title: A rapid multi-disciplinary biodiversity assessment of the Kamdebooberge (Sneeuberg, Eastern Cape, South Africa): implications for conservation.
abstract: Botanical work since 2008 on the Sleeping Giant section of the Kamdebooberge (Sneeuberg mountain complex, Eastern Cape, South Africa) has indicated that these mountains may be of significant conservation value. Accordingly, a precursory, rapid multi-disciplinary biodiversity assessment was undertaken in January 2011, focusing on plants, tetrapod vertebrates and leafhoppers. The botanical results confirm the Kamdebooberge as being of high botanical conservation value, hosting three strict endemics, healthy populations of five other Sneeuberg endemics, and fynbos communities comprising species not found elsewhere in the Sneeuberg. The Kamdebooberge are important for herpetofauna (excluding serpentoids) and mammals, hosting several range-restricted and regional endemics. The expedition uncovered three new leafhopper species, together with several species previously only known from the Cape Floristic Region. Further detailed faunal work may provide further interesting results from these mountains, which show a high conservation value unique to the southern Escarpment.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/2193-1801-1-56) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
authors: Department of Botany, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, 6140 South Africa.
authors: Vincent R
authors: VR
authors: Clark
authors: Sandun J
authors: SJ
authors: Perera
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Stiller
authors: Charles H
authors: CH
authors: Stirton
authors: Peter H
authors: PH
authors: Weston
authors: Pavel
authors: P
authors: Stoev
authors: Gareth
authors: G
authors: Coombs
authors: Dale B
authors: DB
authors: Morris
authors: Dayani
authors: D
authors: Ratnayake-Perera
authors: Nigel P
authors: NP
authors: Barker
authors: Gillian K
authors: GK
authors: McGregor