South Africa has exceptional biodiversity, characterised by high species richness, high levels of species endemism and a wide variety of ecosystems. South Africa’s diversity and richness are not limited to biodiversity. Within its borders are also diverse cultures and languages, and exceptional geological and climatic diversity.
Identified as one of the world’s 17 megadiverse nations, South Africa ranks as one of the top ten nations globally for plant species richness and third for marine species endemism. With a landmass of 1.2 million km2 and surrounding seas of 1.1 million km2, South Africa is among the smaller of the world’s megadiverse countries – which together contain more than two-thirds of the world’s biodiversity. South Africa also holds three of the world’s 35 biodiversity hotspots (a measure of biological diversity combined with vulnerability to threats): the Cape Floristic Region, Succulent Karoo biome, and the Maputaland–Pondoland–Albany centre of endemism.
Current statistics have the number of South African animal species estimated at 67 000, while 20 401 plant species have been described. Approximately 7% of the world’s vascular plants; 5% of mammals; 7% of birds; 4% of reptiles; 2% of amphibians; and 1% of freshwater fishes are found in South Africa. There is limited information on invertebrate groups, but South Africa has almost a quarter of global cephalopods (octopus, squid and cuttlefish). Some terrestrial invertebrate groups have high richness relative to the global fauna. For example, 13% of the world’s sunspiders (Solifugae), ticks (Ixiodidae) and silverfish/fishmoth (Zygentoma), and nearly 5% of butterflies occur in South Africa (Table 1).
Around half of the reptiles, amphibians, butterflies and freshwater fishes found in South Africa are endemic. Plants have even higher levels of endemism, with two-thirds of species considered endemic to South Africa – mostly linked to the unique Cape Floristic Region. High marine species endemism has consistently been reported for the Agulhas ecoregion on the south coast, which lies entirely within South Africa’s territory and is geographically isolated from the globe’s other Warm Temperate regions. Approximately 40% of South Africa’s estimated 10 000 marine animal species are endemic, the vast majority of which are invertebrates.
South Africa’s wide range of bioclimatic, oceanographic, geological and topographical settings have resulted not only in high species diversity and endemism, but also high ecosystem diversity and endemism across all realms. There is a wide variety of terrestrial biomes and marine ecoregions in South Africa, its surrounding seas and sub-Antarctic territory; ranging from the unique Fynbos biome to the extensive savannas and grasslands of the eastern interior, and from the Subtropical Indian Ocean through the Warm Temperate Agulhas Shelf to the cold upwelling influenced shelf of the Southern Benguela (Figure 16). Situated 1 700 km south of the country, the Prince Edward Islands and their surrounding seas add a cold, sub-Antarctic set of ecoregions and biomes to South Africa’s territory (Figure 16).
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Recommended citation
South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI). 2019. National Biodiversity Assessment 2018: The status of South Africa’s ecosystems and biodiversity. Part 1: South Africa’s biodiversity profile. Synthesis Report. South African National Biodiversity Institute, an entity of the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, Pretoria. pp. 31-38.
