The determination whether certain botanic species can be associated and linked to the
existence of groundwater resources by considering the relationship of these species with
certain lithologies has been studied in the present research with the aid of geophysics,
geology, soil quality analysis (geochemistry), aerial photographs and proven borehole
records. Ordinary scientific groundwater exploration makes use of methods such as
aerial photographic interpretation, geological modelling of the area under investigation
by making use of published geological maps and field reconnaissance work,
geohydrological concerns and geophysical data interpretation. The scientific approach
can further be enhanced by incorporating other scientific fields such as botany and soil
science. Any botanical species is a living organism that requires nutrients to function and
live. Nutrients are derived from the soil wherein it grows, while soil is a weathering
component of the original underlying rock. Differences in soil can be attributed to
changes in the composition or type of the natural rock. By including soil and botany in
groundwater exploration, the chances of success are increased. Numerous case studies
are presented to illustrate that certain botanical species prefer to grow in nutritious
places derived from weathered rock, where this rock acts as a groundwater resource.
Soil samples taken from these places indicate different soil quality compositions when
compared to the surrounding common veld. This phenomenon is representative
throughout the entire study, representing various geological formations. The presence of
alien rock formations in a fairly homogenous geological environment is indicated by
means of geophysical profiles and soundings. Existing boreholes, whether at or removed
from geobotanical communities, indicate the importance of such communities since they
hint to the keen observer the likely presence of groundwater at such a community. The
current study presents aquifer yields obtained at geobotanical communities and the
average yield of aquifers in the same geological environment, where most boreholes are
drilled without the incorporation of geobotanical indicators. Lastly, the value of soil
quality samples is discussed with a preference for CEC-values to indicate geobotanical
communities and/or the presence of groundwater. The statistical treatment of the data
indicates distinctively that statistically significant regressions exist between geology,
geophysics and groundwater as the explanatory variables and CEC and geobotany as
the dependent variables.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:ufs/oai:etd.uovs.ac.za:etd-09232008-144923 |
| Date | 23 September 2008 |
| Creators | Meulenbeld, Paul Martin Peter Bernard |
| Contributors | Prof GJ van Tonder |
| Publisher | University of the Free State |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en-uk |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | http://etd.uovs.ac.za//theses/available/etd-09232008-144923/restricted/ |
| Rights | unrestricted, I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached hereto a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis, dissertation, or project report, allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee. I hereby grant to University Free State or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report. |
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