Anticipating potential biodiversity conflicts for future biofuel crops in South Africa: Incorporating land cover information with Species Distribution Models

Abstract

Using spatial techniques to determine the threat of land-use change is a useful tool in mitigating against potential biodiversity losses. We investigate the potential suitability and likely impacts of energy crops not currently grown in South Africa, focussing on the Eastern Cape as the study area. The potential use of ecosystem services maps could serve as a proxy for the broader role of the environment to provide goods and services that need to be maintained in the landscape.