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The successional dynamics of Acacia nilotica (L.) savanna
Analysis of aerial photographs indicates that woody plant biomass has increased in Hluhluwe Game Reserve, KwaZulu Natal, over a relatively short period. Despite their slow growth rates, Eucleas and other broadleaf species are responsible for the majority of this increase. Nine sites were chosen to e...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Department of Biological Sciences
2017
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| _version_ | 1867613330165727232 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Skowno, Andrew L |
| author2 | Midgley, Jeremy J |
| author_browse | Midgley, Jeremy J Skowno, Andrew L |
| author_facet | Midgley, Jeremy J Skowno, Andrew L |
| author_sort | Skowno, Andrew L |
| collection | Thesis |
| description | Analysis of aerial photographs indicates that woody plant biomass has increased in Hluhluwe Game Reserve, KwaZulu Natal, over a relatively short period. Despite their slow growth rates, Eucleas and other broadleaf species are responsible for the majority of this increase. Nine sites were chosen to examine the recruitment patterns and sizeclass distributions of Euclea divinorum and E. racemosa. Analysis of the size-class distribution data suggests that recruitment of Eucleas is slightly higher below adult A. nilotica canopies than in adjacent interspaces. The number of seedlings is significantly higher below Acacia canopies than in open spaces. Size class data indicate that the largest Euclea individuals are found in open spaces and not below A. nilotica canopies. Because Eucleas have slower growth rates than A. nilotica, the large Eucleas may well have become established before the present A. nilotica stand. The data also indicate that A. karroo is replacing A. nilotica and that broadleaf species other than Eucleas are recruiting in both open and below canopy plots. I suggest A. nilotica adults only weakly facilitate the establishment of Eucleas and other broadleaved species, and that increase in woody vegetation is due to changes in the fire regime that allow suppressed broadleaf individuals to escape and become visible. This release may explain the rapid rate of encroachment by inherently slow growing species. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/25778 |
| institution | University of Cape Town (South Africa) |
| language | eng |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:34:25.395Z |
| license_str | Not specified — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| publishDate | 2017 |
| publishDateRange | 2017 |
| publishDateSort | 2017 |
| 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:11427/25778 The successional dynamics of Acacia nilotica (L.) savanna Skowno, Andrew L Midgley, Jeremy J Botany Analysis of aerial photographs indicates that woody plant biomass has increased in Hluhluwe Game Reserve, KwaZulu Natal, over a relatively short period. Despite their slow growth rates, Eucleas and other broadleaf species are responsible for the majority of this increase. Nine sites were chosen to examine the recruitment patterns and sizeclass distributions of Euclea divinorum and E. racemosa. Analysis of the size-class distribution data suggests that recruitment of Eucleas is slightly higher below adult A. nilotica canopies than in adjacent interspaces. The number of seedlings is significantly higher below Acacia canopies than in open spaces. Size class data indicate that the largest Euclea individuals are found in open spaces and not below A. nilotica canopies. Because Eucleas have slower growth rates than A. nilotica, the large Eucleas may well have become established before the present A. nilotica stand. The data also indicate that A. karroo is replacing A. nilotica and that broadleaf species other than Eucleas are recruiting in both open and below canopy plots. I suggest A. nilotica adults only weakly facilitate the establishment of Eucleas and other broadleaved species, and that increase in woody vegetation is due to changes in the fire regime that allow suppressed broadleaf individuals to escape and become visible. This release may explain the rapid rate of encroachment by inherently slow growing species. 2017-10-25T08:17:24Z 2017-10-25T08:17:24Z 1996 2017-02-17T08:38:02Z Bachelor Thesis Honours BSc (Hons) http://hdl.handle.net/11427/25778 eng application/pdf Department of Biological Sciences Faculty of Science University of Cape Town |
| spellingShingle | Botany Skowno, Andrew L The successional dynamics of Acacia nilotica (L.) savanna |
| thesis_degree_str | Bachelor's / Honours |
| title | The successional dynamics of Acacia nilotica (L.) savanna |
| title_full | The successional dynamics of Acacia nilotica (L.) savanna |
| title_fullStr | The successional dynamics of Acacia nilotica (L.) savanna |
| title_full_unstemmed | The successional dynamics of Acacia nilotica (L.) savanna |
| title_short | The successional dynamics of Acacia nilotica (L.) savanna |
| title_sort | successional dynamics of acacia nilotica l savanna |
| topic | Botany |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/25778 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT skownoandrewl thesuccessionaldynamicsofacacianiloticalsavanna AT skownoandrewl successionaldynamicsofacacianiloticalsavanna |