List of ecoregions in South Africa

The following is a list of ecoregions in South Africa, as identified by the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF).

Terrestrial ecoregions

Listed by major habitat type

Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests

• Knysna-Amatole montane forests – Ecoregion of the tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests biome in South AfricaPages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets
• KwaZulu-Cape coastal forest mosaic – Subtropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion of South AfricaPages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets
• Maputaland coastal forest mosaic – Subtropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion on the Indian Ocean coast of Southern Africa.
• Southern Zanzibar-Inhambane coastal forest mosaic – Tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion of eastern AfricaPages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets

Tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands

• Kalahari Acacia-Baikiaea woodlands – Ecoregion in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and ZimbabwePages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets
• Southern Africa bushveld – Sub-tropical woodland ecoregion of Southern AfricaPages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets
• Zambezian and mopane woodlands – Tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands ecoregion of southeastern Africa.

Montane grasslands and shrublands

• Drakensberg alti-montane grasslands and woodlands – High altitude ecoregion in South Africa
• Drakensberg montane grasslands, woodlands and forests – Ecoregion in Swaziland, South Africa and Lesotho comprising grassy lower slopes of the Drakensberg
• Highveld grasslands – Geographic region of the South African inland plateauPages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets
• Maputaland-Pondoland bushland and thickets – Montane shrubland ecoregion in South AfricaPages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets

Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub

• Albany thickets – Afrotropic terrestrial ecoregion of dense woodland in South Africa
• Lowland fynbos and renosterveld – Shrubland and heathland ecoregion of southwestern South AfricaPages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets
• Montane fynbos and renosterveld – Shrubland and heathland ecoregion of southwestern South AfricaPages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets

Deserts and xeric shrublands

• Kalahari xeric savanna – Semi-arid sandy savanna ecoregion in Southern Africa
• Nama Karoo – Xeric shrubland ecoregion on the central plateau of South Africa and Namibia
• Succulent Karoo – Desert ecoregion of South Africa and Namibia

Tundra

• Southern Indian Ocean Islands tundra – Ecoregion of several subantarctic islands in the southern Indian Ocean

Mangroves

• Southern Africa mangroves – Ecoregion of mangrove swamps in rivers and estuaries on the eastern coast of South Africa

Freshwater ecoregions

by bioregion

Zambezi

• Kalahari – Semi-arid sandy savanna in Southern AfricaPages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets
• Zambezian Lowveld

Southern Temperate

• Amatole-Winterberg Highlands
• Cape Fold
• Drakensberg-Maloti Highlands
• Karoo
• Southern Kalahari
• Southern Temperate Highveld
• Western Orange

Marine ecoregions

• Benguela ecoregion – Ecoregion off the coast of South Africa
• Agulhas ecoregion – Ecoregion off the coast of South Africa
• Natal ecoregion – Marine ecoregion on the eastern coast of South Africa
• Delagoa ecoregion – Marine ecoregion on the eastern coast of southern Africa
• Prince Edward Islands – Two small sub-Antarctic islands belonging to South Africa

References

• Burgess, Neil, Jennifer D’Amico Hales, Emma Underwood (2004). Terrestrial Ecoregions of Africa and Madagascar: A Conservation Assessment. Island Press, Washington DC.
• Spalding, Mark D., Helen E. Fox, Gerald R. Allen, Nick Davidson et al. "Marine Ecoregions of the World: A Bioregionalization of Coastal and Shelf Areas". Bioscience Vol. 57 No. 7, July/August 2007, pp. 573–583.
• Thieme, Michelle L. (2005). Freshwater Ecoregions of Africa and Madagascar: A Conservation Assessment. Island Press, Washington DC.