The effect of herbivores and humans on the Sand Forest species of Maputaland, northern KwaZulu‐Natal, South Africa

Abstract

(194 words)Sand Forest in the Maputaland region of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa is deemed the most valuable, but also probably the most complex vegetation type of this part of the Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany hotspot of biodiversity. However, Sand Forest is under threat from the current human population growth in that region as well as uncontrolled increases in animal numbers in conservation areas. In this study the impacts of herbivores and humans on the state of woody resources at two sites under differing utilisation regimes were compared. Sand Forest was found to be a complex assemblage of tree communities defined by different canopy and subcanopy levels. Although marked differences in abundance we noted for selected species at the different sites, Sand Forest was still dominated by finegrained species with an ideal population structure under both utilisation regimes. The finegrained nature of Sand Forest implies that regeneration depends on the creation of small canopy gaps either by natural processes, humans or elephants, while the creation of large gaps could transform it into woodland. Management of conservation areas where Sand Forest occurs should therefore concentrate efforts on regulating animal populations to levels that provide gap properties that favour forest regeneration.

Woody Vegetation Utilisation in Tembe Elephant Park, Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa

“…3;2014 than a year in terms of canopy volume removal (defoliation), observed levels of use are close to levels measured elsewhere that were followed by a retrogression sequence with significant associated vegetation changes. As elephant impact is also considered significant in Tembe (Gaugris & van Rooyen, 2011;Gaugris et al, 2012), a clear danger exists of forcing Tembe's vegetation into a phase of rapid changes. Subsequent to the present study field work in 2004, larger carnivores (Lions and wild dogs) were reintroduced in Tembe, which should be a key step to restore natural limits to herbivore populations' growth.…”

“…6, No. 3;2014 Plants were assigned to one of eight height classes (< 0.1 m, 0.1 to < 0.5 m, 0.5 to < 1.5 m, 1.5 to < 3.0 m, 3.0 to < 5.0 m, 5.0 to < 8.0 m, 8.0 to < 12 m, ≥ 12 m) representative of vegetation structure (Gaugris & van Rooyen, 2011 The range of height classes available to an agent was all height classes where any utilisation event was documented for that agent during our study. It was calculated as the sum of height classes for all woody species with potential for use per vegetation unit for the agent.…”

Modelling informal Sand Forest harvesting using a Disturbance Index from Landsat, in Maputaland (South Africa)

“…A C C E P T E D M A N U S C R I P T Additionally, a study by Gaugris and Van Rooyen (2011), which investigated the effects of herbivores and humans on Sand Forest, indicated that within the sites under observation the effects of fire and climatic changes did not feature in the disturbance of Sand Forest. The disturbances within the Tembe Elephant Park and in the neighbouring Manqakulane rural community were attributed to herbivores and anthropogenic causes.…”

Resource selection modeling reveals potential conflicts involving reintroduced lions in Tembe Elephant Park, South Africa

“…Tembe Elephant Park contains the largest protected sand forest habitat remaining in South Africa (Mucina & Rutherford, ). Sand forest is a restricted range vegetation that includes many endemics (Gaugris & Van Rooyen, ), and is the optimum habitat of suni antelope (Belton, Dalerum & Van Rensburg, ).…”