Last Updated on Tuesday, 14 April 2009 20:51 Written by Administrator Monday, 11 August 2008 06:00

The invertebrate diversity study encompassed an investigation into the factors influencing invertebrate diversity in the Greater Makalali Conservancy. In addition to vegetation monitoring, it serves as an alternative method for monitoring the health of the environment as the invertebrate biomass forms approximately 70% of the total faunal biomass. This type of information is generally lacking for Southern African animals, but is very important for effective biodiversity conservation. The small-scale Geographic Information System (GIS) of the GMPGR allows us to study various factors, which influence diversity and distribution. The project included the sampling for specific invertebrate groups and the mapping of distribution ranges and diversity indices of species onto a GIS model. The invertebrate study targeted millipede, centipede, scorpion and spider diversity with GMPGR. Three undescribed millipede and one centipede species was found and a new distribution record for a scorpion species was documented. The spider sampling revealed 14 potentially new species, 8 endemic and 2 new genus records for South Africa and 1 new family record for South Africa. Refer to www.ukzn.ac.za/