Biodiversity enhancement in Cape Flats urban habitats

[摘要] Biodiversity is under enormous pressure from an increasing human population.Urbanisation, agriculture, and mining are just some of the factors responsible forthe continuous degradation of the natural environment. Of these, urbanisation isone of the leading factors of diversity loss. To address this problem, it isnecessary to understand the relationship between biodiversity and urban areas,as well as the relationship between society and biodiversity. This study focuseson these relationships and suggest ways in which urban biodiversity can bemaximised without compromising on development. In order to create an urbanenvironment that successfully supports maximised biodiversity, new methods andideas must be developed to promote the protection of urban ecosystems. TheCape Floristic Region in South Africa is a good example of an area that requiresimmediate action in order to prevent enormous losses in biodiversity. Data haveshown drastic decreases in natural vegetation cover in this area, and with itsclose to 9000 species, of which approximately 60% occurs nowhere else in theworld. This state of affairs should be regarded as a serious crisis.This study consists of three main parts, the first being a literature review on thecurrent relationships between the urban environment, society, and biodiversity.The second and third parts report on two empirical investigations on the campusof the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Stellenbosch in the City ofCape Town. The first of these investigates the possibility of using spiritualityconnected to nature as a promotional tool for conservation through rehabilitationor restoration of damaged urban vegetation habitats. For this purpose students'and staff members' opinions of the urban nature at the campus were tested. Inthe second investigation the options of restoring biodiversity to the campus wasconsidered by exploring the best options available for rehabilitation while takingthe current biodiversity status on and around the premises into account. This wascarried out through three smaller projects that included the physicalreintroduction of plant species, vegetation analysis, and bird identification andattraction.The response of employees and students at the Faculty of Health Sciences wasfound to be in favour of restoring vegetation and animal life to the campus. This issupported by a belief that their attitude towards their work would improve withimproved natural surroundings. Initial rehabilitation attempts highlighted thecomplexity of rehabilitation practices by bringing forward challenges andproblems experienced with the reintroduction of plant species. Despite theseproblems, increased plant diversity in experimental areas showed the possibilityof successfully completing the project. Biodiversity analysis showed that methodsof controlling vegetation used by the university are doing more harm than good,as it results in indigenous vegetation being displaced by exotic vegetation.This study introduces a number of questions regarding the relationship betweenurbanisation and biodiversity and to what extent the two should be linked.Hopefully it is a step in the direction towards marrying the urban and naturalenvironment, and to create a sustainable urban environment where society nolonger sees nature as something outside the city boundaries.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University