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

Abstract

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

Reactive Nitrogen Hotspots Related to Microscale Heterogeneity in Biological Soil Crusts

“…This region is considered to be a diversity hotspot of global significance, which is mainly due to a high diversity of succulent plants, with many species being of major conservation importance. 47 , 48 At the observatory of Soebatsfontein, the temperature ranges from 3.5 °C (July) to 42.5 °C (February) with a mean air temperature of 19.4 °C. 37 , 45 , 46 The annual precipitation amounts to ∼131 (97–175) mm and most of the precipitation occurs between July and August with ∼45 precipitation events per year.…”

“…Samples for the analyses were collected next to the former BIOTA observatory of Soebatsfontein (30.1865°S, 17.5433°E, 392 m a.s.l), located within the Succulent Karoo biome, 60 km south of Springbok. − The Succulent Karoo is a semiarid dryland region, and its biome covers an area of about 103,000 km 2 . This region is considered to be a diversity hotspot of global significance, which is mainly due to a high diversity of succulent plants, with many species being of major conservation importance. , At the observatory of Soebatsfontein, the temperature ranges from 3.5 °C (July) to 42.5 °C (February) with a mean air temperature of 19.4 °C. ,, The annual precipitation amounts to ∼131 (97–175) mm and most of the precipitation occurs between July and August with ∼45 precipitation events per year. ,,, …”

Litigation and regulatory governance in the age of the Anthropocene: the case of fracking in the Karoo

“…45 Biogeographically, the Karoo comprises two biomes, the Succulent Karoo, which experiences winter-rainfall, and the Nama-Karoo, which experiences summer-rainfall. 46 The Succulent Karoo has 'unparalleled' plant biodiversity, and is an internationally recognised biodiversity hotspot. 47 The prospect of fracking in the Karoo is evocative of the Anthropocene imagery, not least because by increasing seismicity levels, fracking will disturb the geology of the Karoo, and leave behind a lasting human-induced geological imprint.…”

“…84 As discussed above, the local communities opposing fracking represent a diverse range of interests and are by no means homogenous, as '[d]ivisions along the fault-lines of class, race and ethnicity are strongly evident, as are severe social challenges to human well-being'. 85 Further, the ability of some community members to participate in efforts to oppose fracking is no doubt hampered by, among other things, the area's 'aridity and sparse population' (of fewer than a million people), which 'have rendered it a politically and economically marginal region of South Africa, despite its spatial extent'. 86 For instance, although poor communities oppose fracking on the basis that it could jeopardise their already limited access to water and their subsistence farming activities, and thus their water and food security, 87 their interests and concerns do not emerge from the litigation we discuss.…”

An integrative taxonomy of the genus Stasimopus Simon 1892 (Araneae: Mygalomorphae) of the Karoo with the description of nine new species and a Stasimopus maraisi Hewitt 1914 male

“…The Karoo region of South Africa is an arid/semi-arid area that spans one third of the land surface of South Africa over four provinces (Northern Cape, western Cape, Eastern Cape and Free State) (Henschel et al 2018). The Karoo contains unique and sensitive ecosystems which respond poorly to disturbance and have slow recovery rates (Holness et al 2016).…”