Module 8: Adapting to the environment

In Module 1 we learned that nearly 9 000 different types of plants and many different types of animals are indigenous to the Cape region.

It is surprising that the Cape is so rich in plants because it is actually quite a harsh place to live. Summers are hot and dry, fires are frequent and soils are generally poor. But many, many species have adapted to live in this challenging place. One of the reasons why there are so many different types of fynbos plants is the rich diversity of habitats in the Cape:

• Two major ocean currents, the warm Agulhas and cold Benguela, wash the coastline and influence the climate, which is drier in the west and wetter in the east of the region.

• Different rocks produce different soils on which different plants grow.

• The Cape region is only about 200 km wide, but the landscape varies from coastal plain to low hills and high mountains, providing many different habitats and growing conditions.