The syntaxonomy and synecology of the forests in the eastern Orange Free State, South Africa. II. The Pittosporetalea viridiflorum

Preez, P.J. du; Bredenkamp, G.J.

doi:10.1016/s0254-6299(16)30940-1

Cited by 11 publications

(7 citation statements)

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“…The aim of the study was to sample above the 1 900 m contour, in order to work within the limits set by Killick (1963Killick ( , 1978aKillick ( , 1978b, who regarded the region in the Drakensberg above the 1 800 m as a distinct floristic region, namely the Afroalpine Region. Plot sizes were fixed at 100 m² (Du Preez 1991Du Preez & Bredenkamp 1991a;Malan 1998;Westhoff & Van der Maarel 1980;Whitaker 1980,). In all sample plots, each species was recorded, with all woody plants being counted and the cover abundance being estimated using the Braun-Blanquet cover scale (Mueller-Dombois & Ellenberg 1974;Whitaker 1980).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Numerous phytosociological studies have shown this to be a suitable numerical classification system to use (for example Barrett et al 2006;Bredenkamp & Brown 2003;Du Preez 1991;Du Preez & Bredenkamp 1991a;Grobler, Bredenkamp & Brown 2002;Malan 1998;Pond et al 2002). MEGATAB (Hennekens 1996b) was used to generate a phytosociological table, with further refinements being undertaken in Excel (Kent & Coker 1992).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Numerous phytosociological and floristic studies of the vegetation of the grassland biome in the Free State (Du Preez 1991;Du Preez & Bredenkamp 1991a, 1991bFuls 1993;Kay, Bredenkamp & Theron 1993;Malan 1998;Matthews et al 1994;Moffett et al 2001;Perkins 1997;Perkins et al 1999a;Roberts 1969;Van Zinderen Bakker 1973), KwaZulu-Natal (Hill 1996;Killick 1978aKillick , 1978bRobbeson 1998;Smit et al 1993Smit et al , 1995Smit et al , 1997, the Eastern Cape (Bester 1998;Hoare & Bredenkamp 2001;Pond et al 2002), Gauteng (Bredenkamp & Brown 2003;Grobler et al 2002;Grobler, Bredenkamp & Brown 2006), Limpopo (Barrett et al 2006), and Mpumalanga (Brown et al 2005;Matthews 1991: Matthews et al 1994) demonstrate floristic relationships.…”

Section: Affinities With Platbergmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A classification and description of the shrubland vegetation on Platberg, Eastern Free State, South Africa

Brand

Preez

Brown

2009

Koedoe

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The natural environment is constantly under threat from human-related activities. Platberg, overlooking the town of Harrismith in the Free State, is an inselberg that presents a refuge for indigenous plants and animals. The natural vegetation of the area is threatened by various farming and grazing practices, as well as by commercial development. In order to obtain baseline data and to obtain an improved understanding of the long-term ecological processes, the vegetation of Platberg was investigated to establish Afroalpine floristic links to the Drakensberg, as well as for the management of natural resources. From a Two-Way Indicator-Species Analysis (TWINSPAN) classification, refined by Braun–Blanquet methods, four major plant communities were identified, which were subdivided into fynbos, wetland, woody/shrub and grassland. A classification and description of the shrubland is presented in this article. The analysis showed the shrubland divided into 20 different plant communities, which are grouped into eight major communities, 13 sub-communities and eight variants. A total of 450 species was recorded from 109 relevés. A total of 24 endemic, or near-endemic, and Red Data species belonging to the Drakensberg Alpine Centre (DAC) was collected, with 22 alien (introduced) species also being recorded. Numerous floristic links with the DAC, the Cape Floristic Region and the Grassland Bioregions to the north and west were found.Conservation implications: The floristic composition and community analysis proves Platberg to be an important centre for plant diversity, with high species richness, a variety of habitats, and complex ecosystems. This description of the woodland communities can be used to assist with the setting of criteria for the management and protection of inselbergs in the province.How to cite this article: Brand, R.F., Du Preez, P.J. & Brown, L.R., 2009, ‘A classification and description of the shrubland vegetation on Platberg, Eastern Free State, South Africa’, Koedoe 51(1), Art. #696, 11 pages. DOI: 10.4102/koedoe.v51i1.696

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Affinities With Platbergmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A classification and description of the shrubland vegetation on Platberg, Eastern Free State, South Africa

Brand

Preez

Brown

2009

Koedoe

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“…Notably, there have been studies on Afromontane forests (du Preez et al. ; du Preez & Bredenkamp ), Transvaal grasslands (Bezuidenhout et al. ), and communities on ultramafic substrates in Sekhukhuneland (Siebert et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A first formal classification of the Hardeveld vegetation in Namaqualand, South Africa

Luther-Mosebach

Dengler

Schmiedel

et al. 2012

Applied Vegetation Science

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Questions The Succulent Karoo is a winter‐rainfall desert in southern Africa with a highly diverse flora. Which environmental factors differentiate vegetation composition at the plot level: How can compositional pattern be best represented by a formal phytosociological classification. Location Soebatsfontein communal area and surroundings in the Namaqualand Hardeveld Bioregion of the Succulent Karoo Biome, Northern Cape Province, South Africa. Methods We recorded vascular plant species composition, together with a range of structural and soil parameters as well as grazing intensity, in 355 plots of 100 m² size. This sample covered all vegetation types of the study area except those of river beds and anthropogenic sites. Vegetation classification was carried out using modified TWINSPAN followed by manual re‐arrangement of a subset of plots with the aim of increasing floristic distinctiveness of the vegetation units. For the final vegetation units, we determined diagnostic species and environmental parameters, according to phi‐values and ANOVA, respectively, and translated these into a phytosociological classification. Results The major factor influencing species composition and richness was soil salinity. At a broad scale, the less saline sites could be differentiated into sandy plains and rocky hills, and the saline sites into quartz fields, the centres of heuweltjies (termitaria) and the matrix between. We translated these patterns into two phytosociological classes with four orders, six alliances and 16 associations. Most of the syntaxa are very well defined in floristic terms, and all except the Othonnion cylindricae are new to science. The Hermannio trifurcae‐Zygophylletea morgsanae represents the zonal vegetation of marginally saline soils, the Didelto carnosae‐Cephalophylletea inaequalis the vegetation of saline soils. The vegetation of the extremely saline quartz patches probably belongs to a third class not described here due to the scarcity of representative plots. Conclusions Our phytosociological approach allowed the various degrees of ecological and floristic similarity to be represented by syntaxa of different ranks. A comparison with previous classifications from the Succulent Karoo revealed a high spatial turnover, with only two of our alliances and none of our associations coinciding with those found in previously studied areas of the Succulent Karoo. Our formal classification has the potential to be a powerful tool for local land use, ecological comparison and conservation, and to contribute to a future national phytosociological classification of South Africa.

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“…The vegetation comprises a mosaic of woody and grass-dominated vegetation units with short to tall sour grasses constituting the majority of the species composition (Mucina & Rutherford 2006). The Korannaberg near Excelsior (also in the eastern Free State) is the only other inselberg where a phytosociological study was performed, by Du Preez (1991,1992), Du Preez and and Du Preez, Bredenkamp and Venter (1991). Studies of the grassland vegetation of inselbergs in Africa are limited to studies in west Africa by Porembski and Barthlott (1995), Porembski and Brown (1995), Porembski et al (1996) and Porembski et al (1998), in central Atlantic Africa by Parmentier et al (2006), and in Namibia by Burke (2001Burke ( , 2004.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Grassland vegetation of Platberg, eastern Free State, South Africa

Brand

Brown

Preez

2011

Koedoe

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Platberg is an inselberg that presents a refuge for indigenous plants and animals. Uncontrolled human access to this area threatens this sensitive ecosystem. The vegetation of Platberg was investigated to obtain an inventory of the different plant species and communities present in this area. A hierarchical classification, a description and an ecological interpretation of the grassland communities of Platberg are presented. A total of 169 sample plots were placed on a stratified random basis within the study area. From a TWINSPAN classification a total of 27 different plant communities, which can be grouped into two major community types, nine communities, 18 sub-communities and six variants, were identified. A significant difference in species richness was found between the two major communities, with the higher-altitude communities having a higher species richness than the communities on the lower-lying slopes. A total of 26 endemic or near endemic Drakensberg Alpine Centre species were recorded. Conservation implications:Anthropogenic influences are felt globally on ecosystems. Highaltitude habitats and organisms will be affected first. Inselbergs have high levels of endemic organisms and are reservoirs and refugia for unique genetic material. This grassland plant community survey of Platberg provides valuable information on inselberg ecology for conservation planning.

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The syntaxonomy and synecology of the forests in the eastern Orange Free State, South Africa. II. The Pittosporetalea viridiflorum

Cited by 11 publications

References 5 publications

A classification and description of the shrubland vegetation on Platberg, Eastern Free State, South Africa

A classification and description of the shrubland vegetation on Platberg, Eastern Free State, South Africa

A first formal classification of the Hardeveld vegetation in Namaqualand, South Africa

The Grassland vegetation of Platberg, eastern Free State, South Africa

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