Garden Route National Park Research Articles

EXAMINING CURRENT AND FUTURE CHALLENGES OF SEA LEVEL RISE ON COASTAL NATIONAL PARKS

Over the past decade, the increase in extreme weather events requires each sector to reflect on vulnerabilities to develop strategies for ramping up climate action. Owing to the shortage of climate data, significant knowledge gaps exist in some sectors of society and the economy, particularly in developing countries such as Africa. This has caused challenges for adaptation and resilience building as governments and other stakeholders cannot leverage knowledge for policy and practice and to seek funding for climate change action. This study responds to this knowledge by examining sea level challenges and their implications on coastal national parks in South Africa. The key question for this study is the most at-risk areas regarding sea level in coastal national parks and the implications of sea level on coastal national parks. The study utilises primary, secondary and archival data to arrive at conclusions. The study also uses climate change modelling data from SSP2-4.5 and SSP3-7.0. The study found that the most vulnerable coastal park in South Africa is the Garden Route National Park, which has the highest sea level rise, which will result in the Knysna section followed by the Cape Point section of Table Mountain, which will see the areas witnessing a 1m rise in sea level around 2100. Sea level rise is a threat to infrastructure, heritage, beaches, tourism employees and tourist safety, to mention but a few. The study recommends scaling up climate change action to assist the parks in adapting and building climate change resilience.

Waterbird community changes in the Wilderness Lakes, South Africa (Part 3 of 3): Diving piscivores and scavengers

Estuarine waterbodies typically support diverse and abundant waterbird communities. However, global environmental degradation as a result of anthropogenic activities is leading to species level changes in biodiversity, with top predators such as piscivorous waterbirds being particularly vulnerable to ecosystem changes. The study aimed to document long-term spatial and temporal patterns of abundance of piscivorous and scavenging waterbirds in the Wilderness Lakes Complex (WLC) in the Garden Route National Park, South Africa, and where possible identify potential causes for observed trends. The abundance of waterbirds on these wetlands was determined biannually from 1992 to 2019, with counts conducted from a boat following a standardised route. Historical waterbird abundance data from the 1980s were also used to describe long-term abundance changes. Eight of the species exhibited seasonal variability in abundance with most, excluding Common Tern Sterna hirundo, being more abundant in winter. Substantial changes occurred in the abundance of several species over the four-decade study period, notably increases in Cape Cormorant Phalacrocorax capensis and Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus, and decreases in Common Tern and Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis. Long-term abundance trends indicate a combination of declining, increasing, and stable populations. Although some species have undergone contrasting abundance changes on different waterbodies in the WLC the dominant pattern was a similar direction of change on most or all waterbodies and in different seasons. Local reasons for changes probably include loss of sandbanks, changing prey availability, and the absence of recreational disturbance on some waterbodies.Conservation implications: Drivers of changes in the abundances of piscivores are likely to be multifaceted, functioning on multiple spatial and temporal scales, and affecting different species in different ways. Recommended local corrective actions include managing emergent macrophyte encroachment on sandbanks, reducing recreational disturbance, managing processes affecting indigenous fish stocks, and protecting nesting sites.

Passive restoration of fynbos after afforestation with exotic pines, South Africa

Plantations, and associated invasions, of exotic Pinus trees occur extensively in the southern hemisphere, threatening the persistence of biodiverse Mediterranean‐climate vegetation. Large‐scale decommissioning of such plantations in the eastern Cape Floristic Region (South Africa) enabled a wide‐ranging study showing successful passive restoration of fynbos vegetation after afforestation. Using a paired study design, we compared the diversity, and floristic and growth‐form composition of post‐fire recovering fynbos in former plantations with that in recently burnt neighboring fynbos in a natural state within the Garden Route National Park. The fynbos of the study area showed good autogenic recovery after several decades of pine afforestation and a fire subsequent to the clearcutting of these trees. On average, native plant abundance and species richness (particularly of shrubs) were significantly lower, and non‐native plant species richness significantly higher, in former plantation areas than in natural fynbos, but these differences were small. Species diversity (Shannon–Wiener index) did not differ significantly between the two vegetation states. The former plantations harbored 91% of the number of native species that the natural fynbos had, while the similarity of the two floras was 65%. Non‐metric multidimensional scaling ordination and multivariate generalized linear models accordingly showed no clear distinction in community composition between the two vegetation states. We concluded that the restoration potential of the montane grassy fynbos in the study area is superior to that previously documented in montane proteoid fynbos, and that fire and invasive alien plant control after clearcutting of the plantations is essential to promote fynbos restoration.

Water beetles (Coleoptera) associated with Afrotemperate Forest patches in the Garden Route National Park, South Africa.

Southern Afrotemperate Forest is concentrated in the southern Cape region of South Africa and whilst it is relatively well known botanically, the fauna, specifically the aquatic invertebrate fauna, is poorly documented. The majority of remaining intact forest habitat is contained within the Garden Route National Park (GRNP), which straddles the provincial boundary between the Western and Eastern Cape. This study undertakes a survey of the water beetle fauna inhabiting the GRNP. The aquatic ecosystems within temperate forests of the region are poorly researched from an ecological and biodiversity perspective, despite being known to harbour endemic invertebrate elements. We collected water beetles and in situ physico-chemical data from a total of 31 waterbodies across the park over two seasons (summer and late winter) in 2017. The waterbodies sampled were mostly small freshwater perennial streams and isolated forest ponds. A total of 61 beetle taxa was recorded (29 Adephaga, 32 Polyphaga) from these waterbodies. The water beetle fauna of these forests appears to be diverse and contains many species endemic to the fynbos-dominated Cape Floristic Region, but very few of the species appear to be forest specialists. This is in contrast to the fynbos heathland habitat of the region, which harbours a high number of water beetle species endemic to this habitat, often with Gondwanan affinity. Our study is the first to document the water beetles of Afrotemperate Forests in the southern Cape region and provides an important baseline for future work on such habitats in the region and in other parts of southern Africa.

Futures consciousness and governance transitions for climate adaptation in South African protected areas

ABSTRACT In the context of climate change, protected areas play an important role in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals and addressing resource nexus challenges. However, setting protected areas for long-term conservation is often criticised for using narratives based on political, economic, and scientific assumptions to justify which elements of nature should be conserved and what actions should be implemented, creating a sense that conservation outcomes are desirable and universally accepted. Such narratives exclude other voices, values, and practices, limiting alternative options for the future. Adapting protected areas to climate change requires innovative approaches to address societal challenges and critically examining conservation strategies to make informed decisions under scenarios of change. This article presents the case of the Garden Route National Park in South Africa and the approach used to co-create inclusive visions of the future with local stakeholders. I draw on theoretical insights and empirical data collected through interviews with the park staff to describe the use of futures consciousness as an approach to understanding how people perceive change, prepare for, and embrace the future. I explore how people’s perceptions of change mobilize action to address complex problems and create alternative imaginaries beyond spatial and temporal boundaries. Futures consciousness can contribute to understanding processes that enable or constrain transformation and identifying options for mobilising change towards desired future goals. The findings can help managers examine individual and collective assumptions about adaptation, inform future-oriented practices and advance opportunities for transformational change to build resilient, just futures for nature and people.

Molecular characterisation of three species of Coitocaecum (Digenea: Opecoelidae) infecting Clinus superciliosus (Clinidae) in South Africa, with description of Coitocaecum brayi sp. n.

The genus Coitocaecum Nicoll, 1915 is part of the most speciose digenean family, the Opecoelidae Ozaki, 1925, which is found globally in both freshwater and marine fishes. Fifteen opecoelid species have been reported from marine fishes in South Africa, yet only one species of Coitocaecum has been described from this region: Coitocaecum capense Bray, 1987. During an explorative study of the digeneans of the endemic, intertidal fish Clinus superciliosus (Linnaeus) from the Saldanha Bay area, Cape Town harbour, Hermanus, the Tsitsikamma section of the Garden Route National Park and Chintsa East in South Africa, a total of three distinct species of Coitocaecum were identified based on morphological and molecular (28S rDNA, ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 rDNA and COI mtDNA) data: the previously mentioned C. capense, Coitocaecum brayi sp. n. and a third, unnamed species. We provide the first molecular characterisation of species of Coitocaecum from South Africa, accompanied by detailed morphological descriptions. This study illustrates the importance of an integrated taxonomic approach, especially when studying species with similar morphology. These findings further emphasise the lack of information on the true diversity and molecular data for trematodes of marine fishes in South Africa, creating a great capacity for future explorative taxonomic studies and highlighting the use of intertidal areas for conducting such research.

Effects of Acacia melanoxylon, an alien tree species to South Africa, on Afrotemperate forest tree sapling composition

The alien tree Acacia melanoxylon (R.Br.) occurs extensively in the Southern Cape Afrotemperate Forest (South Africa). Concerns exist about its potential negative effects on indigenous tree sapling communities, ultimately with implications for forest composition and structure. We investigated whether Acacia melanoxylon affects Afrotemperate forest tree sapling composition in the Garden Route National Park. Using a paired plot design, we compared sapling species richness, diversity and density underneath 30 overstorey Acacia melanoxylon trees and 30 indigenous counterparts of the species Podocarpus latifolius (Thunb.) R.Br. ex Mirb, Afrocarpus falcatus (Thunb.) C.N.Page, or Olea capensis macrocarpa (C.H.Wright) I.Verd. We recorded 2 503 tree saplings from 27 indigenous species and only three Acacia melanoxylon saplings in the 60 plots. There were no significant differences in the richness, diversity or density of saplings underneath Acacia melanoxylon trees versus their indigenous counterparts. Non-metric multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis accordingly showed only minor differences in sapling species composition and abundance between Acacia melanoxylon and indigenous overstorey trees. We concluded that indigenous tree sapling composition is not significantly altered by the presence of Acacia melanoxylon trees at the densities (< 3 trees ha−1) at which this species commonly occurs in Afrotemperate forest in the Garden Route National Park. However, populations of Acacia melanoxylon in the forest interior act as a source of propagules for invasion in forest margins, riparian areas and neighbouring fynbos shrubland, while at high density the species may alter forest gap-forming dynamics. These invasive attributes need to be considered in the management of the species in the region.

Whose Sense of Place? Catering for Residents and Tourists from an Open-Access Protected Area in South Africa

In addition to providing benefits to people, protected areas are valued in ways that go beyond the tangible. A sense of place, and the collection of values, feelings, and meanings associated with a place, can illuminate people-place relationships. Understanding how people relate to a place is essential in acquiring support for protected areas. This research investigates tourists’ and residents’ sense of place in Knysna, an open-access section of the Garden Route National Park, South Africa. Data was collected through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The sense of place was characterised using five variables: physical, cultural, social, dependent, and ideological. Although ‘physical’ was the dominant variable for both tourists and residents, the ‘ideological’ for residents and the ‘cultural’ for tourists came second, highlighting the importance of safe places and recreational activities, respectively. The physical environment influences sense of place, and the importance of protected areas to stakeholders offers an opportunity for management to engage with the public.

Where ecologically ‘tis better to go brown than green: enhanced seagrass macrobenthic biodiversity within the canals of a brownfield coastal marina

At the start of the 21st century, a coastal residential-estate marina was developed on a previously degraded and polluted brownfield island site within Knysna estuarine bay, Garden Route National Park, South Africa, including the creation of 25 ha of new flow-through tidal canals. Canals near the larger entrance to this system now support permanently submerged beds of seagrass, which in turn support abundant macrobenthic invertebrates. In comparison with equivalent seagrass-associated assemblages present in natural channels around the island, those in the artificial marina canals were similarly structured and dominated by the same species, but the marina assemblages were significantly more species-rich (1.4 x on average) and were more abundant. Indeed, this area of marina supports the richest seagrass-associated macrofaunal biodiversity yet recorded from South Africa. The canals created de novo therefore now form a valuable addition to the bay’s marine habitat, in marked contrast to the generality that marinas developed on greenfield sites represent a net reduction in intertidal and shallow marine area and associated seagrass-associated benthos. If located and constructed appropriately, brownfield marina development and conservation of coastal marine biodiversity clearly need not be antithetical, and brownfield sites may provide opportunity for the location and management of ‘artificial marine micro-reserves’ or for the action of ‘other effective area-based conservation measures’ for soft-sediment faunas.

Evaluating and reflecting on coproduction of protected area management plans

ABSTRACTProtected areas are complex social‐ecological systems, hence their management should be guided by engagement and co‐learning with diverse stakeholders. The challenge of effective stakeholder participation has generated a body of literature on the design and facilitation of coproduction processes. In this study, we used this literature to develop a principle‐based framework for assessing coproduction. We then applied this framework to evaluate how well “adaptive planning” (a sub‐process of adaptive management used for visioning and objective setting with stakeholders), as applied to the Garden Route National Park in South Africa, aligned with the ideals of coproduction. Our analysis revealed shortcomings in the adaptive planning process, which could be improved through broadening the agenda beyond the mandate and control of national parks, empowering collective agency among a wider stakeholder network, and embedding co‐learning with stakeholders as an ongoing journey. A significant finding was that adaptive management does not align well with the ideals of coproduction, which may be better supported by an adaptive co‐management approach. The latter is particularly necessary in complex national parks that are diverse in terms of both ecosystems and stakeholders, and where governance may be contested.

Newly identified hominin trackways from the Cape south coast of South Africa

Three new Pleistocene hominin tracksites have been identified on the Cape south coast of South Africa, one in the Garden Route National Park and two in the Goukamma Nature Reserve, probably dating to Marine Isotope Stage 5. As a result, southern Africa now boasts six hominin tracksites, which are collectively the oldest sites in the world that are attributed to Homo sapiens. The tracks were registered on dune surfaces, now preserved in aeolianites. Tracks of varying size were present at two sites, indicating the presence of more than one trackmaker, and raising the possibility of family groups. A total of 18 and 32 tracks were recorded at these two sites, respectively. Ammoglyphs were present at one site. Although track quality was not optimal, and large aeolianite surface exposures are rare in the region, these sites prove the capacity of coastal aeolianites to yield such discoveries, and they contribute to what remains a sparse global hominin track record. It is evident that hominin tracks are more common in southern Africa than was previously supposed.&#x0D; Significance:&#x0D; &#x0D; Three new Pleistocene hominin trackways have been identified on the Cape south coast, bringing thenumber of known fossil hominin tracksites in southern Africa to six.&#x0D; The tracks were all registered on dune surfaces, now preserved as aeolianites.&#x0D; These are the six oldest tracksites in the world that are attributed to Homo sapiens.&#x0D; Hominin tracks are more common in southern Africa than was previously supposed.&#x0D;

Do beds of subtidal estuarine seagrass constitute a refuge for macrobenthic biodiversity threatened intertidally?

Biodiversity differentials between macrobenthic assemblages associated with adjacent intertidal and subtidal areas of a single seagrass system were investigated for the first time. Assemblage metrics of conservation relevance—faunal abundance and its patchiness, faunal richness, and beta diversity—were examined at four contrasting dwarf-eelgrass localities in the Knysna estuarine bay, part of South Africa's Garden Route National Park but a system whose intertidal areas are heavily impacted anthropogenically. Faunal assemblages were significantly different across all localities and between subtidal and intertidal levels at each locality although their taxonomic distinctness was effectively constant. Although, as would be expected, there were clear trends for increases in overall numbers of species towards the mouth at all levels, few generalities relating to the relative importance of the subtidal seagrass habitat were evident across the whole system—magnitude and direction of differentials were contingent on locality. Shore-height related differences in assemblage metrics were minor in the estuarine and lagoonal zones but major in the marine compartment, although the much greater subtidal faunal abundance there was largely consequent on the superabundance of a single species (the microgastropod Alaba pinnae), intertidal zones then displaying the greater species diversity due to greater equitability of species densities. Along its axial channel, the Knysna subtidal seagrass does not support richer versions of the intertidal polychaete-dominated assemblages fringing it; instead, it supports different and more patchily dispersed gastropod-dominated ones. At Knysna at least, the subtidal hardly constitutes a reservoir of the seagrass biodiversity present intertidally.

Poroid Hymenochaetaceae associated with trees showing wood-rot symptoms in the Garden Route National Park of South Africa

ABSTRACT Poroid Hymenochaetaceae associated with wood rots of trees in three timber-harvesting compartments of the Garden Route National Park (GRNP), South Africa, were investigated using multilocus phylogenetic analyses and morphology of the basidiomes. Results revealed the presence of 10 species belonging to five genera. Six of the species are known, but four are described as new. The known species include Fomitiporia capensis, Fuscoporia gilva, Sanghuangporus microcystideus, Tropicoporus tropicalis, Inonotus rickii, and Inonotus setuloso-croceus. The new species are described as Fomitiporia tsitsikamensis, Fulvifomes elaeodendri, Fuscoporia pulviniformis, and Phellinus guttiformis.

Pleistocene large reptile tracks and probable swim traces on South Africa’s Cape south coast

The Cape south coast of South Africa contains a wealth of Pleistocene vertebrate trace fossil sites in aeolianites and cemented foreshore deposits. Published studies have described mammal and avian tracksites identified along this coastline. We report here on a number of Pleistocene palaeosurfaces within the Garden Route National Park that exhibit tracks of large reptiles, including probable swim traces. The tracks were probably made by more than one species, and may include a crocodylian. There are no extant reptiles in this coastal region capable of making such tracks and traces, which probably represent an indication of a previously more extensive range for the Nile crocodile and a monitor lizard. These findings demonstrate the potential for ichnology to complement the traditional body fossil record. Two Middle Stone Age stone artifacts were found embedded in one palaeosurface containing multiple reptile trackways. These discoveries have implications for the understanding of Pleistocene palaeoenvironment and palaeoclimate – in an area which is important in the study of modern human origins.&#x0D; Significance:&#x0D; &#x0D; Large reptile Pleistocene fossil tracksites have recently been discovered on the Cape south coast of South Africa where there are no previous such records, and no reptiles of this size are currently found in the region.&#x0D; These sites include the first reported probable reptile swim traces in Africa and one tracksite also contained two Middle Stone Age artifacts.&#x0D; These discoveries have implications for Pleistocene environments and climate on the Cape south coast.&#x0D;

New species in the sponge genus Tsitsikamma (Poecilosclerida, Latrunculiidae) from South Africa.

The genus Tsitsikamma Samaai & Kelly, 2002 is to date exclusively reported from South Africa. Three species are known from the southern coast: Tsitsikamma favus Samaai & Kelly, 2002, from the Garden Route National Park Tsitsikamma Marine Protected Area (MPA) and Algoa Bay; T. pedunculata Samaai, Gibbons, Kelly and Davies-Coleman, 2003, collected from Cape Recife in St. Francis Bay, and T. scurra Samaai, Gibbons, Kelly and Davies-Coleman, 2003, collected from a wreck site in a small bay west of Hout Bay on the west coast of South Africa. Here two new species are described: Tsitsikamma michaeli Parker-Nance, sp. nov., a small green purse-like species, collected from Algoa Bay, and Tsitsikamma nguni Parker-Nance, sp. nov., from The Garden Route National Park, Tsitsikamma MPA. Additional morphological characteristics, spicule morphology, and distribution records are provided for T. favus and T. pedunculata from Algoa Bay. The phylogenetic relationship of these five Tsitsikamma species is investigated.

Taxonomy and species diversity of Ganoderma species in the Garden Route National Park of South Africa inferred from morphology and multilocus phylogenies

ABSTRACTGanoderma is a cosmopolitan genus that encompasses species with cultural, economic, and pathogenic importance. Despite the importance of this genus, knowledge pertaining to the species diversity of Ganoderma in South Africa is limited. This study aimed at elucidating the identity and phylogenetic placements of Ganoderma samples obtained during a survey of wood-rotting fungi in the Garden Route National Park (GRNP) of South Africa, supplemented with isolates obtained from other localities across the country. Identification was achieved by means of multilocus phylogenetic inference combined with morphological evaluation. In total, eight distinct species of Ganoderma were recovered from different hosts and localities across the country. Of these, Ganoderma cf. cupreum and Ganoderma cf. resinaceum represent possible new records for South Africa. Two novel species are described, namely, G. eickeri. and G. knysnamense. Ganoderma eickeri, sp. nov., is characterized by a triquetrous and broadly attached basidiome, a sulcate or zonate yellowish brown to brown pilear surface, and ovoid to ellipsoid basidiospores. Ganoderma knysnamense is distinguished by an applanate to ungulate, sometimes convex, dimidiate to broadly attached basidiome, a chocolate-brown pilear surface covered with a hard woody-like crust and ellipsoid, broadly ellipsoid to ovoid basidiospores. The discovery of two new Ganoderma species in this study raises the known Ganoderma species in South Africa to 13.

New fossil sea turtle trackway morphotypes from the Pleistocene of South Africa highlight role of ichnology in turtle paleobiology

AbstractMore than 130 late Pleistocene trackway sites from the coastal eolianites and beach deposits of the Cape south coast, South Africa, have previously mostly yielded tracks of large mammals and birds. However, two sites east of Still Bay, and a third near Garden Route National Park, yield distinctive trackways of hatchling sea turtles, made during the short posthatching (postemergence) interval when the trackmakers headed for the sea. One assemblage of approximately parallel trackways indicates smaller loggerhead turtle hatchlings, with alternating gaits, and contrasts with a wider trackway indicating a leatherback turtle hatchling. These are the world's first reports of fossil traces that document this brief “run-for the-sea” phenomenon. They help delineate late Pleistocene sea turtle breeding ranges and indicate climatic conditions along the Cape south coast. Ichnotaxonomically defined swim tracks of large adult sea turtles are known from a few Mesozoic sites. Likewise, walking and swim traces of terrestrial freshwater turtles are also known from the Mesozoic and Cenozoic. However, as no ichnotaxonomy exists for these diagnostic hatchling trails, we assign the trackways of the inferred loggerheads to the new ichnotaxonAustralochelichnus agulhasiiichnogen. et ichnosp. nov., and the inferred leatherback trackway toMarinerichnus latusichnogen. et ichnosp. nov.

Use of a rapid roadside survey to detect potentially invasive plant species along the Garden Route, South Africa

Early detection of emerging or sleeper weeds and monitoring of alien plant invasions forms the foundation of effective invasive alien plant management. Using a rapid roadside survey technique, we aimed to (1) establish a baseline of alien plant distribution and abundance along roads in the Garden Route, South Africa, and (2) identify priority species (particularly sleeper weeds) and priority areas to inform appropriate management action. We surveyed along 530 km of roads and recorded 109 alien and/or extralimital species across 1942 point locations. Of these, 35 species were considered to be sleeper weeds on account of displaying estimated dispersal distances distinctive of invasive plants and not being listed by the South African Plant Invaders Atlas (SAPIA) or regulated by South African legislation. Roads along natural forest and fynbos vegetation (often within the Garden Route National Park) displayed lower incidences of alien plants than those associated with degraded or transformed land, with roads along farmland associated with the highest incidences of alien plants. Roads in the Southern Cape region had more species and higher densities of alien plants than roads in the Tsitsikamma region, and a few species were exclusive to either.Conservation implications: Our inventory contributed significant new records and range extensions to SAPIA, while the identified sleeper weeds offered suggestions for species that may be considered for regulation under the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act of South Africa. We furthermore provided information to facilitate (1) timely management of emerging invasive alien plants, (2) prioritisation of species and areas for management action, and (3) future monitoring of alien plants in the Garden Route National Park and surrounds.

Quantifying multiple-site compositional turnover in an Afrotemperate forest, using zeta diversity

BackgroundSpecies turnover is typically measured by partitioning diversity components into alpha and pairwise beta diversity. However, alpha and beta components cannot express the full spectrum of multiple-site compositional turnover. To this end, zeta diversity has been proposed as an extended framework to allow complete biodiversity partitioning and to measure multiple-site species turnover. We use a zeta-diversity framework to explore the turnover and potential community assembly processes of an African Montane Forest.MethodsUsing a 20 m grid, we explore the species turnover in a 4.55 ha forest plot located in the Garden Route National Park of South Africa, with 47 and 27 canopy and sub-canopy tree species in the regional pool. We first calculate how zeta diversity declines and how the probability of retention of species with particular occupancies changes with increasing zeta orders (i.e. the number of sites [grid cells] involved in the calculation). Using null models with row sums and column sums constrained respectively, we explore whether species turnover is driven by mechanisms of ecological differences (species-specific occupancies) or habitat heterogeneity (site-specific alpha diversity and thus environmental filters).ResultsThe decline of zeta diversity with zeta order followed a power law; that is, the probability of retention increased with species occupancies, suggesting common species being more likely to be discovered in extra sites. The null model retaining row sums (species’ occupancy) of the species-by-site matrix recreated perfectly the decline of zeta diversity, while the null model of habitat heterogeneity (retaining column sums) was rejected. This suggests that mechanisms driving species-specific occupancies (i.e. ecological differences between species) dictate the multi-site species turnover in the community. The spatial patterns of zeta diversity revealed little spatial structuring forces, supporting a fine-grain structure in these southern Cape forests.ConclusionsThe framework of zeta diversity revealed mechanisms driving the large discrepancies in the occupancy among species that are behind the species turnover in the African Montane forest plot. Future studies could further link species turnover to spatial distance decay. Environmental filters and temporal turnover from landscape demography could bring a cohesive understanding of community assembly in these unique forest ecosystems.

Fauna of Plume Moths (Lepidoptera: Pterophoridae) of Garden Route National Park, South Africa.

Fourteen species of Pterophoridae are reported for the Garden Route National Park in South Africa. Four of them are described as new to science: Pselnophorus boldyrevae Kovtunovich & Ustjuzhanin sp. nov., Crassuncus kenzo Kovtunovich & Ustjuzhanin sp. nov., Crassuncus ermakovae Kovtunovich & Ustjuzhanin sp. nov., and Hellinsia birichevskayae Kovtunovich & Ustjuzhanin sp. nov.