Unique Southern African Terrestrial and Oceanic Biomes and Their Relation to Steep Environmental Gradients. In: Sustainability of Southern African Ecosystems under Global Change

@inbook{Sell2024,
  Title = {Unique Southern African Terrestrial and Oceanic Biomes and Their Relation to Steep Environmental Gradients},
  Author = {Sell, Anne F. and von Maltitz, Graham P. and Auel, Holger and Biastoch, Arne and Bode-Dalby, Maya and Brandt, Peter and Duncan, Sabrina E. and Ekau, Werner and Fock, Heino O. and Hagen, Wilhelm and Huggett, Jenny A. and Koppelmann, Rolf and Körner, Mareike and Lahajnar, Niko and Martin, Bettina and Midgley, Guy F. and Rixen, Tim and van der Lingen, Carl D. and Verheye, Hans M. and Wilhelm, Margit R.},
  Editor = {von Maltitz, G.P. and Midgley, G.F. and Veitch, J. and Brümmer, C. and Rötter, R.P. and Viehberg, F.A. and Veste, M.},
  Journal = {Ecological studies},
  Year = {2024},
  Pages = {23-88},
  Doi = {10.1007/978-3-031-10948-5_2},
  Isbn = {978-3-031-10948-5},
  Publisher = {Springer Nature Switzerland AG},
  Booktitle = {Sustainability of Southern African Ecosystems under Global Change},
  Abstract = {The southern African subcontinent and its surrounding oceans accommodate globally unique ecoregions, characterized by exceptional biodiversity and endemism. This diversity is shaped by extended and steep physical gradients or environmental discontinuities found in both ocean and terrestrial biomes. The region’s biodiversity has historically been the basis of life for indigenous cultures and continues to support countless economic activities, many of them unsustainable, ranging from natural resource exploitation, an extensive fisheries industry and various forms of land use to nature-based tourism.

Being at the continent’s southern tip, terrestrial species have limited opportunities for adaptive range shifts under climate change, while warming is occurring at an unprecedented rate. Marine climate change effects are complex, as warming may strengthen thermal stratification, while shifts in regional wind regimes influence ocean currents and the intensity of nutrient-enriching upwelling.

The flora and fauna of marine and terrestrial southern African biomes are of vital importance for global biodiversity conservation and carbon sequestration. They thus deserve special attention in further research on the impacts of anthropogenic pressures including climate change. Excellent preconditions exist in the form of long-term data sets of high quality to support scientific advice for future sustainable management of these vulnerable biomes.},
}

TY  - CHAP
AU  - Sell, Anne F.
AU  - von Maltitz, Graham P.
AU  - Auel, Holger
AU  - Biastoch, Arne
AU  - Bode-Dalby, Maya
AU  - Brandt, Peter
AU  - Duncan, Sabrina E.
AU  - Ekau, Werner
AU  - Fock, Heino O.
AU  - Hagen, Wilhelm
AU  - Huggett, Jenny A.
AU  - Koppelmann, Rolf
AU  - Körner, Mareike
AU  - Lahajnar, Niko
AU  - Martin, Bettina
AU  - Midgley, Guy F.
AU  - Rixen, Tim
AU  - van der Lingen, Carl D.
AU  - Verheye, Hans M.
AU  - Wilhelm, Margit R.
ED  - von Maltitz, Graham P.
ED  - Midgley, Guy F.
ED  - Veitch, Jennifer
ED  - Brümmer, Christian
ED  - Rötter, Reimund P.
ED  - Viehberg, Finn A.
ED  - Veste, Maik
TI  - Unique Southern African Terrestrial and Oceanic Biomes and Their Relation to Steep Environmental Gradients
T2  - Ecological studies
PY  - 2024
SP  - 23-88
DO  - 10.1007/978-3-031-10948-5_2
SN  - 978-3-031-10948-5
PB  - Springer Nature Switzerland AG
BT  - Sustainability of Southern African Ecosystems under Global Change
AB  - The southern African subcontinent and its surrounding oceans accommodate globally unique ecoregions, characterized by exceptional biodiversity and endemism. This diversity is shaped by extended and steep physical gradients or environmental discontinuities found in both ocean and terrestrial biomes. The region’s biodiversity has historically been the basis of life for indigenous cultures and continues to support countless economic activities, many of them unsustainable, ranging from natural resource exploitation, an extensive fisheries industry and various forms of land use to nature-based tourism.

Being at the continent’s southern tip, terrestrial species have limited opportunities for adaptive range shifts under climate change, while warming is occurring at an unprecedented rate. Marine climate change effects are complex, as warming may strengthen thermal stratification, while shifts in regional wind regimes influence ocean currents and the intensity of nutrient-enriching upwelling.

The flora and fauna of marine and terrestrial southern African biomes are of vital importance for global biodiversity conservation and carbon sequestration. They thus deserve special attention in further research on the impacts of anthropogenic pressures including climate change. Excellent preconditions exist in the form of long-term data sets of high quality to support scientific advice for future sustainable management of these vulnerable biomes.
ER  -