Permit requirements, associated challenges and recommendations for biodiversity collections and research in South Africa

Abstract

South Africa is frequently cited as being a megadiverse country, with high numbers of species, ecosystems and
biomes, and high levels of endemism or uniqueness of species and habitats. A number of globally recognised
products such as a detailed national vegetation map¹, a comprehensive strategy for protected areas expansion², Red
List assessments of plant species3, mammals, birds, reptiles⁴ and butterflies5. A comprehensive scientific National
Biodiversity Assessment is carried out every 6 or 7 years.^6,7 A large number of books on South African plants, animals and fungi have been published and these books present information not only for scientists but also for the public, environmental impact practitioners, conservationists, the tourism industry, bioprospectors, biotraders and decision-makers. All these biodiversity-related products rely on sound scientific knowledge of species, gathered over decades through expeditions and surveys and research in fields that include taxonomy and biogeography. Material collected and researched is housed in museums and herbaria across the country, and the specimens and associated data are used by scientists and postgraduate students globally on an ongoing basis. Despite the vast amount of knowledge and data, many gaps in the knowledge of South Africa’s biodiversity still exist. Over 200 new South African species are described each year, and the application of molecular phylogenetic approaches is revealing a large amount of cryptic diversity in taxa that were considered well known.8-10 The continued expansion of collections and knowledge is critical for the conservation and sustainable use of species and ecosystems, as well as for understanding the impacts of climate change and other forms of global change on biodiversity.^11,12

Collection of plants and animals by scientists in South Africa has been regulated through a permitting system for decades. In the last 10 to 15 years, however, the permitting requirements have become increasingly complex and,
for most biodiversity scientists, determining what permits are required is daunting. This has a significant impact on
the research, capacity development and natural science collection community’s mandated work.

Two recent projects have been established through the South African Department of Science and Innovation as part of their South African Research Infrastructure Roadmap (SARIR). The Natural Science Collections Facility is a network of museums, science councils and university herbaria that hold preserved biodiversity specimens and materials. The Biodiversity Biobanks South Africa includes institutions that hold mostly cryopreserved materials such as frozen tissues (e.g. reproductive, blood, muscle), DNA extracts and cultures of microbial organisms. In line with global initiatives for large research infrastructure, the purpose of these SARIR projects is to serve researchers both nationally and internationally through acting as a repository and providing access to materials and data for research and development projects, especially where these are of societal and economic benefit. The challenges faced by participating institutions in terms of permits to collect, accept donations, and house and share materials is a major constraint to the achievement of the objectives of the SARIR initiatives.

In this Commentary, we summarise the current legal requirements for the collection and use of biodiversity material for non-commercial research purposes in South Africa, highlight the main challenges from the perspective of
researchers and natural science collection curators and managers, and make recommendations for addressing
the challenges identified.