Original Research
The planT communiTies of The andover Game reserve,
souTh africa
HEATH P. CRONJE
Doornkloof Nature Reserve
South Africa
MIKE D. PANAGOS
BRIAN K. REILLY
Department of Nature Conservation
Tshwane University of Technology
South Africa
Correspondence to: Heath P. Cronje
e-mail: cronjehp@lantic.net
Postal Address: Doornkloof Nature Reserve, PO Box 94, Colesberg, 9795, South Africa
absTracT
Floristic characteristics of the Andover Game Reserve (AGR) were surveyed using an area-based survey
technique and classified according to the data recorded from 88 relevés, using the PHYTOTAB-PC
software package. Three plant communities, of which two each contain two variants, were described
and mapped. The plant communities and their causative environmental factors were validated
through detrended- and canonical correspondence multivariate analyses. The plant communities of
the AGR were found to typify the floristics associated with the catenal sequences located in undulating
areas on granite. Broad-leaved savanna is located at the crest and upper mid-slopes while fine-leaved
savanna occurs along the footslopes of the AGR. Seeplines, a characteristic occurrence along catenas,
are found at the transitional zone between the upper broad- and lower fine-leaved savanna plant
communities. This study forms the basis for the compilation of a revised ecological management plan
for the Andover Game Reserve.
Keywords: Plant communities, PHYTOTAB-PC, catena, savanna, granitic soils
sTudy area
The AGR is situated between the southern latitudes 24˚ 33’
and 24˚ 38’ and eastern longitudes 31˚ 10’ and 31˚ 17’, and
encompasses an area of 7 100 ha. The AGR is approximately 20
km southwest of the Orpen gate of the Kruger National Park.
The physiography is characterised by an undulating landscape
with interspersed drainages and upper landscapes arranged
predominantly from a westerly to an easterly direction. The
AGR is located within the Bushveld Lowveld region of the
revised Köppen climate classification (Kruger 2004; Schulze
1994) and receives a mean annual precipitation of 782.9 mm
(AGROMET 1996). Mean daily maximum temperatures in
January and July are 31.7 ˚C and 24 ˚C, with the mean daily
minimum being 20.1 ˚C and 9.2 ˚C for the same periods,
respectively (AGROMET 1996). The geology of the Pilgrim’s
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Rest area, which includes the Lowveld, has been described by
Walraven (1989). The AGR is situated on the Swazian basement
complex, which consists predominantly of gneisses and
granites. The north-western section of the AGR comprises grey
to pale-brown, medium- to course-grained quartz-feldsparbiotite gneiss with subordinate mafic to ultramafic xenoliths.
The south-eastern section of the AGR consists of Makhutswi
gneiss, which is light-grey, medium-grained biotite gneiss with
course-grained quartz-feldspar leucosomes (Walraven 1986).
The reserve incorporates a combination of two Veld Types,
namely Veld Type 10 or Lowveld and Veld Type 11, also known
as Arid Lowveld (Acocks 1988), and collectively described by
Driver et al. (2005) as Granite Lowveld Bushveld. Recently this
area has been described as the Granite Lowveld by Mucina and
Rutherford (2006).
meThods
The level of detail required from a particular study, determines
the working scale or associated sampling scale, which in turn
determines the smallest mappable unit area both in terms of
field procedures and cartography (Rutherford & Westfall 1986).
Pressey and Bedward (1991) and Panagos (1995) illustrated
the effect of different scales on the same data set, where at socalled coarse scales the data set showed fewer groups than
when classified for finer scales. Panagos (1995) and Westfall
et al. (1996) recommend a sampling scale of 1:12 000 for areas
less than 10 000 ha in extent. A recent (1996) monochrome 1:60
000 aerial photograph was used to construct a photographic
mosaic that was then enlarged to a scale of approximately
1:13 000. The photographic mosaic was stratified into eight
relatively homogeneous areas using a method that involved the
recognition of pattern based on texture and grey values (Cronje
2004; Panagos et al. 1998). The number of sampling quadrats
positioned in each homogeneous unit depended on the size of
Vol. 50 No. 1 pp. 184 - 201
African Protected Area Conservation and Science
Protected areas have been set aside for the protection of natural
resources and to perpetuate the natural conditions (Visser et al.
1996) that are necessary for the continued existence of these
systems. Management, in this context, is the practice by which
that purpose is realised (Pyle 1980). For the effective management
of any natural area a comprehensive description or base line
study is of paramount importance (Barrett et al. 2006; Brown
& Bezuidenhout 2000; Brown et al. 2005; Coombes & Mentis
1992; Reilly & MacFadyen 1992) as management decisions are
based on a comprehensive understanding of the potential of
an area. Management of a conservation area starts once the
area has been defined on a map (Spinage 1979). Bredenkamp
and Brown (2001) emphasised the use of plant communities as
a reliable basis for ecological planning and management. This
paper aims to describe the plant communities of the Andover
Game Reserve (AGR), South Africa, and forms a critical part in
the compilation of a revised ecological management plan for
the reserve.
KOEDOE 184
Original Research
Cronje, Panagos & Reilly
et al. 1996) was carried out for each community and variant. It
entailed calculating the projected canopy cover-to-frequency
ratios of species in five growth form classes (tree, shrub, dwarf
shrub, grass, and forb) using PHYTOTAB-PC (Westfall 1992).
A linear relation between cover and frequency is assumed and
the expected cover for the actual frequency of each species in
a community is calculated according to the linear regressions.
Three distinct groups are formed i.e. those with a higher cover
and those with a lower cover than the standard error of the
mean. The third group of species falls between the first two
groups. The first group is referred to as strong competitor species
because of the high individual resource-space requirements
and the second group is called weak competitor species
because of the low individual resource-space requirements.
The third group is termed normal competitor species. Plant
species nomenclature followed that of the National Herbarium,
Pretoria (Germishuizen & Meyer 2003).
the area: the larger the area the higher the number of sampling
quadrats allocated to the unit. A minimum of four sampling
quadrats was allocated to the smaller homogeneous units to
maximise detection of variability. The sampling quadrat area
was set at 200 m2 (10 m x 20 m), relative to the sampling scale
(Westfall et al. 1997). This quadrat size has become established
as an optimised area for savanna (Boucher & Jarman 1977;
Bredenkamp 1975; Panagos et al. 1998; Panagos & Reilly 2006;
Theron 1973; van Rooyen 1983; Werger 1974). A total of 88
quadrats were subjectively placed throughout the homogeneous
strata as identified on the aerial photographic mosaic. Relevés
were located in the field using a Global Positioning System
(GPS), the aerial photographic mosaic and a topographic map
(Cronje 2004).
Each relevé was geo-referenced using a GPS and the
environmental factors recorded at each quadrat included:
topographic unit (i.e. crest, mid-slope, footslope, riverine);
slope in degrees (estimated); aspect in degrees, with the aid
of a compass; soil form, with diagnostic horizons identified
up to a depth of 1.2 m according to MacVicar et al. (1991); soil
characteristics were classified (sandy, loam or clay) based
on a texture analysis using the ‘sausage test’ (Brady 1984);
and the visual occurrence of fire and any other noticeable
disturbances.
The floristic data were classified using the PHYTOTAB-PC
program package (Westfall 1992, Westfall et al. 1997) and the
resultant plant communities were validated using a Detrended
Correspondence Analysis (DCA) using the CANOCO
software package (ter Braak & Šmilauer 1998). A Canonical
Correspondence Analysis (CCA) (ter Braak & Šmilauer 1998)
was used to validate floristic and environmental relations.
African Protected Area Conservation and Science
The floristic parameters recorded at each quadrat were
species composition, growth forms (tree, shrub, dwarf shrub,
grass, and forb) according to Edwards (1983) and Westfall
(1992), and canopy cover determined with the use of the Plant
Number Scale (Westfall & Panagos 1988; Westfall et al. 1996.) A
community composition analysis (Panagos et al. 1998; Westfall
resulTs
Classification
A total of 333 plant taxa were recorded in three main plant
communities, with the first two plant communities each having
LEGEND
Strychnos madagascariensis - Aristida stipitata subsp. graciliflora short closed
woodland (Community 1)
Strychnos madagascariensis - Indigofera inhambanensis (Variant 1a)
Strychnos madagascariensis - Parinari curatellifolia (Variant 1b)
Acacia gerrardii - Setaria sphacelata var. sericea short closed woodland (Community 2)
0
185 KOEDOE
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2
4 Kilometers
Acacia gerrardii - Fuirena pachyrrhiza var. pachyrrhiza (Variant 2a)
Acacia gerrardii - Themeda triandra (Variant 2b)
Gymnosporia senegalensis - Phragmites mauritianus riparian low thicket (Community 3)
FIGURE 1
Plant communities of the Andover Game Reserve
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1
COMMUNITIES
VARIANTS
RELEVÉ NUMBER
2
1a
4 6 2 1 1 8
7 1 2 5 3
1 2
1b
1 2 1 1 4 3
3
2a
2 2 5 7 3 6 2 3 7 6 5 3 1 7 4 4 3 7 6 2 3 3 4 5 7 2 3 2 6
1 4 4 4
4 1
2b
3
6 6 7 4 7 8 8 5 5 8 7 5 5 5 6 8 7 6 5 6 8 8 8 8
5 3 4 8 7 4 7 1 2 8 3 3 9 3 6 8 6 2 4 0 4 2 5 6 5 0 1 8 1 7 3 6 7 2 0 8 1 2 3 6 7 4 9 9 0 9 9 2 5 7 5 1 5 2 9 0 2 8 4 7 5 1 4 3 8 6 0 1 6 3 0 8 5 1 9 4 7 6 0 2 3 1 9 4 8 7 5 6
Plant communities
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TABLE 1
Phytosociological classification of the vegetation of the Andover Game Reserve
Species group A: Diagnostic species of the Strychnos madagascariensis - Aristida stipitata var. graciliflora short closed woodland (Community 1)
Strychnos madagascariensis
1 1 1 2 +
Limeum viscosum
2 5
1 1
Aristida stipitata subsp. graciliflora
1 2 1 2
Macrotyloma axillare var. axillare
+ +
Philenoptera violacea
1 +
Hermbstaedtia odorata
Crotalaria schinzii
+
+
1
2 1
1
1
+
+ 4 2 +
Vol. 50 No. 1 pp. 184 - 201
+
+
6
1
1
1
1
+
2
1 3
+ 1
+
1
2
+
1
1
1
1
J 2
1
1
2
+
1 1
1
+
2
1
1 1
1
+
+
1
1
+
1
1
1 1
1 1
2
Pseudognaphalium oligandrum
+
1 1
+ +
2 1
+
1
1 1
+ 1 1
4 2
2
1
1
1 3
+
+ 1
+
+
+
1 5
1
1
2
1 + + 1
+
2
Oldenlandia affinis subsp. fugax
1
2
+
+
1
2 2
1 +
+
+
1
2 1
1
+
1 1
+
+ 1
1
1 1 1
2
+
1 1 1
1 + 1
1
+ +
+
1
1 +
+
1
1 + 1
Wahlenbergia banksiana
1 1
2 + +
1 + + 1 1 1 1 1 + 3 1
+ 2 2
3 2 2 1
1 1
+
1 1
Commelina forskaolii
Oxygonum dregeanum subsp. canescens
1
1
Crotalaria burkeana
1 1 1 1
+ 1
1 +
3
2
+ 4
1 1
2
3
Eragrostis lehmanniana
1
1
+
+
1
+ +
2 2 +
+
1 +
1 1
1
+
3
Hermannia glanduligera
1
+ 1
2 1 + 1 1 1 1 5 2
+ + + + 1 1
1 1 +
+
1 1
1
+
Tephrosia longipes
2
1 1 + 2 1
+
+ 2
Rhynchosia totta var. totta
Sesamum alatum
1 1
+ +
1 1
Cleome monophylla
Indigofera daleoides var. daleiodes
1
4 1 + +
3 1 2
2 +
+
+
1 +
3 1 2
+
+
Strychnos spinosa
1 + 1 + +
1 1 3 1
1 +
+
1
+
Species group B: Diagnostic species of the Strychnos madagascariensis - Indigofera inhambanensis Variant 1a
Indigofera inhambanensis
2 2 1 1 2
2
1
1
+
1 1
Crotolaria sphaerocarpa
Leucas neuflizeana
+
1
1 1
Indigofera astragalina
5 1 1 2
3 1 2
1 1 + 1
Indigofera charlieriana var. charlieriana
1 1
Hermannia quartiniana
Zornia milneana
Dicoma macrocephala
+
+
+
1
+
1
3 4 1 2 2
+ +
2 1
2
+
+
1
1
+
+
2 +
1
+
+
+
1
+
1
+
1 +
1
African Protected Area Conservation and Science
KOEDOE 186
1
+
1
2
1
Original Research
1
2
+
1
1
2
+ + +
Commelina benghalensis
+
2
+ 3 2
Ficus thonningii
1
2
2
+
1
1
+
+
1
Helichrysum sp.
1
2 1
1
2 1
Aristida meridionalis
+
1
1
1
1
+
1
1
+
+ 1
+ +
1
1
2 +
1
Eragrostis aspersa
Tephrosia villosa subsp. ehrenbergiana
+ 1
1 1 1 1 2 2 +
1
Hemizygia petrensis
1 2
3 1 1 +
1 1
1 1 1 +
1
2
+ +
+
+ 1
+
+
2 2
1 2
1 1
Helichrysum candolleanum
+
+ 1
1 1
Leonotis nepetifolia
+
+ 6 1
1 + 1 + 1 + + 2
1 +
Kohautia caespitosa subsp. brachyloba
Chamaecrista biensis
+
TABLE 1 (cont...)
1
COMMUNITIES
VARIANTS
RELEVÉ NUMBER
2
1a
4 6 2 1 1 8
7 1 2 5 3
1 2
1b
1 2 1 1 4 3
3
2a
2 2 5 7 3 6 2 3 7 6 5 3 1 7 4 4 3 7 6 2 3 3 4 5 7 2 3 2 6
1 4 4 4
2b
4 1
3
6 6 7 4 7 8 8 5 5 8 7 5 5 5 6 8 7 6 5 6 8 8 8 8
5 3 4 8 7 4 7 1 2 8 3 3 9 3 6 8 6 2 4 0 4 2 5 6 5 0 1 8 1 7 3 6 7 2 0 8 1 2 3 6 7 4 9 9 0 9 9 2 5 7 5 1 5 2 9 0 2 8 4 7 5 1 4 3 8 6 0 1 6 3 0 8 5 1 9 4 7 6 0 2 3 1 9 4 8 7 5 6
Stiga asiatica
1
Acanthospermum hispidum
Annona senegalensis
+ +
+
1
1
Hibiscus cannabinus
+
1
+
+
+
1
Jatropha spicata
+
+ +
Monechma debile
2
Cucumis zeyheri
+
2
2
+
2
+
Pterocarpus angolensis
Sida alba
+
1
1
Ficus stuhlmannii
Schizachyrium jeffreysii
+
Original Research
187 KOEDOE
African Protected Area Conservation and Science
1 +
1
1
Species group C: Diagnostic species of the Strychnos madagascariensis - Parinari curatellifolia Variant 1b
Pterocarpus rotundifolia
+
+
+ 1 1
+
Vol. 50 No. 1 pp. 184 - 201
Hypericum lalandii
Antidesma venosum
1 3
+
1
+ +
Parinari curatellifolia
1 +
Setaria sphacelata var. sericea
1 2
Momordica balsamina
+
Tephrosia rhodesica var. rhodesica
1
1
3
Zinnia peruviana
1
+
1
Paspalum scrobiculatum
4
Crotalaria lanceolata subsp. lanceolata
1
+
2
Species group D: Diagnostic species of the Acacia gerrardii - Setaria sphecelata var. sericea short closed woodland (Community 2)
Acacia gerrardii
+
+ 1 1 5 5
Combretum hereroense
4 + 1
Setaria sphacelata var. sphacelata
9
3
Chaetacanthus setiger
+ G
2
Diheteropogon amplectens
4
+
Helichrysum oxyphyllum
1
1
+ +
2
3 +
2 2
5 2 1 2
Bothriochloa insculpta
1
Brachiaria xantholeuca
2 6 1
2 +
3
1
+
1
Chloris virgata
1
+
3 1
3 1
1
4 1
+
9
+
1 1
+
1
2
1
+
Vahlia capensis subsp. valgaris var. vulgaris
+
2
E
4 1 4
1
+
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
+ 1
1
1
1
A 9 2
1 +
2
1
+
Species group E: Diagnostic species of the Acacia gerrardii - Fuirena pachyrrhiza var. pachyrrhiza Variant 2a
Fuirena pachyrrhiza var. pachyrrhiza
+ +
1
2
1
4 1 1
1 4 3 1
6
4 2 + 2
3
1
+
+ 2
2 +
1
Abutilon austro-africanum
+ 2
2 1 8
+
1
+
6 + +
4
1
+
+ +
Cronje, Panagos & Reilly
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Murdannia simplex
1
2 1 3
+ 2
1
+
5 3 1 4 + 2 6 1 8 3 2 4 5 5 7 2 A
1
+ 2
Louditia flavida
Solanum catombelense
5 5 B 3 6 4 L 1 5 4 4 A 6 1 7
3 E 2 9 A 5 7 8 4 9 3 4 A 7 1 1
1
1
9 A 1 5 5 6 6 4 8 7 6 A 5 4 C 8 3
3
3
1
Vernonia oligocephala
3
2 8
3
Justicia protracta subsp. rodesiana
Kyllinga alba
1 + 1 1 +
2 +
1
COMMUNITIES
VARIANTS
RELEVÉ NUMBER
2
1a
4 6 2 1 1 8
7 1 2 5 3
1 2
1b
1 2 1 1 4 3
3
2a
2 2 5 7 3 6 2 3 7 6 5 3 1 7 4 4 3 7 6 2 3 3 4 5 7 2 3 2 6
1 4 4 4
2b
4 1
3
6 6 7 4 7 8 8 5 5 8 7 5 5 5 6 8 7 6 5 6 8 8 8 8
5 3 4 8 7 4 7 1 2 8 3 3 9 3 6 8 6 2 4 0 4 2 5 6 5 0 1 8 1 7 3 6 7 2 0 8 1 2 3 6 7 4 9 9 0 9 9 2 5 7 5 1 5 2 9 0 2 8 4 7 5 1 4 3 8 6 0 1 6 3 0 8 5 1 9 4 7 6 0 2 3 1 9 4 8 7 5 6
Brachiaria brizantha
1
Alysicarpus vaginalis var. vaginalis
5 2
+
2
1
1
Plant communities
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TABLE 1 (cont...)
1
3
1
Species group F: Diagnostic species of the Acacia gerrardii - Themeda triandra Variant 2b
Blepharis integrifolia var. integrifolia
3 + + + 2 1
Themeda triandra
2 2 1
Grewia bicolor
Ormocarpum trichocarpum
1
1
1 1 1
+
1
+
+
Microchloa caffra
1
Plectroniella armata
1
1
2 +
Pappea capensis
Tragia rupestris
Vol. 50 No. 1 pp. 184 - 201
Panicum coloratum
+
2 2 2 6
+
+
+
+
+
+
1 1 +
1
+
+
+
2
3 6 1
+
3
Buchnera sp.
2 +
+ 1
Indigofera sp.
1
Eriochloa stapfiana
+
1
1
1 +
+
1
1
1
2 6
1
+
Commiphora schimperi
2
+
+
Aloe marlothii
+ 1
1 1
Hibiscus pusillus
2
2
3
Ledebouria sp.
2
+
+ 1
Abildgaardia trifolia
Barleria saxatilis
+ +
2 + 2
+ 2
6
+
+ +
3
+
Cymbopogon excavatus
+ + +
+ +
1
2
+
1 +
1 1
Acacia burkei
+ + 1
+ 1
2
Sporobolus nitens
+
+
+
+
3
1
+
+
Ipomoea obscura var. obscura
+ 1
+ +
+
1
Gardenia volkensii
3
+
1 1
+
Asparagus buchananii
1 1 + + 1 1 +
+ 4 1 + 2
+
2
1 1 2
Acacia caffra
1
+
Enteropogon monostachyus subsp. africanus
4 8
Zanthoxylum capense
1 +
Orthosiphon suffrutescens
1
Kalanchoe rotundifolia
+
5
5
1 +
Thesium pallidum
1 +
Species group G: Species common to Community 1 and Variant 2a
H H
2 + 2 1 2 2 1 1 + 1 1 1 1
Hibiscus sp.
1 1 9
Chamaecrista absus
5
Tricliceras laceratum
2 1 1 1 3 1 1 1 + 1 +
Senna petersiana
Lobelia erinus
1
2
+
2
5 7
+ +
4 1 1 1
1 1
8 9 5 2 B +
1 1
1 1
C E
8 8 4 H 1 1 1 G 8 7 E 2 C 1 6 L 9 1 +
I F 9 7 1 B D 8
9
6
1 + 1
2 +
1 2
1 +
2
1
1
3 1 3 1 2 2
1
1
3
3 4 2
+
+
1 2 2 1 2 + 7 3 2 2 2 1 8
4 3 9 1 1 1
African Protected Area Conservation and Science
KOEDOE 188
Cynodon dactylon
2 A F 4 +
1 1 4
6 1 4 + 1 9 1 C 1 1 3 9
+
1
2
1 +
1
1
1
+
2
3 9
1
+
2
8
2
3 1 + + + 2 2
2 A 1 1 +
2 + 3 6 7 7 1 +
1 + 1 1
1 +
1 2
1
1
1 1
1 +
+
+ 1
1
+
2
2 2 1 1
+
2
C 1
8
+ 1
1 2
1 1
1
+
+ 1 1 2 1 7 3
1
2 + 1 1
1
1
2
+
1
J 5 DG 6 F
1
1
+
1
1 1 + 1 1 + 1 1 +
+
+
2
E
2
3
C
1 1
2
G 5
+
1 1
1 1
1
1
1
1 5
1
1
2
+
1
6
2
1 +
+
Original Research
Hyperthelia dissoluta
Dicerocaryum senecioides
TABLE 1 (cont...)
1
COMMUNITIES
VARIANTS
RELEVÉ NUMBER
2
1a
4 6 2 1 1 8
7 1 2 5 3
1 2
1b
1 2 1 1 4 3
3
2a
2 2 5 7 3 6 2 3 7 6 5 3 1 7 4 4 3 7 6 2 3 3 4 5 7 2 3 2 6
1 4 4 4
2b
4 1
3
6 6 7 4 7 8 8 5 5 8 7 5 5 5 6 8 7 6 5 6 8 8 8 8
5 3 4 8 7 4 7 1 2 8 3 3 9 3 6 8 6 2 4 0 4 2 5 6 5 0 1 8 1 7 3 6 7 2 0 8 1 2 3 6 7 4 9 9 0 9 9 2 5 7 5 1 5 2 9 0 2 8 4 7 5 1 4 3 8 6 0 1 6 3 0 8 5 1 9 4 7 6 0 2 3 1 9 4 8 7 5 6
Phyllanthus reticulatus
Cyperus indecorus var. indecorus
1 + +
1
Piliostigma thonningii
+
1
+
+
Gomphocarpus fruticosus
1
1
1
1
+
1
+
1
1
+
+
+ 1 1 +
1
+
2
+
1 1 1
1 1
1
1
1
2
2
+
1
+
+
+
1
2
2
1 1
1 1
1
+
1
1
3
1
1
+
1
+
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189 KOEDOE
African Protected Area Conservation and Science
+
+
1
Species group H: Species common to Variant 1b and Community 2
Eragrostis inamoena
1
Cyperus denudatus
1
Acacia swazica
4 + 6
2
1
3 2
1
7
1 2 5
6
+ +
+
Pyrostria hystrix
Carissa edulis
+
Carissa bispinosa
+
Heliotropium ovalifolium
1 2 B
1
+ 1
+ +
+
1 +
1 +
+
+
+
+
1
+ 9
1 2 2
1
4
1 +
+ +
4 + 1
+
3
+
G
+
+ +
2
1
1
+ +
+ 1
+
+
+
+
+
+
+ +
1
2
2
1
+
+
+
1
Eragrostis trichophora
1
6 2 8 1
1
+
+
1
+ +
+
+
1
1
1
Vol. 50 No. 1 pp. 184 - 201
Species group I: Species common to Community 1 and 2
Waltheria indica
2 1 1 3 2 3 3 4 1 1 1 8 1 2 2 1 1 1 1 + 3 4 1 + 1 4 2 + 8 7 4 1 1 3 2 2 1 2 3 2 2 2 1 1 4 1 4 + 2 2 2 2 1 2 2 1 3 5 1 1 2 2 2 1 1 1 4 2 1 3 1 1 + 1 2 1 + 1 + 1 1 2 + +
Pogonarthria squarrosa
1 1 3 4 1 4 1 1 2 3 1 3 1 2 2 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 2 1 3 4 2 2 5 5 2 4 2 8 1 3 4 1 2 2 1 3 1 1 2 3 4 1 2 2 2 2
1 1
Terminalia sericea
6 A E 5 6 2 I 9 4 9 + H B 9 5 7
4 1 + 2 4 + 2 1 1 1 1
Digitaria eriantha
2
Eragrostis rigidior
1 + 2 1
2 4 3 2 3 1 3 5 3 3 1 2 1
2 L
3 4 7 K 9 9 9 7 CQD 6 5 1 1 3 C + 4 4 O J 1 A 6 6 CO 4 I F B
6 2 5 2 3 1 3 5 1 2 + 2 5 J 9 2 1 4
3 + 1 1 3 2 2 + 1 2
1 1 1 5 2 + 2 +
1 2 1 2 1
4 3
1 1 2 1 1
3 1
5 5 2 3
1 2 1 1 3
1
4 1 2 3 8 3 5 1 3 1
2 1 1 2
1
Perotis patens
2 2 8 A A I 1 1 2 8 1 5 2 1 6 1 1 2 1 3 9 2 1 3 4 2 2 6 3 1 5 3 1 A 2 6 2 1 9 1 1 3 2 2 2 1 1
1 2 3 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 2 3 2 1 + 1
+ 1 1
Bulbostylis contexta
5 6 2 A 6 2 6
Agathisanthemum bojeri subsp. bojeri
3 1 3 3 3 2 1
5 + 1 + 1 +
+ + + 2 1 6 +
1 1 1 1 + 1 + 1 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 7 2 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 + 1 1
7 3 2 4 1 3 2 3 +
2 1
1
1
1 7 1 1 +
2 2 1 2 2 2
5 5
7 8 2
1 +
3 5 1 + 1 4 1 2 2 2 1 3 2 6 1 6 1 1 4 1
1 1
2 1
1
Trichneura grandiglumis
2 1 2 3 2 2 1 + 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 1 1
2
Sclerocarya birrea subsp. caffra
1
+ 1 1 1 + 1
Vernonia steetziana
2 1 D 8 C 5 3 5 1 3 2 5 2 4 5 2 1 F 6 B
Merremia tridentata subsp. angustifolia
6 1 2 2 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 + 4
Stylosanthus fruticosa
1 1 1 1
Gymnosporia glaucophylla
2 2 1 2 + 1
+
Tephrosia purpurea subsp. leptostachya var.
leptostachya
+
1 1
1
Diospyros mespiliformis
Corchorus confusus
1
+ + 1
+ +
2
+
1 1 1 1
3
1
2 1 1 1 1
1
1 4
2
+
+
1 1 +
1 7 2 4 1 + 1 1
1 + 1 +
+ 2
1 +
1 1
+
+ 2
1 2
+
1
+
+
+ + +
+ +
4 2 +
+ +
1 +
2
+ 2
1
2 1 1
1
2 +
+ 1 5
1
2 1
+ 1 1
+ 1 1 1 2 3
1
+
2
+ 2 1
1 2
9
+
+ 4 3
1
2
1
+
+
3
1 1
B 1
1 2
2
1
+ + 3
1
1 +
+
+ + 5
+
3 4
3
3
+
2
8 3
1 2
1
1 + +
1
1
2 2
+
5
2
+
+
+ 2 1 + 2 3 1 1
1 1 + 2 1 1 1
1
1 1 +
1 +
1 3 1 1
1 2
1
2 3
2 2
2 1 1 +
1
1 1
+
1
1 2 + +
1 1
1 1 1
+ +
1
1 + 3 + 2 1 1 2 1
+
+
+
1
+
1 1 1
1
1
+
+
1 1
+
+
+ +
8
2
1 7 2 1 1 4 4 3 2 3 5 2 6 1 2 1
1
1 2
+
+
2 + 2 + + + +
1
2 1
+ 1 1
+ +
1
1 3 2 1 3 9 2 1 3 3 3 + 5 1 2 2 +
+ + + 3 1 2 7
3
+
+
1
1
1
1
2 1 2 1 1 1 1 + + + + + + 1 + 2 1 + + 1
+
+ 1
2
1 2 3 2
+
2 + 2 + + +
1
2
1
1
1 +
1
+
+
1
1
4 1 1 1 1
1
1
1
1 2
+
1
1
2
3
1
2 + 2
+
1 +
+ 1 +
3 +
1
+
+ +
+
1 1
7
2
1 1
2 5
1 2 1 1
1
1
2 + 1 1 2 1
2 1 1
2 1
1 1 2 1 2
1 1
+ 1 1
2
1 7
1 2 1
+
2
+ 1
+
2 1 1 1 2
1
2 + 1
+ 1 1 +
2
+
+
1
5
3
1 +
1 + 1 + +
+
1 2 1 +
2 1 1
+
3
1
+
1 2 1 2 3 2 2
1 1
1
1
+ + 1 + +
2 1 +
2
1 1 3 3 3 1 + 2 + 1
1 1
1 1 2 4 1
1 1
1 3 1 2 3 1
2
1 1
2
1 1 1 1 2 1 1 2 1 2 2 1 1 1 1 + 1 1 2 + 1 2
+ 1
+ +
1 +
+
1 1
1 1 1 2 1 2
1 2 1 2 2 1 1
1 1 1 6
1 1
2
2 2 1
2
1 1 1
3 1 2 2 2 2
1 B 4 4 6 3 1 2 1 1
1 + +
+
+
+
3 9 8
3 1
1 1 1 1 3 +
1
+ + +
+ 1 2 1 2 + 1 2 2
4 1 1 1
3
2
3 A 3 1 2 8 3 + 2 1 6 4 2 3 2 5 +
1 1
1 1 1 + 1 + + + + + +
1
1
+ 3 2 1 +
3 2 3 1 2
1
5 F 1 5 F 3 K 3 1
+ +
1 2 1
+
2
2 + 1 1
1
+ 1 1 + + + + + 1
1 3 2 4 3 1 1 +
1 1 1
+ 1 2 1 2 1 1 2
3 1 1 1 1 1 1
1
1 2 1 3 3 1 3
1 3 2 2 1 2 + 4 1 3 1 5 4 4 6 2
1
1 1
1 1
3 3 3
2 3 1 2 1 2 2 1 1 1 3 2 8
Combretum collinum
Heteropogon contortus
+ + + 1 + + 1 + 1 1
2 2 2 1 1 1 1 3 1 3 1 1 1 + 1 1 2 2
+ + 2
+ 1 3 1 4
2
Sida cordifolia
Cyperus obtusiflorus var. obtusiflorus
1 1 1 1 2 2
3 1
1 4
5 5 4 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 + 1 + 2
1 1 1 5 3 + +
+
+
+
2
2
Cronje, Panagos & Reilly
http://www.koedoe.co.za
Spermacoce senensis
1 1 + 1 + 1
7 2 6 + 3 2 3 F 5 B 8 + 2 + 7 1 1
2 + 4 1 4 1 1 2 1 2 3 1 2 1 2 1 1 3 2 2 2 1 + 1 1 2 1 1 2 1 1 4 +
Oldenlandia herbacea var. herbacea
Urochloa mosambicensis
+
+
Aristida congesta subsp. barbicollis
Indigofera filipes
3 7 3 + 1 4 2 3 1 2
1 3
2 6 4 3 3 7 4 2 2 2 1 + 2 7
G 7 2 1 1 9 1
1
2 +
3 + 1 1 + 2 1
4 1 2 2
1
3
1 1 1 2 2 3
Chamaecrista mimosoides
1 1 1
2 3 1 2 2 2 2 + 1
1
COMMUNITIES
VARIANTS
RELEVÉ NUMBER
2
1a
4 6 2 1 1 8
7 1 2 5 3
1 2
1b
1 2 1 1 4 3
3
2a
2 2 5 7 3 6 2 3 7 6 5 3 1 7 4 4 3 7 6 2 3 3 4 5 7 2 3 2 6
1 4 4 4
2b
4 1
3
6 6 7 4 7 8 8 5 5 8 7 5 5 5 6 8 7 6 5 6 8 8 8 8
5 3 4 8 7 4 7 1 2 8 3 3 9 3 6 8 6 2 4 0 4 2 5 6 5 0 1 8 1 7 3 6 7 2 0 8 1 2 3 6 7 4 9 9 0 9 9 2 5 7 5 1 5 2 9 0 2 8 4 7 5 1 4 3 8 6 0 1 6 3 0 8 5 1 9 4 7 6 0 2 3 1 9 4 8 7 5 6
Phyllanthus maderaspatensis
6 +
1
1 +
Euclea divinorum
1 1
1
2 +
Kohautia virgata
1 2 1
+ 1
1
+ +
1
+
1 + +
+ +
Lantana rugosa
Conyza albida
Evolvulus alsinoides
+
+
1 +
1 1
+ + 1 + + 2
Cheilanthes viridis var. glauca
+
+
+
+ +
3
1
+ +
3 +
1
+
1 2
1 +
Vol. 50 No. 1 pp. 184 - 201
+
1 +
+
+ +
1
+
Dalbergia melanoxylon
+
+ + 1
Wahlenbergia undulata
+
1
1 1 +
Triumfetta pentandra
1
Monsonia angustifolia
1
+
+
+
1
1
1 2
+
1
1
+ +
+
Tricholaena monachne
+ 1
+ +
Heliotropium strigosum
1
2
+
+
+
+ + 1
+
+
1
2
+
3 1 +
1
1 1 5 +
2 3
5
1
2
2
+
+
+
4
1
1
+ 1 +
1 1
+ + + 1 1
1 +
+ 1 +
1 1 5 9 1 7 1
8 3
1
1
1
5 3 3
1
2 1
+ 1
+ + +
1
2
2
5
5
1
1 1
1
1
1 +
+
+
1
4
1
+
+
2
1
1
+
+
+
+
1
1
1 1 1
+
+
+
+ + 1
1 +
1
+
1
+ 1
+ +
+ +
+
2 1
+
2
2
+
2
1
+
+
+
+ 1
1
1 + + + 1
+
+
1
1
+
1
+
1 1
+
+
1
+
+
1 +
+
1 2
1
1 2
+
3
1
1
2
1 3
1
1
+
+ + +
+
1
1
1
+ + +
1
1 1 1
1
+
8 7
+ 1 2 +
+ +
1
1
+ +
1 + 1 +
1 1
1
1
2 + 1 1 +
2 1 1
1 2
+
+
1 1
2 2
7 1
+
1
1
+
+ 1
1 1 2 + 2 1 1 1
1
+
1
1 1
1 1
2 + 1 + 1 1
1 +
1
1 1
1
1
1
2
1
+ +
1 +
2 2 3 2
+
1 +
1
1
1
1
1
1
+
3 +
1 +
+
1
1
+ 1 + 2 1 + + +
1
1 + 4 D
2
1
+
1
1
2 5
+
+
+
3
2
1
1
1
6
1 1 + + 2 2 2 1 1
7 4 + + 4 5 + 3 2 4 E 7 6
2
+ 2 1
1 1
+
1 + +
1
2 +
1
+
1 1 1 1 +
+
1 +
+
+ 1 1
1 2
+
1
+
+
1
1
+
Sida dregei
5
+ +
+ 1 1
1
1
Acacia exuvialis
Combretum molle
+
3
+
1 1
1
+
+
1 +
6
1
1
Hibiscus micranthus
2 1
3 1 1 3
+
+
+
3
+
2
2
+ 1 +
1
+
+ 1
2 1
1
6 + 1
+
+ 6
+
+ 1
1
1 1
1
1
3 1 + 2 5 1
1
+ 1
+
1
2 +
1 +
1
+
+
1
1
+ + +
Priva cordifolia var. abyssinica
1
2 1
1 + 1
+ + 1
+
+ +
3
+
+
1
1
1
+
4
+ +
+
+ 1 +
+ 1
+
1
+
+
A
1
1
1
1
+
1
+
Ocimum americanum var. americanum
2
+
1
1 1
1 2
1 1
Eragrostis superba
Ocimum gratissimum subsp. gratissimum var.
gratissimum
5
+ 1
+
2
+ +
+ +
6
+
+ +
+
+
1
1 + +
+
Pollichia campestris
1
+
+
+
+
1
+
1 2 4 +
1
Elaeodendron transvaalense
Combretum zeyheri
+ +
1 +
Commelina africana var. lancispatha
Tephrosia purpurea subsp. leptostachya var.
pubenscens
2
+ +
+
1 +
+ +
1
+ +
1 +
Eragrostis gummiflua
Melhania prostrata
1
1
1
+
+ +
Albizia harveyi
+
+
Coddia rudis
Melinis nerviglumis
1 1
+ + 1
Plant communities
http://www.koedoe.co.za
TABLE 1 (cont...)
+ 1
+ +
1
+ 1
3
+ +
Species group J: Diagnostic species of the Gymnosporia senegalensis - Phragmites mauritianus riparian low thicket (Community 3)
Eustachys paspaloides
1
4 2 I 8
Cucumis metuliferus
2 1 + +
Hypoestes forskaolii ‘form B’
A C I +
2 1 4 3
Eriochloa meyeriana subsp. meyeriana
A 5 2 9
Gymnosporia senegalensis
Thunbergia neglecta
K 3 1 +
3
+ 1 +
1 1 1
Phragmites mauritianus
8 N H
African Protected Area Conservation and Science
KOEDOE 190
Leuca glabrata var. glabrata
Original Research
Persicaria conyzoides
TABLE 1 (cont...)
1
COMMUNITIES
VARIANTS
RELEVÉ NUMBER
2
1a
4 6 2 1 1 8
7 1 2 5 3
1 2
1b
1 2 1 1 4 3
3
2a
2 2 5 7 3 6 2 3 7 6 5 3 1 7 4 4 3 7 6 2 3 3 4 5 7 2 3 2 6
1 4 4 4
2b
4 1
3
6 6 7 4 7 8 8 5 5 8 7 5 5 5 6 8 7 6 5 6 8 8 8 8
5 3 4 8 7 4 7 1 2 8 3 3 9 3 6 8 6 2 4 0 4 2 5 6 5 0 1 8 1 7 3 6 7 2 0 8 1 2 3 6 7 4 9 9 0 9 9 2 5 7 5 1 5 2 9 0 2 8 4 7 5 1 4 3 8 6 0 1 6 3 0 8 5 1 9 4 7 6 0 2 3 1 9 4 8 7 5 6
Ageratum conyzoides
5
Panicum desteum
2 2
4 1
4 3
Heteromorpha transvaalensis
Original Research
191 KOEDOE
African Protected Area Conservation and Science
1
+ 1
Cyperus sexangularis
2 2
Spirostachys africana
1
7 2
Species Group K: Species common to Variant 2b and Community 3
Asparagus setaceus
1 +
Rhoicissus tridentata
+ + + + +
1
+
+
+ +
+ + + +
1
+
1 + + +
1
+ + +
Species group L: Common and rare species arranged according to constancy values
Panicum maximum
2 1 2 2
Dichrostachys cinerea
+ 7 A 9 B 9 5 E B 5 7 F K 7 7
1 2 B A C CG 3 4 D 5 D 5 8 G A 5 A 6 2 A 5 3 7 A 9 6 6 6 A 5 2 L J 2 9 A 7 G 8 B 6 9 2
2 2 G 3 2 2 A 7 3 5 1 1 2
Vol. 50 No. 1 pp. 184 - 201
Phyllanthus parvulus var. garipensis
3 1 1 2 1 1 5 3 1 2 3 3 4 7 1 2 5 3 4 4 1 1 2 5 2 1 2 1 2 5 4 1 2 2 1 7 1 3 1 2 1 2 3 1 2 2 1 2 1 1 1 + 1 1 1 1 3
Polygala sphenoptera
2 +
Acacia nilotica
Bidens bipinnata
1 + + 1 1 1 1 1
2 +
1
1
1
4 + 1
+ 2 + 1 + 1 + 2 +
Jasminum fluminense
1
Euclea natalensis subsp. angustiflia
+
Ziziphus mucronata
+
+
+
5
2
1 1 2 1 1 + 1 1 1 1 1 + 2 + 1 2
+ + +
6 4
3 7 5
1 1 1
1 2 8 1 1 1
+
+ +
3 + +
+ 1
+ +
+ +
+ +
+ +
+
+ +
+ 2 +
+
+ 1
1 1 1 +
1 + +
1
4
1 6
Achyropsis leptostachya
Schkuhria pinnata
2
1 1 +
Sporobolus africanus
+
1
1 1
+
2
1 2 2 + 1
+
+
1
1
+
1
2
+
+ +
1
4
+
1
Kalanchoe crenata subsp. crenata var. crenata
Grewia monticola
1
+
1 +
+
1
1
+ 1 +
1
1 1
1
1
4
+
1
1
2 2
+
5 2 2
1
1
3
1
+ +
3 3
+
1
2
2 5
1 1
+ 2
3 2
+
2
1
3 +
1 3
1 2 4
1
5
+
1 + +
+ 1 2
3 A
5
+
1
6 1 1
+
1 +
1 3 1 3 2 +
1
1
1 3
+
1
3
+
+
1
+
5
+
2 1 + +
2
N 2 2
E
2
7
+ + +
1 2 2
1
1 1
5
+ 3
1 2
1
+ +
+
+ 1
1
3
+ + +
1
+
+
1 +
2
1
1 + 2
+ +
+ 1
1
+
+
1
+
1
+
+
+ 1 1
+
1
1
+
+
+ +
2
1 + 4 1
+ + 1
+
C 1
+ 1 5 3 + +
+
+
1
+
+
+
+
2 5 9 1 6 2 3
+
+
+ 1 1
+
+ +
+
+
+ + 1 +
1
+
+ +
1
1
3
+ + 4 4 2 +
4 1 1 7
1 + + + +
1 +
+
+
8 1 A
+
+ 1
1
+ 2 + 2 +
1
1
2
1
1 1
1
3 +
1
+ + +
+ + + 1 + + + 1 + + +
+ + + 1
+ +
1 +
3 2 +
2 2 2 1 E
+
3
1
1 1 +
+
+ +
1
+ 1 + +
+ 6 + 7 P
1 + + + + 1 + 3 2 1 + + 2 + + 1 2
6 E 2 2 A A
1 1
1
+ + +
+ + + +
6 4 5 D
3 + 3
1
2
1
1 1 + + 6
1 + 6
2
+
2 3
6 1 1 4
+
+ 1 +
3 + +
+ + 1 +
2
+ 1 +
1 1 1
1 1 3 1 2 1 +
+
7 1 2 + 5 1 1 2 +
+ +
+ 1 1
+
+
6
3 7 6 + + 1 + +
1 + + +
D L 3
1 1 2
1 1
+ 1
1
3 +
A
1
4
+ 1 +
1
9
1
+
+ 1 1
1 8
1
+
5
1 1
2 1 1
+
+
1 1 + + 1 +
+
2
+
1
1
+ + +
1 +
3
Rhus pentheri
Lannea schweinfurthii var. stuhlmannii
1 +
2
2 4 1 +
+
7 1 1
+
1 +
+
1
+
1
+
+
+
1
1
Cronje, Panagos & Reilly
http://www.koedoe.co.za
Lippia javanica
1 +
+
1
+
+ + 3
+
1
2
Ipomoea plebeia subsp. africana
Species A (unidentified)
1
1
+ +
+
2
+
+ 1 +
F 1 A 8 + 8 4 + + + 4 + B 9 4 7 +
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 1 2 5 1 1 1 3 2 3 2 1 1 2 1 +
1 1 1
1 1 1
1
+ 2
1
Acalypha villicaulis
Solanum panduriforme
2 + 1
+ +
1
2 2
4
1
1
+
1 + 1
9
1 + + + + +
+ +
1
3
1
+
2 1
1
2 + 2
+
1
+ 1 2 +
+ +
1
1 +
6 + 1 +
+
2
2 + D 4 D 3 + 2
Combretum imberbe
Cyperus sphaerospermus
1 +
+
+
Hoslundia opposita
3 1
2
L
+
+ + +
+ +
+
1 1 1
1 2 1 1 5 3 + 1 1 1 1 1
+
+
+
1 + 8
1
1 1 1
+
+
1 +
1 +
C 1
1
+
1 1 + 1 1 2
D 1 2
+
1
+
8 2 1 1
+
Eragrostis curvula
Tagetes mimuta
+
+ + +
+ 1
8 6 5
+
1
1
1 +
1 +
+
2
+ + +
1 +
1
4 2 +
2 + +
+
1 + 1
+ + + +
Grewia flavescens var. flavescens
1 +
1 + 3 6 8 1
2 + 1 1
+
1 5 1 1 + 1 1 3 1 6 5 1 1
1
1
+
+ +
1 + 1
2
Peltophorum africanum
Commelina eckloniana
1
+
+ 1 + 1
Flueggea virosa
Triumfetta sp.
1 +
+
Ehretia amoena
Epaltes gariepina
2
N K 2 B 3 B 8 8 3 2 4 3 6 D 4 D K 5 A 8 6 E 6 7
C 2 6 E A A 3 6 1 B A 5 2 5 5 7 5 H 9 6 2 E 7 6 A D 9 1 6 3 8 7 1 GC 5 B 5 7 8 I L 7 1 A 4 5 3 5 B
1
COMMUNITIES
VARIANTS
RELEVÉ NUMBER
2
1a
4 6 2 1 1 8
7 1 2 5 3
1 2
1b
1 2 1 1 4 3
3
2a
2 2 5 7 3 6 2 3 7 6 5 3 1 7 4 4 3 7 6 2 3 3 4 5 7 2 3 2 6
1 4 4 4
4 1
2b
3
6 6 7 4 7 8 8 5 5 8 7 5 5 5 6 8 7 6 5 6 8 8 8 8
5 3 4 8 7 4 7 1 2 8 3 3 9 3 6 8 6 2 4 0 4 2 5 6 5 0 1 8 1 7 3 6 7 2 0 8 1 2 3 6 7 4 9 9 0 9 9 2 5 7 5 1 5 2 9 0 2 8 4 7 5 1 4 3 8 6 0 1 6 3 0 8 5 1 9 4 7 6 0 2 3 1 9 4 8 7 5 6
Abrus precatorius subsp. africanus
1 1
Ehretia obtusifolia
+
+
1
+
+
+
Dombeya rotundifolia
+
+
+
+
+
+
1
1 1
Combretum apiculatum
Melhania forbesii
+
+
Phyllanthus incurvus
Plant communities
http://www.koedoe.co.za
TABLE 1 (cont...)
1 1
+
1
3
Berchemia zeyheri
+
+
1
Turbina oblongata
+
Laggera crispata
1
1
+
+
Cyphostemma subciliatum
1
1
1
1
Rhynchosia minima var. minima
+
+
1
3
Vol. 50 No. 1 pp. 184 - 201
1
Richardia scabra
4
+
Oxalis obliquifolia
1
+
3
1
1
+
+
1
Cyperus kirkii
+
Tragus berteronianus
1 1
+
+
1
+
Dipcadi viride
1
Mundulea sericea
1
+
Trochomeria macrocarpa subsp. macrocarpa
+
1
Hypoxis villosa
1
+
+
Digitaria longiflora
1
Commiphora mollis
+
+
+
Hibiscus schinzii
1
+
1
+
Pavetta schumanniana
+
Aristida adscensionis
+
+
Pyrenacantha kaurabassana
+
+
+
Lippia sp.
2
1
Acacia robusta subsp. clavigera
+
6
Mystroxylon aethiopicum
+
+
Crotalaria laburnifolia subsp. australis
1
1
Grewia caffra
+
Crassula lanceolata subsp. transvaalensis
1
Tephrosia lupinifolia
1
+
2
Pupalia lappacea var. lappacea
Ceropegia racemosa subsp. setifera
African Protected Area Conservation and Science
KOEDOE 192
Gladiolus densiflorus
1
2
1
+
Original Research
Aeschynomene micrantha
Hyptis pectinata
+
+ +
2
+
Hyparrhenia filipendula
2
1
1
1
Gomphrena celosioides
Schotia brachypetala
+
+ 1
Justicia flava
Pellaea calomelanos var. calomelanos
3
1
TABLE 1 (cont...)
1
COMMUNITIES
VARIANTS
RELEVÉ NUMBER
2
1a
4 6 2 1 1 8
7 1 2 5 3
1 2
1b
1 2 1 1 4 3
3
2a
2 2 5 7 3 6 2 3 7 6 5 3 1 7 4 4 3 7 6 2 3 3 4 5 7 2 3 2 6
1 4 4 4
4 1
2b
3
6 6 7 4 7 8 8 5 5 8 7 5 5 5 6 8 7 6 5 6 8 8 8 8
5 3 4 8 7 4 7 1 2 8 3 3 9 3 6 8 6 2 4 0 4 2 5 6 5 0 1 8 1 7 3 6 7 2 0 8 1 2 3 6 7 4 9 9 0 9 9 2 5 7 5 1 5 2 9 0 2 8 4 7 5 1 4 3 8 6 0 1 6 3 0 8 5 1 9 4 7 6 0 2 3 1 9 4 8 7 5 6
Dactyloctenium australe
1
Dactyloctenium aegyptium
1
Zornia glochidiata
1
Tribulus terrestris
1
Tridax procumbens
+
Tephrosia forbesii subsp. interior
+
Ozoroa sphaerocarpa
+
Gisekia pharnacioides
2
Trichilia emetica
+
Diospyros lycioides subsp. guerkei
+
Albizia versicolor
+
Sacciolepis curvata
2
Vernonia fastigiata
+
Vol. 50 No. 1 pp. 184 - 201
Dicoma tementosa
1
Species D (unidentified)
2
Monopsis decipiens
A
Crotalaria sphaerocarpa subsp. sphaerocarpa
2
Lannea discolor
Species B (unidentified)
+
+
Ornithogalum tenuifolium subsp. tenuifolium
1
Setaria incrassata
3
Ipomoea coptica var. coptica
+
Asparagus cooperi
+
Bothriochloa bladhii
1
Acacia sieberiana var. woodii
+
Indigofera lydenburgensis
3
Monsonia glauca
1
Indigofera dregeana
+
Species C (unidentified)
1
Eragrostis barbinodis
1
Schmidtia pappophoroides
6
Ludwiga octovalvis subsp. octovalvis
Heliotropium zeylanicum
+
+
Pavonia burchellii
+
4
Verbenia bonariensis
+
Sida rhombifolia
2
Bauhinia galpinii
+
Diospyros villosa var. parvifolia
1
Cissampelos mucronata
4
Abrus laevigatus
2
3
Cronje, Panagos & Reilly
http://www.koedoe.co.za
Vernonia glabra var. laxa
Brachiaria serrata
Original Research
193 KOEDOE
African Protected Area Conservation and Science
Original Research
Canopy cover (%)
1
1
+
50
40
Forbs
Grasses
30
Shrubs
Dwarf Shrubs
Trees
20
10
0
1
1a
1b
2
2a
2b
3
Communities and Variants
1
FIGURE 2
Histogram indicating the percentage canopy cover for the growth forms recorded
in the main plant communities and their associated variants in the Andover Game
Reserve
two variants (Table 1). The identified plant communities were
as follows:
1
+
2
2
+
1. The Strychnos madagascariensis - Aristida stipitata var.
graciliflora short closed woodland
1a The Strychnos madagascariensis - Indigofera inhambanensis
variant
1b The Strychnos madagascariensis - Parinari curatellifolia
variant
2. The Acacia gerrardii - Setaria sphacelata var. sphacelata short
closed woodland
2a The Acacia gerrardii - Fuirena pachyrrhiza var. pachyrrhiza
variant
2b The Acacia gerrardii - Themeda triandra variant
3
3. The Gymnosporia senegalensis - Phragmites mauritianus
riparian low thicket
+
The species groups were arranged to highlight the environmental
gradients associated with savanna sandveld ecosystems. The
phytosociological classification consists of 12 species groups
(A–L) of which 205 (61.7%) and 128 (38.4%) species constitute the
diagnostic and non-diagnostic portions, respectively (Table 1).
A vegetation map of the AGR providing the spatial occurrence
of the plant communities is presented in Fig. 1.
Description of plant communities
http://www.koedoe.co.za
Chlorophytum sp.
Solanum incanum
Eragrostis ciliaris
Urelytrum agropyroides
Solanum nigrum
Bonatea sp.
Vernonia adoensis
Hibiscus altissimus
Gerbera piloselloides
Ximenia caffra
The Strychnos madagascariensis - Aristida stipitata var.
graciliflora short closed woodland (Community 1)
Dicoma zeyheri
6 6 7 4 7 8 8 5 5 8 7 5 5 5 6 8 7 6 5 6 8 8 8 8
3
4 1
RELEVÉ NUMBER
4 6 2 1 1 8
7 1 2 5 3
1 2
1 2 1 1 4 3
2 2 5 7 3 6 2 3 7 6 5 3 1 7 4 4 3 7 6 2 3 3 4 5 7 2 3 2 6
1 4 4 4
2a
1b
1
1a
VARIANTS
COMMUNITIES
TABLE 1 (cont...)
60
Community 1 (Fig. 1; Table 1, Species Group A) occurs
throughout the reserve, predominating on the crests and upper
mid-slopes of the landscape with a slope ranging between 2˚ and
5˚. The soils found in these physiographic units are deep sandy
soils (mean clay > 5%), with a mean depth of 1 m. Soil forms
associated with this plant community are Hutton, Clovelly and
Cartref (MacVicar et al. 1991). This community contributes the
most to the overall species richness of the AGR, with a total
of 258 plant species (Table 2), of which the majority, 15.7%
and 45.4%, of the species richness is within the grass and forb
growth forms, respectively (Table 3). The woody component
of the community is dominated (in terms of cover) primarily
by Terminalia sericea and Dichrostachys cinerea with 12.2% and
8.2% cover, respectively (Table 4). Terminalia sericea forms dense
fringes of varying degrees toward the lower portions of the
mid-slopes. Strychnos madagascariensis is a weak competitor
with a density of three trees per hectare (Table 4). Digitaria
eriantha, Hyperthelia dissoluta, Panicum maximum (mainly under
tree canopies) and Perotis patens are dominant (in terms of
Vol. 50 No. 1 pp. 184 - 201
African Protected Area Conservation and Science
5 3 4 8 7 4 7 1 2 8 3 3 9 3 6 8 6 2 4 0 4 2 5 6 5 0 1 8 1 7 3 6 7 2 0 8 1 2 3 6 7 4 9 9 0 9 9 2 5 7 5 1 5 2 9 0 2 8 4 7 5 1 4 3 8 6 0 1 6 3 0 8 5 1 9 4 7 6 0 2 3 1 9 4 8 7 5 6
2
2b
3
Plant communities
KOEDOE 194
Original Research
Cronje, Panagos & Reilly
TABLE 2
Community and variant statistics for the Andover Game Reserve
COMMUNITIES AND VARIANTS
MEASUREMENTS
1
1a
1b
2
2a
2b
3
Total no. relevés.
53
33
20
31
12
19
Total no. species.
258
197*
207*
222
147*
193*
4
Total diagnostic species.
181
132*
139*
160
97*
128*
72
Diagnostic proportion.
70.2%
67.1%
67.2%
72.1%
66%
66.3%
61%
Species richness in terms of mean species per relevé.
56
57
54
56
49
61
53
118
Community variation
Minimum species per relevé.
37
37
40
33
33
47
41
Maximum species per relevé.
70
70
66
73
61
73
75
Range of species per relevé.
33
33
26
40
28
26
34
Mean species per relevé.
56
57
54
56
49
61
53
Standard error of the mean of species per relevé.
1.01
1.3
1.5
1.7
2.4
1.5
7.6
Community variation (proportion spp./relevé/ community).
21.6%
28.9%
25.9%
25.4%
33.4%
31.6%
44.9%
Community variation in terms of the standard deviation.
2.9%
3.8%
3.2%
4.2%
5.5%
3.4%
12.8%
* Several of the same species occurring in the main plant communities also occur in the variants and thus the species totals of the variants will not equate to the sum of the species
in the main plant communities
cover) in the herbaceous layer (Table 4). Aristida stipitata subsp.
graciflora occurs as a normal competitor (Table 4). The forbs,
Agathisanthemum bojeri subsp. bojeri, Chamaecrista absus, Vernonia
steetziana, Tagetes minuta and Wahlenbergia banksiana occur as
strong competitors (Table 4). The actual cover contribution of
each growth form in this community is shown in Fig. 2, with a
high total percentage cover of 67.8%.
COMMUNITIES AND VARIANTS
GROWTH
FORM
No
1
1a
% No
1b
% No
2
% No
Trees
42 13.0
30 12.5 30 11.9
2a
% No
35 12.2
2b
% No
3
% No
21 12.0 32 12.8
%
17 13.1
Shrubs
39 12.0
22 9.1
33 13.0
42 14.6
18 10.3 37 14.8 23 17.7
The Strychnos madagascariensis - Indigofera inhambanensis
variant 1a
Dwarf
shrubs
45 13.9
35 14.5 34 13.4
46 16.0
27 15.4 38 15.2
51 15.7
36 14.9
50 17.4
34 19.4 45 18.0 23 17.7
Variant 1a occurs mainly in the eastern half of the reserve
(Fig. 1; Table 1, Species Group B), where the predominant
underlying geology is grey to pale brown, medium- to coursegrained quartz-feldspar-biotite gneiss with subordinate mafic
to ultramafic xenoliths (Walraven 1986). The species richness
consists of 197 plant species (Table 2), with the dwarf shrub
(14.5%), grass (14.9%) and forb (49%) growth forms contributing
the most to the species richness of this variant (Table 3). Dominant
species (in terms of cover) include the trees Dichrostachys cinerea,
Terminalia sericea, the grasses Perotis patens, Digitaria eriantha,
Bulbostylis contexta, Hyperthelia dissoluta, Panicum maximum, and
the forbs Tagetes minuta, Chamaecrista absus, Vernonia steetziana
and Agathisanthemum bojeri subsp. bojeri (Table 5). Indigofera
inhambanensis is within a normal competition range (Table 5).
The vegetation structure in terms of the actual percentage cover
relative to each growth form is illustrated in Fig. 2, with a total
cover of 64.9%
Forbs
147 45.4 118 49.0 111 43.9 114 39.7
75 42.9 98 39.2 58 44.6
The Strychnos madagascariensis - Parinari curatellifolia
variant 1b
African Protected Area Conservation and Science
TABLE 3
Species richness within the communities and their associated variants according to
each growth form
This variant (1b) of Community 1 occurs within the western
portion of the reserve (Fig. 1; Table 1, Species Group C). The
underlying geology consists of Makhutswi gneiss, which
is light-grey, medium-grained biotite gneiss with coursegrained quartz-feldspar leucosomes (Walraven 1986). The
occurrences of frequent fires (annually) from the bordering
rural communities may be an additional causative factor of
this variant. The species richness of this variant is slightly
higher (207 species) than that of Variant 1a (Table 2), with the
grass (17.8%) and forb growth forms (43.9%) contributing the
most to the variant’s species richness (Table 3). Dichrostachys
cinerea and Terminalia sericea remain strong competitors in the
tree growth form (Table 6). Euclea divinorum and Phyllanthus
reticulatus are strong competitors in the shrub and dwarf shrub
growth forms, respectively (Table 6). Fuirena pachyrrhiza var.
pachyrrhiza, Perotis patens, Cynodon dactylon, Hyperthelia dissoluta
and Panicum maximum are dominant grasses in terms of cover,
of which the latter two are also strong competitors (Table 6).
Strong forb competitors include Bidens bipinnata, Wahlenbergia
195 KOEDOE
Grass
45 17.8
9 6.9
* It is possible for more than one species to occurr in one or more growth forms in
the woody plant categories
banksiana and Agathisanthemum bojeri subsp. bojeri (Table 6). The
growth forms depicting community structure relative to their
actual percentage canopy cover are shown in Fig. 2, with a high
community cover of 72.8%.
The Acacia gerrardii - Setaria sphacelata var. sphacelata short
closed woodland (Community 2)
Community 2 (Fig. 1; Table 1, Species Group D) occurs on the
lower mid-slopes and footslopes of the AGR, with a slope
ranging between 5˚ and 10˚. The soils are sandy-loam (mean clay
5–10%) towards the lower mid-slopes, becoming more clayey
(mean clay > 50%) on the footslopes. Soils occurring in the
plant community are: Cartref, Fernwood, Katspruit, Kroonstad,
Sepane, Valsrivier and Sterkspruit (MacVicar et al. 1991). The
mean soil depth is 1 m along the lower mid-slopes, decreasing to
0.5 m along the footslopes. A total of 222 plant species (Table 2)
occur in the community, with the highest species richness
being in the forb (39.7%) growth form (Table 3). The dominant
trees (in terms of cover) are Aristida stipitata subsp. graciliflora,
Acacia nilotica, Combretum hereroense, Dichrostachys cinerea and
the shrub Euclea divinorum, of which the latter three species are
also strong competitors (Table 7). Dominant grasses (in terms of
cover) include Eragrostis gummiflua, Eragrostis curvula, Digitaria
eriantha, Setaria sphacelata var. sphacelata, Bulbostylis contexta,
Hyperthelia dissoluta and Panicum maximum, with the four latter
species also being strong competitors (Table 7). Although
Hyperthelia dissoluta occurs as a strong competitor, its dominance
in terms of cover (3.9%) is substantially lower in contrast to its
dominance in Community 1 and its Variants 1a and 1b (Table 4,
Table 5 and Table 6). Noticeably strong forb competitors are
Chaetacanthus setiger and Epaltes gariepina (Table 7). The actual
canopy cover contribution of each growth form within the
plant community is shown in Fig. 2, with the total percentage
cover for the community being 65.6%.
Vol. 50 No. 1 pp. 184 - 201
http://www.koedoe.co.za
Original Research
Plant communities
TABLE 4
TABLE 6
Species and growth form relations in Community 1
Species and growth form relations in Variant 1b
GROWTH COMP.
FORM* STATUS**
SPECIES
CANOPY/
IND./ CANOPY
HA*** GAP (m)
CANOPY CROWN
COVER DIAMETER
(m)
(%)
GROWTH COMP.
FORM* STATUS**
SPECIES
CANOPY CROWN
COVER DIAMETER
(m)
(%)
CANOPY/
IND./ CANOPY
HA*** GAP (m)
Terminalia sericea
T
Strong
12.2
3.2
150
6.0
Terminalia sericea
T
Strong
13.5
3.0
178
5.3
Dichrostachys
cinerea
T
Strong
8.2
3.5
85
8.7
Dichrostachys
cinerea
T
Strong
8.8
2.9
128
7.0
Strychnos
madagascariensis
T
Weak
0.1
1.9
3
60.3
Strychnos
madagascariensis
T
Weak
0.1
1.6
3
60.0
Hyperthelia
dissoluta
G
Strong
8.2
0.3
15 525
0.7
Euclea divinorum
S
Strong
1.0
1.9
36
16.7
Panicum
maximum
G
Strong
8.1
0.2
28 278
0.5
Phyllanthus
reticulatus
DS
Strong
0.02
0.4
19
25.0
Perotis patens
G
Weak
1.4
0.1
12 108
0.9
Digitaria eriantha
G
Weak
1.7
0.1
39 612
0.8
G
Strong
10.0
0.3
16 578
0.6
Perotis patens
G
Weak
2.3
0.1
15 872
0.8
Hyperthelia
dissoluta
Aristida stipitata
subsp. graciliflora
G
Normal
0.1
0.1
4 334
1.7
Panicum
maximum
G
Strong
10.2
0.2
32 380
0.4
Agathisanthemum
bojeri subsp.
bojeri
F
Strong
1.3
0.3
1 807
2.4
Cynodon dactylon
G
Normal
1.9
0.1
115
500
0.3
Normal
1.9
0.2
7 614
1.1
F
Strong
1.6
0.2
7 834
1.1
Fuirena
pachyrrhiza var.
pachyrrhiza
G
Chamaecrista
absus
Vernonia
steetziana
F
Strong
3.0
0.2
17 146
0.7
Bidens bipinnata
F
Strong
1.1
0.1
7 114
1.2
F
Strong
1.9
0.1
20129
0.7
Tagetes minuta
F
Strong
1.0
0.1
7 441
1.2
Wahlenbergia
banksiana
Wahlanbergia
banksiana
F
Strong
0.7
0.1
9 345
1.1
F
Strong
1.4
0.3
2 228
2.1
Hibiscus sp.
F
Strong
1.0
0.1
6 715
1.2
Agathisanthemum
bojeri subsp.
bojeri
* T = Tree; DS = Dwarf shrub; G = Grass; F = Forb
** Competitor status
*** Individuals per hectre
* T = Tree; G = Grass; F = Forb
** Competitor status
*** Individuals per hectre
TABLE 7
TABLE 5
Species and growth form relations in Community 2
Species and growth form relations in Variant 1a
SPECIES
CANOPY/
CANOPY
GAP (m)
CANOPY CROWN
COVER DIAMETER IND./
GROWTH COMP.
(m)
HA***
FORM*
STATUS** (%)
SPECIES
GROWTH COMP.
FORM* STATUS**
CANOPY CROWN
COVER DIAMETER
(m)
(%)
CANOPY/
IND./ CANOPY
HA*** GAP (m)
T
Strong
11.3
3.3
135
6.4
Acacia gerrardii
T
Normal
2.9
3.50
29
17.3
Dichrostachys
cinerea
T
Strong
7.6
3.8
67
9.9
Acacia nilotica
T
Normal
2.7
4.60
27.9
23.3
Acacia swazica
T
Normal
1.2
1.40
76
11.5
Strychnos
madagascariensis
T
Weak
0.1
2.2
3
62.2
Combretum
hereroense
T
Strong
3.9
2.70
67
11.0
Hyperthelia
dissoluta
G
Strong
7.1
0.3
14 960
0.7
Dichrostachys
cinerea
T
Strong
6.5
3.30
76
9.6
Panicum
maximum
G
Strong
6.8
0.2
25 241
0.5
Euclea divinorum
S
Strong
1.5
2.00
36
16.7
Digitaria eriantha
G
Normal
2.1
0.1
51 377
0.4
Panicum
maximum
G
Strong
8.2
0.20
29 199
0.5
Perotis patens
G
Normal
2.9
0.2
17 282
0.7
Strong
3.9
0.30
7629
1.0
F
Strong
1.3
0.3
179
2.5
Hyperthelia
dissoluta
G
Agathisanthemum
bojeri subsp.
bojeri
Bulbostylis
contexta
G
Strong
3.5
0.10
179
581
0.2
Chamaecrista
absus
F
Strong
2.2
0.2
9 145
1.0
G
Strong
3.1
0.24
7 207
1.1
Vernonia
steetziana
F
Strong
4.5
0.2
22 850
0.6
Setaria
sphacelata var.
sphacelata
Normal
1.8
0.30
3703
1.6
F
Normal
0.2
0.3
334
5.8
Eragrostis
gummiflua
G
Indigofera
inhambanensis
Eragrostis curvula
G
Normal
1.9
0.10
15871
0.8
Tagetes minuta
F
Strong
1.3
0.1
9 229
1.0
Digitaria eriantha
G
Normal
1.4
0.10
20113
0.7
Chaetacanthus
setiger
F
Strong
1.3
0.10
2 289
2.1
Epaltes gariepina
F
Strong
5.5
0.30
55 418
0.4
* T = Tree; G = Grass; F = Forb
** Competitor status
*** Individuals per hectre
The Acacia gerrardii - Fuirena pachyrrhiza var. pachyrrhiza
variant 2a
This variant (Fig. 1 Table 1, Species Group E) is indicative of the
seeplines and the transition areas between the broad- and fineleaved savanna. Soils occurring in this vegetation unit have
a characteristic G-Horizon, namely Katspruit and Kroonstad
(MacVicar et al. 1991). As a result of the G-Horizon, seasonal
water emerges to the surface forming wet-spots or seeplines,
with characteristic hydromorphic species (i.e. within the grass
and forb growth forms) dominating these areas. The floristic
richness consists of 147 individual species (Table 2) with the
grass and forb layers contributing 19.4% and 42.9% (Table 3),
respectively, to the species richness of this variant. Diagnostic
species are Fuirena pachyrrhiza var. pachyrrhiza and Vahlia
capensis subsp. vulgaris var. vulgaris (Table 1, Species Group E),
with Eragrostis inamoena, Eragrostis gummiflua, Eragrostis curvula,
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* T = Tree; DS = Dwarf shrub; G = Grass; F = Forb
** Competitor status
*** Individuals per hectre
Cyperus denudatus and Cyperus sphaerospermus occurring as
normal competitors in this hydromorphic vegetation unit
(Table 8). Species growth relations within this variant are
presented in Table 8. Hyperthelia dissoluta remains a strong
grass competitor (Table 8), primarily occurring towards the
upper regions of this lower mid-slope vegetation unit. Epaltes
gariepina is a strong forb competitor indicative of wet or
seepline areas (Table 8). Dichrostachys cinerea remains a strong
competitor within the woody component of this vegetation
unit (Table 8). The total percentage cover for the variant is
71.1%, with proportions within the woody, herbaceous and forb
components being 15%, 39.6% and 15.7% (Fig. 2), respectively,
clearly demonstrating the hydromorphic characteristic of the
Vol. 50 No. 1 pp. 184 - 201
African Protected Area Conservation and Science
Terminalia sericea
KOEDOE 196
Original Research
Cronje, Panagos & Reilly
TABLE 8
TABLE 10
Species and growth form relations in Variant 2a
Species and growth form relations in Community 3
GROWTH COMP.
FORM* STATUS**
SPECIES
CANOPY/
IND./ CANOPY
HA*** GAP (m)
CANOPY CROWN
COVER DIAMETER
(m)
(%)
CANOPY CROWN
COVER DIAMETER
GROWTH COMP.
(m)
(%)
FORM* STATUS**
CANOPY/
IND./ CANOPY
HA*** GAP (m)
Dichrostachys
cinerea
T
Strong
9.5
3.4
105
7.6
Combretum
imberbe
T
Strong
13.5
4.1
101
7.1
Bulbostylis
contexta
G
Strong
7.9
0.1
232 603
0.2
Spirostachys
africana
T
Normal
1.3
5.1
6
40.6
Hyperthelia
dissoluta
G
Strong
10.0
0.3
19 710
0.6
Gymnosporia
senegalensis
S
Strong
10.3
3.1
133
6.6
Panicum
maximum
G
Strong
6.2
0.2
19 737
0.6
Flueggea virosa
DS
Strong
0.9
2.2
22
21.8
G
Strong
22.2
0.5
11 640
0.6
Fuirena
pachyrrhiza var.
pachyrrhiza
G
Normal
0.5
0.3
593
4.6
Phragmites
mauritianus
Normal
5.3
0.2
13 199
0.8
G
Normal
1.1
0.2
2539
2.0
Eriochloa
meyeriana subsp.
meyeriana
G
Eragrostis
inamoena
Normal
10.3
0.3
20 282
0.5
G
Normal
1.1
0.1
10 141
1.0
Eustachys
paspaloides
G
Cyperus
denudatus
Strong
14.3
0.2
349 798
0.4
G
Normal
1.7
0.1
27 508
0.6
Hypoestes
forskaolii ‘form B’
F
Cyperus
sphaerospermus
Eragrostis
gummiflua
G
Normal
2.0
0.2
5 021
1.4
Eragrostis
curvula
G
Normal
2.0
0.1
18 321
0.7
Vahlia capensis
subsp. vulgaris
var. vulgaris
F
Normal
0.5
0.2
8 654
1.1
Epaltes gariepina
F
Strong
7.3
0.1
61 276
0.3
* T = Tree; G = Grass; F = Forb
** Competitor status
*** Individuals per hectre
TABLE 9
SPECIES
* T = Tree; DS = Dwarf shrub; G = Grass; F = Forb
** Competitor status
*** Individuals per hectre
TABLE 11
Statistical significance of a Detrended Correspondence Analysis presenting
gradient lengths on four axes. Gradient lengths with standard deviations (SDs) of
four or greater have statistical significance (ter Braak & Šmilauer 1998)
AXES
Species and growth form relations in Variant 2b
CANOPY CROWN IND./
GROWTH COMP.
FORM* STATUS** COVER DIAMETER HA***
(m)
(%)
CANOPY/
CANOPY
GAP (m)
1
2
3
0.59
4
TOTAL
INERTIA
Eigenvalues
0.86
0.43
0.29 9.72
Lengths of gradient (SD’s)
4.77* 4.38*
3.95
3.23
Cumulative percentage variance of
species data
8.90
19.4
22.4
15.00
* Significant gradients
TABLE 12
Dichrostachys
cinerea
T
Strong
4.6
3.2
57
11.80
Combretum
hereroense
T
Strong
4.9
2.7
88
9.30
Acacia nilotica
T
Strong
4.2
4.7
24
18.20
Acacia gerrardii
T
Strong
4.4
3.6
42
13.70
ENVIRONMENTAL
VARIABLES
Euclea divinorum
S
Strong
2.4
2.0
53
13.50
Soil
3
0.57
0.001
5.38
Panicum
maximum
G
Strong
9.6
0.2
35 989
0.41
Slope
2
0.54
0.001
5.29
0.20
0.001
2.05
G
Strong
4.3
0.2
9 094
0.90
Physiographical
units
1
Setaria sphacelata
var. sphacelata
Seeplines
4
0.21
0.001
2.07
Digitaria eriantha
G
Normal
2.0
0.1
25 719
0.60
Epaltes gariepina
F
Strong
4.3
0.1
48 453
0.40
Chaetacanthus
setiger
F
Strong
2.1
0.3
3 434
1.70
* T = Tree; DS = Dwarf shrub; G = Grass; F = Forb
** Competitor status
*** Individuals per hectre
African Protected Area Conservation and Science
SPECIES
seepline with a clear reduction in the occurrence of the woody
components in these areas.
The Acacia gerrardii - Themeda triandra variant 2b
This variant (Fig. 1; Table 1, Species Group F) is restricted to
the footslopes of the study area and follows the drainage lines
originating in the south and flowing in a northerly direction.
The variant is also located along the drainage lines in the
eastern parts of the reserve. Soil forms in this vegetation unit
are predominantly Sterkspruit, Sepane and Valsrivier, which are
duplex soils (MacVicar et al. 1991). Duplex soils are characterised
by an abrupt textural or structural transition between the
surface horizon and the subsoil (Matthee 1996). The Glenrosa
soil form (MacVicar et al. 1991) also occurs where the parent
granite rock lies shallow below the surface. The species richness
in this variant amounts to 193 individual species (Table 2), with
the forbs contributing the most (39.2%) to this vegetation unit
(Table 3). Dominant species (in terms of cover) include the
trees Dichrostachys cinerea, Combretum hereroense, Acacia nilotica,
Acacia gerrardii, the shrub Euclea divinorum, the grasses Panicum
197 KOEDOE
Influence of environmental variables on the community variation on the AGR
computed by a Canonical Correspondence Analysis Monte Carlo Test. (full model.
P-values ≤ 0.05 are significant (ter Braak & Šmilauer 1998))
VARIABLE
NO.
LAMBDA-A
P-VALUE
F-VALUE
maximum, Setaria sphacelata var. sphacelata, Digitaria eriantha, and
the forbs Chaetacanthus setiger and Epaltes gariepina (Table 9). The
total canopy cover for this variant is 62.1% (Fig. 2).
The Gymnosporia senegalensis - Phragmites mauritianus
riparian low thicket (Community 3)
This plant community (Fig. 1; Table 1, Species Group J) is
found along the seasonal rivers occurring in the northern
and north-western corner of the reserve. Alluvial soils are the
predominant soils in the community. This community has the
lowest species richness with a total of 118 species (Table 2), with
the shrub (17.7%), grass (17.7%) and forb (44.6%) growth forms
contributing the most to the species richness of this vegetation
unit (Table 3). Combretum imberbe and Gymnosporia senegalensis
are strong woody competitors (Table 10). Dominant herbaceous
species (in terms of cover) include Eriochloa meyeriana subsp.
meyeriana, Eustachys paspaloides, Phragmites mauritianus and
Panicum maximum, of which Phragmites mauritianus is a strong
competitor (Table 10). Hypoestes forskaolii ‘form B’ is a strong
forb competitor (Table 10). The community structure expressed
as a percentage actual cover contributed by each growth form
is illustrated in Figure 2. The total class cover is 99.4% and is
indicative of dense river vegetation, particularly within the
grass (48.9%) and forb (21%) growth forms (Fig. 2). The woody
proportion constitutes 18.4% of the total class cover (Fig. 2)
Vol. 50 No. 1 pp. 184 - 201
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Original Research
Plant communities
FIGURE 3
Detrended Correspondence Analysis (ter Braak & Šmilauer 1998) ordination of the complete data set of the Andover Game Reserve with a standard deviation (SD) of 4.77.
Relevés highlighted in red represent Communities 1 and 2 and relevés highlighted in blue represent Community 3
http://www.koedoe.co.za
Vol. 50 No. 1 pp. 184 - 201
African Protected Area Conservation and Science
FIGURE 4
Detrended Correspondence Analysis (ter Braak & Šmilauer 1998) ordination of the data set of the Andover Game Reserve with a SD of 4.75 depicting the terrestrial communities
(i.e. relevés representing Community 3 removed). Relevés highlighted in blue and red represent Communities 1 and 2. Relevés highlighted in black and green represent Variant 2a
and outliers, respectively
KOEDOE 198
Original Research
Cronje, Panagos & Reilly
and the high percentage grass cover found in this riparian
community is due to the inclusion of the reed Phragmites
mauritianus in the grass growth form, contributing 22.2% cover
on its own (Table 10).
Verification of the plant communities
A DCA of the AGR data set using CANOCO (ter Braak & Šmilauer
1998) provided a significant standard deviation gradient of 4.7
on the first axis with further significant and modest gradients
on axes 2, 3, and 4 (Table 11). The cluster diagrams generated by
CANOCO (Fig. 3 & Fig. 4) reflect similar groupings to the relevé
groupings generated by the PHYTOTAB-PC (Westfall 1992)
classification programme (Table 1). A separation is evident
between Community 3 (relevés highlighted in blue) and the
terrestrial communities (1 & 2 plus their variants) (relevés
highlighted in red) (Fig. 3). Excluding the riparian community (3)
from the data set and performing another secondary ordination
expands the terrestrial communities with relevés highlighted
in blue, black and red, representing Community 1, Variant 2a
and Community 2, respectively (Fig. 4). Outliers in terms of
seepline (Variant 2a) relevés are highlighted in green. The lack
of clustering of the seepline relevés (Fig. 4) can be attributed
to the catenal phenomenon in terms of the variable width
of the seeplines and their similarities to the adjacent plant
communities with regard to being transitional between the
upper and lower plant communities.
Of the environmental factors recorded, the factor most likely to
have had the greatest influence computed by a CCA (Table 12)
on the distribution of plant communities within the AGR was
soil in terms of moisture and clay content.
African Protected Area Conservation and Science
discussion
The AGR’s undulating granitic physiography resulted in the
identification of a catenal sequence similar to that described
by Scholes (1986, 1997). The plant communities of the AGR are
thus a function of the catenal sequence in the Granite Lowevld
Bushveld (Cronje 2004; Driver et al. 2005), reflecting a mosaic
of units having a ‘tortoise shell’ appearance. Although plant
species composition is influenced by such soil properties as
nutrient status, pH, salinity and texture, the overwhelming
factor determining the spatial distribution and productivity
of forest, savanna and grassland is soil moisture balance
(Tinley 1982; Walker 1985). At a scale of hundreds of meters
to kilometres, the migration of fine soil particles and ions
from ridge crests to valley floors, under the influence of water
movement and gravity, establishes a topo-sequence of soils
and associated vegetation known as a catena (Scholes 1997).
The availability of this soil moisture to plants is dictated by the
soil type, in terms of clay content. Fine-textured soils along the
foot-slopes (high clay) are more xeric and thus water in these
soils is limiting for much of the year. Under the same climatic
conditions in sandy soils (i.e. along the crests and upper midslopes), moisture is much less of a limiting factor (Knoop &
Walker 1985) although it is quickly lost to the bottomlands.
The sandy soils generally have an acidic pH, with alkaline soils
on the footslopes (Bredenkamp 1982; Scholes 1986). Therefore
the differences in soil constituency reflect plant productivity,
vegetation structure and species composition (O’ Connor 1985).
Floristic richness is also influenced by climate and management
factors such as grazing and fire (O’Connor 1991; O’Connor 1995;
Scholes 1997; Teague & Smit 1992).
The vegetation of the AGR relative to the catenal sequence
described by Scholes (1997) has the broad-leaved savanna
(Community 1) occurring on the crests and upper mid-slopes
with sandy soils and the fine-leaved savanna (Community 2)
on lower mid-slopes and footslopes with clay soils. Another
characteristic feature of the catenal sequence is the formation
199 KOEDOE
of seeplines (i.e. an intermittent perched water table) that
have characteristic hydromorphic or dambo grassland species
(Scholes 1986; 1997) and is represented on the AGR by the
community Variant 2a. The formation of this hydromorphic
grassland is as a result of the interface between the sandy
upland and the clayey bottomland (Scholes 1997).
The influence of the interface of the sand and clay is not
necessarily limited to a specific area but can expand from the
moist seepline areas into the broad-leaved savanna particularly
with regard to hydromorphic sedges and forbs, which are clearly
noticeable in the phytosociological table (Table 1), as indicated
by the bold broken line between Variants 2a and 1b (Species
Group E). A possible reason for this could be a damming-up
effect causing moisture to move upwards from the seepline,
resulting in a higher moisture content in the lower section of
Variant 1b and thus creating hydromorphic conditions similar
to that of a seepline. Water moving downslope towards the
evident interface would then result in a higher soil moisture
content up to the seepline, where the water emerges, creating
a hydromorphic grassland. Variant 2a (Acacia gerrardii - Fuirena
pachyrrhiza var. pachyrrhiza) is clearly recognisable by the
predominance of sedges and hydromorphic grasses and the
sparseness of trees, as reflected by the proportional cover values
of the woody, grass and forb growth forms being 15%, 39.6%
and 15.7%, respectively (Fig. 2). This hydromorphic community
is more moist than the areas above and below it and therefore
remains green and palatable for longer periods of time, thus
making it a valuable habitat for wildlife, especially during the
dry winter season (Scholes 1986).
Floristic and habitat correlation
Floristic and habitat correlations not only aid in the verification of
the vegetation classification but also provide an understanding
of the causes of community differentiation (Westfall 1992).
Finding a correlation between habitat and plant communities
does not necessarily validate a classification, because with
all the habitat factors available it should be possible to find
some or other correlation with a specific group of plants.
What is important however is that habitat factors shown to
correlate with the plant communities should form some sort
of environmental gradient (Panagos et al. 1998). The initial
CANOCO DCA (ter Braak & Šmilauer 1998) ordination of all
relevés provided a significant gradient (> 4 SD, Table 11). Scatter
diagrams (Fig. 3 & Fig. 4) reflect relevé groupings similar to
that produced by PHYTOTAB-PC (Westfall 1992). A CCA (ter
Braak & Šmilauer 1998) conducted on the environmental factors
(Table 12) recorded in this study indicated soil texture (i.e. sandy,
sandy loam, loam and clay), and hence soil moisture, to be the
environmental factor that had the greatest influence on the plant
community differentiation. The relevé grouping produced both
by PHYTOTAB-PC (Westfall 1992) and CANOCO (ter Braak &
Šmilauer 1998) reflects a gradient relating to soil fertility and
moisture clearly evident on catenas of granitic origin. Thus the
DCA and the CCA supported and confirmed the vegetation
classification of the AGR obtained in this study as analysed by
PHYTOTAB-PC (Westfall 1992).
Conclusions
With the exception of the riverine work of Myburgh (1999),
this is the first non-riverine application of a scale-related
vegetation technique (Westfall et al. 1996) used in conjunction
with PHYTOTAB-PC (Westfall 1992) in the Arid or Granitic
Lowveld (Acocks 1988; Mucina & Rutherford 2006). The
stratification and classification of the vegetation of the AGR at
a scale of 1:13 000 has provided a map of the reserve with three
main plant communities, two of which have two variants. The
plant communities of the AGR are indicative of vegetation on
deep sandy soils of the Granite Lowveld Bushveld Veld Type
(Driver et al. 2005) with affinity to the catenal phenomenon. The
Vol. 50 No. 1 pp. 184 - 201
http://www.koedoe.co.za
Original Research
Plant communities
use of a multivariate data analysis technique on the AGR data
set confirmed the phytosociological classification of AGR. The
use of the scale-related vegetation survey technique (Westfall
et al. 1996; Westfall & Panagos 1988) has provided quantitative
data together with a vegetation map of the AGR, which can be
used to formulate a management plan for the Andover Game
Reserve.
An integral component of reserve management is the
implementation of a vegetation monitoring programme for the
Andover Game Reserve. The data collected in this study was
objective with regard to the systematic manner (Cronje 2004)
in which it was collected with the use of the Plant Number
Scale (Westfall & Panagos 1988). It is recommended that an
area-based monitoring technique that incorporates the data
collected in this survey be used so that this baseline data can be
expanded upon to benefit management decision support of the
Andover Game Reserve.
acKnowledGemenTs
The authors thank Mr A.J. Botha and Mr I.C. Sharp for logistical
support and valued comments; the Tshwane University of
Technology for funding; Dr W.J. Myburgh, Mr J.J. Kotze and
Dr R.H. Westfall for assistance with data analysis; and Mrs I.
Cronje for dedicated assistance and motivation.
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