World Species : Protected Area : Karoo National Park

Karoo National Park

Location:	Western Cape, South Africa
IUCN Category:	II
Area:	190,300 acres (77,012 hectares)
Species:	All Endangered Invasive
Website:	View website
Climate:	View Climate Data
Land Use:	View Land Use Data
Köppen climate classification:	BWk (Climate: arid; Precipitation: desert; Temperature: cold arid)

Ecoregions

Nama Karoo

Soils

— Protected Area Boundary

	A				B					C				D				E				F				G

Share	56 %	15 %	14 %	15 %	50 %	14 %	6 %	15 %	15 %	51 %	13 %	20 %	16 %	53 %	6 %	26 %	15 %	51 %	13 %	20 %	16 %	64 %	11 %	15 %	10 %	64 %	11 %	15 %	10 %
Soil Type	Lithic Leptosols	Calcaric Regosols	Calcic Luvisols	Eutric Leptosols	Lithic Leptosols	Calcaric Cambisols	Eutric Fluvisols	Lithic Leptosols	Lithic Leptosols	Lithic Leptosols	Chromic Luvisols	Lithic Leptosols	Lithic Leptosols	Chromic Cambisols	Chromic Luvisols	Eutric Leptosols	Eutric Cambisols	Lithic Leptosols	Chromic Luvisols	Lithic Leptosols	Lithic Leptosols	Lithic Leptosols	Chromic Luvisols	Lithic Leptosols	Lithic Leptosols	Lithic Leptosols	Chromic Luvisols	Lithic Leptosols	Lithic Leptosols
Topsoil Texture	Medium	Medium	Medium	Medium	Medium	Medium	Medium	Medium	Medium	Medium	Medium	Medium	Medium	Medium	Medium	Medium	Medium	Medium	Medium	Medium	Medium	Medium	Medium	Medium	Medium	Medium	Medium	Medium	Medium
Reference Depth	10 cm	100 cm	100 cm	30 cm	10 cm	100 cm	100 cm	10 cm	10 cm	10 cm	100 cm	10 cm	10 cm	100 cm	100 cm	30 cm	100 cm	10 cm	100 cm	10 cm	10 cm	10 cm	100 cm	10 cm	10 cm	10 cm	100 cm	10 cm	10 cm
Drainage	Imperfectly	Moderately well	Moderately well	Imperfectly	Imperfectly	Moderately well	Moderately well	Imperfectly	Imperfectly	Imperfectly	Moderately well	Imperfectly	Imperfectly	Moderately well	Moderately well	Imperfectly	Moderately well	Imperfectly	Moderately well	Imperfectly	Imperfectly	Imperfectly	Moderately well	Imperfectly	Imperfectly	Imperfectly	Moderately well	Imperfectly	Imperfectly
Available Water Capacity	15 mm	150 m	150 m	50 mm	15 mm	150 m	150 m	15 mm	15 mm	15 mm	150 m	15 mm	15 mm	150 m	150 m	50 mm	150 m	15 mm	150 m	15 mm	15 mm	15 mm	150 m	15 mm	15 mm	15 mm	150 m	15 mm	15 mm
Topsoil Properties
Gravel	20 %	5 %	1 %	20 %	20 %	1 %	1 %	20 %	20 %	20 %	1 %	20 %	20 %	1 %	1 %	20 %	1 %	20 %	1 %	20 %	20 %	20 %	1 %	20 %	20 %	20 %	1 %	20 %	20 %
Sand	43 %	44 %	63 %	50 %	43 %	35 %	44 %	43 %	43 %	43 %	51 %	43 %	43 %	42 %	51 %	50 %	45 %	43 %	51 %	43 %	43 %	43 %	51 %	43 %	43 %	43 %	51 %	43 %	43 %
Silt	29 %	26 %	16 %	30 %	29 %	37 %	33 %	29 %	29 %	29 %	22 %	29 %	29 %	26 %	22 %	30 %	31 %	29 %	22 %	29 %	29 %	29 %	22 %	29 %	29 %	29 %	22 %	29 %	29 %
Clay	28 %	30 %	21 %	20 %	28 %	28 %	23 %	28 %	28 %	28 %	27 %	28 %	28 %	32 %	27 %	20 %	24 %	28 %	27 %	28 %	28 %	28 %	27 %	28 %	28 %	28 %	27 %	28 %	28 %
USDA Texture	Clay loam	Clay loam	Sandy clay loam	Loam	Clay loam	Clay loam	Loam	Clay loam	Clay loam	Clay loam	Sandy clay loam	Clay loam	Clay loam	Clay loam	Sandy clay loam	Loam	Loam	Clay loam	Sandy clay loam	Clay loam	Clay loam	Clay loam	Sandy clay loam	Clay loam	Clay loam	Clay loam	Sandy clay loam	Clay loam	Clay loam
Reference Bulk Density	1.36 g/cm³	1.35 g/cm³	1.44 g/cm³	1.42 g/cm³	1.36 g/cm³	1.34 g/cm³	1.39 g/cm³	1.36 g/cm³	1.36 g/cm³	1.36 g/cm³	1.38 g/cm³	1.36 g/cm³	1.36 g/cm³	1.34 g/cm³	1.38 g/cm³	1.42 g/cm³	1.38 g/cm³	1.36 g/cm³	1.38 g/cm³	1.36 g/cm³	1.36 g/cm³	1.36 g/cm³	1.38 g/cm³	1.36 g/cm³	1.36 g/cm³	1.36 g/cm³	1.38 g/cm³	1.36 g/cm³	1.36 g/cm³
Bulk Density	1.31 g/cm³	1.37 g/cm³	1.5 g/cm³	1.35 g/cm³	1.31 g/cm³	1.41 g/cm³	1.33 g/cm³	1.31 g/cm³	1.31 g/cm³	1.31 g/cm³	1.45 g/cm³	1.31 g/cm³	1.31 g/cm³	1.31 g/cm³	1.45 g/cm³	1.35 g/cm³	1.38 g/cm³	1.31 g/cm³	1.45 g/cm³	1.31 g/cm³	1.31 g/cm³	1.31 g/cm³	1.45 g/cm³	1.31 g/cm³	1.31 g/cm³	1.31 g/cm³	1.45 g/cm³	1.31 g/cm³	1.31 g/cm³
Organic Carbon	0.39 %	0.28 %	0.3 %	0.72 %	0.39 %	0.53 %	0.73 %	0.39 %	0.39 %	0.39 %	0.63 %	0.39 %	0.39 %	0.93 %	0.63 %	0.72 %	0.87 %	0.39 %	0.63 %	0.39 %	0.39 %	0.39 %	0.63 %	0.39 %	0.39 %	0.39 %	0.63 %	0.39 %	0.39 %
PH	7.5	8.1	7.5	6.5	7.5	8	7	7.5	7.5	7.5	6.4	7.5	7.5	6.7	6.4	6.5	6.6	7.5	6.4	7.5	7.5	7.5	6.4	7.5	7.5	7.5	6.4	7.5	7.5
Clay Cation Exchange Capacity	51 cmol kg⁻¹	43 cmol kg⁻¹	49 cmol kg⁻¹	49 cmol kg⁻¹	51 cmol kg⁻¹	62 cmol kg⁻¹	50 cmol kg⁻¹	51 cmol kg⁻¹	51 cmol kg⁻¹	51 cmol kg⁻¹	31 cmol kg⁻¹	51 cmol kg⁻¹	51 cmol kg⁻¹	33 cmol kg⁻¹	31 cmol kg⁻¹	49 cmol kg⁻¹	50 cmol kg⁻¹	51 cmol kg⁻¹	31 cmol kg⁻¹	51 cmol kg⁻¹	51 cmol kg⁻¹	51 cmol kg⁻¹	31 cmol kg⁻¹	51 cmol kg⁻¹	51 cmol kg⁻¹	51 cmol kg⁻¹	31 cmol kg⁻¹	51 cmol kg⁻¹	51 cmol kg⁻¹
Soil Cation Exchange Capacity	16 cmol kg⁻¹	13 cmol kg⁻¹	11 cmol kg⁻¹	12 cmol kg⁻¹	16 cmol kg⁻¹	19 cmol kg⁻¹	14 cmol kg⁻¹	16 cmol kg⁻¹	16 cmol kg⁻¹	16 cmol kg⁻¹	10 cmol kg⁻¹	16 cmol kg⁻¹	16 cmol kg⁻¹	14 cmol kg⁻¹	10 cmol kg⁻¹	12 cmol kg⁻¹	15 cmol kg⁻¹	16 cmol kg⁻¹	10 cmol kg⁻¹	16 cmol kg⁻¹	16 cmol kg⁻¹	16 cmol kg⁻¹	10 cmol kg⁻¹	16 cmol kg⁻¹	16 cmol kg⁻¹	16 cmol kg⁻¹	10 cmol kg⁻¹	16 cmol kg⁻¹	16 cmol kg⁻¹
Base Saturation	100 %	100 %	100 %	87 %	100 %	100 %	91 %	100 %	100 %	100 %	85 %	100 %	100 %	90 %	85 %	87 %	91 %	100 %	85 %	100 %	100 %	100 %	85 %	100 %	100 %	100 %	85 %	100 %	100 %
Total Exchangeable Bases	16 cmol kg⁻¹	13 cmol kg⁻¹	11 cmol kg⁻¹	10.4 cmol kg⁻¹	16 cmol kg⁻¹	19 cmol kg⁻¹	12.7 cmol kg⁻¹	16 cmol kg⁻¹	16 cmol kg⁻¹	16 cmol kg⁻¹	8.5 cmol kg⁻¹	16 cmol kg⁻¹	16 cmol kg⁻¹	12.6 cmol kg⁻¹	8.5 cmol kg⁻¹	10.4 cmol kg⁻¹	13.7 cmol kg⁻¹	16 cmol kg⁻¹	8.5 cmol kg⁻¹	16 cmol kg⁻¹	16 cmol kg⁻¹	16 cmol kg⁻¹	8.5 cmol kg⁻¹	16 cmol kg⁻¹	16 cmol kg⁻¹	16 cmol kg⁻¹	8.5 cmol kg⁻¹	16 cmol kg⁻¹	16 cmol kg⁻¹
Calcium Carbonate	3.1 %	8.1 %	2 %	0.8 %	3.1 %	4.9 %	1.5 %	3.1 %	3.1 %	3.1 %	0.5 %	3.1 %	3.1 %	1 %	0.5 %	0.8 %	1 %	3.1 %	0.5 %	3.1 %	3.1 %	3.1 %	0.5 %	3.1 %	3.1 %	3.1 %	0.5 %	3.1 %	3.1 %
Calcium Sulphate	0.1 %	0.3 %	0.1 %	0.1 %	0.1 %	0.4 %	0.1 %	0.1 %	0.1 %	0.1 %	0 %	0.1 %	0.1 %	0.1 %	0 %	0.1 %	0.1 %	0.1 %	0 %	0.1 %	0.1 %	0.1 %	0 %	0.1 %	0.1 %	0.1 %	0 %	0.1 %	0.1 %
Exchangeable Sodium	1 %	2 %	2 %	2 %	1 %	1 %	2 %	1 %	1 %	1 %	2 %	1 %	1 %	1 %	2 %	2 %	2 %	1 %	2 %	1 %	1 %	1 %	2 %	1 %	1 %	1 %	2 %	1 %	1 %
Electrical Conductivity	0.4 dS m-1	0.2 dS m-1	0.1 dS m-1	0.1 dS m-1	0.4 dS m-1	0.3 dS m-1	0.1 dS m-1	0.4 dS m-1	0.4 dS m-1	0.4 dS m-1	0 dS m-1	0.4 dS m-1	0.4 dS m-1	0.1 dS m-1	0 dS m-1	0.1 dS m-1	0.1 dS m-1	0.4 dS m-1	0 dS m-1	0.4 dS m-1	0.4 dS m-1	0.4 dS m-1	0 dS m-1	0.4 dS m-1	0.4 dS m-1	0.4 dS m-1	0 dS m-1	0.4 dS m-1	0.4 dS m-1
Subsoil Properties
Gravel		0 %	1 %			1 %	1 %				1 %			1 %	1 %		1 %		1 %				1 %				1 %
Sand		56 %	56 %			34 %	45 %				45 %			41 %	45 %		43 %		45 %				45 %				45 %
Silt		25 %	17 %			39 %	31 %				21 %			25 %	21 %		30 %		21 %				21 %				21 %
Clay		19 %	27 %			27 %	24 %				34 %			34 %	34 %		27 %		34 %				34 %				34 %
USDA Texture		Sandy loam	Sandy clay loam			Clay loam	Loam				Clay loam			Clay loam	Clay loam		Clay loam		Clay loam				Clay loam				Clay loam
Reference Bulk Density		1.44 g/cm³	1.39 g/cm³			1.35 g/cm³	1.38 g/cm³				1.33 g/cm³			1.33 g/cm³	1.33 g/cm³		1.36 g/cm³		1.33 g/cm³				1.33 g/cm³				1.33 g/cm³
Bulk Density		1.5 g/cm³	1.59 g/cm³			1.44 g/cm³	1.4 g/cm³				1.5 g/cm³			1.44 g/cm³	1.5 g/cm³		1.39 g/cm³		1.5 g/cm³				1.5 g/cm³				1.5 g/cm³
Organic Carbon		0.35 %	0.21 %			0.32 %	0.32 %				0.35 %			0.38 %	0.35 %		0.34 %		0.35 %				0.35 %				0.35 %
PH		8	7.9			8.1	7.3				6.5			6.9	6.5		7		6.5				6.5				6.5
Clay Cation Exchange Capacity		55 cmol kg⁻¹	43 cmol kg⁻¹			68 cmol kg⁻¹	48 cmol kg⁻¹				31 cmol kg⁻¹			38 cmol kg⁻¹	31 cmol kg⁻¹		52 cmol kg⁻¹		31 cmol kg⁻¹				31 cmol kg⁻¹				31 cmol kg⁻¹
Soil Cation Exchange Capacity		12 cmol kg⁻¹	12 cmol kg⁻¹			19 cmol kg⁻¹	13 cmol kg⁻¹				12 cmol kg⁻¹			14 cmol kg⁻¹	12 cmol kg⁻¹		15 cmol kg⁻¹		12 cmol kg⁻¹				12 cmol kg⁻¹				12 cmol kg⁻¹
Base Saturation		100 %	100 %			100 %	94 %				84 %			97 %	84 %		94 %		84 %				84 %				84 %
Total Exchangeable Bases		12 cmol kg⁻¹	12 cmol kg⁻¹			19 cmol kg⁻¹	12.2 cmol kg⁻¹				10.1 cmol kg⁻¹			13.6 cmol kg⁻¹	10.1 cmol kg⁻¹		14.1 cmol kg⁻¹		10.1 cmol kg⁻¹				10.1 cmol kg⁻¹				10.1 cmol kg⁻¹
Calcium Carbonate		9.6 %	4.9 %			6.3 %	2 %				0.6 %			1.3 %	0.6 %		1.6 %		0.6 %				0.6 %				0.6 %
Calcium Sulphate		0.6 %	0.1 %			1.1 %	0.1 %				0 %			0.1 %	0 %		0.1 %		0 %				0 %				0 %
Exchangeable Sodium		3 %	2 %			1 %	2 %				1 %			1 %	1 %		2 %		1 %				1 %				1 %
Electrical Conductivity		0.3 dS m-1	0.2 dS m-1			0.3 dS m-1	0.1 dS m-1				0 dS m-1			0.1 dS m-1	0 dS m-1		0.2 dS m-1		0 dS m-1				0 dS m-1				0 dS m-1

Soil data provided by FAO/IIASA/ISRIC/ISSCAS/JRC, 2012. Harmonized World Soil Database (version 1.2). FAO, Rome, Italy and IIASA, Laxenburg, Austria.

Köppen climate classification provided by Kottek, M., J. Grieser, C. Beck, B. Rudolf, and F. Rubel, 2006: World Map of Köppen-Geiger Climate Classification updated. Meteorol. Z., 15, 259-263