Thesis (MSc (Conservation Ecology and Entomology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH SUMMARY: Protected areas do not always achieve the desired level of biodiversity conservation, while
often reducing the welfare of indigenous communities by reducing availability of land for
subsistence. Traditional agricultural landscapes are significant biodiversity refugia and can
contribute meaningfully to conservation.
Rangelands comprise one-third to one-half of the world’s terrestrial surface, providing
livelihoods for around 220 million people, usually in a communal subsistence system.
Colonial practices impinged on traditional land-use practices with far-reaching social and
environmental impacts. This has resulted in management based on assumptions regarding
vegetation dynamics and traditional lifestyles that are increasingly shown to be inaccurate. A
comparison of a vegetation survey based on conventional scientific methods and a survey of
the perceptions of pastoralists was undertaken to highlight differences and similarities
between the two knowledge systems with the hope of providing guidelines for more
sustainable land-use practices in the communal rangelands of Namaqualand, South Africa.
Vegetation responses to removal of grazing pressure revealed complex interactions that do
not correspond with the prevailing management paradigm. Rather than a predictive
relationship between livestock and vegetation, environmental factors play a large role in
determining plant composition, abundance and cover. Pastoralists’ perceptions reflected this
complexity in rangeland resource dynamics. The impact of livestock on rangeland resource
dynamics was perceived by herders to be secondary to a range of environmental and climatic
factors. Both sets of results were at odds with the theories that currently govern management
in this system.
Studies in rangeland systems must take the complexity of the subject into account.
Research into such socio-ecological systems must take a multiplicity of factors – social,
environmental, economic, political and other – into account. Implications for management are
that it is inappropriate to adhere strictly to the conventional, conservative strategies that are
prescribed by conservation and agricultural authorities. Rather, a more flexible, opportunistic
grazing strategy would allow the persistence of traditional subsistence livelihoods without
serious negative consequences for biodiversity conservation. / AFRIKAANSR OPSOMMING: Die instelling van beskermde gebiede lewer nie altyd die gewenste vlak van
biodiversiteitsbewaring, terwyl die welvaart van plaaslike gemeenskappe dikwels daaronder
ly deur die afname in grond beskikbaar vir bestaanspraktyke. Tradisionele landboulandskappe
is beduidende biodiversiteitshawens wat ‘n belangrike bydrae tot bewaring kan maak.
Weivelde bevat ‘n derde tot ‘n helfte van die wêreld se landsoppervlakte en ondersteun
rondom 220 miljoen mense, gewoonlik binne ‘n gemeenskaplike bestaansstelsel.
Kolonialisasie het inbraak gemaak op tradisionele bestuurspraktyke, met verrykende sosialeen
omgewingsimpakte. Dit het gelei tot bestuurspraktyke gebaseer op standpunte oor
plantegroeidinamika en traditionele lewenswyses wat toenemend verkeerd bywys word. ‘n
Vergelyking van ‘n plantegroei opname gebaseer op konvensionele wetenskaplike metodes en
‘n opname van die standpunte van veewagters is onderneem om die verskille en
ooreenkomstes tussen die twee kennisstelsels uiteen te lê met die hoop om riglyne vir meer
volhoubare bestuurspraktyke in die meentgronde van Namakwaland, Suid-Afrika te verskaf.
Plantegroei reaksies tot die verwydering van weidingsdruk wys op komplekse interaksies
wat nie ooreenstem met die heersende bestuursparadigma. Eerder as ‘n voorspelbare
verwantskap tussen vee en plantegroei, omgewingsfaktore speel ‘n groot rol in die bepaling
van plantgemeenskapsamestelling, -getalle en grondbedekking. Die veewagters se standpunte
het hierdie kompleksiteit in plantegroeidinamika weerspiëel. Die impak van vee op die
weiveldhulpbron is deur veewagters as sekondêr beskou teenoor ‘n reeks omgewings- en
klimaatsfaktore. Beide stel resultate is in teenstelling met die teoriëe wat tans bestuur in
hierdie stelsel bepaal.
Studies in weiveldstelsels moet die kompleksiteit daarvan in ag neem. Navorsing oor
hierdie sosio-ekologiese stelsels moet ‘n verskeidenheid faktore – sosiale-, omgewings-,
ekonomiese-, politiese- en ander – in ag neem. Implikasies vir bestuur is dat dit onvanpas is
om te volhard met konvensionele, konservatiewe strategiëe voorgeskryf deur bewarings- en
landboukundige gesagte. ‘n Meer aanpasbare, voordeelnemende weidingsstrategie sal die
voortbestaan van traditionele bestaanslewenspraktyke toelaat sonder ernstige negatiewe
nagevolge vir biodiversiteitsbewaring.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/4208 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Snyman, Dirk |
| Contributors | Jacobs, S., Allsopp, N., University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Agrisciences. Dept. of Conservation Ecology and Entomology. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 87 p. |
| Rights | University of Stellenbosch |
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