GYPWORLD Africa: Setting an agenda for gypsum ecosystem research in southern Africa

Abstract

This paper introduces gypsum ecosystem research to southern Africa. It is the result of current joint efforts to compare African gypsum ecosystems with those in other parts of the world. We highlight the expansion of an international network through joint projects and training of young scientists. We propose a research agenda to sensitise the ecological community in Africa to the significance of life on gypsum and to demystify the existence of gypsum soil and associated ecosystems in southern Africa. Gypsum ecosystem research is rapidly moving up the international research agenda to better understand the dynamics and resilience of the life systems associated with atypical soils that are frequent in semi-arid to arid ecosystems. The southern African soil classification system does not sufficiently recognise the presence of gypsum as a differentiating criterion, hence not much is known about the region’s gypsum soil, and gypsum ecology has subsequently been largely neglected. This neglect is unfortunate, as the livelihoods of people are dependent on these gypsum ecosystems and these areas are worthy of protection due to the rare biotas that are adapted to survive in these harsh environments.