Abstract
The need to conduct research on the impact of elephant on the environment prompted the construction of exclosures along two of the most important rivers in the Kruger National Park. Scientific research on these exclosures along the Sabie and Letaba rivers addresses how patterns of spatial and temporal heterogeneity of the riparian zone are affected by fire, flood and herbivory. To further assist this research programme, a vegetation survey was conducted at the Nkhuhlu exclosure site along the Sabie River to classify and map the vegetation of the area. This will provide baseline data to assess future changes in vegetation and floristic patterns due to small-scale environmental factors created by the presence/absence of herbivory and fire. Phytosociological data were analysed to identify plant communities and subsequent mapping units. Five plant communities, ten sub-communities and four variants were recognised and described in relation to prevailing soil forms. Differences in species richness, diversity and community structure of the plant communities are clearly articulated.
Highlights
IntroductionMost of the research projects conducted so far had to rely on broadly-defined vegetation units to provide spatial context since no ‘formal’ vegetation classification existed for the Nkhuhlu exclosures
The need to conduct research on the impact of elephant on the environment prompted the construction of exclosures along two of the most important rivers in the Kruger National Park
The Nkhuhlu exclosures in the south of the Kruger National Park (KNP) form part of a set of exclosures that were built in 2002 to determine the effect of two important ecosystem modifiers, namely elephant and fire, by excluding them from the ecosystem, while at the same time trying to understand how river ecosystems recover after large infrequent disturbances
Summary
Most of the research projects conducted so far had to rely on broadly-defined vegetation units to provide spatial context since no ‘formal’ vegetation classification existed for the Nkhuhlu exclosures The need for this type of classification prompted this project, thereby producing a hierarchical classification comprising zonal and azonal plant communities. This detailed vegetation classification, interpreted in terms of environmental factors, will hopefully contribute to improved interpretations and better understanding of patch dynamics at various spatial scales as driven by the absence and presence of herbivory and fire. The mean annual rainfall is approximately 561 mm as measured at Skukuza, while the mean daily temperature is 21.9 °C, ranging from 5.6 °C in winter to a high of 32.6 °C in summer (Weather Bureau 1986)
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