Table 16.1
Biomes serving as rangelands in South Africa
Biome
Total area
(km
2
)
% of
South Africa
Area transformed
(km
2
)
Remaining natural
area (km
2
)
Area under
conservation (km
2
)
Range in mean annual
precipitation (mm)
Mean grazing
capacity (ha/LSU)
Indian Ocean
Coastal Belt
11,529
0.9
7381
4148
825.88
577–1467
4
Grassland
330,860
27.1
132,803
198,057
14,844.78
197–1925
6
Savanna
394,158
32.3
75,065
319,093
52,863.43
120–1807
12
Nama-Karoo
249,353
20.4
4827
244,526
3901.66
54–638
25
Succulent Karoo
78,203
6.4
3595
74,607
6077.25
41–676
65
Albany Thicket
35,250
2.9
3124
32,125
4212.38
86–1179
14
Biomes are described in detail in Mucina and Rutherford (2006). Data on areas and rainfall are from Skowno et al. (2019); grazing capacity is from Department of
Agriculture, Forests and Fisheries (2018a); LSU
large stock unit
462
T. G. O’Connor and B. W. van Wilgen
Biomes serving as rangelands in South Africa
Biome
Total area
(km
2
)
% of
South Africa
Area transformed
(km
2
)
Remaining natural
area (km
2
)
Area under
conservation (km
2
)
Range in mean annual
precipitation (mm)
Mean grazing
capacity (ha/LSU)
Indian Ocean
Coastal Belt
11,529
0.9
7381
4148
825.88
577–1467
4
Grassland
330,860
27.1
132,803
198,057
14,844.78
197–1925
6
Savanna
394,158
32.3
75,065
319,093
52,863.43
120–1807
12
Nama-Karoo
249,353
20.4
4827
244,526
3901.66
54–638
25
Succulent Karoo
78,203
6.4
3595
74,607
6077.25
41–676
65
Albany Thicket
35,250
2.9
3124
32,125
4212.38
86–1179
14
Biomes are described in detail in Mucina and Rutherford (2006). Data on areas and rainfall are from Skowno et al. (2019); grazing capacity is from Department of
Agriculture, Forests and Fisheries (2018a); LSU
large stock unit
462
T. G. O’Connor and B. W. van Wilgen