The biodiversity of the 5,000 km-long Great Escarpment of southern Africa is currently poorly known, despite hosting half of the subcontinent's centres of plant endemism and to have a rich endemic vertebrate fauna, particularly in the north-west and east. A country-based overview of endemism, data deficiencies and conservation challenges is provided, with Angola being the country in most need of Escarpment research and conservation. Given that the Escarpment provides most of the subcontinent's fresh water, protection and restoration of Escarpment habitat providing such ecological services is urgently required. Key research needs are exhaustive biodiversity surveys, systematic studies to test refugia and migration hypotheses, and the effects of modern climate change. Such research results can then be consolidated into effective conservation planning and coordinated international efforts to protect the rich biodiversity of the Escarpment and the ecological services it provides.

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Background: Numerous Cape Floristic Region (CFR) clades are found in the Afromontane region of Africa, causing speculation on the source of their distribution. The southern Escarpment has been postulated as a key link in the movement of Cape species between the CFR and these Afromontane areas. Aims: The strengths of three purported connections (the north-west, Matjiesfontein and south-east) between the CFR and the southern Escarpment are considered, and of the southern Escarpment track itself. Methods: A comprehensive database was compiled from which floristic comparisons and multivariate analyses were undertaken. Palaeo-connectivity was assessed from phylogenetic relationships determined from 19 phylogenies. Results: There is evidence of both palaeo-and current connectivity between the Escarpment and the CFR, most strongly for the SE connection. Current connectivity along the southern Escarpment track is relatively well supported between the eastern Nuweveldberge and Main Drakensberg but not between the Hantam-Roggeveld and Nuweveldberge. Palaeo-connectivity along the southern Escarpment track is well supported by the phylogenies. Conclusions: Climate regime may be a more important factor in floristic connectivity than geomorphological continuity. Historical connectivity along the southern Escarpment track suggests cyclical connectivity, probably in response to glacial-interglacial cycles and associated shifts in rainfall regimes along the southern Escarpment.