Thesis (MSc) -- University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis focuses on the effects of vegetation resting on biodiversity and community
dynamics at Rocherpan Nature Reserve (320 36'S, 180 18'E) in the semi-arid coastal strip of
the Succulent Karoo known as Strandveld. As a whole, the Succulent Karoo has an
extraordinary high level of phyto diversity with high levels of endemism. This is particularly
true for succulent shrubs belonging to the groups Mesembryanthemaceae, Crassulaceae and
Asteraceae.
The thesis begins with an investigation into effects that vegetation resting has on plant
diversity. The aim was to determine if resting affected biodiversity levels and if so, which
plant groups are affected and why. Through a numerical approach, it was determined that
with resting overall species richness remained the same. However, different plant life forms
responded to resting differently. With increased resting, abundance of succulent shrubs
decreased, while richness of annuals increased.
The second aspect under investigation was to determine how resting the vegetation affected
community dynamics. The aim was to understand how vegetation structure and interspecific
associations changed with resting and to apply these findings to known community models.
Through an autocorrelation approach, it was found that horizontal patterning of long-lived
woody species, that formed distinctive vegetation clumps, did not change with resting, while
differences were found in woody matrix species and succulent species. These changes in
structure were investigated further through a study on the demography of specific species.
Demography of woody species associated with vegetation clumps did not change with
vegetation resting, while significant changes were observed for woody matrix species and
succulent species. In longer rested vegetation, woody matrix species showed a greater range in
size class distribution (i.e. had both very large and smaller plants) with the tendency towards
larger plant sizes. Succulents on the other hand, had a smaller range in size class distribution
with a tendency towards larger plants. For all species investigated there were low seedlings
counts. It was concluded that succulent shrub populations were 'mature' and continued resting
could result in local extinction of some species due to the lack of regeneration. The overall
lack of seedlings was attributed to a saturated establishment environment. Implications for
conservation management were discussed. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis fokus op die gevolge van plantegroeirus op biodiversiteit en
gemeenskapsdinamika by die Roeherpan Natuurreservaat (320 36'S, 180 18"0) in die halfdor
kusstrook van die Sukkulente Karoo, bekend as die Sandveld. In die geheel gesien het die
Sukkulente Karoo 'n buitengewone hoë vlak plantdiversiteit met hoë vlakke endemie. Dit is
veral waar vir sukkulente struike wat tot die groepe Mesembryanthemaceae, Crassulaceae en
Asteraceae behoort.
Hierdie tesis ondersoek eerstens die gevolge wat plantegroeirus op plantdiversiteit het. Die
doel was om te bepaal of rus die biodiversiteitsvlakke beïnvloed het en indien wel, watter
plantgroepe en waarom. Deur middel van 'n numeriese benadering is bepaal dat die algehele
diversiteit, numeries gesproke, met plantegroeirus dieselfde gebly het. Verskillende
plantlewensvorme het egter verskillend gereageer. Met toenemende rus het die diversiteit van
sukkulente struike afgeneem, terwyl die diversiteit van jaarplante verhoog het.
Die tweede aspek wat ondersoek is, was om te bepaal hoe die plantegroeirus die dinamika van
die omgewingsgemeenskap beïnvloed het. Die doel was om te verstaan hoe die struktuur van
die plantegroei en die interspesifieke assosiasies verander het met rus en om dan hierdie
bevindinge toe te pas op bekende gemeenskapsmodelle. Deur middel van 'n outokorrelasiebenadering
is gevind dat die horisontale patrone van meerjarige houtagtige spesies wat in
duidelik-uitkenbare plantegroeigroeperings voorkom, nie met rus verander het nie.
Veranderinge is egter wel in die houtagtige matriksspesies en die sukkulente spesies
waargeneem. Hierdie veranderinge in struktuur is verder ondersoek deur 'n studie te maak van
die demografie van spesifieke spesies. Daar is gevind dat die demografie van houtagtige
spesies geassosieer met plantegroeigroeperings nie met plantegroeirus verander het nie, maar
beduidende veranderinge is waargeneem in die geval van houtagtige matriksspesies en
sukkulente spesies. By plantegroei wat langer gerus het, het die houtagtige matriksspesies 'n
wyer verspreiding in klasgroottes vertoon (d.i. daar was baie groot plante én kleiner plante)
met 'n gemiddelde afname in plantgrootte. Sukkulente, aan die ander kant, het 'n kleiner
verspreiding in klasgroottes vertoon met 'n neiging tot groter plante. Vir al die spesies wat
ondersoek is, was daar lae saailingtellings. As gevolg van die "volwassenheid" van die
populasies van sukkulente struike, sou voortdurende rus, weens die gebrek aan regenerasie, kon lei tot die plaaslike uitwissing van sommige spesies. Die algemene gebrek aan saailinge is
toegeskryf aan die versadigde vestigingsomgewing. Die implikasies VIr
natuurbewaringsbestuur word bespreek.
v
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/50100 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Cheney, Chad (Chad Crispian) |
| Contributors | Esler, Karen, Milton, Sue, Le Roux, Annelise, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Science. Dept. of Botany and Zoology. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 70 p. : ill. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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