Deborah Jewitt, 2019 Conference Talk

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Deborah Jewitt , Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife (EKZNW), South Africa   

x2019Talk    xDiversity  xVegetation  xClimate Change    xHabitat Loss   xPlan   xSouth Africa   xAfrica

Paper Presentation -pdf 

Video -mp4 HD

Conference Session: VEGETATION & BOTANICAL CONSERVATION

ABSTRACT: "Planning for the Maintenance of Floristic Diversity Under Global Change "  Debbie Jewitt
Global change, specifically land cover change and climate change, are recognized as the leading drivers of biodiversity loss worldwide. Habitat loss has resulted in a loss of biodiversity and led to significant declines in species populations. Climate change is altering species distributions, plant communities, and species life cycles. Conservation planning is required to offset these dynamic threats to species persistence into the future. This presentation explores the environmental drivers that create and maintain the patterns of plant diversity in KwaZulu-Natal and then predicts how these patterns may be altered in the future under global change. The threats posed by land cover change and climate change are explored and solutions suggested that will impart the maximum resilience to plant communities in order to maintain the full variety of plant species in the long term.