Alien plant species list and distribution for Camdeboo National Park, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

Llewellyn C Foxcroft,Mmoto L Masubelele,Suzanne J Milton

doi:10.4102/koedoe.v51i1.515

Llewellyn C Foxcroft, Mmoto L Masubelele + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.4102/koedoe.v51i1.515

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Abstract

Protected areas globally are threatened by the potential negative impacts that invasive alien plants pose, and Camdeboo National Park (CNP), South Africa, is no exception. Alien plants have been recorded in the CNP since 1981, before it was proclaimed a national park by South African National Parks in 2005. This is the first publication of a list of alien plants in and around the CNP. Distribution maps of some of the first recorded alien plant species are also presented and discussed. To date, 39 species of alien plants have been recorded, of which 13 are invasive and one is a transformer weed. The majority of alien plant species in the park are herbaceous (39%) and succulent (24%) species. The most widespread alien plant species in the CNP are Atriplex inflata (= A. lindleyi subsp. inflata), Salsola tragus (= S. australis) and cacti species, especially Opuntia ficus-indica. Eradication and control measures that have been used for specific problematic alien plant species are described. Conservation implications: This article represents the first step in managing invasive alien plants and includes the collation of a species list and basic information on their distribution in and around the protected area. This is important for enabling effective monitoring of both new introductions and the distribution of species already present. We present the first species list and distribution information for Camdeboo National Park.

Highlights

Protected areas globally are under threat from invasive alien plants (Pauchard & Alaback 2004), as they change habitats and threaten resources, ecosystem services and indigenous species
We present the first species list and distribution information for Camdeboo National Park
The Eastern Cape Province of South Africa falls within the Albany Centre for Endemism, which has the highest number of plant extinctions, mainly as a result of agriculture, overgrazing, urbanisation and invasive alien plants (Smith & Wilson 2002)

Summary

Introduction

Protected areas globally are under threat from invasive alien plants (Pauchard & Alaback 2004), as they change habitats and threaten resources, ecosystem services and indigenous species. Alien plant species with established populations on park boundaries frequently encroach into the parks. For these reasons, a number of South Africa’s national parks, for example Table Mountain National Park (Alston & Richardson 2006) and Kruger National Park (Foxcroft 2007), have been shown to be threatened by invasive alien plants. The Eastern Cape Province of South Africa falls within the Albany Centre for Endemism, which has the highest number of plant extinctions, mainly as a result of agriculture, overgrazing, urbanisation and invasive alien plants (Smith & Wilson 2002). Climate change and invasive alien plants are regarded as the major threats to Camdeboo National Park (CNP), the largest protected area within the Albany Centre of Endemism (Camdeboo National Park 2006)

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