MSc (Botany) / Department of Botany / Invasive alien plants (IAPs) are non-native species that have spread beyond the introduction site; become abundant to an extent that they serve as agents of change that also threaten native biological diversity (Garcia-Berthou, 2007). IAPs have medicinal applications for the treatment of various aliments in humans (Jäger et al., 1996). In this study, an ethnomedicinal survey was conducted on medicinal uses of invasive alien plant species in order to identify and investigate the various disease treatment methods employed by Bapedi traditional health practitioners within Capricorn District. Six traditional health practitioners were randomly selected, via the snowball method from each of the five local municipalities namely: Aganang, Blouberg, Lepelle-Nkupi, Molomole and Polokwane. The whole survey included 30 traditional health practitioners. A semi structured questionnaire was administered to document information about the medicinal uses of IAPs from participants. The collected data from the questionnaire was captured in Microsoft Excel 2010 and analyzed using descriptive statistics. The study recorded 22 IAPs belonging to 14 plant families. Records or data collected show invasive alien plants species to have been used for treatment of different alignments amongst Bapedi traditional health practitioners. Plant families with the most recorded species include: Solanaceae and Myrtaceae with 18.2% for both of them. The plant parts most frequently used in descending order were as follows: roots vii (40%), followed by the leaves (39%), fruits (7%), thorns (6%), bark (4%), seeds (2%) and lastly stems (2%). Decoction was recorded as the most dominant method used during medicinal preparations (n = 176) and flu was recorded as the most treated ailment amongst traditional health practitioners (n = 29). Apart from clearing IAPs as part of management strategy by South African government, there are other alternative innovative ways that can be employed to ensure that the number of IAPs introduced does not exceed beyond measure.This could be achieved by encouraging local people to use them as either medicinal sources or by incorporating them into any other local ethnobotanical use. The new innovative ways (such as traditional health practitioners utilizing the IAPs instead of endangered plants or indigenous plants species) can bring in some form of relief to the already declining indigenous species populations. Research scholars from different research institutes and higher education research centres can regard IAPs used medicinally as source of new pharmaceutical leads to create new medications. With such attention turned to alien invasive species, their survival as well as their spread will be kept on check at the same time creating a control measure to their spread with little effort. Further laboratory-based studies are needed to determine efficiency and safety of the IAPs used by traditional health practitioners in this study. / NRF

A vegetation survey was conducted on the newly acquired farm portions of the farm Doornrandje 386 JR, which are being incorporated into Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s protected area expansion. This study provides an ecological basis for establishing an efficient management programme for the area. From a TWINSPAN classification, refined by Braun-Blanquet procedures, five plant communities were identified. A classification and description of the major plant communities is presented. Descriptions of the plant communities include characteristic species, as well as prominent and less conspicuous species of the tree, shrub, herb and grass strata. Floristic analyses of the vegetation and a biodiversity comparison of the different plant communities found on the farm are also undertaken. This study proves that the extended land incorporated into the Reserve contributes to the biological diversity of the study area. / Environmental Sciences / M. Sc. (Environmental Science)

A vegetation survey was conducted on the newly acquired farm portions of the farm Doornrandje 386 JR, which are being incorporated into Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s protected area expansion. This study provides an ecological basis for establishing an efficient management programme for the area. From a TWINSPAN classification, refined by Braun-Blanquet procedures, five plant communities were identified. A classification and description of the major plant communities is presented. Descriptions of the plant communities include characteristic species, as well as prominent and less conspicuous species of the tree, shrub, herb and grass strata. Floristic analyses of the vegetation and a biodiversity comparison of the different plant communities found on the farm are also undertaken. This study proves that the extended land incorporated into the Reserve contributes to the biological diversity of the study area. / Environmental Sciences / M. Sc. (Environmental Science)

The vegetation of the Nooitgedacht section of the Loskop Dam Nature Reserve resembles Bankenveld vegetation and differs from the other areas of the reserve. This study was undertaken to identify, classify, and describe the plant communities present on this section, and to determine their veld condition. The Braun-Blanquet approach was followed to classify the different plant communities. A total number of 170 sample plots (100m2) were placed in all homogeneous vegetation units in a randomly stratified basis. The Ecological Index Method (EIM) was used to determine the veld condition. Data were collected using the steppoint method and incorporated into the GRAZE model from where the veld condition was calculated. A minimum of 400 step points were surveyed in each community with more points in the larger communities. Plant community data was analysed using the JUICE software program. A total of 11 plant communities were identified. The overall veld condition score indicates the vegetation to be in a good condition, resulting in a high grazing capacity. / Environmental Sciences / M. Sc. (Nature Conservation)

The vegetation of the Nooitgedacht section of the Loskop Dam Nature Reserve resembles Bankenveld vegetation and differs from the other areas of the reserve. This study was undertaken to identify, classify, and describe the plant communities present on this section, and to determine their veld condition. The Braun-Blanquet approach was followed to classify the different plant communities. A total number of 170 sample plots (100m2) were placed in all homogeneous vegetation units in a randomly stratified basis. The Ecological Index Method (EIM) was used to determine the veld condition. Data were collected using the steppoint method and incorporated into the GRAZE model from where the veld condition was calculated. A minimum of 400 step points were surveyed in each community with more points in the larger communities. Plant community data was analysed using the JUICE software program. A total of 11 plant communities were identified. The overall veld condition score indicates the vegetation to be in a good condition, resulting in a high grazing capacity. / Environmental Sciences / M. Sc. (Nature Conservation)