Thesis (MScConEcol )--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Over 70% of South Africa is too arid for crop farming and is used for commercial livestock ranching, communal livestock ranching, or game ranching. These management systems differ from each other in a number of aspects, e.g. herbivore species, stocking rate, grazing regime, and management structure. The main question addressed in this study is: to what extent do the three management systems affect rangeland condition? Following the equilibrium paradigm of vegetation dynamics, communal livestock ranches are expected to have a greater detrimental effect on rangeland condition than other management systems because stocking densities and, consequently, herbivore impacts, are usually far higher than under the other two management systems. However, recent nonequilibrium theories argue that vegetation dynamics in arid systems are mainly driven by rare and stochastic rainfall events. Biotic factors, such as grazing and herbivore diversity, are predicted to have little effect on rangeland condition. This leads to the prediction that herbivore impacts on arid ecosystems are not density-dependent and, consequently, the high stocking densities commonly recorded on communal livestock ranches will not cause more rangeland degradation than other management systems. Arid and semi-arid rangelands are characterised by high inherent spatial and temporal variation in vegetation and soil parameters. Hence, differentiating between the effects of grazing management systems and natural variability caused by abiotic factors, such as rainfall, is difficult. This problem can be circumvented by examining gradients of grazing intensity radiating from water-points (= piospheres). I examined changes in vegetation and soil parameters along 500 m-Iong grazing gradients on ranches in the semi-arid Northem Cape province, South Africa, with the three abovementioned management systems. Analysis of the vegetation on these ranches demonstrated the existence of grazing gradients around the water-points. Two characteristic zones described in other studies were identified, namely the sacrifice zone (almost complete denudation of the vegetation close to the water-point) and the dense shrub zone (distal to the sacrifice zone). Communal livestock ranching had a greater negative effect on rangeland vegetation than the two other ranching systems, particularly with regard to annual grass species diversity, percentage of bare soil, and shrub density. Within 100 m of the water-points, soil quality was negatively affected by commercial cattle ranching. Contrastingly, there were no significant effects of the other two management systems on soil quality in the piosphere. The feeding of supplemental forage and nutrients may explain the greater impact of commercial cattle farming on soil quality. The results of this study are consistent with the predictions of the equilibrium theory of vegetation dynamics because grazing impacts were density-dependent in these semi-arid rangelands. However, the results presented here also indicate that forage supplementation alters the spatial and temporal distribution of livestock in a manner that may have greater negative impacts on soil quality than density of livestock per se. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Meer as 70% van Suid-Afrika is te droog vir gewasverbouing en word gebruik vir kommersiële veeboerdery, gemeenskaplike veeboerdery of wildboerdery. Die bestuur van dié verskillende boerderytipes verskil wesentlik van mekaar in verskeie opsigte, ondermeer herbivoorspesies, veeaanskaffingstempo, weidingstipe en bestuurstruktuur. Die belangrikste vraag wat aangespreek word in die studie is die volgende: Tot watter mate affekteer die drie verskillende boerderybestuurstipes die toestand van weivelde? Gesien teen die agtergrond van die ekwilibriumparadigma van plantedinamika, word verwag dat gemeenskaplike veeboerdery 'n groter impak op die toestand van weiveld sal hê as ander boerderytipes, omdat veedigtheid en gevolglik herbivoor-impak gewoonlik veel hoër is as met die ander twee boerderytipes. Onlangse nie-ekwilibria-teorië voer egter aan dat plantedinamika in ariede gebiede gedryf word deur seldsame en buitengewone reënvalgebeure. Biotiese faktore, soos weiding en herbivoor diversiteit sal na verwagting min effek hê op die toestand van weiveld. Hieruit volg die voorspelling dat herbivoorimpak op ariede ekosisteme nie afhanklik is van digtheid nie, en dat hoë veedigtheid algemeen aangeteken vir gemeenskaplike boerderye, nie rede sal wees vir groter ver1iese in weiveld nie. Ariede en semi-ariede weivelde word gekenmerk deur 'n hoë ruimtelike en tydelike veranderinge in plant- en grondparameters. Gevolglik is dit moeilik om te onderskei tussen die effekte van weidingsbestuur en natuur1ike veranderings wat veroorsaak word deur nie-biotiese faktore, soos reënval. Dié probleem kan oorbrug word deur gradiënte van weidingsintensiteit, wat vanaf waterpunte uitstraal, te ondersoek. Vervolgens het ek binne al drie bg. boerderybestuursisteme veranderinge in plant- en grondparameters langs SOOm-lange weidingsgradiënte ondersoek op plase in die semiariede Noord-Kaap provinsie van Suid-Afrika. Plantegroei-analise het getoon dat 'n weidingsgradiënt rondom waterpunte voorkom. Twee kenmerkende sones is in ander studies geïdentifiseer, nl., 'n opofferingsone (waar amper alle plantegroei naby waterpunte uitgetrap is) en die digte, struik-sone (distaal to die opofferingsone). Gemeenskapsveeboerdery het 'n groter negatiewe effek op plaasgewasse as die ander twee boerderytipes, veral waar dit betrekking het op grasspesie-diversiteit, persentasie grond sonder plantbedekking en struikdigtheid. Binne 100m vanaf waterpunte, is grondkwaliteit merkbaar negatief geaffekteer deur kommersiële veeboerdery. Daarteenoor, was daar geen merkbare effek op die grondkwaliteit naby waterpunte van die ander twee boerderytipes nie. Aanvullingsvoer kan moontlik die rede wees vir die waargenome, groter impak van kommersiële veeboerdery op grondkwaliteit. Die resultate van die studie strook met voorspellings van die ekwilibria-teorie van plante-dinamika, daarin dat weidingsimpak digtheidsafhanklik is in hierdie semiariede plaasgebiede. Die resultate toon ook egter, dat voedingsaanvullings die ruimtelike en tydelike verspreiding van vee in so 'n wyse verander, dat dit moontlik 'n veel groter negatiewe uitwerking op grondkwaliteit het as veedighteid per se.

Thesis (M.Sc.)--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Science, 2013. / Unable to load abstract.

Please read the abstract in the section 09summary of this document / Thesis (PhD (Sustainable Ecological Management))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Animal and Wildlife Sciences / unrestricted

Land degradation is a serious problem in communal district of Alfred Nzo, Eastern Cape in South Africa. The root causes of land degradation and soil erosion differ. The causes of land degradation in Alfred Nzo district communal areas are due to soil erosion by wind, water and poor agricultural practices. Rainfall is one of the most important climatic factor that contributed a lot in land degradation in the Alfred Nzo District. Other main factors contributing to land degradation include: Socio-economic factors related to historical land policies and inappropriate land uses, Poor land use planning, Drought and rainfall variability .Land use and management and sand mining. This study tried to pay more focus on the assessment of government policies which aimed at combating land degradation in South Africa in their nature but the area of focus will be Ntabankulu Local Municipality area in the project called Ematolweni Agricultural Co-operative Project. The reason to focus in this project is because they are currently practising crop production under electrified irrigation system but the main obstacle in this project are the dongas which are seemed to be a serious threat to the project site. During rainy seasons the project site is not easily accessible, that hampers access to market. There is also direct and serious effect of land degradation which is food insecurity which is emanating from loss of biodiversity and ground cover, loss of soil productivity, loss of income, decreased yield, and decline in economic productivity and national development. Lastly it is wisely recommended that to reduce the effect of land degradation in Alfred Nzo enlarge, government should strengthen the intervention programmes and provide more support to the LandCare programme which was the concept introduced in Australian and adopted in South Africa in 2001. This programme is assisting at restoring sustainability and productivity to land and water management in both rural and urban areas. It is holistic in nature, encompassing integrated sustainable natural resource management.

Land degradation in most communal parts of the Keiskamma catchment has reached alarming proportions. The Keiskamma catchment is particularly predisposed to severe land degradation associated with soil erosion, thicket degradation and deteriorating riparian vegetation. There is a close coupling between land use/cover dynamics and degradation trends witnessed in the catchment. Soil erosion is prevalent in most of the communal areas in the catchment. The principal aim of this study was to investigate land use/cover trends, model the spatial patterns of soil loss and predict future land use/cover scenarios as a means of assessing land degradation in the Keiskamma catchment. Multi-temporal Landsat satellite imagery from 1972 to 2006 was used for land use/cover change analyses using object-oriented post-classification comparison. Fragmentation analysis was performed by computing and analyzing landscape metrics in the riparian and adjacent hillslope areas to determine the land cover structural changes that have occurred since 1972. The landscape function analysis was used to validate the current rangeland conditions in the communal areas and the former commercial farms. The current condition of the riparian zones and proximal hillslopes was assessed using the Rapid Appraisal of Riparian Condition and future land use/cover scenarios were simulated using the Markovcellular automata model. Spatial patterns of soil loss in the Keiskamma catchment were determined using the Sediment Assessment Tool for Effective Erosion Control (SATEEC), which is a GIS based RUSLE model that integrates sediment delivery ratios. Object oriented classification was used to map soil erosion surfaces and valley infill in ephemeral stream channels as a means of demonstrating the major sediment transfer processes operating in the Keiskamma catchment. The Mahalanobis distance method was used to compute the topographic thresholds for gully erosion. To understand the effect of soil characteristics in severe forms of erosion, laboratory analyses were undertaken to determine the physico-chemical soil properties. iv The temporal land use/cover analysis done using the post-classification change detection indicated that intact vegetation has undergone a significant decline from 1972 to 2006. The temporal changes within the intermediate years are characterized by cyclic transitions of decline and recovery of intact vegetation. An overall decline in intact vegetation cover, an increase in degraded vegetation and bare eroded soil was noted. Fragmentation analyses done in the communal villages of the central Keiskamma catchment indicated increasing vegetation fragmentation manifested by an increase in smaller and less connected vegetation patches, and a subsequent increase of bare and degraded soil patches which are much bigger and more connected. The Landscape Organisation Index revealed very low vegetation connectivity in the communal rangelands that have weak local traditional institutions. Fragmentation analyses in the riparian and proximal hillslopes revealed evidence of increasing vegetation fragmentation from 1972 to 2006. The Markov Cellular Automata simulation predicted a decline in intact vegetation and an increase in bare and degraded soil in 2019. The Keiskamma catchment was noted as experiencing high rates of soil loss that are above provincial and national averages. The classification of erosion features and valley infill showcased the vegetation enrichment in the ephemeral streams which is occurring at the expense of high soil losses from severe gully erosion on the hillslopes. This in turn has led to an inversion of grazing patterns within the catchment, such that grazing is now concentrated within the ephemeral stream channels. Soil chemical analyses revealed a high sodium content and low soluble salt concentration, which promote soil dispersion, piping and gully erosion. The presence of high amounts of illite-smectite in the catchment also accounts for the highly dispersive nature of the soil even at low SAR values. Significant amounts of swelling 2:1 silicate clays such as smectites cause cracking and contribute to the development of piping and gullying in the catchment. Given the worsening degradation trends in the communal areas, a systematic re-allocation of state land in sections of the catchment that belonged to the former commercial farms is recommended to alleviate anthropogenic pressure. Strengthening local institutions that effectively monitor and manage natural resources will be required in order to maintain v optimum flow regimes in rivers and curb thicket degradation. Measures to curb environmental degradation in the Keiskamma catchment should encompass suitable ecological interventions that are sensitive to the socio-economic challenges facing the people in communal areas.

Thesis (M.Dev.) -- University of Limpopo, 2001 / Refer to document

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The study traces some of the causes and effects of land degradation in Mutale since it is an environmentally challenging issue associated with depletion of resources. The degradation conditions identified by the Provincial Department of Agriculture in the Northern Province support the aims of this study. Based on information obtained from the physical survey of the area and through questionnaires and interviews with the local people, it is evident that the environmental conditions of Mutale district have worsened due to the influence of land usage. From the survey made, the physical conditions are shown to be in a state of decline and to impact negatively on the soil and vegetation. The perceptions of the local community regarding physical change revealed that a variety of activities such as gathering fuel wood, fencing, stocking, and cultivating fields, influence each other and exacerbate the encroachment of degradation conditions. Stock worsens the conditions through uncontrolled grazing associated with lack of grazing camps, trampling, and overgrazing. Extension of fields, residential areas, and inescapable massive harvesting of bush for different purposes are seen as further causes of the worsening state of the environment. In the past attempts were made to curb the environmental decline, but such conservation measures were not fruitful enough as they changed from time to time and land users were alienated from land on which they depended. The present study recommends the implementation of LandCare, a programme that the Department of Agriculture has adopted in other parts of the country, as a possible solution to some of the environmental problems, and as a conservation measure. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die studie ondersoek sommige van die oorsake en gevolge van omgewingsdegradasie by Mutale, omdat dit 'n omgewings-uitdagende kwessie is wat met die uitputting van hulpbronne in verband staan. Die degradasietoestande wat deur die Provinsiale Landboudepartmente in die Noordelike Provinsie geïdentifiseer is, bied ondersteuning aan die doelstellings van hierdie studie. Vanuit die inligting wat deur middel van 'n empiriese ondersoek in die gebied en deur vraelyste en onderhoude met die plaaslike mense verkry is, is dit duidelik dat omgewingstoestande in die Mutale distrik vanweë die manier van grondgebruik verswak het. Vanuit die ondersoek wat gedoen is, word aangetoon dat fisiese toestande agteruitgaan en 'n negatiewe impak op die grond en plantegroei het. Waarneming deur die plaaslike gemeenskap met betrekking tot fisiese verandering dui aan dat 'n verskeidenheid aktiwiteite, soos die versameling van brandhout, bou van heinings, aanhou van vee en bewerking van landerye mekaar affekteer en die toename van die degradasietoestande veroorsaak. Vee vererger verder die toestande deur onbeheerde weiding wat verband hou met die gebrek aan weidingskampe. Die onafwendbare en grootskaalse afkap van die bos vir 'n verskeidenheid doeleindes word beskou as verdere oorsake van die toestand waarin die omweging verkeer. Pogings is in die verlede aangewend om die agteruitgang van die omgewing te keer, maar die bewaringsmaatreëls het nie genoeg vrug afgewerp nie, daar hulle van tyd tot tyd gewysig IS en die grondeienaars vervreemd geraak het van die grond waarvan hulle afhanklik was. Hierdie ondersoek beveel aan dat "LandCare", 'n program wat deur die Departement van Landbou vir ander dele van die land goedgekeur is, as ' n moontlike oplossing vir sommige van die omgewingsprobleme en as bewaringsmaatreël toegepas word.

Land degradation is a global problem affecting many countries including South Africa. This study was conducted in order to assess and monitor the nature and extent of land degradation within Qoqodala in the Eastern Cape Province, of South Africa. The study used GIS and Remote Sensing techniques together with household interviews in determining extent, spatial characteristics and nature of land degradation within the study area. Vegetation cover and bare-ground change were the land degradation indicators assessed and monitored by this study. Through RGB band combination, Tasselled Cap Analysis and Unsupervised ISODATA classification techniques, Landsat images over the past eighteen years (1984, 1993, 1996, 2000 and 2002) have been analysed. The results showed that there is vegetation cover and bare-ground increase in the study area. The vegetation increase has been seen as a sign of land degradation increase due to the encroachment of indigenous vegetation by Euryops species (also known as Lapesi by the local community). The bare-ground land degradation indicator has also increased. The analyses of slope showed the spatial characteristics of bare-ground occurring on moderate to flat slopes while vegetation cover occurs on steep to very steep slopes. Furthermore the photographs captured during field visits show rills and gullies or dongas occurring on bare-ground. The interviewed respondents indicated that decline in food production, increase in dongas and vast increase in Euryops and a decline in grassland are the indicators of degradation that are observed in the study area. The occurrence of erosion features (rills and dongas) on bare-ground and the increase of vegetation shown by GIS and Remote Sensing techniques showed a positive correlation with field and household survey towards establishing the nature of land degradation. In this study Landsat images together with interviews proved to be a very useful tool for land degradation research. However the suggestion of a higher spatial resolution satellite image on small catchment studies is recommended

Savanna degradation is an environmental problem occurring in most countries around the world and it poses threats to biodiversity conservation, the food industry, and other economic sectors. According to FAO, South Africa’s rangelands exhibit the highest rate of fragmentation in comparison to range ecosystems in neighbouring countries including Lesotho and Swaziland, and consensus among researchers is that communal rangelands are more degraded than commercial rangelands. Although researchers and communities have identified the occurrence of land degradation in communal savannas at a local scale, land degradation has been poorly estimated because little has been done to quantify the extent and dynamics of perceived and observed changes associated with land degradation. The main goal of this study is to provide empirical insights on the direction of changes in the communal savannas of Nkonkobe Local Municipality in order to inform policy formulation and implementation. Additional to the communal sites is a private farm included for comparative analysis of trends in communal and commercial savannas. Landsat imagery was used to map, assess, and quantify the extent of land degradation in Nkonkobe Local Municipality, over a period of 30 years between 1984 and 2014. Field investigations were undertaken in June 2015 to acquire reference data to guide supervised classification of Landsat images. Three algorithms (Mahalanobis-distance, Minimum-distance, and Maximum likelihood classification) were compared to identify a classifier that produced the best results. The maximum likelihood classifier produced the best results with classification accuracy levels of 95.24 percent, 89.66 percent, and 95.65 percent for Honeydale Farm, Thyume, and Sheshegu respectively. Regression analysis revealed that both communal and private lands have experienced statistically significant increases in bush encroachment and decreases in surface water. Communal savannas have been confronted more by expansion of built-up area, decrease in open grassland, abandonment of arable land, soil erosion, and a steady invasion by Acacia Karroo compared to the privately owned commercial farm. The land cover changes measured through this investigation suggest an environmental shift that threatens biodiversity and agricultural activity. The study provides empirically informed insights about the direction to which these savannas are changing with the hope that the findings will prompt formulation and implementation of effective policies.

A history of land degradation is reconstructed in a part of the dividing ridge between the Great Fish and Keiskamma rivers, in Peddie District, former Ciskei. The study entails a comparative investigation of the progressive changes in land use, vegetation and soil erosion in three tenure units, namely: former commercial farms, traditional and betterment villages. Analysis of the sequential aerial photography of the area for 1938,1954, 1965, 1975 and 1988 is employed. This is backed by groundtruthing exercises. Data thus obtained are quantified, and linkages between degradation, anthropogenic and physical factors are derived using PC ARC/INFO GIS. Differences in land tenure systems emerge as the main controlling factor to variations in land degradation. Confinement of vegetation diminution and erosion to traditional and betterment villages is observed at all dates. Scantily vegetated surfaces and riparian vegetation removal are a characteristic feature of both areas throughout the study period. 'Betterment,' introduced in the early 1960s to curb land degradation is, instead observed to exacerbate it, particularly soil erosion. Trends in land use change are characterised by the abandonment of cultivated land, which is noted to coincide with a sharp rise in population. Erosion intensification into severe forms particularly between 1965 and 1975, coincident with a period of extreme rainfall events, emerges as the most significant degradation trend. A close spatial correlation between abandoned cultivated land and intricate gullies is identified. So is the case between grazing land and severe sheet erosion. Within the grazing lands, an examination of erosion and categories of vegetated surfaces reveals that erosion occurs predominantly on the scanty vegetation category. Such erosion-vegetation interaction largely explains the non-recovery of the scanty vegetation category, even during periods of intense rainfall. Extensive channel degradation is evident along stream courses with scanty riparian vegetation. Physical factors are noted to have a significant bearing on erosion. The high prevalence of erosion on the Ecca group of rocks confirms its erosion-prone nature. Pockets of colluvium and alluvium accumulation in the steep bottomlands are identified as the sites of the most severe gully erosion. Field surveys at some of the sites indicate that a dolerite sill through the area forms a boundary of colluvium accumulation and the upslope limit to gully incision. That these sites are recognised as formerly cultivated land, portrays the interaction between physical and anthropogenic variables with regard to inducing degradation in the area.