Includes bibliographical references (p. 301-319). Palaeoecological records, documented historical records and remnant vegetation were investigated in order to construct a multi-scaled history of vegetation pattern and change in the Fleurieu Peninsula, South Australia over the last c. 8000 years. Aims to better understand post-European landscape transformation and address the inherently historical components of the problems of regional biodiversity loss, land sustainability and the cumulative contribution to global climatic change.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 301-319). / xx, 319, [30] leaves : ill. (some col.), maps ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Palaeoecological records, documented historical records and remnant vegetation were investigated in order to construct a multi-scaled history of vegetation pattern and change in the Fleurieu Peninsula, South Australia over the last c. 8000 years. Aims to better understand post-European landscape transformation and address the inherently historical components of the problems of regional biodiversity loss, land sustainability and the cumulative contribution to global climatic change. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Geographical and Environmental Studies, 2001

Thesis (MSc)--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The conservation of biodiversity is becoming increasingly challenging as habitats are disturbed, fragmented or destroyed. Although nature reserves now cover more than 10 % of the earths’ surface it has become clear that more will have to be done to ensure the long-term survival of species. Therefore, focus is increasingly shifting towards conserving biodiversity in natural and semi-natural remnants in human-influenced areas. This study aimed to determine the contribution of remnants in human-influenced areas to the conservation of biodiversity in the Cape Floristic Region (CFR) lowlands, using ground-dwelling arthropods, specifically ants, as the focal taxon. Initially, base-line information of arthropods and in particular ants was obtained. Sampling arthropods generally involves a large sample effort. Therefore maximizing sampling effort for ants in the CFR was investigated by trapping ground-dwelling ants at a single locality. Doubling the number of grids of pitfall traps was found to be more effective in trapping a greater number of species than doubling the duration of sampling. Therefore increasing spatial sampling intensity rather than sampling duration maximizes sample effort for CFR ants. Also, the seasonal changes of ground-dwelling arthropods, including ants, were determined by sampling four times during the year at a single locality. Overall arthropod abundance was found to peak in summer while dropping to a minimum in winter. This pattern was mirrored by that of the ants, indicating that ant results have a broader relevance than to ants only. The ground-dwelling fauna was dominated by ants emphasizing their importance in the CFR lowlands, and demonstrating that ants are an appropriate flagship taxon for epigaeic arthropod diversity in the CFR. Finally the contribution of remnants in human-influenced areas to the conservation of the CFR was investigated. A nested hierarchical approach was used, where five localities were selected across the CFR, each containing one reserve site and one site with natural remnants. Ants were sampled, along with environmental variables, namely weather, vegetation and soil. Overall, remnants were found to support similar ant assemblages to those of reserves. However for individual localities some remnants were significantly different to their reserve counterparts. Differences in ant assemblages were found to be greater between localities than between reserves and remnants. The relatively high heterogeneity of ants found in this study emphasizes the conservation significance of invertebrates along with that of plants in the CFR. Remnants clearly show the potential to conserve ant assemblages, however correct management is needed for these areas to maximize their potential. Disturbances such as the presence of the invasive Argentine ant and increasing soil nutrients by fertilization, pose a distinct threat to the ability of remnants to conserve ant assemblages. This study has shown that remnants currently support ant assemblages representative of those present in the CFR today. Therefore, some remnant patches of habitat in agricultural areas currently do contribute highly to the conservation of a functional important taxon in this global biodiversity hotspot, and if managed correctly, may continue to do so in the future. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die vernietiging en fragmentering van habitatte maak die bewaring van biodiversiteit al hoe meer van ‘n uitdaging. Alhoewel natuur reservate reeds meer as 10 % van die aarde se oppervlak beslaan is dit duidelik dat meer gedoen sal moet word vir die lang-termyn voortbestaan van spesies. Dus word die fokus van biodiversiteit-bewaring toenemend gerig op bewaring van natuurlike en semi-natuurlike fragmente in menslik-beinvloede gebiede. Die doel van hierdie studie was om te bepaal wat die bydrae van fragmente van natuurlike veld in menslik-beinvloede gebiede is tot die bewaring van die streek. Dit is gedoen deur van grond-lewende geleedpotiges en spesifiek, miere in die Kaapse floraryk (CFR) gebruik te maak. Aanvanklik is kennis ingewin oor die geleedpotiges en spesifiek miere in die omgewing. Omdat die versameling van geleedpotige diere gewoonlik baie moeite vereis is ‘n maksimum steekproef gedoen by ‘n enkele lokaliteit. Daar is gevind dat ‘n verdubbling van die aantal ruitsteekproefnemings met vanggate meer effektief is om miere te vang as ‘n verdubbling in die tydperiode wat vanggate oop is. Dus, is ‘n hoër ruimtelike steekproef intensiteit meer effektief in vergelyking met ‘n langer tydsduur vir miere in die CFR. Die seisoenale veranderinge van grond-lewende geleedpotiges, sowel as miere, was ook bepaal. Dit was gedoen deur vier seisoenale steekproewe te doen by ‘n enkele lokaliteit. Die totale geleedpotige-talrykheid was die meeste gedurende die somer en die minste in die winter. Die miertalrykheid het ook hierdie patroon weerspieël. Dit dui daarop dat veranderinge in mier versamelings van breër belang is vir alle grondlewende geleedpotiges. Miere was die dominante grond-lewende geleedpotiges en beklemtoon die belangrikheid van miere in die CFR, sowel as hulle toepaslikheid as vlagskip taksa vir grond-lewende geleedpotige diversiteit in die CFR. Laastens was die bydrae van gefragmenteerde natuurlike veld in menslik–beinvloede gebiede tot die bewaring van die CFR ondersoek. ’n Krimpende/ genestelde hiërargies benadering is gebruik in vyf geselekteerde lokaliteite, elk het bestaan uit ‘n area in ‘n natuur reservaat en ‘n area in ‘n naasliggende fragment. Miere was versamel saam met ‘n verskeidenheid omgewings veranderlike, naamlik weer, plantegroei en grond. In die algemeen is gevind dat fragmente en reservate gelyksoortige mier versamelings het. Daar was wel gevind dat party fragmente aansienlik verskillend was van die reservaat teenstuk. Verskille in mier versamelings tussen lokaliteite was groter as verskille tussen reservate en fragmente. Die relatief hoë heterogeniteit van miere beklemtoon die bewaringsbelang van invertebrate saam met dié van plante in die CFR. Dit is duidelik dat fragmente wel ‘n potensiale bydrae kan maak om die mier versamelinge te bewaar, maar gepaste bestuur is nodig om hierdie potentiaal te maksimaliseer. Versteurings soos die teenwoordigheid van die indringer Argentynse mier en toenemende grondvoedingstofkonsentrasie as gevolg van bemesting is ‘n groot bedreiging tot die vermoë van fragmente om mier versamelings te bewaar. Hierdie studie wys dat mier versamelings in gefragmenterde areas verteenwordigend is van die algemene mier versamlings wat op die oomblik in die CFR is. Dus lewer party fragmente in landbou gebiede op die oomblik ‘n wesenlike bydrae tot die bewaring van ‘n funksioneel belangrike takson in hierdie globale biodiversiteitsbrandpunt en die bydra sal volhoubaar wees met korekte bestuur.

Thesis (MSc (Conservation Ecology and Entomology)--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / Swartland Shale Renosterveld is restricted to fertile fine-grained soils in the winter rainfall region of the Western Cape. Between 91% and 97% of this vegetation type is transformed, mostly due to agriculture. Remaining fragments have an irreplaceable conservation value due to a high richness of endemic geophytes. Information on renosterveld vegetation composition and response to disturbance is sparse. Research occurred at three sites near Wellington: Voëlvlei Provincial Nature Reserve (CapeNature), Elandsberg Private Nature Reserve (Elandsberg Farms (Pty.) Ltd.), and Krantzkop munitions factory (Armscor/Somchem) forming a contiguous fragment in the Agter- Groeneberg Conservancy. The primary research aim was to identify or ascertain patterns of plant succession in Swartland Shale Renosterveld and associated different-aged old fields (previously ploughed), with the interaction of grazing. The key research questions are: (1) What are the plant communities of unploughed renosterveld and different-aged old fields which originated in habitats of ploughed renosterveld? (2) What are the most characteristic features of the floristic and ecological relationship between the described plant communities in terms of ecological factors operating within the studied system? (3) Does total species and life-form group richness differ between natural vegetation and old fields? (4) Is life-form richness influenced by ploughing and grazing or the interaction between these disturbances? (5) Is life-form cover-abundance influenced by ploughing and grazing or the interaction between these disturbances? (6) Does alien plant species richness differ amongst seres, and with different levels of grazing intensity? A comparison of life-form richness and cover-abundance of old field vegetation was made with adjacent natural unploughed “controls”. The effects of ploughing on community structure, with the inclusion of grazing was established. These life-form richness comparisons also occur across a gradient of increasing large mammalian herbivore grazing intensity. Sampling was conducted in winter and spring using nested 1000m2 relevés. A hierarchical classification, description and floristic interpretation of renosterveld and old field vegetation were made using TWINSPAN, SYN-TAX 2000 and CANOCO. The samples were classified with TWINSPAN and two communities were described at the association level, namely: Ursinia anthemoides–Cynodon dactylon Grassland Community (with two variants) and the Pterygodio catholici–Elytropappetum rhinocerotis Shrubland Community (with two subassociations), respectively. The vegetation data were further hierachically classified using SYNTAX 2000 which revealed similar clustering of sample objects to that resulting from classification and ordination. Following ordination of sample objects with CANOCO, select groups of species were used to depict their response curves in relation to seral development. Briefly it was found that the effects of grazing vs. non-grazing was more pronounced on old fields than in unploughed vegetation. Overall total species and life-form richness was reduced by ploughing with old fields requiring a recovery period of 30 years to resemble unploughed vegetation. Keywords: Swartland Shale Renosterveld, phytosociology, vegetation patterns, life-forms, succession, disturbance, ploughing, grazing, old fields.

Thesis (MScFor )--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Species-rich Renosterveld vegetation does not return to old agricultural fields even after many years (10-20) of abandonment. In most cases the fields are slowly taken over by non-indigenous species, particularly alien pasture grasses and African lawn grass. While poor survival of indigenous seedlings due to competition, grazing or any other establishment constraints, might explain the failure of natural vegetation to colonise old fields, here I am testing the hypothesis that recolonisation by indigenous plant species is limited by seed dispersal. I have quantified changes in seed density with distance from the natural vegetation into old fields using seed traps and soil seed bank assessment. I have also looked at seed dispersal in the dung of large herbivores. Shrubs (with the exception of Eytropappus rhinocerotis) were poorly represented in the seed rain indicating that they might be seed limited. Dicerothamnus rinocerotis (a dominant shrub in Renosterveld) and certain geophytes (that were recovered in the soil bank) have proven that seed dispersal is not the primary constraint to their return to ploughed fields. Dicerothamnus rinocerotis produces a large number of seeds that are dispersed long distances into the old field and a number of geophytes were well represented in the soil bank. Large herbivores are dispersing a lot of herbaceous forbs in their dung but make very little contribution to the dispersal of indigenous tussock grass and shrubs. Seeds of indigenous Renosterveld tussock grasses (e.g Tribolium hispidum) were restricted to the edge of the natural vegetation. My research has shown that some indigenous seeds, particularly those dispersed in wind and through large mammals, do reach the old ploughed field. I therefore conclude that seed dispersal is not the primary constraint to the natural recovery of populations of some indigenous plant species on old fields, but may limit recovery of certain indigenous geophytes, grasses and shrubs. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Spesie-ryke Renosterveld plantegroei hervestig nie op ou landerye nie, selfs ná baie jare (l0-20) van verlating. Oor die algemeen word hierdie grond stadig oorgeneem deur uitheemse spesies, veral uitheemse weidingsgrasse en kweekgras. Terwyl swak oorlewing van inheemse saailinge as gevolg van kompetisie, weiding of enige ander vestigingsbeperkinge, die mislukte vestiging van natuurlike plantegroei op ou benutte grond kan verduidelik, toets ek hier die hipotese dat hervestiging deur inheemse plantspesies deur saadverspreiding beperk word. Ek het veranderinge in saaddigtheid oor afstand vanaf die natuurlike plantegroei na ou landerye gekwantifiseer, deur gebruik te maak van saadopvangsvalle en sand saadbank beraminge. Ek het ook gekyk na saadverspreiding in die mis van groot herbivore. Struike (behalwe Eytropappus rhinocerotis) was swak verteenwoordig in die "saadreën", wat mag toon dat struike saadbeperk is. Eytropappus rhinocerotis ('n dominante struik in Renosterveld) en sekere geofiete (wat in die saadbank gevind is) het bewys dat saadverspreiding nie die hoofbeperking is vir hulle terugkeer na geploegde lande nie. Eytropappus rhinocerotis produseer 'n groot hoeveelheid saad wat oor groot afstande oor die ou landerye versprei word en 'n aantal geofiete was goed verteenwoordig in die saadbank. Groot herbivore versprei 'n groot hoeveelheid kruidagtige forbe in hulle mis, maar maak 'n baie klein bydrae tot die verspreiding van inheemse polgras en struike. Saad van inheemse Renosterveld polgrasse (bv. Tribolium hispidum) was beperk tot die some van die natuurlike plantegroei. My navorsing het getoon dat sommige inheemse saad, veral dié wat deur die wind en deur groot herbivore versprei word, wel die ou geploegde landerye bereik. Ek maak dus die gevolgtrekking dat saadverspreiding nie die hoofbeperking is vir die natuurlike herstel van populasies van sommige inheemse plantspesies op ou landerye nie, maar mag die herstel van sekere inheemse geofiete, grasse en struike beperk.