Biodiversity Monitoring Transect Analysis in Africa (BIOTA)

BIOTA Southern Africa is an undertaking of a consortium of German Universities and Research Institutions, with collaborative partners in both the Republic of South Africa and in Namibia, funded by the Federal Ministry of Research and Development. BIOTA AFRICA aims at an analysis of biodiversity and its change along the most important climatic gradient, being the gradient from high winter rainfall area (Cape Town, South Africa), through the arid Namaqualand (winter-rainfall area), the arid southern Namibia (summer rainfall), to central and northern Namibia (Kavango). A large number of scientific disciplines are taking part in this project, including remote sensing, soil science and various biological disciplines as well as socio-economics. The project is currently in its third phase.

The National Botanical Research Institute is involved in the following work packages:

Workpackage S-B3 "In-situ standardized monitoring of phytodiversity and vegetation dynamics":

This subproject concerns the core function of the BIOTA project, i.e. long-term monitoring of ecosystems along a rainfall gradient. The NBRI will be responsible for vegetation monitoring at the sites Ogongo Agriculture College (Omusati Region), Mile 46 LDC (Kavango Region), Sonop Research Station (Otjozondjupa Region), Sandveld Research Station (Omaheke Region) and Claratal (Khomas Region). This subproject also involves ecosystem dynamic research e.g. the impact of fire in the Kavango Region, soil water use by vegetation at Sonop and traditional non-woody forest product use at Ogongo. This workpackage is done in collaboration with the University of Hamburg.

Workpackage S-B4 "Web-based User-friendly New Vegetation Map of Namibia":

This workpackage aims at producing an updated vegetation map from existing, and still to be collected, vegetation data. The aim is to generate a vegetation map which has sufficient detailed information to contribute towards land use planning, especially in the light of the ongoing land reform programme of the Government of Namibia. This workpackage is done in collaboration with the University of Hamburg.

Workpackage S-D8 "Modelling spatial and temporal dynamics in savannas - causes and consequences for diversity and productivity":

This workpackage involves the collection of vegetation dynamic data, the determination of vegetation states (i.e. vegetation condition) as well as information regarding the functional traits and grazing values of plant species in dry savannas of Namibia (from the dwarf shrub savanna in the south, including thornshrub savanna in Central Namibia to dry woodlands in Northern Namibia). The information is to be used to compile a model of vegetation functioning, which can be used as a tool in land use management and planning. This workpackage is done in collaboration with the University of Potsdam.

Workpackage S-E4 "The Gariep centres as a part of the Namib region: Providing a scientific basis for transfrontier conservation planning in a biogeographical context":

The arid to semi-arid region along the Southern African west coast is globally unique because of its outstanding high biodiversity. Within the Namib, the region close to the lower Orange River (i.e. Gariep) forms one of Africa's most prominent hotspots of endemism and species richness, strongly expressed by higher plants and several faunistic groups. The outstanding richness of biodiversity defines the need for conservation measures, facing a variety of conflicting development goals, based on the regions potential for mining (e.g. diamonds), irrigation agriculture and tourism. In 2000 the Gariep region has been earmarked as a potential "Transfrontier Conservation Area" by the Peace Parks Foundation and by the TFCA process driven by the governments of Namibia and South Africa. The NBRI will be involved (through the National Herbarium) in providing baseline data for the planning and management of this park. This workpackage is done in collaboration with the University of Hamburg.