Ecosystem Threat Status NBA 2011

NBA2018_Terrestrial Ecosystem Threat Status and Protection level remaining extent layer is associated with the NBA2018_Terrestrial Ecosystem Threat Status and Protection level. While the a NBA2018_Terrestrial Ecosystem Threat Status and Protection level remaining extent provides the data for Protection level and threat status for the historical (pre 1750AD) extent of the terrestrial ecosystems, this layer shows the protection level and threat status of the current remaining extent of terrestrial ecosystems. More detail can be found in NBA 2018 Technical Report Volume 1: Terrestrial Realm, http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12143/6370

Latest update of the Sub-Antarctic Marine Ecosystem Map

NBA2018_Terrestrial Ecosystem Threat Status and Protection Level forms a key part of the National Biodiversity Assessment. More details can be found in NBA 2018 Technical Report Volume 1: Terrestrial Realm, http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12143/6370

The nba2025_terr_rle_epl layer forms a key part of the National Biodiversity Assessment. The Red List of Ecosystems (commonly referred to as ecosystem threat status) and Ecosystem Protection Level are the two headline indicators used in South Africa to report on the state of its biodiversity. This dataset contains the historical / potential extent (circa 1750) of each of the 463 ecosystem types assessed. This means that patches of ecosystems lost to anthropogenic activities such as mining or croplands are part of the dataset. A separate dataset (nba2025_terr_rle_epl_remnants.shp) is also available and contains only the natural remaining remnants of each ecosystem type. This represents a revision of the “List of terrestrial ecosystems that threatened or in need of protection” published in the government gazette in December 2022. The revision is based on the best available data and uses the IUCN RLE risk assessment framework version 2.0 (IUCN,2024). Terrestrial ecosystems are categorised into one of four classes representing their risk of collapse; in descending order of risk: Critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable, and Least Concern. The national vegetation map, 2024 version (Mucina and Rutherford 2006; Dayaram et al., 2025 in prep) provided the units of assessment for the RLE (Vegetation Unit / Type level) assessments. For further details, see the relevant ecosystem threat status and protection level pages.

nba2025_terr _RLE_EPL_remnants layer forms part of the NBA2025 and is associated with the nba2025_terrl_RLE_EPL (large-scale industrial development) layer. The remnants layer shows the protection level and threat status of the current remaining extent of terrestrial ecosystems. It forms a key part of the National Biodiversity Assessment. For further details, see the relevant ecosystem threat status and protection level pages.

The NBA relies on two headline indicators that can be applied to both ecosystems and species, namely threat status and protection level. Threat status is based on the IUCN risk assessment framework for species and ecosystems. Protection level was developed in South Africa for national reporting and addresses the extent to which ecosystems and where feasible, species are protected. These headline indicators provide a way of comparing results meaningfully across the different realms and provides a standardised framework that links with policy and legislation in South Africa, thus facilitating the interface between science and policy. This spatial file contains the polygons of each marine ecosystem type name, threat status and protection level. The 2025 threat status assessment of South Africa’s 163 marine ecosystem types was conducted using the 2024 Guidelines for the application of IUCN Red List of Ecosystems Categories and Criteria and drawing from previous NBA assessments. The IUCN Criteria A-D were applied using pressure and condition maps from the 2018 assessment. Both the extent and severity of ecosystem degradation were considered by calculating the extent of ecosystem types in each of the four ecosystem condition categories. Condition assessments were based on an ecosystem pressure matrix that is used to weight the impact of each pressure on each ecosystem type. The 2025 ecosystem protection level assessment for marine ecosystems applied a 30% protection target for all ecosystem types to align with the Global Biodiversity Forum target. When calculating the percentage of area within an MPA, the area contributions were scaled by condition. The protection contribution was scaled in alignment with the IUCN RLE criteria C and D thresholds of modification. Further, in order for a marine ecosystem type to qualify for the Well Protected category, at least 30% of the ecosystem type (i.e. the ecosystem target) needs to be in a natural or near natural ecological condition. If this rule was not met, the ecosystem was categorised as Moderately Protected. For further details, see the relevant ecosystem threat status and protection level pages.

The Coast threat status and Protection level layer includes the spatial delineation of coastal polygons from the terrestrial, estuarine and marine realms with their associated threat status and protection level as assessed in the NBA 2025. Further details on the process, partners and assessment can be found at https://nba.sanbi.org.za/