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A hierarchical phytosociology of the Greater Zandvlei area

The Zandvlei Nature Reserve is to be expanded to form the Greater Zandvlei Estuary Nature Reserve and will encorporate a much greater area (250 more hectares). The Greater Zandvlei area was classified by means of Zurich Montpellier (Braun Blanquet) procedures. 60 relevés were used to create a hierarchical phytosociology using TWINSPAN and DCA-ordination analyses. 3 major community types were identified, which were then subdivided to reveal 6 community types important to future management: Moist Grassland/Wetland Disturbed Parkland, Dune Asteraceous Fynbos, Thicket/Shrub Mosaic, Rhus-Euclea Dune Thicket and Homogenous Patches. CCA-ordination indicates that the abiotic soil factors sampled (texture composition, pH, carbon content and visible disturbance) explain very little of the variation between the communities (r²=0.002). This phytosociology is provided as a tool for future research in the area, and it is hoped to assist in future management decisions regarding the newly founded GZENR.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:uct/oai:localhost:11427/24963
Date08 February 2017
CreatorsSzöke, Tim
ContributorsHoffmann, Timm
PublisherUniversity of Cape Town, Faculty of Science, Department of Biological Sciences
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeBachelor Thesis, Honours, BSc (Hons)
Formatapplication/pdf

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