M.Sc. / Hydrocynus vittatus, commonly known as the tigerfish, plays an important role in riverine ecology. It is a top predator which roams the open waters of most larger river systems in southern Africa. Their presence in a freshwater ecosystem has a dramatic impact on the fish community structure. It is known that dams and weirs have a negative effect on the migration of the tigerfish. It is also evident that tigerfish do not occur in certain areas in some of the rivers where they have been present historically. The Olifants and Letaba Rivers in the Kruger National Park (KNP) are two of a few rivers within South Africa where tigerfish do occur. The KNP represents the edge of the most southern distribution of tigerfish in southern Africa. It was therefore expected that the tigerfish do not function optimal in the Olifants and Letaba Rivers as they are subjected to waters with high concentrations of silt and low flow which influences migration and successful breeding. Breeding migrations does however take place during the summer months after which the tigerfish returns to the Massingire Dam in Mozambique to avoid the colder winter temperatures in the rivers. Gonad development coincide with the yearly summer rainfall patterns. A deviation of the expected 1:1 male:female sex ratio to favour the males was experienced in both rivers, which may be the result of over population. Females were found to grow to a larger size than the males and were extremely fecund. Although H. vittatus is believed to be mainly piscivorous, other food items such as invertebrates, played an important role in the diet of small and large tigerfish in both the Olifants and Letaba Rivers. Invertebrates were mostly preyed upon which implies that optimal feeding conditions for the tigerfish does not prevail in these systems and that they have to adapt to satisfy their feeding requirements. Tigerfish is more abundant in the Olifants than in the Letaba River. The overall growth performance or phi prime (4)) values for H. vittatus in the Olifants River was determined and compares well to the overall growth performance of tigerfish in the Okavango River and Lake Kariba. However the maximum length calculated for tigerfish in the Olifants River (Lco = 52.40 cm ) is smaller than the Lco values (56.06 cm) for the Okavango River. The mortality rate of tigerfish in the Olifants River exceeds those in the Letaba River which means that the life expectancy is longer in the Letaba as opposed to the Olifants River. Successful artificial spawning revealed some of the secrets of the reproduction strategy of this species. Tigerfish has semi pelagic eggs, are very small (0.65 mm), negatively buoyant and slightly adhesive for bentic and epibiotic incubation, and it is expected that tigerfish would spawn in open water, on a sandy substrate in the vicinity of aquatic vegetation. First hatching took place at 22h 30 min after fertilization. Vertical movement of the larvae lasts for two days, which allows for downstream movement and dispersement of the larvae. It was found that tigerfish replace their teeth on a regular basis as they grow larger. Transition from conical to functional dentition takes place 45 days after hatching. Replacement of sets of teeth occurs during all phases of its lifespan. It is a quick proses of three to six days during which all teeth are replaced in both the upper and lower jaws.

MESHWR / Department of Hydrology and Water Resources / See the attached abstract below

Termites are considered to be major ecosystem engineers in tropical and sub-tropical environments, and fire in savanna systems is regarded as a major and necessary disturbance for the maintenance of biodiversity. However, most fire ecology studies have focused on vegetation dynamics with little attention given to other taxa, especially invertebrates. This thesis has addressed several aspects of savanna termite ecology. First, based on a review of studies examining the relationship between fire ecology and termites, I found that few broad conclusions can be made based on the published literature. Hence little is known on the interactions between termites and ecological processes such as fire. Leading on from this, several recommendations are provided in the thesis for future research to improve ecological understanding of savannas and the dynamics that structure these systems. Second, savanna termite responses to long-term burning regimes were investigated across four distinct savanna types along a rainfall gradient in South Africa using comprehensive sampling protocols. This was achieved using experimental burning plots which have been in place in the Kruger National Park (KNP) since 1954 as well as sites in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park. Termite communities were found to differ significantly between these savannas with higher diversity at Pretoriuskop, a mesic savanna but not the wettest. Termite diversity was lowest at the most arid site (Mopani) but certain feeding groups peaked at Satara, a savanna with intermediate rainfall. Differences between these savannas are attributed to broad underlying changes in net primary productivity, temperature and soil type, with the role of mammalian herbivores also being considered. Seasonality was also examined and it was found that termite activity peaks in the wet and transitional seasons and is significantly lower in the dry season. Considering different fire regimes, termites, in general, were found to be highly resistant to burning, but assemblage composition was affected, this being more pronounced at the mesic savanna where fire has more effect on vegetation. These assemblage changes are linked to changes in vegetation structure caused by fire. Finally, termite ecology is often constrained by sampling difficulties and a lack of sampling protocols in savannas. A comparison of two often used sampling methods, baiting and active searching, was conducted across the savanna types studied. The efficiency of sampling method varied along the rainfall gradient and a single method was not the best for all savanna types. In mesic savannas, active searching (an often neglected sampling method in savannas) was most effective at sampling termite diversity while baiting was more effective in arid savannas, although this method is biased toward wood-feeding termites from feeding group II. Baiting also provides a better measure of termite activity than active searching. I demonstrate that termite communities differ significantly with savanna habitat and their responses to long-term burning regimes differ between these habitat types. Although termite communities were found to be quite resistant to burning, the degree of resistance differed with savanna type and management policies in protected areas and elsewhere need to take this into account when formulating conservation policies. Similarly, sampling methods differ in their efficiency at different sites which needs to be considered when designing sampling protocols in order to accurately reflect the biodiversity present. / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Zoology and Entomology / unrestricted

The African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) is a member of one of Africa’s most well known tourist attractions and unique grouping of mammals – the ‘big five’. Historical records indicate that during the 19th century approximately 3 million African buffaloes inhabited almost the whole of sub-Saharan Africa. Several factors such as disease, habitat fragmentation, over-hunting and drought reduced the buffalo population to approximately 400 000 by 1990. The African buffalo is host to a variety of sub-acute diseases, such as bovine tuberculosis (BTB), foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) and corridor disease (CD). Disease is an important factor which influenced African buffalo populations throughout the continent and more specifically the Kruger National Park (KNP) and is largely responsible for the fact that buffaloes are restricted to enclosed areas with strict regulations imposed on their movement. The social organization of animals influences the distribution and spread of a disease - especially in the case of the African buffalo in the KNP. The emergence of BTB in the largest conservation area in South Africa (the KNP), threatens wild and domestic animals and humans who are in close proximity to the Park. The potential economic losses associated with this disease are excessive. The results presented in this thesis provide baseline information into the genetic status of sampled African buffaloes in the KNP, genetic relatedness between sampled individuals as well as BTB associations between sampled African buffaloes in the KNP, based on a limited dataset of 181 animals. Twelve microsatellite markers were used to evaluate 181 samples which were collected from 39 locations dispersed throughout the KNP. Specific population genetic parameters revealed information based on the intra and inter - relationships at the ‘per population’ level as well as at the ‘per prevalence group’ level. Evidence indicates a medium to high level of genetic diversity, a low to medium level of inbreeding (inbreeding coefficient (Fis) for each group ranges between 0.143 and 0.147) and a relatively high level of migration for buffaloes associated with each prevalence group. Pairwise relatedness estimates were determined between individuals, to reveal their level of relatedness (unrelated, full siblings, parent-offspring or half siblings), based on Queller and Goodnight’s (1989) coefficient of relatedness. Relatedness was determined on different levels, intra and interpopulation level, BTB infected and BTB uninfected group level as well as prevalence group levels. Evaluation of data based on these different levels and between different groups, painted an overall picture of the disease condition and genetic relatedness within and between sampled BTB infected and BTB uninfected buffaloes. Evidence indicated that the greater majority of our sampled African buffaloes (BTB infected or uninfected), were genetically unrelated (in terms of sibling and parent-offspring relationships), irrespective of their disease status. M. bovis infected buffaloes sampled and used in our study are not more closely related to each other than to uninfected buffaloes in the same population or prevalence group. / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Production Animal Studies / unrestricted

M. Tech. (Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management, Faculty of Human Sciences), Vaal University of Technology. / Tourism is poised to play a greater role than ever before in terms of job creation, empowerment and economic growth, both on the global stage and in South Africa. In 2011, the tourism sector worldwide supported 258 million direct, indirect and induced employment opportunities. Community participation should be considered necessary to obtain community support, and the acceptance of tourism development projects, in addition, helps to ensure that the benefits (employment and/or entrepreneurships) are related to the local community’s needs. The main aim of the current study was to analyse the local communities’ perceptions of the role and benefits of tourism in the protected areas concerned. The analysis was approached on the basis of surveying the local communities concerned. The quantitative approach adopted as the chosen research method ensured that the required descriptive statistics could be derived from the research material available. A non-probability sampling approach was used to collect the data involved. The study was conducted in two villages, Ka-Mhinga and Ka-Matiani, adjacent to the Kruger National Park. Based on the results obtained, the surveyed community members of Ka-Mhinga and Ka- Matiani were found to share similar perceptions regarding the broader communities’ participation in, and decision-making control of the tourism operations in the area. The female participants agreed significantly more strongly than did the male participants concerning which aspects impeded an appreciation of the benefits of tourism. Such agreement probably indicates that the female participants perceived themselves as being worse affected by tourism than were the male participants. The participants from the two villages who perceived themselves as being excluded from the managerial decisions taken agreed significantly more strongly with the exclusion factor than the participants who perceived themselves as having been included in the managerial decisions taken regarding the protected areas. The results obtained in the present study indicate that the communities from the two villages receive minimal benefits from tourism. Some of the residents noted that they were not in receipt of what they had been promised when the Kruger National Park opened. The participants from the above-mentioned villages agreed that the locals were not employed in the protected area, and that the tourism goods which were sold at the Punda Maria information centre were not produced by the local residents, as well as that the Park’s management were influenced by nepotism in their employment of workers. The study concluded that an education and training budget should be provided by both the government and the protected areas. The involvement of the communities adjacent to the Kruger National Park in tourism planning would be likely to promote their participation in, and their beneficiation from, tourism. The community residents of Ka- Mhinga and Ka-Matiani should form part of the related control processes and decisio-nmaking, so as to improve the level of benefits obtained from tourism, which would enable them to enjoy the benefits of the Kruger National Park. Despite the study revealing the benefits of tourism gleaned by the two villages, engaging in an increased number of initiatives is likely to elicit even more benefits, with all the investors participating in the operation, execution, monitoring, and management of tourism activities as a form of collaboration.

Nature–based tourism destinations have shown significant growth over the past decade and, with the ever increasing numbers of tourists travelling to national parks, the right management structures, goals and objectives need to be determined. South African National Parks (SANParks) manages all 22 national parks in South Africa with the Kruger National Park (KNP) being the biggest of them all and generating more than 80% of SANParks income. The KNP is one of the world’s largest parks conserving a staggering 1 962 362 ha of land which is bigger than countries such as Israel and Holland. When taking the KNP into perspective, park management must have the right management styles and factors in place to ensure that the park is managed in a sustainable manner and exceeds the expectations of the tourist to provide a memorable experience whilst visiting the KNP. The goal of this study was therefore to determine the critical management aspects or critical success factors (CSFs) needed to create a memorable visitor experience at the park. This goal was achieved by conducting a questionnaire survey at four rest camps within the KNP from 27 December 2010 to 4 January 2011. The rest camps used for the survey were: Skukuza (152 questionnaires), Berg and Dal (98 questionnaires), Lower Sabie (85 questionnaires) and Satara (101 questionnaires). During this time a total of 436 questionnaires were completed and included in further analysis. In Article 1, the key management aspects that visitors regard as important for a memorable visitor experience at the KNP were identified. These CSFs assist management in providing quality services and products for the tourist, leading to a memorable experience. A factor analysis was performed on the expectations of the tourists to national parks. There were nine CSFs identified that management can implement to ensure a memorable visitor experience. The three factors that have not yet been identified in previous research were wildlife experience, interpretation and luxuries. Other factors that have been identified were General management, Variety activities, Accommodation, Green management, Hospitality management, and Facilities. The results showed that park management needs to become aware of what the visitor sees as important factors for a memorable visitor experience and they can adapt certain aspects to improve the visitor’s experience. In Article 2, gaps within the park management were identified. These gaps were measured by taking the 62 variables and asking the tourist what their expectations were with regard to a memorable experience versus their actual/real experience at the park. A factor analysis on the expectations and the actual/real experiences was done and each of these factors was given a score. The scores of each factor were measured against one another indicating the differences and gaps in management. The twelve factors that were identified were General management, Education activities. Accommodation facilities, Green management, Information provided, Layout of the park, Wildlife, Facilities in the park, Food and Beverage management, Interpretive activities, Bookings and General services, and Outdoor activities. These twelve factors have also been grouped into three sub groups containing four factors each and either the expectations were exceeded, did not meet expectations or were neutral. The main gaps were Education, Accommodation facilities, Interpretations facilities and Wildlife. If management want to ensure a memorable visitor experience at the KNP they must not only focus on these gaps, but also strive to exceed visitors’ expectations on all levels. This research found that there are certain CSFs for managing a national park and gaps within park management that need to be addressed. These gaps or problem areas can be overcome by the implementation of a continuous evaluation process that will ensure effective and efficient management of the park. Park management can therefore improve their services and products as well as the quality thereof by knowing what the tourists see as important when visiting a national park to obtain a memorable experience that will lead to positive word of mouth, loyalty, increased revenue and sustainability of the KNP. Even though it is not a requirement of a masters’ dissertation to make a contribution, this research has made a significant contribution towards the methodology as the method applied determined the gaps in visitor experience and expectations and this has not been used before. Future research can make use of this type of method determining individuals’ expectations and experiences when visiting a national park or any other nature–based destination. / Thesis (M.Com. (Tourism))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

Nature–based tourism destinations have shown significant growth over the past decade and, with the ever increasing numbers of tourists travelling to national parks, the right management structures, goals and objectives need to be determined. South African National Parks (SANParks) manages all 22 national parks in South Africa with the Kruger National Park (KNP) being the biggest of them all and generating more than 80% of SANParks income. The KNP is one of the world’s largest parks conserving a staggering 1 962 362 ha of land which is bigger than countries such as Israel and Holland. When taking the KNP into perspective, park management must have the right management styles and factors in place to ensure that the park is managed in a sustainable manner and exceeds the expectations of the tourist to provide a memorable experience whilst visiting the KNP. The goal of this study was therefore to determine the critical management aspects or critical success factors (CSFs) needed to create a memorable visitor experience at the park. This goal was achieved by conducting a questionnaire survey at four rest camps within the KNP from 27 December 2010 to 4 January 2011. The rest camps used for the survey were: Skukuza (152 questionnaires), Berg and Dal (98 questionnaires), Lower Sabie (85 questionnaires) and Satara (101 questionnaires). During this time a total of 436 questionnaires were completed and included in further analysis. In Article 1, the key management aspects that visitors regard as important for a memorable visitor experience at the KNP were identified. These CSFs assist management in providing quality services and products for the tourist, leading to a memorable experience. A factor analysis was performed on the expectations of the tourists to national parks. There were nine CSFs identified that management can implement to ensure a memorable visitor experience. The three factors that have not yet been identified in previous research were wildlife experience, interpretation and luxuries. Other factors that have been identified were General management, Variety activities, Accommodation, Green management, Hospitality management, and Facilities. The results showed that park management needs to become aware of what the visitor sees as important factors for a memorable visitor experience and they can adapt certain aspects to improve the visitor’s experience. In Article 2, gaps within the park management were identified. These gaps were measured by taking the 62 variables and asking the tourist what their expectations were with regard to a memorable experience versus their actual/real experience at the park. A factor analysis on the expectations and the actual/real experiences was done and each of these factors was given a score. The scores of each factor were measured against one another indicating the differences and gaps in management. The twelve factors that were identified were General management, Education activities. Accommodation facilities, Green management, Information provided, Layout of the park, Wildlife, Facilities in the park, Food and Beverage management, Interpretive activities, Bookings and General services, and Outdoor activities. These twelve factors have also been grouped into three sub groups containing four factors each and either the expectations were exceeded, did not meet expectations or were neutral. The main gaps were Education, Accommodation facilities, Interpretations facilities and Wildlife. If management want to ensure a memorable visitor experience at the KNP they must not only focus on these gaps, but also strive to exceed visitors’ expectations on all levels. This research found that there are certain CSFs for managing a national park and gaps within park management that need to be addressed. These gaps or problem areas can be overcome by the implementation of a continuous evaluation process that will ensure effective and efficient management of the park. Park management can therefore improve their services and products as well as the quality thereof by knowing what the tourists see as important when visiting a national park to obtain a memorable experience that will lead to positive word of mouth, loyalty, increased revenue and sustainability of the KNP. Even though it is not a requirement of a masters’ dissertation to make a contribution, this research has made a significant contribution towards the methodology as the method applied determined the gaps in visitor experience and expectations and this has not been used before. Future research can make use of this type of method determining individuals’ expectations and experiences when visiting a national park or any other nature–based destination. / Thesis (M.Com. (Tourism))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Anthropological influences are threatening the state of many savanna ecosystems in most rural landscapes around the world. Effective monitoring and management of these landscapes requires up to date maps and data on the state of the environment. Degradation data over a range of scales is often not readily available due to a lack of financial resources, time and technical capabilities. The aim of this research was to use a medium resolution multispectral SPOT 5 image from 2010 and Landsat 8 images from 2014 to map habitat intactness in the Bushbuckridge and Kruger National Park (KNP) region. The images were pre-processed and segmented into meaningful image objects using an object based image analysis (OBIA) approach. Five image derivatives namely: brightness, compactness, NIR standard deviation, area and the normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) were evaluated for their capability to model habitat intactness. A habitat intactness index was generated by combining the five derivatives and rescaling them to a data range of 0 to 10, with 0 representing completely transformed areas, 10 being undisturbed natural vegetation. Field data were collected in October 2014 using a field assessment form consisting of 10 questions related to ecosystem state, in order to facilitate comparisons with the remote sensing habitat intactness index. Both satellite data sets yielded low overall accuracies below 30%. The results were improved by applying a correction factor to the reference data. The results significantly improved with SPOT 5 producing the highest overall accuracy of 62.6%. The Landsat 8 image for May 2014 achieved an improved accuracy of 60.2%. The SPOT 5 results showed to be a better predictor of habitat intactness as it assigned natural vegetation with better accuracy, while Landsat 8 correctly assigned mostly degraded areas. These findings suggest that the method was not easily transferable between the different satellite sensors in this savanna landscape, with a high occurrence of forest plantations and rural settlements too. These areas caused high omission errors in the reference data, resulting in the moderate overall accuracies obtained. It is recommended that these sites be clipped out of the analysis in order to obtain acceptable accuracies for non-transformed areas. The study nevertheless demonstrated that the habitat intactness index maps derived can be a useful data source for mapping general patterns of degradation especially on a regional scale. Therefore, the methods tested in this study can be integrated in habitat mapping projects for effective conservation planning. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Antropologiese invloede bedreig die toestand van savanna-ekostelsels in die meeste landelike landskappe regoor die wêreld. Doeltreffende monitering en bestuur van hierdie landskappe vereis op datum kaarte en inligting oor die toestand van die omgewing. Agteruitgangsdata van verskillende skale is dikwels nie geredelik beskikbaar nie weens 'n gebrek aan finansiële hulpbronne, tyd en tegniese vermoëns. Die doel van hierdie navorsing was om ‘n hoë resolusie multispektrale SPOT 5 beeld van 2010 en Landsat 8 beelde van 2014 te gebruik om die habitatongeskondenheid in die Bushbuckridge en Kruger Nasionale Park (KNP) streek te karteer. Die beelde is voorverwerk en gesegmenteer om sinvolle beeldvoorwerpe te skep deur die gebruik van ‘n voorwerp gebaseerde beeldanalise (OBIA) benadering. Vyf beeldafgeleides naamlik: helderheid, kompaktheid, NIR standaardafwyking, area en die genormaliseerde verskil plantegroei-indeks (NDVI) is geëvalueer vir hul vermoë om habitat ongeskondenheid te modelleer. ‘n Habitatongeskondenheidsindeks is gegenereer deur die kombinasie van die vyf afgeleides wat herskaal is na 'n datareeks van 0 tot 10, met 0 om totaal getransformeerde gebiede te verteenwoordig en 10 om ongestoorde natuurlike plantegroei voor te stel. Velddata is versamel in Oktober 2014 met gebruik van 'n veldassesseringsvorm, bestaande uit 10 vrae wat verband hou met die toestand van die ekostelsel, om vergelykings met die afstandswaarneming habitatongeskondenheidsindeks te fasiliteer. Beide satellietdatastelle het lae algehele akkuraatheid onder 30% opgelewer. Die resultate is deur die toepassing van 'n regstellingsfaktor tot die verwysing data verbeter. Die resultate het aansienlik verbeter met SPOT 5 wat die hoogste algehele akkuraatheid van 62.6% gelewer het. Die Landsat 8 beeld vir Mei 2014 bereik 'n verbeterde akkuraatheid van 60.2%. Die SPOT 5 resultate het geblyk om ‘n beter voorspeller van habitatongeskondenheid te wees as gevolg van ‘n beter akkuraatheid vir natuurlike plantegroei, terwyl Landsat meestal gedegradeerde gebiede kon voorspel. Hierdie bevindinge dui daarop dat die metode nie maklik oordraagbaar was tussen die verskillende satelliet sensors in hierdie savanna landskap nie, veral as gevolg van ‘n hoë voorkoms van bosbouplantasies en landelike nedersettings. Hierdie gebiede veroorsaak hoë weglatingsfoute in die verwysing data, wat lei tot gematigde algehele akkuraatheid. Dit word aanbeveel dat hierdie areas gemasker word tydens die ontleding om aanvaarbare akkuraatheid te verkry vir nie-getransformeerde gebiede. Nogtans het die studie getoon dat die afgeleide habitatongeskondenheidsindekskaarte ‘n nuttige bron van data kan wees vir die kartering van algemene patrone van agteruitgang, veral op 'n plaaslike skaal. Daarom kan die getoetsde metodes in die studie in habitatkarteringsprojekte vir doeltreffende bewaring beplanning geïntegreer word. Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za

M.Sc. (Aquatic Health) / Yellowfish and specifically Labeobarbus marequensis are a charismatic species targeted by anglers throughout South Africa. Their population are limited to the north-western parts of the country including the lower reaches of the Crocodile River that flows through the Kruger National Park (KNP). Despite conservation efforts the Crocodile River in the KNP is still highly impacted. The effect of these impacts on the ecosystem is largely unknown. The main aim of the study was to determine the influence of changing water quantity and quality in the Crocodile River on adult L. marequensis. This was achieved by evaluating altered flows (discharge) on the behaviour of adult L. marequensis in the Crocodile River using biotelemetry over a two year period. The influence of altered water quality was assessed using metal bioaccumulation as an indicator of metal exposure in L. marequensis, Clarias gariepinus and Hydrocynus vittatus in the Crocodile and Sabie Rivers during a high and low flow season. Biotelemetry was used on 16 L. marequensis and 12 H. vittatus to determine the habitat use and movement responses of the species. Fish were tagged with Advanced Telemetry Systems (ATS) and Wireless Wildlife (WW) tags and tracked remotely and manually. Home ranges were determined using Arc GIS ®, Habitat uses were analyzed using Windows Excel (© 2011, Microsoft inc.). Environment variables recorded were scored as primary and secondary and then combined with a weighting variable 2:1 ratio (primary variable: secondary variable). A mixed-model analysis of variance (ANOVA) approach with a random co-efficients model and Akaike’s information criteria (AIC) were used to test for significance. Analyses were conducted using SAS version 9 (SAS institute, Cary, NC)...

Student Number : 9008538J - MSc Dissertation - School of Biology - Faculty of Science / O’Regan SP, 2005. The long-term effects of fire frequency and season on the woody vegetation in the Pretoriuskop sourveld of the Kruger National Park. MSc Dissertation, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. The role of fire in the management of conservation areas has historically been a contentious issue in which traditional agricultural principles and ever-changing conservation principles tend to collide. The Kruger National Park (KNP) in the early 1950s was no exception where the appropriate use of fire and its ecosystem consequences were hotly debated. The controversy surrounding the management of fire in the KNP highlighted the significant lack of understanding of fire and its role in the ecosystem and because of this controversy, the Experimental Burn Plot (EBP) experiment was established in 1954. The EBP experiment comprised 12 treatments, and a pseudo-randomised block design was used in which the 12 fire treatments were replicated four times each in four of the six major vegetation zones identified at the time. The EBP experiment originally comprised 192 experimental plots approximately 7 Ha in size each and covered approximately 12 km2 in the KNP. The twelve fire treatments were an annual burn in August, biennial and triennial burns in February, April, August, October, and December, and a control on which fire was excluded. Despite having been plagued with negative assessments from internal and external researchers from its inception, the EBP experiment was meticulously maintained, and it has now become a valuable research asset in the KNP. Four replicates of twelve plots each were located in the Pretoriuskop sourveld landscape of the KNP. These replicates were named Fayi, Kambeni, Numbi, and Shabeni after nearby landmarks. The Pretoriuskop region is a moist infertile mesic-savanna, which experiences on average 744mm of rain annually. The dominant tree species in Pretoriuskop are Dichrostachys cinerea and Terminalia sericea and the dominant grass species is Hyperthelia dissoluta. A baseline survey of the woody vegetation was done on all the Pretoriuskop plots in 1954 by HP Van Der Schijff. A second survey of the woody vegetation on all the Pretoriuskop plots was done in 1996 by SP O’Regan. This provided a 42-year period of treatment application over which the effects of fire frequency and season on the woody vegetation of the Pretoriuskop region were studied. The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term effects of the twelve fire treatments on the density, structure, and species composition of the woody vegetation in Pretoriuskop. The objectives of this study were: 1. To carry out a complete re-survey of the trees and shrubs on the Pretoriuskop EBPs using similar methods as those used in the baseline survey in 1954. 2. To capture into a digital format pertinent woody vegetation survey data from surveys that had been conducted on the Pretoriuskop EBPs between 1954 and 1996. 3. To compare the density, structure, and composition of the woody vegetation on the Pretoriuskop EBPs between 1954 and 1996, to determine the effects of fire on the woody vegetation of Pretoriuskop. 4. To investigate the history of the Kruger National Park Experimental Burn Plots experiment. The four replicates in the Pretoriuskop region were found generally to have very similar woody vegetation traits (density, species composition, and structural composition). However, the EBPs were established and surveyed in two distinct phases, the first phase comprised the control, August Annual, and the Biennial plots, and the second phase comprised the Triennial plots. The baseline structural composition of the plots established in the first phase was different from the structural composition of the plots in the second phase. Furthermore, the Pretoriuskop EBPs are located in two distinct vegetation types, namely the open and the closed Terminalia sericea \ Combretum woodlands of the Pretoriuskop region. The Numbi and Shabeni replicates are in the open Terminalia sericea \ Combretum woodlands, and the Kambeni and Fayi replicates are in the closed Terminalia sericea \ Combretum woodlands. It was found that the species composition of the plots was influenced by the location of the plots in the different vegetation types. The exclusion of fire in the Pretoriuskop sourveld results in an increase in the density of the overstorey and understorey woody vegetation, and an increase in the number of species, species diversity, and species evenness. This is because fire sensitive and fire intolerant woody species become more abundant as the period between fires increases. In Pretoriuskop, there is no evidence of relay floristic succession, because fire sensitive and fire intolerant woody species do not replace fire tolerant species. Instead, the floristic succession is accumulative and fire tolerant, fire sensitive, and fire intolerant woody species coexist as the period between fires increases. Woody species tolerant of frequent fires in Pretoriuskop are Albizia versicolor, Catunaregam spinosa, Lonchocarpus capassa, Pavetta schumanniana, Senna petersiana, Strychnos madagascariensis, and Turraea nilotica. Woody species that are sensitive or intolerant of fire in Pretoriuskop are Acacia swazica, Bauhinia galpinii, Combretum mossambicense, Commiphora neglecta, Croton gratissimus, Dalbergia melanoxylon, Diospyros lycioides, Diospyros whyteana, Euclea natalensis, Hyperacanthus amoenus, Kraussia floribunda, Ochna natalitia, Olea europaea, Psydrax locuples, Putterlickia pyracantha, Tarenna supra-axillaris, and Zanthoxylum capense. Dichrostachys cinerea and Terminalia sericea were found to dominate in areas that had been burnt frequently as well as areas where fire has been excluded. The change in the density of the woody vegetation as the inter-fire period increases is not linear but rather J shaped with an initial decrease in the density as the inter-fire period increases from 1 year to 3 years. This initial decrease in density is the result of a loss of very short (<1m tall) woody individuals. In contrast, there is no initial decrease in the number of tree equivalents (phytomass) of the woody vegetation as the inter-fire period increases. After the initial decrease in the density of the woody vegetation, the density increases as the inter-fire period increases beyond 3 years. Generally in Pretoriuskop, post fire age of the vegetation was found to be an important factor affecting the structure of the woody vegetation, and as the inter-fire period increases the number of structural groups, the structural diversity, and the structural evenness of the woody vegetation increases. As the inter-fire period increases the number of single-stem individuals relative to the number of multi-stem individuals increases, and the average height of the woody vegetation increases. The findings regarding the effects of fire frequency on the Pretoriuskop EBPs were similar to the findings on other fire experiments in mesic African savannas. The finding on the Pretoriuskop EBPs differed from the findings in other fire trials that were in arid savannas in Africa. Generally, the exclusion of fire in moist savannas (> 600 mm of rain annually) results in the woody vegetation becoming denser, while the exclusion of fire in arid to semi-arid savannas (< 600mm of rain annually) does not result in the woody vegetation becoming denser. In Pretoriuskop, fires occurring in summer between December and February have a different impact on the density, species composition, and structure of the woody vegetation than fires occurring in winter between August and October. Furthermore, fires occurring in April have a different impact on the density, species composition, and structure of the woody vegetation in Pretoriuskop. Woody vegetation burnt by summer fires is denser than woody vegetation burnt by winter fires. The number of species and species diversity of the woody vegetation is also higher in vegetation burnt by summer fires in comparison with vegetation burnt by winter fires. The density and species composition of woody vegetation in areas that have been burnt in summer fires is more similar to areas where fire has been excluded than to areas that have been burnt in winter fires. The woody species associated with vegetation burnt in summer fires and where fire has been excluded are Euclea natalensis, Antidesma venosum, Diospyros lycioides, Phyllanthus reticulatus, Grewia flavescens, Grewia monticola, Ochna natalitia, Peltophorum africanum, Rhus pyroides, Diospyros mespiliformis, Rhus transvaalensis, Securinega virosa, Putterlickia pyracantha, Rhus pentheri, Commiphora neglecta, Heteropyxis natalensis, and Olea europaea. Structurally the average height of the woody vegetation is taller in areas burnt by winter fires than in areas burnt by summer fires. The woody vegetation in areas burnt in summer fires have more single-stem individuals relative to multi-stem individuals than in areas burnt in winter fires. The structural composition of areas burnt in summer fires is more similar to areas where fire has been excluded than with areas burnt in winter fires. The structure of the woody vegetation in areas burnt in winter fires is generally dominated by multi-stem individuals that are 0-1m tall or 3-5m tall. The structure of the woody vegetation in areas burnt in summer fires or where fire has been excluded is dominated by both single-stem and multi-stem individuals of all heights and basal diameters. Findings regarding the effect of early dry season fires (April) in comparison with late dry season fire (August) on the woody vegetation are consistent with the findings on other fire trails in Africa. However, a comparison of all the fire-timing treatments between the Pretoriuskop and Satara EBPs in the KNP reveals that the timing of fires affects the woody vegetation differently in different areas even when the affects at certain times appear similar. The data collected on the Pretoriuskop EBPs reveals that there have been significant changes in the woody vegetation in Pretoriuskop between 1954 and 1996. The density of the woody vegetation increased between 1954 and 1996 by almost 200%. The number of species and the species diversity of the woody vegetation also increased between 1954 and 1996. In 1954, there were approximately equal numbers of single-stem and multi-stem individuals, while in 1996 there were more multi-stem individuals than single-stem individuals. The increase in atmospheric CO2 levels between 1954 and 1996 is believed to have been a factor that has driven the changes in the woody vegetation of Pretoriuskop between 1954 and 1996.