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Long-term vegetation change in the Succulent Karoo, South Africa following 67 years of rest from grazing

Changes in species richness and vegetation composition in the diverse semi arid Succulent Karoo vegetation of South Africa were investigated after 67 • (1937-2004) years of rest from grazing at the Worcester Veld Reserve. Vegetation change in 70 plots at this 75 ha site was assessed using multi vari...

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Main Author: Rahlao, Sebataolo
Other Authors: Hoffman, Timm
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology 2024
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access_status_str Open Access
author Rahlao, Sebataolo
author2 Hoffman, Timm
author_browse Hoffman, Timm
Rahlao, Sebataolo
author_facet Hoffman, Timm
Rahlao, Sebataolo
author_sort Rahlao, Sebataolo
collection Thesis
description Changes in species richness and vegetation composition in the diverse semi arid Succulent Karoo vegetation of South Africa were investigated after 67 • (1937-2004) years of rest from grazing at the Worcester Veld Reserve. Vegetation change in 70 plots at this 75 ha site was assessed using multi variate ordination techniques. Changes in plant communities on termitaria sites were consistently greater than for adjacent off-termitaria sites and the north-facing slopes changed more than the south-facing slopes. There was a higher increase in diversity on off-termitaria than termitaria sites. On termitaria sites there was a general decrease in stem succulents, particularly Euphorbia mauretanica and an increase in long-lived evegreen shrubs such as Pteronia incana and Asparagus suaveo/ens. Most sites changed in a similar direction primarily determined by their association with termitaria and secondarily with .. aspect. These findings suggest a predictable and directional replacement sequence under changing disturbance (grazing) regimes in a semi-arid region.
format Thesis
id oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/40492
institution University of Cape Town (South Africa)
language English
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:34:28.941Z
license_str Not specified — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
publishDate 2024
publishDateRange 2024
publishDateSort 2024
publisher Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology
publisherStr Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology
record_format dspace
source_str UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
spelling oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/40492 Long-term vegetation change in the Succulent Karoo, South Africa following 67 years of rest from grazing Rahlao, Sebataolo Hoffman, Timm Biology Changes in species richness and vegetation composition in the diverse semi arid Succulent Karoo vegetation of South Africa were investigated after 67 • (1937-2004) years of rest from grazing at the Worcester Veld Reserve. Vegetation change in 70 plots at this 75 ha site was assessed using multi variate ordination techniques. Changes in plant communities on termitaria sites were consistently greater than for adjacent off-termitaria sites and the north-facing slopes changed more than the south-facing slopes. There was a higher increase in diversity on off-termitaria than termitaria sites. On termitaria sites there was a general decrease in stem succulents, particularly Euphorbia mauretanica and an increase in long-lived evegreen shrubs such as Pteronia incana and Asparagus suaveo/ens. Most sites changed in a similar direction primarily determined by their association with termitaria and secondarily with .. aspect. These findings suggest a predictable and directional replacement sequence under changing disturbance (grazing) regimes in a semi-arid region. 2024-07-29T10:01:02Z 2024-07-29T10:01:02Z 2005 Thesis / Dissertation http://hdl.handle.net/11427/40492 en application/pdf Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology Faculty of Science
spellingShingle Biology
Rahlao, Sebataolo
Long-term vegetation change in the Succulent Karoo, South Africa following 67 years of rest from grazing
title Long-term vegetation change in the Succulent Karoo, South Africa following 67 years of rest from grazing
title_full Long-term vegetation change in the Succulent Karoo, South Africa following 67 years of rest from grazing
title_fullStr Long-term vegetation change in the Succulent Karoo, South Africa following 67 years of rest from grazing
title_full_unstemmed Long-term vegetation change in the Succulent Karoo, South Africa following 67 years of rest from grazing
title_short Long-term vegetation change in the Succulent Karoo, South Africa following 67 years of rest from grazing
title_sort long term vegetation change in the succulent karoo south africa following 67 years of rest from grazing
topic Biology
url http://hdl.handle.net/11427/40492
work_keys_str_mv AT rahlaosebataolo longtermvegetationchangeinthesucculentkaroosouthafricafollowing67yearsofrestfromgrazing