The effect of herbivores and humans on the Sand Forest species of Maputaland,northern KwaZulu-Natal,South Africa |
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Authors: | Jerome Y Gaugris Margaretha W van Rooyen |
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Institution: | (1) Centre for Wildlife Management, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa;(2) Department of Plant Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa |
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Abstract: | 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 from uncontrolled increases in wild herbivore numbers
in conservation areas. The present study compares the impacts of herbivores and humans on the state of woody resources between
two sites under differing utilisation regimes. Sand Forest was found to be a complex association of tree assemblages defined
by different canopy and subcanopy properties. Although marked differences in the abundance of selected species were noted
at the two sites, the Sand Forest remained dominated by fine-grained species under both utilisation regimes. The fine-grained
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. |
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