An integrated approach for Limpopo Park groundwater characterization for biodiversity safety

Abstract

This paper presents a multistep study held in the context of the SECOSUD Phase II project, called “Conservation and equitable use of biological diversity in the SADC region (Southern African Development Community) [1]. The present study is developed in the activity research of the SECOSUD Phase II project funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the SADC. One of this project’s objectives is to strengthen the capacities of the SADC region scientific network, in the aim to consolidate and to harmonize the management of natural resources [1]. The overall objective of this study is to design an integrated approach for Limpopo Park groundwater characterization and management, based on dealing with the full water cycle by a tiered and complex program, which will follow several steps: a preliminary field study, data existing collection, the selection of sites meteorological stations, the location of monitoring surface water and groundwater points, which includes fields measurements and sampling, chemical and isotopic analysis, collection of hydrological data to design hydrological conceptual model in the area under study in order to quantify the water balance and to provide recommendations on where to focus future research. The monitoring systems should be supported by processing procedures, step by step, implementing a GIS database.

Keywords

• protected area;
• biodiversity;
• groundwater characterization
• monitoring stations
• geodatabase