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A hierarchical phytosociology of the Greater Zandvlei area

The Zandvlei Nature Reserve is to be expanded to form the Greater Zandvlei Estuary Nature Reserve and will encorporate a much greater area (250 more hectares). The Greater Zandvlei area was classified by means of Zurich Montpellier (Braun Blanquet) procedures. 60 relevés were used to create a hierar...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Szöke, Tim
Other Authors: Hoffmann, Timm
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: Department of Biological Sciences 2017
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Summary:The Zandvlei Nature Reserve is to be expanded to form the Greater Zandvlei Estuary Nature Reserve and will encorporate a much greater area (250 more hectares). The Greater Zandvlei area was classified by means of Zurich Montpellier (Braun Blanquet) procedures. 60 relevés were used to create a hierarchical phytosociology using TWINSPAN and DCA-ordination analyses. 3 major community types were identified, which were then subdivided to reveal 6 community types important to future management: Moist Grassland/Wetland Disturbed Parkland, Dune Asteraceous Fynbos, Thicket/Shrub Mosaic, Rhus-Euclea Dune Thicket and Homogenous Patches. CCA-ordination indicates that the abiotic soil factors sampled (texture composition, pH, carbon content and visible disturbance) explain very little of the variation between the communities (r²=0.002). This phytosociology is provided as a tool for future research in the area, and it is hoped to assist in future management decisions regarding the newly founded GZENR.