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Biogeochemical niche construction in the forest-fynbos mosaic of Jonkershoek Nature Reserve, South Africa
Includes bibliographical references.
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| Main Author: | |
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| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Department of Biological Sciences
2015
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| _version_ | 1867613715984023552 |
|---|---|
| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Dalwai, Raheem |
| author2 | Khomo, Lesego |
| author_browse | Dalwai, Raheem Khomo, Lesego |
| author_facet | Khomo, Lesego Dalwai, Raheem |
| author_sort | Dalwai, Raheem |
| collection | Thesis |
| description | Includes bibliographical references. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/12765 |
| institution | University of Cape Town (South Africa) |
| language | eng |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:40:33.902Z |
| license_str | Not specified — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| publishDate | 2015 |
| publishDateRange | 2015 |
| publishDateSort | 2015 |
| publisher | Department of Biological Sciences |
| publisherStr | Department of Biological Sciences |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| spelling | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/12765 Biogeochemical niche construction in the forest-fynbos mosaic of Jonkershoek Nature Reserve, South Africa Dalwai, Raheem Khomo, Lesego Conservation Biology Includes bibliographical references. The south-western Cape of South Africa is dominated by fynbos vegetation with patches of forest restricted to rock screes and stream banks owing to the more favourable moisture status of these microhabitats. A detailed analysis of soil underlying forest and fynbos vegetation in Jonkershoek Nature Reserve was investigated. A total of nine soil pits were dug in forest and on fynbos slopes with high and low gradients. Pits were analysed by depth examining texture while soil was also sent for x-ray fluorescent analysis and carbon and nitrogen analysis. Evidence for dust deposition varied spatially, although this could be a result of the rapid erosion experienced during winter. Soil properties, mainly texture and nutrient concentration differed distinctly between forest and fynbos. I argue that these differences are caused by topographical diversity and maintained by vegetation which influences nutrient enrichment via dust accumulation and plant litter decomposition. Thus I concluded that soil texture favours nutrient retention in forest soil more than in fynbos soil enhancing the disparity between nutrients in the respective environments. By influencing litter decomposition and aeolian inputs of dust, vegetation is responsible for modifying its niche increasing the difference between fynbos and forest patches. 2015-05-06T14:23:28Z 2015-05-06T14:23:28Z 2014 Bachelor Thesis Honours BSc (Hons) http://hdl.handle.net/11427/12765 eng application/pdf Department of Biological Sciences Faculty of Science University of Cape Town |
| spellingShingle | Conservation Biology Dalwai, Raheem Biogeochemical niche construction in the forest-fynbos mosaic of Jonkershoek Nature Reserve, South Africa |
| thesis_degree_str | Bachelor's / Honours |
| title | Biogeochemical niche construction in the forest-fynbos mosaic of Jonkershoek Nature Reserve, South Africa |
| title_full | Biogeochemical niche construction in the forest-fynbos mosaic of Jonkershoek Nature Reserve, South Africa |
| title_fullStr | Biogeochemical niche construction in the forest-fynbos mosaic of Jonkershoek Nature Reserve, South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Biogeochemical niche construction in the forest-fynbos mosaic of Jonkershoek Nature Reserve, South Africa |
| title_short | Biogeochemical niche construction in the forest-fynbos mosaic of Jonkershoek Nature Reserve, South Africa |
| title_sort | biogeochemical niche construction in the forest fynbos mosaic of jonkershoek nature reserve south africa |
| topic | Conservation Biology |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/12765 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT dalwairaheem biogeochemicalnicheconstructionintheforestfynbosmosaicofjonkershoeknaturereservesouthafrica |