What Do We Know About the Succulent Karoo?
Contents 1. Title: What do we know about the Succulent Karoo? 2. Background 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Description of the succulent karoo 3. Physical environment 4.3 Soil 4.4 Climate
4. Patterns 5.5 Diversity 5.6 Endemism 5.7 Flora
5. Growth form and water relations 6. Current activities in the succulent karoo 7. My idea.
What do we know about the Succulent Karoo?
Introduction
Stretching from Namibia down the west coast of South Africa, the Succulent Karoo is a vast, semi-arid desert, with mountain ranges, ancient rock formations, wild coastlines and clouds of stars arching overhead at night. The succulent karoo is home to more than 6,300 plant species, almost half of which occur nowhere else in the world, it is a secret land of weird and wonderful succulent plants which is the richest on the planet, among which run an eclectic mix of insects, reptiles, scorpions and arachnids, all adapted to the arid conditions of the region, where moisture is largely gained from dense sea fogs. The region has one of the highest species densities and levels of endemism at both local and regional scales(Hilton-Taylor 1996). This review will be focused mainly on the biodiversity (flora & fauna) of the succulent karoo, considering its environmental condition
Description of the succulent Karoo
The succulent Karoo covers an area of about 111.212 km, some 5.35% of southern Africa. Succulent Karoo boundaries are roughly congruent with those of the western domain, a regional centre of endemism. The succulent Karoo can be distinguished on the bases of the low (a mean of 253 mm per year) but reliable and seasonal rainfall(Cowling, Rundel et al. 1998). More than 40% of the rainfall occurs during the winter season, with a large portion of the area receiving more than 60% in the winter. Within the succulent Karoo there is a small area that can receive rainfall at any time of the year, while the eastern extremes have autumn and
4. Patterns 5.5 Diversity 5.6 Endemism 5.7 Flora
5. Growth form and water relations 6. Current activities in the succulent karoo 7. My idea.
What do we know about the Succulent Karoo?
Introduction
Stretching from Namibia down the west coast of South Africa, the Succulent Karoo is a vast, semi-arid desert, with mountain ranges, ancient rock formations, wild coastlines and clouds of stars arching overhead at night. The succulent karoo is home to more than 6,300 plant species, almost half of which occur nowhere else in the world, it is a secret land of weird and wonderful succulent plants which is the richest on the planet, among which run an eclectic mix of insects, reptiles, scorpions and arachnids, all adapted to the arid conditions of the region, where moisture is largely gained from dense sea fogs. The region has one of the highest species densities and levels of endemism at both local and regional scales(Hilton-Taylor 1996). This review will be focused mainly on the biodiversity (flora & fauna) of the succulent karoo, considering its environmental condition
Description of the succulent Karoo
The succulent Karoo covers an area of about 111.212 km, some 5.35% of southern Africa. Succulent Karoo boundaries are roughly congruent with those of the western domain, a regional centre of endemism. The succulent Karoo can be distinguished on the bases of the low (a mean of 253 mm per year) but reliable and seasonal rainfall(Cowling, Rundel et al. 1998). More than 40% of the rainfall occurs during the winter season, with a large portion of the area receiving more than 60% in the winter. Within the succulent Karoo there is a small area that can receive rainfall at any time of the year, while the eastern extremes have autumn and