Highveld grasslands ecoregion
WFF
AT1009
Map
Highveld refers to high interior plateau of South Africa which is fairly flat with elevations varying from 1'400 m to 1'800 m. The original habitat has been greatly reduced due to farming and modern developments.
- Location
- Elevation
- Area
- Nature Reserves
- Climate
- Geology
- Vegetation
- Mammals
- Birds
- Amphibians
- Reptiles
Location
The region covers the area between the following borders:
- Drakensberg in the east
- arid Karoo and Kalahari in the west
- the low-lying bushveld to the north
The ecoregion is divided in 3 zones
- Kalahari/Karoo-highveld
- grasses dominate with patches of shrubs and trees
- sweet grasslands
- areas with lower rainfall
- grasses have low fiber content but retain nutrients in their leaves during the winter
- sour grasslands
- short and dense grasses with high fiber content; they retain nutrients in the roots during the winter
Elevation
Elevation ranges from 1'400 m to 1'800 m
Area
186'200 square kilometers
Nature Reserves
Nature Reserves found in this ecoregion are:
- Valei Nature Reserve
- Nooitgedacht Dam Nature Reserve
- Bronkhortspruitdam Nature Reserve
- Vaal Dam Nature Reserve
- Willem Pretorius Nature Reserve
- Rustfontein Dam Nature Reserve
- Koppies Dam Nature Reserve
- Ermelo Game Park
Climate
- Rainfall (summer)
- annual: 400 mm - 900 mm
- Temperature
- mean maximum temperatures
- 21 to 24°C
- mean minimum temperatures
- 3 to 6° C
- extreme temperatures:
- 38° C in the summer
- –11°C in the winter
- mean maximum temperatures
Geology
- most of the area: sandstones and shales of the Karoo sequence
- deep red sand-loam soils dominate towards the cooler and wetter northeast
- transition to shallower lithosols in the extreme northeast
Vegetation
- dominant vegetation:
- grasses
- geophytes
- herbs
- diagnostic grass species
- Hyparrhenia hirta
- Sporobolus pyramidalis
- Acacia sieberiana
- Rhus rehmanniana
- Walafrida densiflora
- Spermacoce natalensis
- Kohautia cynanchica
- Phyllanthus glaucophyllus
Mammals
Rodents
- endemic:
- orange mouse (Mus orangiae)
- near-endemic:
- rough-haired golden mole (Chrysospalax villosa)
Large mammals
- endemic
- brown hyena (Hyaena brunnea)
- African civet (Civettictis civetta)
- leopard (Panthera pardus)
- sable (Hippotragus niger)
- pangolin (Manis temminckii)
- honey badger (Mellivora capensis)
- striped weasel (Poecilogale albinucha)
- aardwolf (Proteles cristatus)
- oribi (Ourebia ourebi)
- mountain zebra (Equus zebra hartmannae)
Herds of large mammals are no longer found in this region:
- black wildebeest (Connochaetes gnou)
- white rhino (Ceratotherium simum)
Birds
Many bird species are found.
- endemic:
- Botha’s lark (Spizocorys fringillaris)
- near-endemic:
- whitewinged flufftail (Sarothrura ayresii)
- blue korhaan (Eupodotis caerulescens)
- southern whitebellied korhaan (Eupodotis cafra)
- Rudd’s lark (Heteromirafra ruddi)
- melodious lark (Mirafra cheniana)
- buff-streaked chat (Oenanthe bifasciatai)
- yellow-breasted pipit (Hemimacronyx chloris)
Amphibians
There are 29 species, none endemic
Reptiles
The region has a cool climate and therefore few reptile species.
- Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus)
- African rock-python (Python sebae)
- water monitor (Varanus niloticus)
- veld monitor (Varanus exanthematicus albigularis)
- endemic reptiles
- giant girdled lizard (Cordylus giganteus)
- Agama distanti
- near-endemic
- Drakensberg rock gecko (Afroendura niravia)
- giant spinytail lizard (Cordylus giganteus)
- Breyer's whiptail (Tetrodactylus breyeri)