Ecology and distribution of large branchiopods (Crustacea, Branchiopoda, Anostraca, Notostraca, Laevicaudata, Spinicaudata) of the Eastern Cape Karoo, South Africa

Abstract

A survey of the large branchiopod fauna of the Eastern Cape Karoo region of South Africa was undertaken to provide baseline biodiversity information in light of impending shale gas development activities in the region. Twenty-two waterbodies, including nine dams and thirteen natural depression wetlands, were sampled during November 2014 and April 2015. A total of 13 species belonging to four orders were collected, comprising five anostracans, one notostracan, six spinicaudatans and one laevicaudatan. Cyzicus australis was most common, occurring in 46% of the waterbodies. Species co-occurred in 87% of the waterbodies, with a maximum number of six species recorded from the same waterbody. Our new distribution records for Lynceus truncatus, Streptocephalus spinicaudatus and Streptocephalus indistinctus represent substantial expansions of the previously known ranges for these species. Tarkastad is now the westernmost record for Streptocephalus spinicaudatus, while Jansenville now constitutes the southernmost record for Streptocephalus indistinctus. Large branchiopod distribution data from previous Eastern Cape records were combined with our current data, demonstrating that a total of 23 large branchiopod species have been recorded from the region to date. As the Karoo is one of the few major shale basins in the world where the natural baseline is still largely intact, this survey forms a basis for future reference and surface water quality monitoring during the process of shale gas exploration/extraction.

Increasing salinity drastically reduces hatching success of crustaceans from depression wetlands of the semi-arid Eastern Cape Karoo region, South Africa

“…More details on the common species that were recorded in the wetlands during the wet season sampling are given in Mabidi et al . 36 .…”

“…Sediment samples containing dormant egg banks were collected in November 2016 from four depression wetlands (W25, W27, W27B and W110) occurring within the area of the Eastern Cape Karoo demarcated for shale gas drilling (Table 1 ). These wetlands were specifically selected to maximise the chance of collecting sediment with resting eggs, because they were found to contain large branchiopod species from more than four orders during collections made in the previous wet season 36 . The study area falls within the semi-arid Nama Karoo Biome.…”

Distribution and diversity of aquatic macroinvertebrate assemblages in a semi-arid region earmarked for shale gas exploration (Eastern Cape Karoo, South Africa)

“…Adapted from Mabidi et al [39] under a CC BY license, with permission from Pensoft Publishers Ltd, original copyright 2016.…”

“… (a), and a zoomed -in perspective (b) of the 33 sites within the study area. Adapted from Mabidi et al [ 39 ] under a CC BY license, with permission from Pensoft Publishers Ltd, original copyright 2016. …”

Ecological stasis in Spinicaudata (Crustacea, Branchiopoda)? Early Cretaceous clam shrimp of the Yixian Formation of north‐east China occupied a broader realized ecological niche than extant members of the group

“…In an extensive reported case of spinicaudatan co‐occurrence, Mabidi et al . () surveyed 22 water bodies in South Africa and found Cyzicus australis occurring with Eulimnadia sp., a three clam‐shrimp species assemblage of C. australis , Eocyzicus obliquus and Leptestheria rubidgei , and a single instance of two species of one genus co‐occurring: Leptestheria rubidgei and L. striatoconcha . These two species were also found to co‐occur in Zimbabwe (Nhiwatiwa et al .…”