Fynbos
This is the dominant vegetation type found along the western, and South-western Cape coastal area from Nieuwoudtville to Grahamstown. It is also known as the Cape Floral Kingdom.
There are 6 plant kingdoms in the world; the Boreal, that makes up 42% ( almost the entire Northern Hemisphere), the Palaeotropic (Africa north of the Tropic of Capricorn) makes up 35%, Australian 8%, Patagonian 1% and Cape 0.04%.
Within this comparatively tiny floral kingdom is the greatest number of species, except that found in the Amazon River forests.
Because of its small size and position along the coast, this is the most threatened of all kingdoms.
Depending who is doing the explanation, there are several distinct types of fynbos – Mountain, Coastal, Limestone and Westcoast fynbos – this is not confined to the West Coast. In the Overberg area all of these and more, are found.
Fynbos (Fijnbos) was the name given to the vegetation by the Dutch explorers early in the 17th Century. It describes the many species with very small leaves. However these not the only plants found here. There are over 9 000 species (and counting). The Ericas alone number over 600.
Other attributes that fynbos has are; apart from species richness, a high degree of endemics – plants found in a small area only, a high degree of diversity( extremely varied), absence of trees, except in sheltered ravines with permanent water, absence of species dominance (no one species takes over), adaption to nutrient-deficient soils, the necessity of fire for survival, the recycling of nutrients (ash from fires fertilise the seeds) and an abundance of bulbous plants.
Some of the threats to fynbos are; alien vegetation, uncontrolled and too-frequent fires, injudicious development, unsustainable flower farming.
Recently giant steps have been taken to stop the destruction of fynbos and to actively preserve it. The Cape Action Plan for People and the Environment (CAPE) is playing a major role, as are landowners who are forming conservancies, and the huge Working for Water Project, where watercourses are being cleared of alien vegetation. Many others are working hard to preserve the delicate and varied environments found in this region, and in so doing, preserve the wildlife that depends on them, and on which in turn, the fynbos depends for its survival.
Penny Palmer
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