Motivation for project:

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2 Motivation for project: Shale Gas exploration and development requested of government by Oil Companies. Shale Gas Development Strategic Environment Assessment (SGD SEA) commissioned by DEA Biodiversity Component May 2015-January SANBI commissioned to work with CSIR on SGD SEA. Early on in the process it became apparent that the Karoo has major data gaps and the time frames of the SEA were inadequate to fully mobilize biodiversity data for the Shale Gas Development Zone Only 3% of South Africa s plant specimen records come from the Karoo even though this area covers 30% of the country.

3 Lessons from SGD SEA: Few surveys carried out in the area in the past Existing data for the Karoo is fragmented across a number of institutions and requires a large amount of input before it is useful (imaging, transcribing and georeferencing). Data-sharing agreements are needed. The process has also revealed the shortage of experts for many animal groups. Biased records: most records collected along major roads, around the Karoo towns and also in the Protected Areas. Systematic surveying of all major habitat types in the Karoo is required.

4 BioGaps: Filling biodiversity information gaps to support development decision making in the Karoo FBIP Integrated Team Projects grant Project aims: To mobilise foundational biodiversity data to support the SEAs for Shale Gas Development (SGD) and other infrastructure development projects in the Karoo basin. The lack of biodiversity data for the Karoo region will be addressed through: 1) integrating and upgrading existing data located in museums and herbaria 2) conducting detailed surveys for 11 representative taxonomic groups in areas targeted for shale gas exploration. These data will also be useful for monitoring long-term effects of shale gas extraction.

5 Karoo BioGaps Project Objectives 1. Establish a coordinated network of institutions to deliver foundational biodiversity information to decision makers. 2. Produce comprehensive high quality occurrence data for target taxa through national level specimen digitisation and field sampling within the shale gas development zone. 3. Enable species identification through DNA barcoding and develop a barcode library with applications in biodiversity monitoring and assessments. 4. Assess the threat status of species to identify those of conservation concern (e.g. endemics, near endemics and functionally important species). (RL and species pages for SOCC) 5. Conduct research to identify core areas and habitats for species of conservation concern occurring within the Karoo, and assess functional diversity to be used as a baseline for monitoring ecosystem services and function. (SR, FD, critical habitats, species research) 6. Compile and serve species data and associated landuse guidelines to decision makers at the international, national, provincial and local levels. 7. Upskill young scientists in terms of data collection, field surveys, data management, analyses, and threat assessments through practical work and post-graduate studies.

6 Karoo BioGaps Project collaborative multi-institutional network SANBI and the Botanical Society of South Africa plants SANBI, Port Elizabeth Museum at Bayworld, Stellenbosch University amphibians and reptiles University of Cape Town mammals The South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB) freshwater fish The Agricultural Research Council (ARC) bees and spiders The American Museum of Natural History scorpions The Lepidopterists' Society of Southern Africa ('LepSoc') / Brenton Blue Trust butterflies Stellenbosch University grasshoppers and dragonflies 11 taxonomic groups each with taxon experts identified SAEON fieldwork and monitoring of permanent plots.

7 Karoo BioGaps Project collaborative multi-institutional network: Collections institutions involved in digitisation and specimen curation: Selmar Schonland Herbarium (Rhodes University), Port Elizabeth Museum at Bayworld, Bews Herbarium (University of KwaZulu-Natal), Bolus Herbarium (University of Cape Town), Compton Herbarium (SANBI), Ditsong Museum, Iziko Museum, and National Museum. DNA barcoding work SANBI, the National Zoological Gardens and the University of Johannesburg. Species threat assessment (BotSoc, EWT and IUCN)

8 Both digitisation AND fieldwork Occurrence records come from BOTH: Digitisation (imaging and transcribing) and georeferencing existing specimens Field work in 2016 and 2017 (with its associated digitisation and georeferencing) ~120,000 plant specimens ~6,270 grasshopper specimens ~8,000 scorpion specimens at AMNH! ~10,000 bee specimens

9 Field sampling

10 Field sampling Rigorous scientific design and site selection: 60 pentads: 30 essential, 20 optional, 10 extra for plants 1x1km sites Each taxon has fieldwork protocol that has predetermined amount of time at a site/pentad for their taxon, repeatable at all sites/pentads. Same sampling effort. Common datasheets also capturing metadata; images SAEON also doing long-term monitoring at some of the sites Covariates: those that affect the biological process (whether a species occurs at a site, or abundance / density) and those that affect the observation process (detection probabilities)

11 Citizen science too Transcribing on DigiVol Loading observations on ispot and other virtual museums

12 BioGaps students Honours: using digitised plant data for a plant systematics project (2018) + bees (co-funded) Taxon MSc: spiders, grasshoppers, dragonflies, fish Taxon PhD: mammals MSc on characterisation of dolerite/riparian systems PhD on Functional Diversity Post Doc: Species richness maps using multiple species occupancy models

13 Project Manager: Dr Theresa Sethusa Project Management Support: Carol Poole