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Aspects of coastal fynbos phenology

This thesis comprises three papers on different aspects of the phenology of several south western Cape coastal fynbos species, with a general introduction and conclusion I inking the three. The introduction discusses factors relating to the occurrence of summer growth in some Australian heath and Ca...

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Main Author: Sommerville, Jacqueline Elizabeth Melville
Other Authors: Moll, Eugene J
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: Department of Biological Sciences 2016
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access_status_str Open Access
author Sommerville, Jacqueline Elizabeth Melville
author2 Moll, Eugene J
author_browse Moll, Eugene J
Sommerville, Jacqueline Elizabeth Melville
author_facet Moll, Eugene J
Sommerville, Jacqueline Elizabeth Melville
author_sort Sommerville, Jacqueline Elizabeth Melville
collection Thesis
description This thesis comprises three papers on different aspects of the phenology of several south western Cape coastal fynbos species, with a general introduction and conclusion I inking the three. The introduction discusses factors relating to the occurrence of summer growth in some Australian heath and Cape fynbos species. The first paper deals with the responses of the stem xylem pressure potential of two species to seasonal moisture changes in three soils. The results show that L. parile experienced little or no water stress throughout the investigation. The decreasing spring-summer potentials measured in T. punctatus suggest considerable water stress in this species. The observed differences can be explained in terms of species rooting depth and soil water-holding capacity. The second paper investigates patterns of seasonal shoot or culm growth in 11 species, in relation to past and present climatic factors and seasonal nutrient availability. The results show that other factors such as root depth and extent, plant age and water-use, and soil water-holding capacity affect the timing of shoot or culm growth in some species. In the final paper the seasonality of reproductive activity is discussed in relation to the seasonality of vegetative growth and to biotic and abiotic environmental factors. Reproductive activity appears to have little effect on the growth of individual shoots or culms. More research is needed to determine the effects of biotic pollinators, dispersers and predators as well as temperature, photoperiod and soil moisture on the seasonality of reproductive activity. In the conclusions summer growth is discussed in relation to water stress, seasonal availability of nutrients and to plant characteristics such as root depth and age.
format Thesis
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institution University of Cape Town (South Africa)
language eng
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:42:38.006Z
license_str Not specified — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
publishDate 2016
publishDateRange 2016
publishDateSort 2016
publisher Department of Biological Sciences
publisherStr Department of Biological Sciences
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source_str UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
spelling oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/19523 Aspects of coastal fynbos phenology Sommerville, Jacqueline Elizabeth Melville Moll, Eugene J Botany This thesis comprises three papers on different aspects of the phenology of several south western Cape coastal fynbos species, with a general introduction and conclusion I inking the three. The introduction discusses factors relating to the occurrence of summer growth in some Australian heath and Cape fynbos species. The first paper deals with the responses of the stem xylem pressure potential of two species to seasonal moisture changes in three soils. The results show that L. parile experienced little or no water stress throughout the investigation. The decreasing spring-summer potentials measured in T. punctatus suggest considerable water stress in this species. The observed differences can be explained in terms of species rooting depth and soil water-holding capacity. The second paper investigates patterns of seasonal shoot or culm growth in 11 species, in relation to past and present climatic factors and seasonal nutrient availability. The results show that other factors such as root depth and extent, plant age and water-use, and soil water-holding capacity affect the timing of shoot or culm growth in some species. In the final paper the seasonality of reproductive activity is discussed in relation to the seasonality of vegetative growth and to biotic and abiotic environmental factors. Reproductive activity appears to have little effect on the growth of individual shoots or culms. More research is needed to determine the effects of biotic pollinators, dispersers and predators as well as temperature, photoperiod and soil moisture on the seasonality of reproductive activity. In the conclusions summer growth is discussed in relation to water stress, seasonal availability of nutrients and to plant characteristics such as root depth and age. 2016-05-09T09:02:48Z 2016-05-09T09:02:48Z 1983 Master Thesis Masters MSc http://hdl.handle.net/11427/19523 eng application/pdf Department of Biological Sciences Faculty of Science University of Cape Town
spellingShingle Botany
Sommerville, Jacqueline Elizabeth Melville
Aspects of coastal fynbos phenology
thesis_degree_str Master's
title Aspects of coastal fynbos phenology
title_full Aspects of coastal fynbos phenology
title_fullStr Aspects of coastal fynbos phenology
title_full_unstemmed Aspects of coastal fynbos phenology
title_short Aspects of coastal fynbos phenology
title_sort aspects of coastal fynbos phenology
topic Botany
url http://hdl.handle.net/11427/19523
work_keys_str_mv AT sommervillejacquelineelizabethmelville aspectsofcoastalfynbosphenology