M.Sc. / This study examined the disturbance and recovery patterns and processes of a subtropical dry forest in Southern Maputaland, South Africa in an attempt to determine how the forest areas interact with non-forest areas in the presence of human-induced disturbances. The KwaNibela Peninsula is an outcrop of land at the northern reaches of Lake St Lucia with patches of forest interspersed in a woodland matrix. The peninsula is inhabited by the local KwaNibela community who utilise the forest resources for a variety of purposes and the question is: how do the vegetation communities and species respond to these disturbances? The forest has increased in extent over the last 71 years; however the degree of forest patch fragmentation has also increased as a result of clearcutting areas of forest for homesteads, kraals, cropland and infrastructure. The floristic and structural changes from areas of core forest to the open woodland show that forest regeneration is taking place, particularly within the young, re-growth stages and certain shade-intolerant species only occur within the forest as mature individuals, with no recruitment under the forest canopy. The presence of open areas/gaps in and around the forest allows the recruitment of shade-intolerant species and this drives forest succession in a woodland environment. The resource use by the local community contributes toward the relatively high levels of regeneration and the forest in KwaNibela can be described as a young and dynamic KwaZulu-Natal Coastal Forest with affinities to related forest types. The vernacular names and uses of 82 plant species and eight animal species were recorded and compared to previously-recorded Zulu knowledge, as well as uses recorded elsewhere in Africa. A considerable number of species were found to have uses and vernacular names that are new to our current recorded knowledge and this study, therefore, reveals that the ethnobotanical knowledge of the Zulu ethnic group in Maputaland is incompletely recorded. A framework for sustainable resource use management was provided, based on the information collated during this study and it was ascertained that managerial efforts should focus on encouraging responsible resource use practices and promoting income and resource alternatives in the attempt to relieve pressure on forest resources while ensuring the long-term sustainability of forest-based livelihoods in this area.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:uj/uj:7057 |
| Date | 13 April 2011 |
| Creators | Corrigan, Bridget Marion |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
Page generated in 0.0019 seconds