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The impact of different land uses on the phytodiversity of the West Coast Strandveld in and around Rocherpan Nature Reserve
Author(s)
Hanekom, Nicolaas Willem
Date Issued
2007
Type
Thesis
Publisher
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
Abstract
Changes in plant specIes richness and diversity were investigated in
Rocherpan Nature Reserve across a fence (or old fence line) separating 34
years of conservation management, conservation management for 11 years
south and north, natural veld grazed by cattle and goats, natural veld grazed
by sheep, and strip-ploughed veld grazed by sheep. Vegetation surveys were
conducted in September 2001. The modified 20 m x 50 m Whittaker plot
design with its attractive features of long-thin plots and the original
Whittaker plot design were used. Number of species (as richness data) and
the numbers of individual recordings per species per land use (as abundance
data) were used in calculations in the 20 m x 50 m (1000 m2
) plots.
The species richness index showed significantly smaller numbers of species
in the conservation management 11 years south land. The results also
showed an increase in species numbers under the grazing land use systems.
The data from the comparative study of the five different species diversity
indices showed no significant differences. As a result, the Shannon-Wiener
index was selected for further assessing the species diversity index and the
species diversity significance of different land uses in the West Coast
Strandveld. In this particular study, the species that showed an increase in
vegetation cover in response to grazing land use regimes were Hemimeris
racemosa (annual herb) and Ehrharta brevifolia (annual grass).
Rocherpan Nature Reserve across a fence (or old fence line) separating 34
years of conservation management, conservation management for 11 years
south and north, natural veld grazed by cattle and goats, natural veld grazed
by sheep, and strip-ploughed veld grazed by sheep. Vegetation surveys were
conducted in September 2001. The modified 20 m x 50 m Whittaker plot
design with its attractive features of long-thin plots and the original
Whittaker plot design were used. Number of species (as richness data) and
the numbers of individual recordings per species per land use (as abundance
data) were used in calculations in the 20 m x 50 m (1000 m2
) plots.
The species richness index showed significantly smaller numbers of species
in the conservation management 11 years south land. The results also
showed an increase in species numbers under the grazing land use systems.
The data from the comparative study of the five different species diversity
indices showed no significant differences. As a result, the Shannon-Wiener
index was selected for further assessing the species diversity index and the
species diversity significance of different land uses in the West Coast
Strandveld. In this particular study, the species that showed an increase in
vegetation cover in response to grazing land use regimes were Hemimeris
racemosa (annual herb) and Ehrharta brevifolia (annual grass).
Additional information
Thesis (MTech (Applied Sciences))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2007
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