ecological data that are associated with explicit locations in time and space offer considerable potential
for testing and developing hypotheses in ecology, biogeography, and conservation biology. We have
been supported by a SABIF grant in the digital capture of distribution records for African ticks (Acari:

5. Ixodida). Although our new database is not yet complete, I use a comparable data set (that will form the
first half of the larger database) to illustrate its value for thinking about questions of acarine biogeography
and the control and management of tick-borne diseases. Tick distributions are potentially influenced by a
wide range of factors, including their hosts, their external biophysical environment (particularly rainfall,
temperature, and altitude), vegetation structure, soil type (eggs are layed in the soil), human impacts such
as dipping and pesticide regimes, and predation from oxpeckers, egrets, and reptiles. Consideration of
tick host specificity indicates that ticks exhibit a continuum of host preferences, ranging from highly
specialised to extremely generalist. Our spatially explicit data can be used to contrast different
hypotheses of species range limitation. We conclude that at broad scales, tick species occurrences are
limited by climate rather than by biotic influences. This result facilitates the assessment and prediction of
tick species range changes.
Using general linear models, we compare projected changes in tick species ranges across eight different
climate change scenarios. Each scenario has winners and losers. Projected changes in the species
ranges of key vector species have potentially important implications for veterinary disease control
measures, for the health of wildlife populations and the regulation of game and livestock translocations
between geographically distinct areas, and for human health.
3. Unlocking the treasures of the deep; digitization of Iziko South African
Museum’s Marine Biology data
Wayne Florence, Iziko South African Musuem
The marine invertebrate collection of the Iziko South African Museum is one of the largest and most
comprehensive in Africa. Eleven hand-written catalogues, dating back to 1871, have been used to record
the primary biodiversity data locked within the collection. Modern end user needs have rendered the
catalogues inadequate. In this talk previous digitization initiatives are reported on, with special attention
on the valuable contribution that OBIS and SABIF have made to unlock the data. In addition ideas around
potential application of the data within the South African context are discussed.
4. Data capture: the Durban Natural Science Museum story
Kirstin Williams, Durban Natural Science Museum
The Durban Natural Science Museum entomology collection consists of approximately 150 000
specimens covering most insect orders. Specimens were collected from 1897 to 2011 in 10 different
countries, mostly in Southern Africa. The specimen data is of high quality, mostly identified to species
level, with temporal and locality information. The specimens are well preserved. Most of the specimens
have been identified by recognised taxonomic experts. 100 000 records were previously captured leaving
approximately 50 000 specimens that still needed to be captured electronically. By utilising the SABIF
funding, we were able to employ 2 data capturers to complete the job. Approximately 40 000 records
were captured during 2011. The collection is now completely electronically captured. The quality of this
collection and particularly its temporal reach makes it of national strategic importance to biodiversity
research. This potential can only be realised if the data is digitised and accessible to the scientific
community.
5. Unlocking a wealth of biodiversity informatics: state of digitization of Iziko
South African Museum entomology collection
Simon van Noort
Department of Natural History, Iziko South African Museum, PO Box 61, Cape Town, 8000, South Africa.
E-mail: svannoort@iziko.org.za

6. The Iziko South African Museum Entomology collection is both historically important (specimens date
back to the 1850’s) and an actively expanding collection. Curated holdings have more than doubled
(factor of 2.5) over the last 20 years. When digitization commenced in 1990 the collection was estimated
to house half a million specimens. By the inception of the first funded SABIF digitization project at Iziko in
2006, collection associated staff had digitized 124 657 catalogue numbers (= c. 623 285 specimens) into
an in-house Clarian DOS-based database SAMDAT developed by Hamish Robertson. In-house
digitization continued to run concurrently with SABIF funded projects between 2006 and 2012. The
database was converted to Specify6 during 2011 and currently (as at 28 May 2012) contains 259 550
catalogue numbers = c. 1 297 750 specimens) of which 31.66% were digitized under the auspices of
SABIF funded projects (82 172 catalogue numbers = c. 410 860 specimens), the latter thus representing
a considerable contribution to the Iziko digitization initiative. The digitization process includes imaging of
specimens and associated data labels using either a high tech multifocus stacking imaging system
(Entovision) or digital SLR with macro lens for larger specimens. In excess of 13 000 images have been
captured (representing c. 2000 specimens). The majority of these are scientifically important type
specimens imaged under SABIF funded projects. Digitisation of the collection has provided a dataset that
will enable analyses and interpretation of historical and contemporary distribution and species richness
patterns of an economically and ecologically important group of organisms. This baseline data will provide
critical input to applied scientific disciplines and will allow for informed conservation management
decisions, which historically have excluded invertebrate data. Curation and digitization of the
unprocessed 5 million specimens in the collection will further add to this wealth of biodiversity information.
6. Capturing Africa’s Dung beetle diversity
Angelika Switala
Scarab Research Group, Department of Zoology & Entomology, University of Pretoria
akswitala@zoology.up.ac.za
South Africa has the richest regional diversity of dung beetles in Africa, and about 20% of the world
fauna. Dung beetles are among the most important providers of ecosystem services in natural and
agricultural areas but their populations are under serious threat due to increased habitat transformation,
ranging from overgrazing and bush-clearing for planted pastures to the use of cattle anti-parasitic drugs
which are excreted in the dung and inadvertently affect dung insects. In spite of their importance, and
threats posed to them, the biological and geographical information associated with large museum
collections in the country is inaccessible to potential users such as biodiversity scientists, conservation
planners and policy formulators. The extensive local museum holdings of specimens and their associated
data can contribute to the region’s sustainable development by ensuring that their Scarab data are
accessible. Consequently, the Scarab Research Group (SRG) at the University of Pretoria has
undertaken to taxonomically sort the species, collate and digitize the data of the three largest SA
museums, using a specially developed dung beetle database. Having done research scarabs for many
years, the SRG have a technically and scientifically skilled team of scientists available for this project and
have to date captured over 28 000 specimens in an Access-based relational database. The procedures
as well as challenges involved in capturing the data are discussed together with the numerous potential
applications of such a unique dataset.
7. Digitization of scientific material for research AND ACCESS TO INDIGENOUS
KNOWLEDGE
Ria Groenewald, Manager: Digitization, University of Pretoria Library Services
Email: ria.groenewald@up.ac.za
Twitter: @elecup Skype:ria.groenies
Tel: 012 420 3792

7. Digitization is starting to get momentum in South Africa but the role players are still flying solo.
Collaboration projects in the rest of the world are already running successfully, for example: a multi-
lingual online collection of millions of digitized items from European museums, libraries, archives and
multi-media collections on the Europeana portal (http://www.europeana.eu/portal/). The World Digital
Library (WDL) combines digitized items worldwide, while the Internet archive, as a non-profit digital
library, offering free universal access to digital material (http://archive.org/index.php).
The above efforts cannot be successful without partners contributing regularly to the platforms mentioned,
but also of the utmost importance are the drivers of such projects.
The question should be asked: what can Africans do for Africa? What about our intellectual property,
surely it should be showcased to the rest of the world without losing the rights thereto. When items are
displayed on the internet the more search options there are the better, therefor it is also proposed during
the paper that more than one access point should be available to the digitized content.
The paper will be the starting point to an open discussion on the possibility of a combined effort in Africa
to make digitized and born digital biodiversity material available on an open access platform. The aim of
such a platform, website or wiki will be to create awareness towards the valuable and groundbreaking
work that is and was done in Africa.
An initiative to combine Africa’s intellectual output on one web-display point is already unfolding on two
different fields by role-players in South Africa and partly Sub-Saharan Africa. Funding was made
available by the Carnegie Foundation for a combined digitization effort in South Africa and is driven by the
National Research Foundation. The Sub-Saharan effort is driven by a group organizing the ICADLA-
workshops and conferences. During the presentation of the paper the above will be discussed as well as
the draft National Digitization Policy of South Africa and the progress towards the final policy document.
The paper will raise questions concerning the above and discuss new initiatives needed to drive and give
momentum to the already existing initiatives.
It happens, so often during digitization that the original archival TIFF formats are neglected. The digital
preservation of the digitized material will be addressed as well as what it entails to keep a complete data
curation life-cycle going.
8. From 34 databases to just one: lessons from the successful conversion to
Specify at Iziko Museums
Hamish G. Robertson, Iziko Museums, PO Box 61, Cape Town 8000; email hrobertson@iziko.org.za
Recording of specimen information from Iziko Museum’s Natural History collections commenced in 1990
and with time, data sets for the different biodiversity, fossil and mineral collections have proliferated to the
extent that we ended up with 34 different databases, totalling nearly half a million records. SABI funding
to Willem Coetzer from SAIAB for conversion of databases at selected institutions to the Specify
database system, enabled us to start a conversion process of our databases to a single Specify system.
To date, 86% of our data records have been converted, with only the Cenozoic Palaeontology databases
remaining. In relation to the complexity of the undertaking, the conversion process has proceeded
smoothly. This talk outlines the critical ingredients for success in converting to Specify and the future
challenges we face.
9. Biodiversity Information in North Africa
Mohamed Elyes Kchouk

8. mohamedelyes@gmail.com
Biodiversity is a globally complex system continually evolving with time and space. A tremendous
collaborative effort has been done to gather ‘Biodiversity Information’ (BI) and although actual technology
makes it possible to monitor and ‘forecast’ Biodiversity conservation and sustainable use as we do with
weather, finance, sports, etc. several gaps are still preventing this to happen.
In North Africa, gaps have to do with 1) scientific data and scientists, 2) Information technology, and 3)
governmental institutions.
Scientific publications are available, and can be accessed through Intergovernmental Organizations
websites, such as CBD website (https://www.cbd.int/), RAMSAR (http://ramsar.wetlands.org), etc. or
National websites (Morocco: http://ma.chm-cbd.net/). However, in North Africa, the absence of a National
and Regional Information Management umbrella accompanied by lengthy national organizational
procedures prevents countries from making the best use of their Biodiversity knowledge to timely
contribute to the Global Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable use. International legal frameworks
such as MEAs have the potential to assist governments and may help achieve a Global BI Monitoring
System. Looking forward, developing countries would have to pay for a BI monitoring system they
contributed to put in place. Another MEA has probably to be drafted to clear rapidly the way for a Global
BI Monitoring system.
Biodiversity monitoring
1. Accounting for biodiversity –towards improving valuation validity for
Biodiversity Management
Collins C Ngwakwe (PhD), Associate Professor, School of Accountancy, Faculty of Management and
Law, University of Limpopo
Biodiversity information is the sine qua non for effective management of biological diversity
1
. Such
information would remain elusive if biodiversity is not brought to the books; hence accounting for
biodiversity via effective valuation has become very imperative in contemporary society obsessed by
biodiversity conservation, especially in Africa where most of the world’s endangered species lives, but are
under threat of extinction through human activities and climate change. To this end, using a review
approach, the paper begins with an appraisal of the benefits of biodiversity including the flora and fauna,
marine and animals that thus inform the imperative for accounting for biodiversity via proper valuation.
These benefits include inter alia the provision of employment, energy, food, industrial chemicals and raw
materials, social and cultural values (ECD, 1999)
2
. The paper finds and discourses a number of available
biodiversity valuation and accounting techniques, and highlights the problems inherent in some
contemporary valuation techniques; it notes that such valuation problems may incapacitate effective
biodiversity management and thus hamper desired conservation. It then proceeds to make suggestions
towards improving the validity of valuation techniques to provide relevant information for the effective
management and conservation of biodiversity in Africa. The paper offers agenda for further research on
the role of biodiversity valuation and accounting for biodiversity information management in Africa.
Key words: biodiversity information, biodiversity management, biodiversity valuation, biodiversity
accounting, biodiversity research, climate change, sustainable environment.
1
Edwards, J.L., Lane, M.A.., Nielsen E.S. (2000) Interoperability of biodiversity databases: Biodiversity information on every desk
top, Science Vol. 289 (29 September): pp. 2312-2314.
2
OECD (1999) Handbook of Incentives Measures for Biodiversity: Design and Implementation, Paris: OECD
Publishing.

9. 2. The basis of a GM-related monitoring program in South Africa: what to
monitor and why?
James Rhodes |Research Officer | Biosafety South Africa, Somerset West
The basis of all regulatory activities associated with GMOs, including post-release monitoring, should be
based on a comprehensive risk analysis. Although there is some variation in how risk analysis
frameworks are presented they always follow the same basic, iterative steps, i.e. setting the context and
scope, risk assessment, risk decision-making and risk communication. Monitoring forms part of the risk
management activities under risk decision-making and its goals, endpoints and threshold values are
based on the context, scope and assessment outcomes of the initial two steps. Monitoring must be fully
integrated into the national decision making and management processes as defined by the national
regulatory framework, taking into consideration the responsibilities of the different role players. However
when doing this within the South African national regulatory system care should be taken not to detach
monitoring from the initial risk analysis process, as this could lead to duplication, divergence and/or
conflict.
3. An indicator-based approach to assessing the effects of fishing on marine
ecosystems across the globe
Lynne Shannon, Marta Coll, Yunne Shin, Alida Bundy
Changes in marine biodiversity are being observed worldwide in response to anthropogenic drivers as
well as environmental change. In particular, the ecosystem impacts of fishing are widely recognised and
several efforts are underway to measure and track these changes. Indicators are being sought as a
means of monitoring changes in biodiversity, and for communicating these changes to the general public,
stakeholders and managers. The Biodiversity and Conservation-based Indicator Task Group, under the
IndiSeas Working Group (see www.indiseas.org), aims to integrate conservation‐based and biodiversity
issues in the diagnosis of ecosystem state and trends in response to fishing by adding to a previously
selected set of ecological indicators. Eight ecological indicators aimed at capturing the consequences of
fishing for biodiversity have been selected for comparative analyses across over 30 fished marine
ecosystems: proportion predatory fish in the community, proportion of under-and moderately exploited
stocks, proportion of exploited species with declining biomass, intrinsic vulnerability index of the catch,
marine trophic index (of landings), relative abundance of flagship species, trophic level of the surveyed
and modelled communities, and discards. The comparative indicators-based approach will be presented
and preliminary insights into fishing effects on biodiversity will be provided from new work currently
underway.
4. Alien and invasive marine animals in South Africa
Prof Charles Griffiths – Zoology Department and Centre for Invasion Biology, University of Cape Town.
Charles.Griffiths@uct.ac.za
Some 670 alien or invasive animal species are currently known from South Africa. Of these 550 are
terrestrial, 40 occur in freshwater and 80 are marine. This presentation examines only the marine
component of this fauna. Marine species have been continuously introduced since the time of the earliest
European explorers, although the vectors of introduction have changed greatly over that time. All but two
marine introductions have been accidental (in marked contrast to other habitats, where many were
deliberately introduced as ornamentals, for sport or as bio-control agents). Crustaceans, cnidarians,
molluscs and ascidians are the four most diverse groups, together accounting for over 70% of species.
The majority of species originate from Europe, but some come from Pacific North or South America, Asia

10. or Australia. Most introductions remain confined to harbours, lagoons and aquaculture facilities and only
one occurs offshore. Only a few have become widespread along the open coast, or in estuaries, but
these have transformed intertidal rocky habitats, particularly those along the west coast.
5. Using the local knowledge of residents to map the distribution of wildlife
on private MOSS land within the Molweni River catchment area located in
the Outer West suburbs of Durban, South Africa.
Paul Seaman, School of Life Sciences, University of Kwazulu-Natal
The Molweni River has its source in a core Metropolitan Open Space System (MOSS) area, the
Springside Nature Reserve, located in Hillcrest, and together with its feeder streams and tributaries, the
Molweni drains into another core area, the Krantzkloof Nature Reserve. The corridor between these
core areas and the associated MOSS falls mainly on private land. Regional community newspapers were
used to enquire about the wildlife experience of residents in the target area. Proof of their experience
was requested in the form of photographs, video clips and sound recordings. However, where such proof
did not exist, anecdotes concerning their experience were taken into account. Some residents were
approached for face to face, formal interviews, while others were interviewed via e-mail or telephone.
Visitations to the various sites were undertaken on invite. Interviews requesting information on the
threats to the biodiversity on MOSS land then followed. Photographs and sound clips were sent to
interested residents to aid them in looking out for, and identifying, animals that were identified for the
target area. An interpretive approach was used to analyze the transcripts obtained from the interviews.
Knowledge of the wildlife diversity on private MOSS land in the target area can provide insight into the
degree of connectivity between core areas and private MOSS land and can determine the extent to which
private land acts as a refuge for threatened and endangered species. Furthermore, the results of this
study can provide an indication of how effective the MOSS strategy is in achieving its aims and objectives
and the associated threats to achieving these goals. The study has found that the public are quite willing
to provide information on their wildlife sightings with some residents providing a wealth of knowledge and
experience. Response was found to be well spread throughout the target area with photographic
evidence of endangered and near-threatened species located on private MOSS land.
6. Species specific effects of marine reserves: differences in diversity,
density and size structures of intertidal limpets in rock pools among
exploited and unexploited sites
a
*Loqo, T and
ab
Nakin, MDV
a
Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology, Walter Sisulu University, Private
Bag X1 Mthatha 5117, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
ab
Risk and Vulnerability Assessment Centre, Walter Sisulu University, Private Bag X1, Mthatha 5117,
Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
Exploitation of marine resources produces impacts at all ecological levels and Marine Protected Areas
(MPAs) were established with the aim of conserving these marine and coastal resources. This study
investigated the hypothesis of similar diversity, density and size structure of intertidal limpets in rock pools
of exploited and unexploited sites. A comparison of limpet diversity, mean density and size structures, in
rock pools, was done monthly at two unexploited (Dwesa–Cwebe and Hluleka Nature Reserves) and two
exploited sites (Nqabara & Presley’s Bay). Preliminary results indicate no differences in limpet diversity
and mean maximum sizes inside and outside reserves. Mean sizes of common species (Cellana
capensis, Siphonaria concinna, S. serrata, Helcion concolor and H. pruinosus) were higher inside marine

11. reserves. This can be attributed to the harvest and collection of bigger-sized individuals at exploited sites.
Mean density of common species was highest in unexploited sites. These results highlight the importance
of considering rock pools in designing MPAs and understanding limpet assemblages in rock pools can be
useful in biodiversity management.
Keywords: limpets, rock pools, marine protected areas (MPAs), diversity, density, size structure,
exploited, unexploited.
7. The Working for Water Programme: A decade in biocontrol implementation
Key words: biological control, database, post release evaluation, monitoring
Sharp, D. Natural Resource Programmes, Department of Environmental Affairs, Cape Town
DSharp@environment.gov.za
The Working for Water programme’s biological control programme, under the Department of Water Affairs
was initiated in January 2001 with the first appointment of a biological control officer. This was the start of
the very successful biocontrol implementation programme over a decade ago. The original budget for the
implementation of this programme was under R400 000, but has grown to an impressive amount of R
16.7m and covers all nine provinces. This programme has seen its share of challenges over the past
decade but also has some valuable information to share.
There have been over 6000 releases done over the past decade with both once-off and repeat releases
done. The agents that were released differed in the nine provinces, depending on their priority invasive
species. The species with the widest release site range is Acacia mearnsii and has had releases done
into the same sites for over ten years.
The releases onto some species with a disperse range of agents also shows some interesting results on
environmental ranges and suitability for biocontrol agents.
The majority of the old sites are now at a stage where post release evaluation monitoring and
presence/absence monitoring has become very important. Working for water teams have been recruited
to assist with presence/absence monitoring to assist with data collection for a national biocontrol
database that will be made available on the web.
8. The status of aquatic weed biocontrol in South Africa – an assessment of
long-term monitoring data, and the need for a functional database
Julie Coetzee Department of Zoology and Entomology, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, 6140
Long-term monitoring of biological control programmes to assess the successes and failures are an often-
neglected aspect of the discipline, largely due to time and financial constraints. Such assessments are
crucial in aiding future management decisions. As part of a Rhodes University/Working for Water
collaboration, we have conducted surveys of South African water bodies on an annual basis since 2008,
to determine the status of biological control of the most important aquatic weeds in South Africa: water
hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), parrot’s feather (Myriophyllum spicatum), salvinia (Salvinia molesta),
water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes) and red water fern (Azolla filculoides); and aim to develop a repository for
this information in a user-friendly database. Sites with known infestations, new sites brought to our
attention by landowners and extension officers, and incidental sites are assessed for the type of
infestation, and the degree of control. Both qualitative and quantitative data analyses show that the
majority of these weeds are under successful biological control, with no further implementation required,
while water hyacinth remains the most problematic, largely due to interference from herbicide spraying
regimes, and uncoordinated control programmes. The development of an interactive database remains a
goal, but to date, no appropriate database has been developed.

12. 9. Management of information on biocontrol agents for invasive alien plants
in South Africa
H. Klein & A.J. McConnachie, ARC-Plant Protection Research Institute, E-mail KleinH@arc.agric.za
To ensure that the South Africa receives the full benefit of biological control agents released against
invasive alien plants (IAPs), information about the agents and their distribution needs to be managed
effectively. Land managers need to plan their clearing activities around the presence of biocontrol agents,
and therefore need access to the relevant information. Biocontrol researchers need information about the
redistribution and establishment of agents to enable them to keep their records updated and make
decisions on further research directions where necessary. Information generated by researchers is
currently available in several formats. A complete published record of the biological control of IAPs in
South Africa, spanning almost a century, exists in various peer-reviewed journals. Three compilations of
reviews have been published at approximately 10-year intervals, the latest of which appeared in 2011 as
a Special Issue of African Entomology. The official table summarising all released biocontrol agents is
kept updated on ARC’s webpage at http://www.arc.agric.za/home.asp?pid=7062. Fact sheets on
the invasive species and their biocontrol agents are available on ARC’s website at
http://www.arc.agric.za/home.asp?pid=7102. Each biocontrol researcher keeps a record of
release sites, release dates and numbers, and establishment of each agent. This information will need to
be centralised and co-ordinated. Reports on all research activities and outcomes are submitted regularly
to the Working for Water Programme, as funders of the research. Provision has been made in the
Southern African Plant Invaders Atlas (SAPIA) database to incorporate release sites and localities where
agents are established. For older projects, various agencies have or still are redistributing biocontrol
agents, but particulars are not always available to researchers. Discussions with practitioners and
biodiversity auditors are essential to devise ways of managing this information more effectively in a
database.
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