PhD (Botany) / Department of Botany / Cycads are regarded as the oldest living seed plants on earth and they have existed for about 300 million years. Ever since the awareness of the existence of this plant group, they have been facing high extinction risk. Currently they are referred to as the most threatened plant group in the world. Many ecological and anthropological forces are promoting extinction crisis of this taxonomic group. Africa is one of the centres of diversity of this plant group with 70% of the total number of the taxa in this group in Africa found in South Africa. Also South Africa is one of the global hotspots for cycads and it contains the third largest number of cycads after Australia and Mexico. Studies have revealed that there have been high threats and extinction risks among the cycad taxa in South Africa. The Soutpansberg Mountain is a major biodiversity hotspot in Limpopo Province in South Africa with high level of flora and fauna taxa. About 3000 vascular plants species are represented on this mountain. Biodiversity on this mountain has been under threat in recent times and there is need to investigate how cycads are facing risk on this mountain. The main focus of this study is to look at the extinction pattern in South African cycads and cycads endemic to Soupandberg Mountain in Limpopo Province in South Africa. v The first objective evaluated all African cycads over a decade using IUCN red list. Data from IUCN 2014 version was used to calculate the percentages of African cycads in each IUCN categories. The results were compared with those presented by Donaldson 2003. They showed that there have been significant decline and increase in extinction of African cycads over this period. It was also discovered that majority of this extinction crisis were trending in South Africa. The second objective used the IUCN red list to evaluate extinction pattern in South African cycads. The percentages of IUCN threat categories of South African cycads was calculated using IUCN red list. ArcGIS was used to construct distribution map for threatened and extinct South African cycads. The study revealed that the proportion of historically Extinct and Critically Endangered cycads is higher in Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga than the rest of the provinces in South Africa. The third objective of this research investigated extinction pattern of Encephalartos transvenosus Stapf & Burtt Davy (Modjadji cycad) on Soutpansberg Mountain. Indigenous knowledge and population ecology approaches were used to determine current threats Modjadji cycads are facing on Soutpansberg Mountain. The results showed that anthropogenic activities have caused a substantial decline of one important unprotected population of this species on Soutpansberg Mountain. / NRF

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / A savana de Roraima apresenta um mosaico de fitofisionomias com distintas estruturas e composições florísticas que podem estar associadas a diferentes fatores edáficos (fertilidade, textura e inundação sazonal do solo). O objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar se fatores edáficos determinam composição, riqueza, cobertura de espécies e grupos taxonômicos (famílias) de plantas em áreas da savana de Roraima. O estudo foi realizado em 20 parcelas permanentes situadas no Campus Cauamé (UFRR) e no Campo Experimental Água Boa (Embrapa Roraima). Foi realizado um inventário florístico (composição e riqueza) e utilizado a cobertura (%) de indivíduos e espécies como variável descritora de habitats tomando como referência três categorias de inundação (bem, mal e imperfeitamente drenado). Técnicas multivariadas foram utilizadas para determinar padrões de ocorrência e agrupamento de plantas. Foram encontradas 130 espécies classificadas em 34 famílias botânicas. As famílias Cyperaceae, Poaceae e Fabaceae foram às de maior riqueza de espécies nas parcelas amostradas. Por meio de regressão linear constatou-se que o estrato herbáceo possui relação negativa com inundação sazonal. Verificou-se que cobertura vegetal (%) dos grupos taxonômicos nas categorias de inundação foi dominado pelo estrato herbáceo. No entanto, nas parcelas com solos imperfeitamente drenados (72,3 %) e mal drenados (79,5 %) foi verificada uma maior cobertura média de herbáceas em relação à categoria de solos bem drenados (50,5 %). As famílias de maior cobertura (%) em todas categorias foram Poaceae e Cyperaceae. P. carinatum (Poaceae) foi a espécie comum de maior cobertura presente nos habitats distintos por drenagem. Assim, conclui-se que fatores edáficos, em especial a drenagem, determinam distinções florísticas e estruturais nas áreas de savana estudadas em Roraima. / The Savanna of Roraima presents a mosaic of vegetation types with distinct structures and floristic composition that may be associated with different edaphic factors (fertility, texture and seasonal flooded soils). The objective of this study was to determine whether soil factors determine composition, richness and coverage of species and taxonomic groups (botany families) of plants in the savanna areas of Roraima. The study was conducted in 20 permanent plots located in the Campus Cauamé (UFRR) and the Campo Experimental Água Boa (Embrapa Roraima). A floristic inventory (composition and richness) was carried out and cover (%) of individuals and species was used as descriptor variable of habitats taking account three categories of flooded soils (well-, poor- and imperfectly drained). Multivariate techniques were used to determine patterns of occurrence and clustering. It was found 130 species classified into 34 plant families. The Cyperaceae, Poaceae and Fabaceae families were the most species richness in the plots. By linear regression it was found that the herbaceous layer has negative relation to seasonal flooding. The vegetation cover (%) of taxonomic groups in the flood category was dominated by herbaceous. However, in the plots with imperfectly drained soils (72.3%) and poorly drained (79.5%) was observed a higher average coverage of herbaceous related to well-drained soils (50.5%). The largest families coverage (%) in all categories were Poaceae and Cyperaceae. P. carinatum (Poaceae) was the most common kind of coverage present in different habitats for drainage. Thus, it is concluded that soil factors, particularly drainage, determine floristic and structural distinctions in the areas of savannah studied in Roraima.