The results also showed an increase in the number of species under the grazing land use systems. Effect of land use regimes on mineral nutrient concentrations in the soil of the Rocherpan Nature Reserve.
Introduction
Although studies have been conducted on the use and management of the West Coast Strandveld, little has been done on the effects of various management activities on phytodiversity. Part of the farm called Modderfontein (not part of the reserve) has been used for sheep grazing since 1985.
Introduction
The aim of this study was to determine the impact of these land uses on plant species diversity using different indicators such as species richness, Margalef index, Shannon-Wiener diversity index, Pielou evenness index and the Simpson index. It was hoped that the results of this study would provide an indication of the suitability of using the Shannon-Wiener diversity index for further studies on diversity in the five land use regimes.
Materials and methods
Study site
- Information gathered at each sampling site
For example, if species one was recorded in subplot 1, which was laid out in subplot 10 and again was laid out in. Species that did not root in the plot but spread their branches/leaves across were noted separately.
Database
Species that did not root in the subplot but extended their branches/leaves hanging over the line were marked separately and marked with a plus sign. Monitoring included the identification of all plant species on the plot and the recording of all species present on the plot.
Species diversity indices
Pielou's evenness index (E) gives the value of the ratio between the observed diversity and the maximum diversity. The 1 - C statistic gives a measure of the probability that the next encounter (by the collector or any animal moving randomly) will be of a different species (Hurlbert, 1971).
Statistical analysis
Interestingly, significant differences were found during the conservation management 11 years of southern land use under species richness. The other diversity indices under conservation management 11 years southern land use did not show significant differences.
Introduction
Sampling procedures
- Plot Layout
- Data collection
The modified Whittaker plot design minimizes the problems in the original design by using consistent rectangular dimensions. For example, if species one was recorded in subplot 1, which was represented in subplot 10 and in turn was represented in 20 m x 50 m plots, then that species was recorded as being present in three different subplots. Species that did not take root in the subplot, but spread their branches, leaves hanging above the line, were marked separately and marked with a.
For example, if a species is not rooted in the 0.20 m x 0.50 m plot (subplot 1), but branches/leaves are overhanging the line and the species is rooted in subplot 10, then the species is recorded with a plus sign in subplot I. and marked with an asterisk as present in subplot 10 and within the 20 m x 50 m plot. Vegetation information consisted of a complete list of species found in the plot, which was collected according to the standard Braun-Blanquet procedure in subplot 23, which was 10 m x 10 m in size (Mueller-Dombois & . Ellenberg 1974). Plants that could not be identified on the veil were collected for later identification in the herbarium.
Database
Species diversity indices
Statistical analysis
Results
Asparagus capensis, Arctopus echinatus, Senecio sp, Disparago sp, Lachenalia sp and Oncosiphon grandiflorum blev funded i strimlepløjet naturmark afgræsset af fårearealer (table 3.2.3). For example Rhus glauca, Zygophyllum morgsana, Othonna cylindrica, Asparagus, declinatus, Pteronia divaricata, Heliophila digitata, Pelargonium julgidum, Asparagus jasciculatus, Droguetia iners, Babiana tubulosa, Ruschia subpanicula, Ruschia subpaniculata, silharosaiculata, silharosaiculata, silharosaiculata, silharosaiculata, via lanceolata, Hermania scordifolia . Da Shannon-Wiener-indekset blev austendt på artsdiversitet i de fem arealanvendelssistemer, viste det sig kun, at bevaringsregimet 11 år nord havde en signifikant lavere artsrigdom i rehdt til de andre (fig. 3.1).
Discussion
The species richness results showed no significant differences between land uses, except for the land use 11 years conservation management north. In this study, the species that showed an increase in cover in response to grazing land uses were Hemimeris racemasa (annual herb) and Ehrharta brevi/alia (annual grass), which showed a significant difference in diversity in the land use regime grazed by cattle and goats. However, the results of the strip-ploughed natural field grazed by sheep have compared well with the other land uses, except for the II year conservation management north land use.
The data in Appendix D present the number of species with their number of records per land use regime, which were used to estimate the importance of different diversity indices for different land uses. Further studies should focus on the different functional groups in the West Coast Strandveld and the effect of different land use options on them. The number of species and the number of annual and perennial species found in each land use regime (CG = grazing cattle and goats, C34 = 34 years of conservation, C II s = . eleven years of conservation management in the south, Clln = eleven years of conservation in the north, S = natural range on which sheep graze and SS = natural range on which sheep graze).
Introduction
Liengme (1987) referred to the fact that annual and geophytic species increase in abundance in a natural field used by grazing animals. Another option is to analyze the structure (eg growth forms, layering and distribution) of vegetation communities. Although this is an easy way to avoid complexity and taxonomy, vegetation structure also tends to reflect limiting factors in the environment, regardless of the plant species involved.
Little research has been carried out on the Strandveld, which has been differentiated into South Coast and West Coast forms (Moll et al., 1984). It is the latter that is the focus of this chapter, the purpose of which is to determine the impact of different land uses on phytodiversity in different functional groups. This study uses a fence line contrast between 34 years of conservation management, 11 years of conservation, natural cover grazed by sheep, natural veld grazed by a combination of cattle and goats, and strip plowed and grazed natural veld from sheep to assess the effect of different land uses on the phytodiversity of the identified functional groups.
Materials and methods
Study site
As shown in Fig 4.l.A, the number of annual plants was significantly greater in land use regimes plowed by cattle and goats, by sheep or stripped and grazed by sheep. The number of deciduous plants as well as the number of decumbent plants and annual stem waste plants, as assessed by the Shannon-Weiner index, was greater in the cattle and goat grazing regime relative to the other land use systems (Fig. 4.2.). A, B and C). With the Phanaerophytes, the number of plants in the conservation regimes (Le. 34 years and II years south) and plots grazed by sheep was significantly greater than the other land use treatments (Fig.4.3.C).
But the number of spike plants was significantly increased in the strip plowed and grazed by sheep areas (Fig. 4.3.D). 4.A,B much fewer woody and climbing species were found in the reserve for 11 years (north) and the strip plowed and grazed by sheep regimes compared to the other land use systems. The results found under strip-ploughed natural field grazed by sheep land in this study showed a significantly higher number of spike plants.
Introduction
Materials and Methods
Study site
The country lies in the winter rainfall region of South Africa at an altitude of 0 to 8 meters above sea level. Acocks (1975) described the Strandveld as containing a velor-type vegetation containing two variations: a dense, dwarf, semi-savory scrub and the Strandveld proper, which is an open semi-savory scrub of fYnbos and an intermediary between the Coastal Fynbos and the luscious Karoo. Acocks (1975) describes a dense Standve1d bush at Yzerfontein, 30 km south of the town of Langebaan, as about 1 m high and very dense, a Lilliputian forest, and the Strandveld proper as quite thick.
Soil sampling and analysis
- Collection and preparation of bulk soil
Of the land use regimes, the strip was plowed and grazed by sheep much more significantly different in soil chemical properties, followed by the conservation 11 years north (Table 5.1). Soil pH was significantly lower in the strip-plowed and sheep-grazed land use regime relative to the other land use systems. The concentrations of K, S, Na, Cu and Fe in soil collected from strip plowed and grazed by sheep were significantly greater than those from other land use regimes.
The conservation 11 years south had the lowest organic C content compared to the conservation I 1 year north or the other land use regimes (Table 5.1). The concentrations of Mg or K in bulk soil and interplants were also not significantly different for all land use systems except for the plowed and grazed by sheep regime (Fig. 5.2.A and B). Analysis of soils collected from different land use systems revealed significant changes in extractable nutrient concentrations.
Concentrations of K, S, Na, Cu and Fe were significantly greater in the land use regime of strip plowing and sheep grazing, while C, P, Mg and Ca showed significantly increased levels in the conservation management 11 years north. In conclusion, soil chemical properties, including nutrient concentrations, were altered under different land use regimes.
Appendix A
APPENDIXB
PlotS
Species numbers for different life/growth forms for different land uses, with Shannon-Wiener diversity indices (H') with number of species and species density per land use as measures of abundance showing means and deviations standards for each land use. CG = grazed cattle and goats, C34 = 34 years of conservation, C II s = eleven years of conservation management in the south, C I In = eleven years of conservation management in the north, S = natural velina grazed by sheep and SS = natural velina plowed with strips by sheep.
