PROTECTION OF FYNBOS VEGETATION - IDEAL AND REAL-WORLD OPTIONS

Schemes are set out for the location of noda of nature reserves aimed at protecting the floral diversity of Fynbos vegetation in the Cape Floral Region, in South Africa, using distributional data on the Proteaceae. Species richness is significantly correlated between the Proteaceae and other major families and genera of plants representative of Fynbos, for which data are available. In our ideal scheme, 95% of all vascular plant species could be accommodated in 16% of the area occupied by Fynbos vegetation. However, several of our ideal-world noda are not viable options for Fynbos protection. Hence, we identify additional nodal areas that could be proclaimed as nuclei for nature reserves and incorporated into a real-world option for maximizing the protection of Fynbos floral diversity. © 1990.