The fast growing local human population, especially through immigration from countries north of South Africa, is placing the Soutpansberg and Blouberg areas under increasing pressure. The insatiable demand for more arable land within these agriculturally marginal and semi-arid areas is leading to severe degradation of the remaining natural resources. The Soutpansberg–Blouberg region has been recognized as a Centre of Endemism and is regarded as a region of exceptionally high biological diversity. The Soutpansberg Conservancy and the Blouberg Nature Reserve reveal extremely rich diversities of plant communities relative to the sizes of these conservation areas. The Major Vegetation Types and plant communities of the Soutpansberg Centre of Endemism are described in detail with special reference to the Soutpansberg Conservancy and the Blouberg Nature Reserve. Phytosociological data from 466 sample plots were ordinated using a Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DECORANA) and classified using Two–way Indicator Species Analysis(TWINSPAN). The resulting classification was further refined with table–sorting procedures based on the Braun–Blanquet floristic–sociological approach of vegetation classification using MEGATAB. Eight Major Vegetation Types were identified and described as Eragrostis lehmanniana var. lehmanniana–Sclerocarya birrea subsp. caffra BNR Northern Plains Bushveld, Euclea divinorum–Acacia tortilis BNR Southern Plains Bushveld, Englerophytum magalismontanum–Combretum molle BNR Mountain Bushveld, Adansonia digitata–Acacia nigrescens Soutpansberg Arid Northern Bushveld, Catha edulis–Flueggia virosa Soutpansberg Moist Mountain Thickets, Diplorhynchus condylocarpon–Burkea africana Soutpansberg Leached Sandveld, Rhus rigida var. rigida–Rhus magalismontanum subsp. coddii Soutpansberg Mistbelt Vegetation and Xymalos monospora–Rhus chirendensis Soutpansberg Forest Vegetation. Plant communities of each of the Major Vegetation Types are described. The primary ecological drivers of the event-driven and the classic climax vegetation types are discussed and management recommendations are made for effective conservation of these last remaining pockets of wilderness. The available data supports the recognition of the region as an important Centre of Plant Endemism and Biological Diversity requiring conservation attention. Copyright / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Plant Science / unrestricted

Thesis (M.Sc. (Geography)) -- University of Limpopo, 2020 / This work aimed at assessing the implications of involving local communities in biodiversity conservation in Blouberg Nature Reserve (BNR) in Limpopo Province, South Africa. To achieve this objective, firstly biodiversity status before and after involving local communities in conservation initiatives was assessed using multi-temporal medium-resolution Landsat series data and species diversity indices. The results showed that there were significant variations (α = 0.05) in tree species diversity in BNR for before and after involving local communities. For example, tree species diversity was low after involving communities particularly for the years 1996 and 2019. Secondly, benefits and costs of involving local communities in biodiversity conservation as well as their investigate views, perceptions and attitudes BNR management were assessed. The study demonstrated local communities do not obtain sufficient benefits or incur numerous costs from the nature reserve. Despite this, there was considerable support for biodiversity conservation (84.2%) since household respondents still held positive attitudes towards biodiversity conservation in the reserve. For, example most of them indicated that they would report illegal activities to the authorities. However, despite lack of participation by the majority of the household respondents (89.6%) in biodiversity conservation, they demonstrated understanding of the relevance of nature conservation. In contrary, the BNR Manager stated that the local communities received benefits in the form of fuel-wood for special occasions such as funerals and bush meat sold at treasury approved tariffs during culling. However, illegal activities like poaching are still experienced in the nature reserve. Thus, the study underscores the relevance the integrating satellite data and qualitative information in assessing the ecological condition of PAs. Such information can help in biodiversity monitoring and decision-making on conservation of biodiversity. Keywords: biodiversity conservation; community-based natural resource management approach; ecological status; mapping; satellite data; spatial characterisation; species diversity; statistical analysis.