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An investigation of the limited distribution of the grazing lawns in Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Park, South Africa
Bibliography: leaves 220-238.
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| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Department of Biological Sciences
2014
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| _version_ | 1867613186618818560 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Swemmer, Anthony Michael |
| author2 | Bond, William J |
| author_browse | Bond, William J Swemmer, Anthony Michael |
| author_facet | Bond, William J Swemmer, Anthony Michael |
| author_sort | Swemmer, Anthony Michael |
| collection | Thesis |
| description | Bibliography: leaves 220-238. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/9781 |
| institution | University of Cape Town (South Africa) |
| language | eng |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:32:08.355Z |
| license_str | Not specified — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| publishDate | 2014 |
| publishDateRange | 2014 |
| publishDateSort | 2014 |
| 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:11427/9781 An investigation of the limited distribution of the grazing lawns in Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Park, South Africa Swemmer, Anthony Michael Bond, William J Stock, WD Botany Bibliography: leaves 220-238. The grasslands and savannas of the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Park (HUP), South Africa contain unusual 'grazing lawn' communities dominated by short, grazing tolerant grasses. These grazing lawns appear to be highly productive, and support high densities of grazers during the late summer and early winter, but have a very limited distribution within HUP. A review of the grazing literature indicates a similar pattern at the global scale, with grazing lawns absent or rare in almost every grass-grazer system described. Resource limitations responsible for the limited distribution of grazing lawns were investigated. A conceptual model of key processes considered necessary for the formation and persistence of lawns in HUP was developed. Key processes include both frequent and non-selective grazing during the growing season Based on observations that the distribution of grazing lawns within HUP is strongly related to rainfall, it was hypothesized that further key processes control are involved. In areas of lowest rainfall grazing lawns are replaced by a sparse cover of forbs and unpalatable grass species. It was hypothesized that a shortage of mineral nitrogen (N) and / or water are key processes excluding grazing lawn grasses in these environments. In areas of highest rainfall grazing lawns do not form, even where grass communities have been heavily grazed for a year or more. It was hypothesized that below-ground competition for N by the dominant grasses (bunch grasses) prevent the establishment of grazing lawn grasses in these environments. 2014-11-22T05:52:22Z 2014-11-22T05:52:22Z 2002 Master Thesis Masters MSc http://hdl.handle.net/11427/9781 eng application/pdf Department of Biological Sciences Faculty of Science University of Cape Town |
| spellingShingle | Botany Swemmer, Anthony Michael An investigation of the limited distribution of the grazing lawns in Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Park, South Africa |
| thesis_degree_str | Master's |
| title | An investigation of the limited distribution of the grazing lawns in Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Park, South Africa |
| title_full | An investigation of the limited distribution of the grazing lawns in Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Park, South Africa |
| title_fullStr | An investigation of the limited distribution of the grazing lawns in Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Park, South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | An investigation of the limited distribution of the grazing lawns in Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Park, South Africa |
| title_short | An investigation of the limited distribution of the grazing lawns in Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Park, South Africa |
| title_sort | investigation of the limited distribution of the grazing lawns in hluhluwe umfolozi park south africa |
| topic | Botany |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/9781 |
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