Drivers and trajectories of social and ecological change in the Karoo, South Africa

Walker, Cherryl; Milton, Suzanne J.; O’Connor, T.G.; Maguire, Judy M; Dean, W. R.

doi:10.2989/10220119.2018.1518263

Cited by 25 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 86 publications

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“…Since pre-historic times, the Karoo has undergone change with the impact of humans steadily accelerating over time. From the relatively minor impact of the region's pre-colonial inhabitants (Morris 2018) to the large-scale impacts of today, the region requires wise stewardship if its distinctive but vulnerable social-ecological system is to be conserved and strengthened (Walker et al 2018). Ecosystems and their underlying processes are transforming, as are the social, economic and governance systems of the Karoo.…”

Section: Themes Of Change Covered By the Karoo Special Issuementioning

confidence: 99%

“…The capacity of humans to use this resourcelimited landscape changed from being limited in time and space to becoming permanent, thanks to a number of technological innovations, including water containerisation, and social mechanisms that enabled people to disperse across the landscape (Morris 2018). Historic changes were initiated when hunter-gatherers were joined by herders (Morris 2018;Walker et al 2018). Colonial times brought about profound changes, marginalising the indigenous hunter-gatherers and herders, establishing small towns, and profoundly changing ecosystems through fencing, boreholes and dams, roads, the introduction of alien plants, as well as intensive small-stock farming practices (Beinart 2018;Dean et al 2018;Hill and Nel 2018;Hoffman et al 2018;Walker et al 2018).…”

Section: Themes Of Change Covered By the Karoo Special Issuementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Historic changes were initiated when hunter-gatherers were joined by herders (Morris 2018;Walker et al 2018). Colonial times brought about profound changes, marginalising the indigenous hunter-gatherers and herders, establishing small towns, and profoundly changing ecosystems through fencing, boreholes and dams, roads, the introduction of alien plants, as well as intensive small-stock farming practices (Beinart 2018;Dean et al 2018;Hill and Nel 2018;Hoffman et al 2018;Walker et al 2018). By the first half of the twentieth century, heavy stocking had degraded the veld, including through soil erosion (Beinart 2018;Hoffman et al 2018).…”

Section: Themes Of Change Covered By the Karoo Special Issuementioning

confidence: 99%

“…At the onset of formal democracy in 1994, conditions for socio-economic developments were changed, precipitating an expansion of towns, but weakening integrated development planning and sustainable resource management processes. With the division of the old Cape Province into three separate provinces (Western Cape, Eastern Cape and Northern Cape) the Karoo has also become fragmented administratively (Walker et al 2018). One consequence of this has been that top-down government decision-making has dominated over bottom-up community-level engagement (Hill and Nel 2018).…”

Section: Themes Of Change Covered By the Karoo Special Issuementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Today the Karoo is home to fewer than a million people (1.9% of the country's population), of whom three out of every four live in small country towns, many dating from the mid-nineteenth century (Hill and Nel 2018). Its history, aridity and sparse population have rendered it a politically and economically marginal region of South Africa, despite its spatial extent (Walker et al 2018). While relative isolation has nurtured distinct identities and often strong attachments to place among Karoo residents, local communities are far from homogenous.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Introduction to the Karoo Special Issue: Trajectories of Change in the Anthropocene

Henschel

Hoffman

Walker

2018

African Journal of Range & Forage Science

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In the Anthropocene, complex systemic interconnections between humans and global biogeophysical and socioeconomic processes have begun to dominate Earth Systems (Chin et al. 2013; Oldfield et al. 2014). Given the complexities of Earth Systems and human societies, as well as the range and unprecedented scale of both destructive and creative human capabilities, there is no simple way of identifying and analysing causes and effects. However, what is required is an ongoing commitment towards iteratively informed decision-making, which will manage a balance in favour of sustainable and equitable outcomes. The Karoo is no different, currently facing more diverse social and ecological issues than ever before. This Karoo Special Issue (KSI) brings together research by natural and social scientists in order to better understand the drivers of change in the Karoo, as well as their possible future trajectories in the era of the Anthropocene. In the context of such daunting considerations, we herewith introduce the Karoo and its local particularities. The Karoo as a place of change The Karoo is an arid to semi-arid area (mean annual precipitation between 100 and 400 mm, CV 33%-40%) that extends across western southern Africa, covering nearly one-third of South Africa and one-third of Namibia. This KSI brings together research undertaken in the South African portion of the Karoo. The largest portion falls within the Northern Cape province, but extensive areas are also located in the Western Cape, Eastern Cape and Free State provinces (see map in Walker et al. 2018). The borders of the Karoo are blurred, with decisions as to its precise contours dependent on the purpose of the exercise. Contemporary understandings of subregions within the Karoo do not map precisely on historical definitions of places, while social and administrative considerations complicate more strictly environmental definitions. Fundamentally, however, the Karoo comprises two biomes, the Succulent Karoo and the Nama-Karoo (Table 1). One of the remarkable features of the winter rainfall Succulent

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Section: Themes Of Change Covered By the Karoo Special Issuementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Themes Of Change Covered By the Karoo Special Issuementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Themes Of Change Covered By the Karoo Special Issuementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Themes Of Change Covered By the Karoo Special Issuementioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Introduction to the Karoo Special Issue: Trajectories of Change in the Anthropocene

Henschel

Hoffman

Walker

2018

African Journal of Range & Forage Science

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The Impact of Invasive Alien Plants on Rangelands in South Africa

O’Connor

Wilgen

2020

Biological Invasions in South Africa

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Rangeland covers >70% of the land surface of South Africa, and includes grassland, savanna, thicket, and karroid shrubland vegetation. These rangelands support domestic livestock and wildlife whose economic value is around ZAR 30 billion annually. They are invaded by hundreds of alien plant species, of which 71 have been identified as being of special importance in South African rangelands. These species are able to proliferate in response to disturbances, of which grazing and fire are the two most important for South African rangelands; changes to fire and grazing regimes can therefore promote invasion, especially by alien trees. These trees replace palatable grasses and are generally unpalatable themselves. At a national scale, invasive alien plants are estimated to reduce the value of livestock production by ZAR 340 million annually, but this is expected to increase dramatically as plant invasions spread, and as additional alien species become invasive. Invasive species that have increased their range dramatically by up to 671% between 2006 and 2016 include Campuloclinium macrocephalum (Pompom Weed), Opuntia engelmannii (Small Round-leaved Prickly Pear), Opuntia humifusa (Large-Flowered Prickly Pear), Parthenium hysterophorus (Parthenium Weed), Trichocereus spachianus (Torch Cactus), and Verbena bonariensis (Wild Verbena). Studies that document the impacts of individual species on rangeland composition and structure cover only a few species, including Prosopis species (Mesquite), Acacia mearnsii (Black Wattle) and Parthenium hysterophorus, all of which can dramatically reduce grass cover and the capacity to support livestock, especially at high densities. Invasive plants in rangelands can also be beneficial as sources of firewood, fodder, shade and medicinal products. Some species may offer considerable value when at low abundance but

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Hydraulic Fracturing as an Environmental and Social Justice Issue in South Africa

Goodrick

Redelinghuys

2022

Environment, Climate, and Social Justice

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Drivers and trajectories of social and ecological change in the Karoo, South Africa

Cited by 25 publications

References 86 publications

Introduction to the Karoo Special Issue: Trajectories of Change in the Anthropocene

Introduction to the Karoo Special Issue: Trajectories of Change in the Anthropocene

The Impact of Invasive Alien Plants on Rangelands in South Africa

Hydraulic Fracturing as an Environmental and Social Justice Issue in South Africa

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