TYPES OF BIOMES

ABOUT

WHAT IS A BIOME?

Firstly, you can define an ecosystem by the way the soil or geology interacts with vegetation, climate and animals in a specific area. Biomes are defined as the result of the local differences in a specific area. Different natural vegetation types are produced by shared physical climates. In biomes you will get fauna and flora living together with some degree of permanence.

A biome has a type of grazing and browsing capacity which will determine the type of animal it can support. The veld condition plays a major part in the biome's ability to sustain a certain capacity of animals. Veld conditions can be influenced by natural occurrences or veld management by humans. There needs to be a balance in grazing for growth stimulation and resting to prevent overgrazing ultimately resulting in erosion. A healthy ecosystem will recover rapidly and a common indicator is the presence of a wide variety of species. There are a number of veld types within each biome and each type contains a certain climate referred to as a microclimate that provides habitat variation. Wildlife species can often be present in more than one biome but certain species will dominate a specific biome depending on the adaptations to the local conditions.

Climate, topography and the presence of plant and animal communities define seven broad ecological biomes in South-Africa. The terrestrial biomes are known as savannah, grassland, desert, fynbos, forest, Indian Ocean coastal belt and Nama and succulent Karoo.

Deserts

Deserts are commonly known for their dry environment where the only consistent source of moisture is coastal fog. Plants and animals need to be well adapted to survive in extreme levels of summer aridity.

Fynbos

Fynbos usually have winter rainfall and support mostly small animal species because larger herbivores are limited to grazing or browsing. The type of vegetation is indigenous to South Africa and will not be found elsewhere.

Forest

Forest areas have become conservation areas in South Africa where the main goal is to preserve the unique flora and small animals like specialized browsers. Forests consist mostly of large trees providing a closed canopy in high-rainfall areas.

Nama and Succulent Karoo

Nama and Succulent Karoo can be divided into two parts. The one has marine-influenced weather and winter rainfall and the other part more inland has seasonal rainfall and temperature fluctuations.

Savannah

Savannah is the largest biome in South-Africa and commonly referred to as the bushveld. Most of the soil is covered by grass and some scattered trees and shrubs and the density depends on water sources and soil type. Most trees adapt to the summer droughts and cold, dry winters. Having a diversity of vegetation makes it suitable for grazers and browsers. Most of South-Africa’s famous wildlife can be found here.

Indian Ocean coastal belt

Grasslands

Grasslands have high rainfall and can have cold, dry winters and frost depending on the season and the section. Grassland is not suitable for trees because it can experience a wide range of temperatures throughout the day. Bulbous plants are most common and the grass type (sweet or sour) depends on the soil type of the area. Animals present include mostly grazers which digest extensive volumes of grass and to a lesser extent, browsers.

The above-mentioned biomes only cover the terrestrial biomes. There are about six aquatic ecoregions also recognized with their own diverse fauna and flora. Wildlife species will not usually be found outside of their distributing area, making identification easier if you know your area. For further information about biomes, there is a wide variety of distribution maps for plants and animals at the species level available online.