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Arthropod responses to potential disturbances, patch conditions and landscape composition in South African Southern Mistbelt Forests
Thesis (MScConEcol)--Stellenbosch University, 2026.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2026
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| _version_ | 1867613803809603584 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Nel, Abbygale |
| author2 | Gaigher, R. |
| author_browse | Gaigher, R. Nel, Abbygale |
| author_facet | Gaigher, R. Nel, Abbygale |
| author_sort | Nel, Abbygale |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MScConEcol)--Stellenbosch University, 2026. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/136105 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:41:57.021Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publishDateRange | 2026 |
| publishDateSort | 2026 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/136105 Arthropod responses to potential disturbances, patch conditions and landscape composition in South African Southern Mistbelt Forests Nel, Abbygale Gaigher, R. Pryke, J. S. Stellenbosch University. Faculty of AgriSciences. Dept. of Conservation Ecology and Entomology. Thesis (MScConEcol)--Stellenbosch University, 2026. Nel, A. 2026. Arthropod responses to potential disturbances, patch conditions and landscape composition in South African Southern Mistbelt Forests. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/2f23f6aa-e352-4172-a28e-35813dd498a3 Indigenous forests are among the most biodiverse terrestrial ecosystems globally. Arthropods are a species-rich and functionally important component in forests, yet there is little research exploring forest arthropod responses to anthropogenic disturbances, especially in the Southern Hemisphere. Here, I assess how arthropods within the Southern Mistbelt Forests of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa respond to anthropogenic disturbances, patch conditions and landscape composition. The Southern Mistbelt Forests are naturally small patches historically existing within a grassland matrix. Today, however, they face increasing pressure from anthropogenic land-use change in the surrounding matrix. Chapter 1 is a general introduction of current literature regarding indigenous forest landscapes and arthropods. In chapter 2, I investigated the response of arthropods to a variety of environmental variation at two distinct spatial scales: patch scale (internal patch conditions) and landscape scale (surrounding land-use composition and patch size) in patches ranging in size and integrity. I focused on ants (Formicidae) and beetles (Coleoptera). Beetles responded to both landscape- and patch-scale variables. Beetle species richness increased with larger amounts of surrounding indigenous grassland and forest, while assemblage composition was influenced by forest patch size and the proportion of surrounding forest and grassland. At the patch scale, beetle assemblages responded to detritus availability, ground cover and vegetation structure. In contrast, ants were driven primarily by patch complexity and were largely unresponsive to landscape composition. Ant species richness and evenness increased with canopy cover and understory openness, and assemblage composition responded to alien plant cover and bare ground. In chapter 3, I investigated the response of arthropods to three anthropogenic disturbances, presence of alien plants, cattle and the type of adjacent land-use (timber plantation vs. grassland). I also assessed whether effects differed between forest edges and interiors as well as between taxa. Ants and beetles responded differently to disturbances, with beetles being more responsive. Adjacent land use had the strongest influence on both taxa, followed by cattle presence, whereas alien plant impacts were minimal. Beetle species richness was lower at forest edges next to plantations than those next to grassland, and beetle assemblages differed between plantation and grassland edges. Ant abundance was higher at plantation edges. Beetle species richness and evenness showed positive responses to cattle presence. Cattle also influenced ant and beetle assemblages, especially for beetles in forest interiors. Alien plant impacts were minimal and restricted to edges. This study highlights the importance of the landscape surrounding indigenous forest patches and the quality of these patches. It further illustrates the importance of a multi-taxon approach and the value of forest beetles as ecological indicators for Southern Mistbelt forests. Protection of a variety of forest patches, preferably those with natural grassland edges, and large amounts of natural vegetation at a landscape scale where possible is vital to support forest arthropod diversity. Disturbances were not as severe as expected, likely due to a of combination legal protection, the remote nature of these patches, and current conservation efforts within the forestry estates. However, this study demonstrates the responsiveness of ants and beetles to changes. At the patch level, management that prioritizes the maintenance of habitat integrity is important to ensure the resilience of these forests. This requires limiting cattle access to forest interiors and continuing alien plant control measures in and around the remnant forest patches. Masters 2026-04-22T10:39:45Z 2026-04-22T10:39:45Z 2026-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/136105 en Stellenbosch University 103 pages application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Nel, Abbygale Arthropod responses to potential disturbances, patch conditions and landscape composition in South African Southern Mistbelt Forests |
| title | Arthropod responses to potential disturbances, patch conditions and landscape composition in South African Southern Mistbelt Forests |
| title_full | Arthropod responses to potential disturbances, patch conditions and landscape composition in South African Southern Mistbelt Forests |
| title_fullStr | Arthropod responses to potential disturbances, patch conditions and landscape composition in South African Southern Mistbelt Forests |
| title_full_unstemmed | Arthropod responses to potential disturbances, patch conditions and landscape composition in South African Southern Mistbelt Forests |
| title_short | Arthropod responses to potential disturbances, patch conditions and landscape composition in South African Southern Mistbelt Forests |
| title_sort | arthropod responses to potential disturbances patch conditions and landscape composition in south african southern mistbelt forests |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/136105 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT nelabbygale arthropodresponsestopotentialdisturbancespatchconditionsandlandscapecompositioninsouthafricansouthernmistbeltforests |