Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / A água é um dos fatores de produção que mais limita o rendimento das plantas cultivadas. Em regiões em que a distribuição das chuvas é irregular, podem ocorrer perdas significativas no rendimento das culturas, sendo a irrigação a tecnologia que reduz os riscos de baixa produção, além de propiciar maior número de safras durante o ano. Também a baixa disponibilidade de fósforo, comum na maioria dos solos das regiões tropicais, transforma esse elemento em objeto de freqüentes estudos, para obtenção de bons rendimentos. Esta pesquisa compreendeu dois experimentos realizados no campo e em casa-de-vegetação, envolvendo feijãocaupi (Vigna ungüiculata (L.) Walp.), irrigação e adubação fosfatada. O primeiro experimento, realizado em campo, teve como objetivo estudar o comportamento do feijão-caupi cv. BRS Novaera sob diferentes lâminas de água (187, 241, 257 e 273 mm) e doses de fósforo (0, 70, 140 e 210 kg ha-1 de P2O5, aplicados na forma de superfosfato triplo) em Boa Vista, Roraima. O delineamento experimental adotado foi o de blocos ao acaso no esquema de parcelas subdivididas com quatro repetições. As parcelas foram constituída pelas lâminas de água e as sub parcelas, pelas doses de fósforo, resultando em 16 tratamentos. A irrigação foi realizada por um sistema convencional de aspersão, montado no campo segundo o sistema de aspersão em linha. Foi demonstrada que a massa seca da parte aérea e a massa de 100 grãos são influenciadas pela interação entre lâminas de água e doses de fósforo, enquanto o número de grãos por vagem e o comprimento da vagem são influenciados somente pelas doses de fósforo. A dose de máxima eficiência econômica foi de 89,45 kg de P2O5 com produtividade de 1.343 kg ha-1. O segundo experimento, realizado em casa-de-vegetação, em vasos de polipropileno com capacidade de 8 dm3 , objetivou estudar o comportamento do feijão-caupi cv. Guariba cultivado sob diferentes lâminas de água (30, 60, 90 e 120% da ECA) e doses de fósforo (0, 70, 140 e 210 kg ha-1 de P2O5, aplicados na forma superfosfato triplo). O delineamento experimental adotado foi inteiramente ao acaso no esquema fatorial de 4 x 4, com quatro repetições. Demonstrou-se que a massa seca da parte aérea, altura de plantas, número de folhas e teor de P foliar são influenciadas significativamente pelos tratamentos. A lâmina de água influencia na altura de plantas e área foliar, sem apresentar uma interação com as doses de fósforo. O maior acúmulo de massa seca da parte aérea é obtido com 340 mm de água e 210 kg ha-1 de P2O5. / The Water is one of the production factors that limit the most the output of cultivated plants. In regions in which the rain distribution is irregular, it may occur significant losses in the output of cultures. In these cases, the irrigation is a technology that can be used to reduce the risks of low production, not to mention to propitiate a greater number of crops during the year. In Savanna areas, the phosphate contents are very low. So, it is necessary to study which strategy results in the highest productivity of cowpea used irrigation and phosphate fertilizer in this areas. This dissertation was developed at Universidade Federal de Roraima, Centro de Ciências Agrárias, situated in Boa Vista, RR. The first work was carried out to evaluate the effect of irrigation depth and phosphate fertilizer (0; 70; 140; 210 kg ha-1 of P2O5) on yield and production components of cowpea (Vigna ungüiculata L. Walp) cv. Novaera under Savanna of Roraima, Brazil. The experimental design was arranged in a completely randomized block design in split-plot and four replications. Irrigation depths were applied through a sprinkler line source system. The principal treatments were constituted by the depths of irrigation and the secondary treatments by the phosphate fertilizer. Significant effects (p < 0.05) of the depth of irrigation and phosphate fertilizer interaction with mass aerial production and mass 100 grains were observed. The number of grains per pods and size of pod were affected by the phosphate fertilizer only. The highest economic yield (1.343 kg ha-1) was obtained by the 89,45 kg of P2O5. The second work aimed to verify the behavior of cowpea cv. Guariba subjected different levels of water and phosphorous levels (0, 70, 140, 210 kg ha-1 de P2O5) in greenhouse. The experimental design was in a completely randomized block in a factorial arrangement of 4 X 4, with four replications. The Yellow Latossolo soil was used as a substrate, wrapped in polypropylene containers with 8 dm3. The studied variables were: aerial dry matter production, height of plants, number of leaves, aerial foliar and phosphorous tissue content. There was a marked plant response to phosphorous. The aerial foliar and height of plants were influenced linearly by the water levels without interaction with phosphorous applied. The best results for dry matter were obtained by 340 mm, with 210 kg ha-1 of P2O5.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / O sistema de plantio direto para a cultura da soja é uma prática consolidada nas savanas de Roraima, mas que vem apresentando limitações principalmente quanto à manutenção da cobertura do solo, uma vez que há dificuldade no estabelecimento de plantas de cobertura após a colheita da cultura anual em função do longo período de déficit hídrico. Uma alternativa que vem sendo recomendada é a condução simultânea da cultura anual com a planta de cobertura, manejada com uso de doses reduzidas de herbicidas, o que favorece a produção de palhada após a colheita da soja. Objetivou-se com este trabalho avaliar o efeito de doses de herbicida dessecante e pós-emergente sobre a cobertura do solo com Brachiaria ruziziensis, os componentes de produção, produtividade de grãos de soja, e a incidência de plantas daninhas, em sistema de plantio direto na savana de Roraima. O experimento foi conduzido na Embrapa Roraima, Campo Experimental Água Boa, Boa Vista - RR, no período de maio a novembro de 2011. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi em blocos casualizados no esquema de parcelas subdivididas, com quatro repetições. Os tratamentos consistiram na combinação de quatro doses do herbicida dessecante glifosato (720; 1200; 1680; e 2160 g i.a ha-1) e cinco doses do herbicida pós-emergente fenoxaprop-p-ethyl (0; 38,5; 77; 115,5; 154 g i.a ha-1). Os resultados foram submetidos à análise de variância (p<0,05) e quando significativos foram submetidos a análise de regressão. Verificou-se para a cultura da soja efeito apenas das doses de glifosato, onde a menor dose reduziu o número de vagens por planta, o número de grãos por vagem e a produtividade de grãos, sendo que a produtividade máxima (3.660 kg ha-1) foi obtida na dose de 1.387,64 g i.a ha-1 de glifosato. A produtividade de massa fresca e seca de Brachiaria ruziziensis aos 70 dias após a colheita da soja decresceu na medida em que se aumentaram as doses de glifosato e fenoxaprop-p-ethyl em pós-emergência. As plantas daninhas, em função da supressão da braquiária, apresentaram incremento na população de plantas com o aumento das doses de glifosato. A dose de 1200 g i.a ha-1 de glifosato favorece a produtividade de soja, massa fresca e seca de Brachiaria ruziziensis favoráveis à produção de forrageira e palhada para o plantio direto. / The no-tillage system for soybean is an established practice in the Roraima savanna, but it has been presenting limitations mainly about the maintenance of soil covering, due to difficulties in the establishment of cover crops after harvest of annual crops due to the long period of water deficit. An alternative that has been recommended is to conduct the annual intercropped with the cover plant managed with the use of reduced herbicides doses, which favors the straw production after harvest of soybeans. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of desiccants and post-emergence herbicide doses on soil covered with Brachiaria ruziziensis, the yield components, productivity of soybean grain, and the incidence of weeds in a no-tillage system in the Roraima savanna. The experiment was conducted at Embrapa Roraima, Experimental Farm Água Boa, Boa Vista - RR in the period from May to November 2011. The experimental design was a randomized completely blocks in split plots with four repetitions. The treatments consisted in four doses of desiccants herbicide glyphosate (720, 1200, 1680, and 2160 g a.i. ha-1) and five doses of post-emergent herbicide fenoxaprop-p-ethyl (0, 38.5, 77, 115 5, 154 g a.i. ha-1). The results were submitted to variance analysis (p <0.05) and when signi.ficant were submitted to regression analysis. It was verified for the soybean crop only effect of glyphosate doses, where the lowest dose of the desiccant decrease the number of pods per plant, the number of grains per pod and grain productivity. The maximum productivity (3660 kg ha-1) was obtained with 1387.64 g a.i. ha-1of glphosate. The yield of fresh and dry weight of Brachiaria ruziziensis at 70 days after soybean harvest decreased with the dose increase of glyphosate in desiccation and fenoxaprop-p-ethyl in post-emergence. Weeds, due to the suppression of brachiaria grass, increase the plant population with the increase of glyphosate doses. The dose of 1200 g a.i. ha-1 of glyphosate promotes soybean yield, fresh and dry weight of Brachiaria ruziziensis favorable to the production of forage and straw to the no-tillage system.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a resposta de cultivares de feijão-caupi sob diferentes lâminas de irrigação, analisando-se, características fisiológicas, componentes de produção, produtividade de grãos e eficiência de uso da água. Foram conduzidos dois experimentos, em mesma área, no Campo experimental Água Boa pertencente à Embrapa-Roraima, em sistema de cultivo sobre palhada no cerrado de Roraima, sob irrigação por aspersão convencional, nos períodos de fevereiro a abril e de setembro a novembro de 2012. Foram testadas cinco lâminas de irrigação 30%, 60%, 90%, 120% e 150% da ETo (evapotranspiração de referência) e três cultivares de feijão-caupi (BRS Guariba, BRS Novaera e BRS Pajeú). As lâminas de irrigação foram estabelecidas com base em frações da ETo diária estimada por meio do tanque classe A, instalado próximo à área experimental, adotando-se o coeficiente do tanque (Kt) 0,75 ao longo do experimento. O delineamento experimental foi em blocos casualizados com os tratamentos dispostos em faixas, no esquema de parcelas subdivididas, com cinco repetições. Avaliou-se, altura de plantas, massa seca da parte aérea, índice da área foliar, os componentes de produção, produtividade de grãos e eficiência de uso da água. Os dados foram submetidos à análise de variância com aplicação do teste F (p<0,05), as médias das cultivares foram comparadas por teste de Tukey e as referentes às lâminas por meio de regressão polinomial com teste t (p<0,05). O incremento das lâminas de irrigação proporcionou aumento para altura de plantas, massa seca da parte aérea e índice da área foliar, sendo que a cultivar BRS Pajeú apresentou efeito quadrático, mostrando máxima eficiência técnica com as lâminas de 106,84% da ETo (317,75 mm) para 30 g de massa seca da parte aérea e 89,31% da ETo (265,62 mm) para 2,74 de índice da área foliar. Verificou-se diferença entre as cultivares BRS Guariba, Novaera e Pajeú, em resposta às lâminas de irrigação. A cultivar BRS Pajeú não mostrou influência das lâminas para os componentes de produção e produtividade de grãos. O número máximo de vagens por planta (12), considerando a média das três cultivares, foi obtido com a lâmina de 81,35% da ETo (247,4 mm). As lâminas de irrigação não interferiram no número de grãos por vagem. A cultivar BRS Novaera foi superior às demais com massa de cem grãos acima de 22 g, já a BRS Guariba e BRS Pajeú apresentaram médias de 19,63 e 18,61 g, respectivamente. As cultivares BRS Guariba e BRS Novaera atingiram a produtividade máxima de grãos (1275,19 kg ha-1) e (1504,98 kg ha-1) com a aplicação das lâminas 74,3% da ETo e 94,02% da ETo (157,27 mm e 199 mm), respectivamente. A máxima eficiência de uso da água foi obtida com a lâmina 30% da ETo (107,3 mm) para as três cultivares. / The aim of this study was to evaluate physiological characteristics, yield components, yield and water use efficiency of cowpea cultivars under different irrigation levels. From February to April and from September to November of 2012, two experiments were conducted in no-tillage system in the Cerrado, at the experimental field Água Boa of the Embrapa Roraima. Five sprinkler irrigation levels (30%, 60%, 90%, 120% and 150% of the reference evapotranspiration -ETo), which were daily estimated using the class A tank installed near to the experimental area, were used. The coefficient of the tank (Kt) 0.75 was adopted and three varieties of cowpea (BRS Guariba, BRS Novaera and BRS Pajeú) were evaluated. The experimental design used was the randomized blocks, with the treatments arranged in strips, in a split-plot design with five replicates. The traits plant height, shoot dry weight, leaf area index, yield components, yield and water use efficiency were evaluated. Data were subjected to analysis of variance, the mean of cultivars compared by Tukey test and those relating to the irrigation levels by polynomial regression. The increase of the irrigation levels increased plant height, shoot dry weight and leaf area index. BRS Pajeú presented quadratic effect, where the maximum efficiency for the irrigation levels of 106.84% (317.75 mm ) to 30 g dry mass of shoots and 89.31% (265.62 mm) to 2.74 in leaf area index. There were differences between BRS Guariba, BRS Novaera and BRS Pajeú in response to irrigation. BRS Pajeú showed no influence of the irrigation levels to yield components and grain yield. On the average of the cultivars, the maximum number of pods per plant (12) was obtained with the irrigation level of 81.35% (247.4 mm). The irrigation levels did not affected the number of grains per pod. Weight of hundred grains of BRS Novaera was superior (above 22 g) to the others cultivars. BRS Guariba and BRS Pajeú had means of 19.63 g and 18.61 g, respectively. BRS Guariba and BRS Novaera reached the maximum grain yield (1275.19 kg ha-1 and 1504.98 kg ha-1, respectively) at the irrigation levels of 74.3% and 94.02% (157.27 mm and 199 mm respectively). The maximum water use efficiency was obtained at irrigation level of 30% of ETo (107.3 mm) for the three cultivars.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Objetivou-se com este trabalho avaliar o desenvolvimento vegetativo e o desempenho produtivo de três cultivares de palma de óleo na fase juvenil visando identificar cultivares com melhor adaptação à ambientes de savana e de floresta alterada de Roraima. Foram conduzidos dois experimentos em dois locais e períodos distintos; o primeiro experimento referente ao desenvolvimento vegetativo foi conduzido, um em área de savana (com irrigação complementar) no município de Boa Vista e o outro em área de floresta alterada localizada no município de Caroebe, no sul do Estado de Roraima realizado no período de agosto de 2008 a abril de 2010; o segundo experimento referente ao desempenho produtivo foi realizado entre janeiro e dezembro de 2011 em ambos os locais. As cultivares avaliadas foram: BRS C-2528, BRS C-3701 e BRS C-2301, arranjadas em delineamento experimental de blocos ao acaso com seis repetições. Para avaliar o desenvolvimento vegetativo foram realizadas 18 avaliações mensais, quanto ao número de folhas emitidas, comprimento da folha 4 (cm) e circunferência do coleto (cm). O desempenho produtivo foi avaliado por meio de 12 avaliações mensais, quanto: ao número de cachos ha-1, peso médio e produção total de cachos ha-1. Foram realizadas análises de variância individuais e conjuntas. Para a comparação das médias das características avaliadas foi utilizado o teste de Scott & Knott em nível de 5% de probabilidade. Adicionalmente, coeficientes de correlação de Pearson (r) foram estimados entre as médias das características avaliadas para o desempenho produtivo, para cada ambiente. No ambiente de floresta alterada, as cultivares apresentaram desenvolvimento vegetativo superior ao obtido no ambiente de savana. Todas as cultivares apresentaram desenvolvimento vegetativo semelhante no ambiente de savana. Em ambiente de floresta destacou-se a cultivar BRS C-2301 por ter apresentado maior desenvolvimento vegetativo considerando o número de folhas emitidas e o comprimento da folha 4. As três cultivares no ambiente de floresta alterada apresentou desempenho produtivo diferentes entre- si, produzindo entre (19 e 23 t cachos/ha/ano), com destaque para a cultivar BRS C-2301, que foi a mais produtiva, e mostrou-se com potencial para indicação e uso. No ambiente de savana as três cultivares apresentaram desempenhos produtivos semelhantes entre si produzindo entre 4,5 a 6,0 t cachos/ha/ano, sendo uma produção baixa, quando comparados aos obtidos em ambiente de floresta alterada. As maiores produções de cachos, no ambiente de savana, foi em decorrência do maior número de cachos produzidos e ficaram concentradas nos meses de março, abril e maio (início do período chuvoso), enquanto que, em ambiente de floresta alterada foram decorrência dos maiores pesos médios dos cachos e ficaram concentrados nos meses de outubro, novembro e dezembro (período seco). / The objective of this study was to evaluate the vegetative growth and yield performance of three oil palm varieties in the juvenile phase, identifying cultivars with better adaptation on savannah environment and changed forest of Roraima (Brazil). Two experiments were conducted in two locations and distinct periods: the first experiment, for the vegetative development, was conducted in Savannah area (with supplementary irrigation) of Boa Vista (State capital), the other was a changed forest area in the municipality of Caroebe (south of the State), conducted between August 2008 and April 2010.The second experiment for the performance was conducted between January and December 2011 in both locations. The cultivars were: BRS C-2528, C-3701 and BRS C-2301, arranged in randomized complete blocks experimental design with six replications. Eighteen monthly evaluations were made to evaluate the vegetative development, the number of emitted leaves, leaf length 4 (cm) and girth circumference (cm). The performance evaluations were made by 12 collections per month, were they: the number of bunches ha-1, average weight and total production of bunches ha-1. Individual and joint variance analyses were made. The Scott & Knott test (5%) was made for the comparison of the evaluated. The Pearson correlation coefficients (r) were estimated to the average values of the performance characteristics in each environment. In the changed forest environment, the cultivars presented a higher vegetative growth than savannah environment. All the cultivars had a similar vegetative development in savannah environment. The BRS C-2301 cultivar had best results in the forest environment having larger vegetative development considering the number of leaves and the fourth leaf length. The three cultivars in forest environment showed different productive performance between them, producing between 19 and 23 tons of bunches / ha / year, especially the BRS C-2301, which was the most productive, and showed potential for field use. In savannah environment the three cultivars showed a similar performance between itself, producing between 4,5 to 6,0 tons bunches / ha / year), it was a low production, when compared to those obtained in the changed forest environment. The highest yields of bunches in the savannah environment, were due to the production of higher number of bunches and were concentrated in the months of March, April and May (rainy season), while in the forest environment were due to the higher average weights of the clusters and were concentrated in the months of October, November and December (dry season)

Ecosystems in the modern world face a vast array of disturbances, from globally shifting abiotic conditions, to increasingly variable extreme natural events, to high intensity discrete human-caused disturbances. Well-developed, applicable theoretical frameworks on how ecosystems can respond to and withstand these disturbances are needed for adequate management of valued ecological systems. To date, the most promising theoretical development for understanding ecological response to complex sets of disturbances is resilience. Ecological resilience acknowledges non-linear ecosystem behavior, incorporates the role of slowly changing environmental parameters in ecological dynamics, and offers one of the few potential methods to predict, and avoid, impending ecological collapse. However, as ecological resilience has evolved conceptually to include social, political, and economic fields, it has become increasingly difficult to clearly define in, and apply to, managed ecosystems. This dissertation pairs ecological resilience with other, well-established attributes of ecological response to disturbance, namely resistance, persistence, and recovery. By doing so, we can clearly define and quantify each attribute in a range of ecosystem types and over a variety of ecological scales. In Chapter 1, we use microcosm communities to test the relationship between one potential mechanism, landscape connectivity, and multiple attributes of ecological response to disturbance including resistance, resilience, and recovery. We find that each attribute responds uniquely to connectivity, and that generalizing the role of connectivity over all three may give an inaccurate prediction of how ecosystems may respond to individual disturbances. In Chapter 2, we experimentally investigate the presence of early warning indicators of approaching critical thresholds. Using water table drawdown treatments in bog, we test for critical slowing and increased autocorrelation as the bog approaches a transition to forest. We find that critical slowing is clear in composition and moss cover, but that autocorrelation is not apparent. The decoupling of critical slowing and increased autocorrelation could be due to a number of complex ecosystem dynamics, all of which are common in ecosystem management globally. Thus, early warning indicators likely need further development if they are to become applicable. In Chapter 3, we observationally study how conservation management actions may increase or decrease ecological resilience. In particular, we explore how invasive species management intensity correlates with changes in functional redundancy, response diversity, and spatial occurrence of regime shifts in Garry oak meadows. We find that more intense management correlates with less area lost to woody encroachment and increases in functional redundancy through time. However, the relationship was strongly mediated by individual landscape settings. Finally, in Chapter 4, we scale up to a provincial study, investigating persistence of ecosystems and large mammal species in the face of the continuous pressures of land use change. In the results from all four chapters, it is clear that individual attributes of ecological response to disturbance, i.e. resistance, persistence, resilience, or recovery, all play unique roles in ecosystem dynamics. Additionally, the metric chosen to quantify each attribute can play a pivotal role in how we interpret observed dynamics. The work in this dissertation highlights that we cannot understand or predict ecological response to disturbance without clear, measurable concepts. Around a single state of interest, resilience is only one among a suite of attributes that are important to understand. Its additional strength, of potentially predicting the occurrence of ecological thresholds, is still being developed as we explore methods of quantification and application in individual ecosystems. / Graduate

Spiders were sampled at Mpala Research Centre, Laikipia, Kenya by pitfall-trapping and sweep-netting from May 2001 to July 2002, at a Kenyan Long-term Exclosure Experiment. The aim was to establish species composition, checklist and examine spider responses to disturbances caused by cattle, megaherbivores (giraffe and elephants) and mesoherbivores (other ungulates) by looking at three levels of resolution, namely the overall community, guilds and individual species. This is the first controlled replicated experimental study on the effects on invertebrates (spiders) by different land uses (access by large herbivores). A total of 10,487 individuals from 132 species belonging to 30 families were recorded. The family Salticidae had the highest number of species (24), followed by Gnaphosidae (20), Araneidae and Lycosidae (15 each), Theridiidae and Thomisidae (8 each) and Zodariidae (4). Most of the other families had fewer than 4 species. Throughout the study period, species not previously sampled emerged after rainfall peaks. Exclosure treatments affected plant cover, spider diversity and total species mainly through the effects of cattle, whose presence significantly reduced relative vegetation cover. An increase in vegetation cover significantly increased the diversity, total species and species evenness of the overall spider community (total samples data set). Megaherbivores and mesoherbivores had no effects on overall spider diversity. Relative vegetation cover explained approximately 20-30% of variation in community diversity, species richness and species evenness. At the guild level of resolution, the exclosure treatments had no significant effects on diversity, species richness and species evenness of web builders, plant wanderers and ground wanderers. Plant wanderers were significantly and positively correlated with relative vegetation cover, which explained 17% of variation in their diversity. Six individual species responded strongly and in contrasting ways to the same environmental variables, indicating that this level was more sensitive to environmental changes than guilds or the overall spider community. Spider diversity, relative vegetation cover and rainfall varied at a temporal scale of months and not at a spatial scale of hundreds of metres. Only species diversity and species richness from sweep-netting samples and total species from pitfall-trapping varied significantly at a spatial scale of hundreds of metres. Ordination analysis revealed that sweep-netting samples were a better indicator of grazing impacts than pitfalltrapping or combined samples and grouped to reflect cattle grazing, non-cattle grazing and to a small extent the control treatments. Other ordination analyses showed that only samples from sweep-netting and not from pitfall-trapping, were spatially partitioned at a scale of hundreds of metres. This study concludes that the spider fauna of black cotton soil habitats is rich and useful for environmental monitoring and that monitoring of several individual species as indicator of grazing impacts in savanna could be useful and relatively easy.

A genetic study of four commercial goat breeds in South Africa was performed using microsatellite markers. The commercial breeds included the Boer goat, Savanna, Kalahari Red and the Angora goat. Indigenous goat populations from Delftzijl and Groblersdal were also included in this study. Seventeen microsatellite markers were tested to determine the genetic variation. Genetic variation within the breeds were relatively high with heterozygosity values ranging from 57% for the Boer goat, 68% for the Kalahari Red, 69% for the Savanna goats and 70% for the Angora goats. First values indicated that the Savanna and Boer goat are genetically the closest (0.114), while the Kalahari Red and Boer goat are the least related (0.237). Phenotypic measurements included height, length, depth, heart girth, pelvic length and width for a phenotypic description. Significant differences were observed in the phenotypic measurements among all the breeds. The genetic and phenotypic differences indicate that these goats can be distinguished as different breeds. Results of this study contribute genotypic information of the commercial goats in South Africa. Copyright / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Animal and Wildlife Sciences / unrestricted

Thesis (M.Sc. Agriculture (Pasture Science)) -- University of Limpopo, 2020 / Bush encroachment is a major problem in arid and semi-arid savannas characterized by a grass layer interspersed with a shrub stratum. Land cover change as a result of rapid proliferation of woody species in previously open rangelands alters herbaceous species and impacts soil properties. So far, little is known about the threshold at which woody plant density and cover affects herbaceous cover and the underlying mechanisms driving bush encroachment in arid and semi-arid rangelands are still debated. The objectives of this dissertation were to (1) to assess woody species composition and structure along an encroachment gradient and to explore the relationship between woody vegetation and herbaceous vegetation. (2) To determine the effect of increasing tree density and cover on grass species richness, diversity, evenness and selected soil nutrients in a bush encroached rangeland. In order to address these objectives, a semi-arid rangeland was demarcated into three encroachment gradients spanning from open to intermediate and intensive. Within each encroachment gradient six plots of 10 m x 10 m were randomly selected, whereby woody and herbaceous vegetation were assessed and soil properties determined. A discernible increase in woody species diversity and evenness was found along the transition from open to intensive bush encroached rangeland. Leguminous woody species Vachellia spp. and Dichrostachys cinerea were dominant along the bush encroachment gradient. Tree height was found to be positively correlated with long crown diameter (LCD) and short crown diameter (SCD). Furthermore, increasing tree density resulted in a 53% decline in grass species richness (GR). A decline in GR mirrored an increase in the composition of the decreaser species Panicum maximum (90%). Increasing woody plant density and cover also increased macro-nutrients; total carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, exchangeable calcium and magnesium by 21%-159% in the shallow rangeland soils. Such quantitative information will assist rangeland managers to better understand the effects of varying bush encroachment intensities on herbaceous species composition, richness and soil properties in semi-arid savanna rangelands.

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No description available.