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On Alpha Diversity and the Richness of the Cape Flora: A Study in Southern Cape Fynbos

  • Conference paper
Mediterranean-Type Ecosystems

Part of the book series: Ecological Studies ((ECOLSTUD,volume 43))

Abstract

The Cape floristic region is very rich in species with a high proportion of endemics (Goldblatt 1978; Taylor 1978). Most speculation on the origin of fynbos (and Australian heathland) diversity has had a biogeographic perspective dealing with total floras and the effects on speciation of geomorphic rejuvenation, climatic change, topographic diversity, age of taxa and other broad-scale influences (Levyns 1964; Raven 1973; Axelrod and Raven 1978; Goldblatt 1978; Taylor 1978, 1980; Hopper 1979). Few studies have dealt with lower levels of diversity with the recent and notable exception of Kruger and Taylor’s (1979) comparative study on gamma and delta diversity of fynbosa. Alpha and/or beta diversity patterns have been studied by Werger (1972), Campbell and van der Meulen (1980) and Naveh and Whittaker (1980).

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Authors
  1. W. Bond
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environment Affairs and Fisheries, South African Forestry Research Institute, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa

    Frederick J. Kruger

  2. Department of Botany, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa

    Derek T. Mitchell

  3. Department of Zoology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa

    Jennifer U. M. Jarvis

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© 1983 Springer-Verlag Berlin · Heidelberg

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Bond, W. (1983). On Alpha Diversity and the Richness of the Cape Flora: A Study in Southern Cape Fynbos. In: Kruger, F.J., Mitchell, D.T., Jarvis, J.U.M. (eds) Mediterranean-Type Ecosystems. Ecological Studies, vol 43. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-68935-2_19

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-68935-2_19

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-68937-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-68935-2

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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