Impacts of alien plant clearance on vegetation in the mountain catchments of the Western Cape

Abstract

SYNOPSIS Monitoring plots were established in two mountain catchment areas in the Western Cape to assess the impacts of dense alien plant stands and alien plant clearance on indigenous Fynbos vegetation. In both areas Pinus pinaster was the dominant alien species with Hakea sericea also common. Indigenous vegetation persisted in the understorey of invaded stands, indicating that the high density of aliens was of recent development. Species richness of indigenous vegetation was lower in invaded, compared to uninvaded plots. After clearance by felling and burning, the aliens were effectively controlled, except for pines at Genadendal, where unfelled, older generation pines released seeds to recruit in the post-fire environment. The post-fire recovery of indigenous vegetation at both sites was rapid, with no significant differences measured in projected canopy cover, plant density and functional guild richness between invaded and uninvaded control plots. This improved condition of the indigenous vegetation w...