Floristic analysis of domestic gardens in the Tlokwe City Municipality, South Africa

C S Lubbe,S S Cilliers,S J Siebert

doi:10.4102/abc.v41i2.78

Abstract

This paper is a first attempt to describe the flora of domestic gardens from an urban environment in South Africa. A total of 835 plant species of 501 genera in 145 families was recorded from 100 gardens in a 54.9 km2 area of the Tlokwe City Municipality [Potchefstroom], North-West Province. A substantial number of alien species (580) were recorded, but also many indigenous species (255) that included South African endemics (61) and protected species on the National Red Data List (18). A number of the alien species that were commonly cultivated are declared invasive plants in South Africa (88). Most of the cultivated indigenous taxa originated from the southeastern provinces of South Africa. This study provides new knowledge on the often overlooked biodiversity of urban areas in a developing, mega-diverse country. Most studies of a similar nature were conducted in the developed countries of Europe and are of limited use in the development of management plans of urban ecosystems in southern Africa.

Highlights

Urbanization is one of the most significant demographic trends of all times (Pickett et al 2001) and it has a devastating impact on the environment (Wu et al 2003)
A total of 145 plant families was recorded for the domestic gardens of the Tlokwe City Municipality (TCM) and 56 families (39 %) were represented by only a single species in the study area
Ten of the 20 best represented families in the TCM are on the list (Table 1) of the most species-rich South African families (Germishuizen et al 2006)

Summary

Introduction

Urbanization is one of the most significant demographic trends of all times (Pickett et al 2001) and it has a devastating impact on the environment (Wu et al 2003). The increase in population density of urban areas (Pickett et al 2001) results in infrastructure development and the subsequent transformation of natural areas. Plants play an important role in sustaining urban ecosystems (Savard et al 2000; Colding 2007). Urban green spaces provide physical ecosystem services such as temperature and flood control, removal of carbon from the atmosphere and social ecosystem services such as the increase of aesthetic values and community wellbeing (Bolund & Hunhammar 1999; Alberti 2005; Hope et al 2006). Knowledge of urban vascular plant floras is a prerequisite to maintaining and improving these ecosystem services of the urban environment and to keep it favourable for life within to persist

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Discussion

Conclusion