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Journal articles on the topic 'Grasslands – South Africa'

Author: Grafiati

Published: 4 June 2021

Last updated: 9 February 2022

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1

Burgoyne, B. M., G. J. Bredenkamp, and N. Van Rooyen. "Wetland vegetation in the North-eastern Sandy Highveld, Mpumalanga, South Africa." Bothalia 30, no. 2 (September 25, 2000): 187–200. http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/abc.v30i2.558.

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The wetland vegetation of the high mountain grasslands of Mpumalanga w as sampled by using stratification based on geology and land types. Floristic data were classified by TWINSPAN procedures and refined by using the Braun-Blanquet method. This resulted in the recognition of four major w etland plant communities w hich are subdiv ided into eleven minor plant communities. The major communities include the Phragmites australis Wetland occurring in relatively deep water, the Miscanthus junceus Wetland from moist river banks and wet drainage lines, the Eragrostis biflora-Stihurus allopecuroides Moist Grassland restricted to moist, poorly drained soils w ith a high water table, and Arundinella nepalensis Moist Grasslands on black vertic soils.

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2

Van den Hoof, Catherine, Michel Verstraete, and Robert Scholes. "Differing Responses to Rainfall Suggest More Than One Functional Type of Grassland in South Africa." Remote Sensing 10, no. 12 (December 18, 2018): 2055. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/rs10122055.

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Grasslands, which represent around 40% of the terrestrial area, are mostly located in arid and semi-arid zones. Semiarid ecosystems in Africa have been identified as being particularly vulnerable to the impacts of increased human pressure on land, as well as enhanced climate variability. Grasslands are indeed very responsive to variations in precipitation. This study evaluates the sensitivity of the grassland ecosystem to precipitation variability in space and time, by identifying the factors controlling this response, based on monthly precipitation data from Climate Hazards Group InfraRed Precipitation with Station data (CHIRPS) and the Fraction of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (FAPAR) data from the Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer-High Resolution (MISR-HR) datasets, used as proxy for productivity, at 60 grassland sites in South Africa. Our results show that MISR-HR products adequately capture the spatial and temporal variability in productivity at scales that are relevant to this study, and they are therefore a good tool to study climate change impacts on ecosystem at small spatial scales over large spatial and temporal domains. We show that combining several determinants and accounting for legacies improves our ability to understand patterns, identify areas of vulnerability, and predict the future of grassland productivity. Mean annual precipitation is a good predictor of mean grassland productivity. The grasslands with a mean annual rainfall above about 530 mm have a different functional response to those receiving less than that amount of rain, on average. On the more arid and less fertile soils, large inter-annual variability reduces productivity. Our study suggests that grasslands on the more marginal soils are the most vulnerable to climate change.

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Räsänen, Matti, Mika Aurela, Ville Vakkari, Johan P. Beukes, Juha-Pekka Tuovinen, Pieter G. Van Zyl, Miroslav Josipovic, et al. "Carbon balance of a grazed savanna grassland ecosystem in South Africa." Biogeosciences 14, no. 5 (March 7, 2017): 1039–54. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-1039-2017.

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Abstract. Tropical savannas and grasslands are estimated to contribute significantly to the total primary production of all terrestrial vegetation. Large parts of African savannas and grasslands are used for agriculture and cattle grazing, but the carbon flux data available from these areas are limited. This study explores carbon dioxide fluxes measured with the eddy covariance method for 3 years at a grazed savanna grassland in Welgegund, South Africa. The tree cover around the measurement site, grazed by cattle and sheep, was around 15 %. The night-time respiration was not significantly dependent on either soil moisture or soil temperature on a weekly temporal scale, whereas on an annual timescale higher respiration rates were observed when soil temperatures were higher. The carbon dioxide balances of the years 2010–2011, 2011–2012 and 2012–2013 were −85 ± 16, 67 ± 20 and 139 ± 13 gC m−2 yr−1, respectively. The yearly variation was largely determined by the changes in the early wet season fluxes (September to November) and in the mid-growing season fluxes (December to January). Early rainfall enhanced the respiratory capacity of the ecosystem throughout the year, whereas during the mid-growing season high rainfall resulted in high carbon uptake.

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4

Zaloumis, Nicholas P., and William J. Bond. "Reforestation or conservation? The attributes of old growth grasslands in South Africa." Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 371, no. 1703 (September 19, 2016): 20150310. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2015.0310.

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Deforestation as a result of burning and land conversion in the tropics and subtropics has been widely studied and active restoration of forests has been widely promoted. Besides other benefits, reforestation can sequester carbon thereby reducing CO 2 emissions to the atmosphere. However, before grasslands are targeted for ‘reforestation', it is necessary to distinguish whether they are ancient natural grasslands or secondary vegetation colonizing deforested areas. Here we report the results of a study comparing primary grasslands in South Africa with 4–40 year old secondary grasslands recovering from afforestation with Pinus species. Primary grasslands had significantly higher plant species richness overall, especially of forb species. Ground cover of primary grasslands was more evenly distributed among species than secondary grasslands which tended to mono-dominance. Forbs with underground storage organs (USOs) were common in primary grasslands but conspicuously absent in the recovering systems. Comparison of secondary grasslands of different ages (up to 40 years) showed negligible recovery of the original species composition. Three key features distinguish old growth primary from secondary grasslands: total and forb species numbers, evenness of species contributions to cover and the presence of USOs. Old growth grasslands also differed in their fire response, showing significant post-burn resprouting and fire-stimulated flowering in contrast to secondary grasslands. Though similar contrasting attributes of ancient and secondary grasslands have been reported in South America, more studies are needed to explore their generality in other geographical regions. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Tropical grassy biomes: linking ecology, human use and conservation’.

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Gomes, Amândio L., Rasmus Revermann, Francisco M. P. Gonçalves, Fernanda Lages, Marcos P. M. Aidar, Graciela A. Sanguino Mostajo, and Manfred Finckh. "Suffrutex grasslands in south-central Angola: belowground biomass, root structure, soil characteristics and vegetation dynamics of the ‘underground forests of Africa’." Journal of Tropical Ecology 37, no. 3 (May 2021): 136–46. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0266467421000298.

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AbstractDespite its importance for carbon stocks accounting, belowground biomass (BGB) has seldom been measured due to the methodological complexity involved. In this study, we assess woody BGB and related carbon stocks, soil properties and human impact on two common suffrutex grasslands (Brachystegia- and Parinari grasslands) on the Angolan Central Plateau. Data on BGB was measured by direct destructive sampling. Soil samples were analysed for select key parameters. To investigate vegetation dynamics and human impact, we used Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) and fire data retrieved via Google Earth Engine. Mean belowground woody biomass of sandy Parinari grasslands was 17 t/ha and 44 t/ha in ferralitic Brachystegia grasslands of which 50% correspond to carbon stocks. As such, the BGB of Brachystegia grasslands almost equals the amount of aboveground biomass (AGB) of neighbouring miombo woodlands. Almost the entire woody BGB is located in the top 30 cm of the soil. Soils were extremely acid, showing a low nutrient availability. Both grassland types differed strongly in EVI and fire seasonality. The Parinari grasslands burnt almost twice as frequent as Brachystegia grasslands in a 10-year period. Our study emphasizes the high relevance of BGB in suffrutex grasslands for carbon stock accounting.

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DESCHODT, CHRISTIAN M., and ADRIAN L. V. DAVIS. "New southern African species and a revalidation in the dung beetle genus Gyronotus van Lansberge, 1874 (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) with an updated key." Zootaxa 4624, no. 2 (June 28, 2019): 275–82. http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4624.2.10.

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Three new species are described in the genus Gyronotus van Lansberge, 1874 (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae), from upland grasslands of South Africa. They are Gyronotus dracomontanus Deschodt & Davis, new species, Gyronotus ovalis Deschodt & Davis, new species and Gyronotus kearneyorum Deschodt & Davis, new species. The South African coastal forest species, Gyronotus marginatus Péringuey, 1888, status revised, is removed from synonymy with Gyronotus pumilus (Boheman, 1857) and revalidated at species level. An updated key to all South African and eSwatini species is provided.

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7

Zaloumis, N. P., and W. J. Bond. "The fragility of mesic C4 grasslands in South Africa." South African Journal of Botany 86 (May 2013): 167. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sajb.2013.02.108.

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8

Sershen, Charmaine C. Drury, Clinton Carbutt, and Syd Ramdhani. "Seed banks of subtropical grassland patches within an urban matrix in South Africa: reflecting the past and foretelling the future." Botany 97, no. 4 (April 2019): 231–44. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjb-2018-0155.

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Urban grasslands often exist as fragmented patches with varying threat levels. These patches are generally inappropriately managed due to limited data on their responses to disturbance and seed bank regenerative potential. This study compared seed banks between non-naturally disturbed and undisturbed patches of South African subtropical grasslands in an urban environment. Standing vegetation was characterised via year-round quadrat and monthly transect sampling. The seed banks were sampled after the two main dispersal periods and assessed for species composition and density. The seed bank species (24) represented a subset (9%) of the standing vegetation, with forbs being the most speciose life form and grasses the most abundant. Disturbance had a moderate impact on seed bank density but significantly affected species composition and ordering. Clustering and ordination analyses separated seed banks based on disturbance history. However, seed banks in disturbed patches maintained the general character of the grassland type. Diagnostic, rare and threatened taxa were absent from seed banks, irrespective of disturbance history. Consequently, restoration will possibly require seed enrichment and species reintroduction rather than exploitation of natural seed banks. Identifying disturbance-sensitive species through seed bank surveys can inform grassland conservation and restoration strategies.

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9

Matthews, W. S., A. E. Van Wyk, and N. Van Rooyen. "Vegetation of the Sileza Nature Reserve and neighbouring areas, South Africa, and its importance in conserving the woody grasslands of the Maputaland Centre of Endemism." Bothalia 29, no. 1 (September 30, 1999): 151–67. http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/abc.v29i1.586.

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An analysis of the plant communities of the Sileza Nature Reserve and surrounding areas (± 4 124 ha) is presented. The study area falls within the Maputaland Centre o f Endemism, which is part ot the Maputaland-Pondoland Region, a centre of plant diversity rich in endemic plants and animals. A TWINSPAN classification, refined by Braun-Blanquet procedures, revealed 12 distinct, mainly grassland plant communities. A hierarchical classification, description and ecological interpretation ot these communities are presented. The level o f the water table, either directly, or indirectly through its role in soil formation, is the deciding factor in defining plant communities on the geologically young sandy substrate. Fire is an essential factor, particularly in maintaining the woody grasslands, a rare vegetation type rich in geoxylic suffrutices. and unique to the Maputaland Centre. A comparison between the endemic complement in the subtropical coastal grasslands of Maputaland and the high-altitude Afromontane grasslands of the Wolkberg Centre of Endemism shows marked differences in grow th form and vegetation type partitioning between the two centres. This can probably be ascribed to the relative youth (Quaternary) of the Maputaland coastal plain and its associated plant communities. Notable for their richness in Maputaland Centre endemic/near-endemic taxa. the conservation of sand forest and woody grasslands should receive high priority. Afforestation with alien trees is the most serious threat to the biodiversity of the Maputaland coastal grasslands, not only because of habitat destruction, but also through its expected negative effect on the hydrology of the region

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10

Avenant, Nico. "The potential utility of rodents and other small mammals as indicators of ecosystem 'integrity' of South African grasslands." Wildlife Research 38, no. 7 (2011): 626. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr10223.

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Context The expansive grassland biome is one of the most extensively transformed in South Africa, yet no strategy for monitoring its integrity is in place. A grassland health program, incorporating different ecosystem levels, was recently initiated. The suitability of three taxonomic groups as indicators has been tested so far: vegetation (by calculating an ecological index value, El), insects (using the South African grassland scoring system, SAGraSS) and small mammals (this study). All of these methods aim to be rapid and easy to perform. Whereas SAGraSS still needs further refinement, several factors already indicate the importance of including small mammal community parameters in integrity assessments. Aims This contribution reports on more than 12 years of results from various studies on small mammals in the Free State Grasslands, with the aim of exploring the utility of small mammal survey for assessment of ecosystem integrity. Methods The hypothesis was based on the outcomes of several short-term studies conducted in the grassland biome. Combining all previous results, this paper re-evaluates the parameters of trap success, species richness, diversity, evenness and individual species as bio-indicators. Key results By combining data from many sites and years, the effect of seasonal and inter-annual variations in habitat and population parameters was diminished, and a more general picture of small mammal community structure revealed. New insights were gleaned into the status of several indicator species. By providing a summary of small mammal community parameter scores and indices, the study establishes a benchmark for future small mammal assessments and monitoring. To be effective, small mammal surveys in the grassland biome of southern Africa should be carried out in autumn and early winter. Conclusions This study suggests that small mammal species richness and diversity decline with habitat degradation; that the generalist rodent Mastomys coucha dominates community numbers at low ecological integrity; that the number of specialist species increases towards ecological climax; and that specific species act as indicators during the successional process. Implications This study should benefit the monitoring, conservation and management of grassland ecosystems, make environmental impact assessments more effective, and identify new topics for ecological research.

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11

Vail, J. W., and D. G. Devey. "Controlling Metal Uptake from Heat-Treated Sludge Applied to Grasslands." Water Science and Technology 17, no. 4-5 (April 1, 1985): 599–610. http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/wst.1985.0163.

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A Zimpro heat-treated sewage sludge containing high levels of zinc, nickel, lead and chromium was successfully used to establish high-grade pastures and turf on two different coastal soils in South Africa, using guidelines developed in the United Kingdom to control the rate of application. The properties and composition of the sludge and soils are described and levels of metals in the grass are reported. The rates of application suggested by the guidelines were effective in preventing excessive metal uptake. The results obtained are discussed in relation to tentative guidelines for controlling sewage sludge applications to land in South Africa.

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12

Graham, Susannah C., Alan S. Barrett, and Leslie R. Brown. "Impact of Seriphium plumosum densification on Mesic Highveld Grassland biodiversity in South Africa." Royal Society Open Science 7, no. 4 (April 2020): 192025. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsos.192025.

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Mesic Highveld Grassland is important for biodiversity conservation, but is threatened by bush densification from Seriphium plumosum . This indigenous densifier spreads rapidly and outcompetes other herbaceous species, changing the species composition and structure of grasslands. This study looks at three different densities of S. plumosum and how these affect grassland biodiversity within Telperion, Mpumalanga, South Africa. An intermediate density of S. plumosum (1500 individuals (ind) ha −1 ) resulted in the highest plant species diversity ( H = 2.26), a low density (24 ind ha −1 ) was moderately diverse ( H = 1.96) and a high density (9500 ind ha −1 ) was least diverse ( H = 1.78). There were differences between the three densities in terms of plant species diversity, with the intermediate density being significantly more diverse ( p < 0.01) than both the low and high densities. Findings indicate that there was a significant difference between the sites in terms of ecological successional status ( p < 0.01). The presence of S. plumosum at low densities can be considered an integral part of the environment. It is important that in areas where S. plumosum occurs, it should be monitored. If this species is not in balance within its environment and it starts becoming dense, it will negatively affect the biodiversity, species composition and structure of the habitat.

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13

HUGO-COETZEE, ELIZABET A., and NICO L. AVENANT. "The effect of fire on soil oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida) in a South African grassland*." Zoosymposia 6, no. 1 (December 20, 2011): 210–20. http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zoosymposia.6.1.31.

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Fire is a natural disturbance factor in southern African grasslands, and has become an important management tool for conservation of these habitats. Information on the impact of fire on any aspect of biodiversity will assist land managers to make more informed decisions on a fire regime that will conserve biodiversity in these grasslands. This is the first study to examine the responses of mite assemblages to fire disturbance in South African grasslands. The study was conducted in the Erfenis Dam Nature Reserve in central South Africa. An area of the Reserve was burned with a fast, hot fire while another area was left unburned as a control. Soil oribatid mites were collected over a period of one year from the burned and control areas. Oribatid assemblages exhibited seasonal patterns, with species richness and abundance slightly higher in early and late autumn and early spring. Four months after fire, there was no residual effect of fire on total abundance and species richness. However, species composition and the seasonal relative abundances of particular species, e.g. Multioppia wilsoni Aoki, 1964, Scheloribates confusia Coetzer, 1968 and Anellozetes auriculatus (Mahunka, 1984), differed between burned and control plots, demonstrating how targeted species can be investigated as indicators of post-fire recovery.

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KEPE, T. "GRASSLANDS ABLAZE: VEGETATION BURNING BY RURAL PEOPLE IN PONDOLAND, SOUTH AFRICA." South African Geographical Journal 87, no. 1 (March 2005): 10–17. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03736245.2005.9713821.

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Morris, Craig D., and Rob Scott-Shaw. "Potential grazing indicator forbs for two mesic grasslands in South Africa." Ecological Indicators 107 (December 2019): 105611. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2019.105611.

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Everson, TM, RI Yeaton, and CS Everson. "Seed dynamics of Themeda triandra in the montane grasslands of South Africa." African Journal of Range & Forage Science 26, no. 1 (February 2009): 19–26. http://dx.doi.org/10.2989/ajrfs.2009.26.1.3.698.

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17

Siebert, S. J., A. E. Van Wyk, G. J. Bredenkamp, and F. Du Plessis. "The grasslands and wetlands of the Sekhukhuneland Centre of Plant Endemism, South Africa." Bothalia 32, no. 2 (September 12, 2002): 211–31. http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/abc.v32i2.491.

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A hierarchical classification, description, and ecological and floristic interpretations are presented on the vegetation types of the grasslands and wetlands of the Sekhukhuneland Centre of Plant Endemism. Relevés were compiled in 74 stratified random plots. A TWINSPAN classification, refined by Braun-Blanquet procedures, revealed eight associations. 11 subassociations and four variants. Many new syntaxa are described and ecologically interpreted. For each syntaxon. the species richness, endemism and conservation status was determined. The floristic and habitat information, proposed classification, general description and vegetation key are provided to aid future identification of conservation areas, land use planning and further research. An ordination (DECORANA). based on floristic data, confirmed the relationships that exist between plant communities and associated habitats and environmental gradients. Much of the plant community diversity and distribution can be ascribed to a heterogeneous environment, predominantly determined by soil moisture.

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18

Franz-Odendaal, Tamara A., Julia A. Lee-Thorp, and Anusuya Chinsamy. "New evidence for the lack of C4 grassland expansions during the early Pliocene at Langebaanweg, South Africa." Paleobiology 28, no. 3 (2002): 378–88. http://dx.doi.org/10.1666/0094-8373(2002)028<0378:neftlo>2.0.co;2.

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Major C4 grass expansions during the late Miocene in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres had a major impact on biological communities. We report that the diverse terrestrial fauna of Langebaanweg, South Africa, existed in a local environment that remained C3-dominated during the late Neogene (~5 Ma). In contrast, other Southern Hemisphere sites at similar latitudes show a clear shift to C4 grasslands well before 5 Ma. Our results are based on stable isotope analyses of enamel carbonate from four artiodactyl and two perissodactyl families from this locality. We also provide insight into the evolution of the current Mediterranean climate system in this part of South Africa.

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Uys, Charmaine, Michelle Hamer, and Robert Slotow. "Effect of burn area on invertebrate recolonization in grasslands in the Drakensberg, South Africa." African Zoology 41, no. 1 (April 2006): 51–65. http://dx.doi.org/10.3377/1562-7020(2006)41[51:eobaoi]2.0.co;2.

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20

Scott-Shaw, Rob, and Craig D. Morris. "Grazing depletes forb species diversity in the mesic grasslands of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa." African Journal of Range & Forage Science 32, no. 1 (May 16, 2014): 21–31. http://dx.doi.org/10.2989/10220119.2014.901418.

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21

Phaliso, N., and R. J. Sebola. "Taxonomic variation of Delosperma species in the high-altitude grasslands of Mpumalanga, South Africa." South African Journal of Botany 109 (March 2017): 363. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sajb.2017.01.156.

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Uys, Charmaine, Michelle Hamer, and Robert Slotow. "Effect of burn area on invertebrate recolonization in grasslands in the Drakensberg, South Africa." African Zoology 41, no. 1 (April 2006): 51–65. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15627020.2006.11407335.

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23

Hahn, Norbert. "An historic account of the extinct high rainfall grasslands of the Soutpansberg, South Africa." Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa 73, no. 1 (July 17, 2017): 20–32. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0035919x.2017.1346528.

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Maphisa, David H., Hanneline Smit-Robinson, Les G. Underhill, and Res Altwegg. "Drivers of Bird Species Richness within Moist High-Altitude Grasslands in Eastern South Africa." PLOS ONE 11, no. 10 (October 5, 2016): e0162609. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0162609.

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Brooke, Christopher F., Tineke Kraaij, and Jan A. Venter. "Characterizing a Poacher-Driven Fire Regime in Low-Nutrient Coastal Grasslands of Pondoland, South Africa." Fire Ecology 14, no. 1 (February 2018): 1–16. http://dx.doi.org/10.4996/fireecology.140101016.

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Jansen, R., R. M. Little, and T. M. Crowe. "Breeding biology of the Redwing Francolin in the highland grasslands of Mpumalanga Province, South Africa." Ostrich 72, no. 1-2 (March 2001): 20–23. http://dx.doi.org/10.2989/00306520109485278.

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O'Connor, TG, RG Uys, and AJ Mills. "Ecological effects of fire-breaks in the montane grasslands of the southern Drakensberg, South Africa." African Journal of Range & Forage Science 21, no. 1 (July 2004): 1–9. http://dx.doi.org/10.2989/10220110409485828.

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Armstrong, A. J., and H. J. van Hensbergen. "Evaluation of afforestable montane grasslands for wildlife conservation in the north-eastern Cape, South Africa." Biological Conservation 81, no. 1-2 (July 1997): 179–90. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0006-3207(96)00034-1.

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Everson, C. S. "The water balance of a first order catchment in the montane grasslands of South Africa." Journal of Hydrology 241, no. 1-2 (January 2001): 110–23. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0022-1694(00)00376-0.

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Dickie, J. A., and A. J. Parsons. "ECO-GEOMORPHOLOGICAL PROCESSES WITHIN GRASSLANDS, SHRUBLANDS AND BADLANDS IN THE SEMI-ARID KAROO, SOUTH AFRICA." Land Degradation & Development 23, no. 6 (June 27, 2012): 534–47. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ldr.2170.

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31

Abdel-Hamid, Ayman, Olena Dubovyk, and Klaus Greve. "The potential of sentinel-1 InSAR coherence for grasslands monitoring in Eastern Cape, South Africa." International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation 98 (June 2021): 102306. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jag.2021.102306.

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32

Magandana, Thabo Patrick, Abubeker Hassen, and Eyob Habte Tesfamariam. "Seasonal Herbaceous Structure and Biomass Production Response to Rainfall Reduction and Resting Period in the Semi-Arid Grassland Area of South Africa." Agronomy 10, no. 11 (November 17, 2020): 1807. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10111807.

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Reduction in rainfall is amongst the major climate change manifestation phenomena, and will have a significant impact on grassland ecosystems. A split plot experimental design was used to investigate the interactive effect of rainfall reduction and resting period (RP) (70 and 90 days) on herbaceous biomass production and rainwater use efficiency in semi-arid grasslands of South Africa. Different levels of rainfall reduction (RD) were setup as main plot treatments while resting periods were set as sub-plot treatments. Four 0.5 m × 0.5 m quadrats were harvested in spring, summer and autumn of 2016/17 and 2017/18 from each sub-plot to determine herbaceous species structure, aboveground biomass production and rainwater use efficiency (RUE). Grasses were most affected by rainfall reduction than forbs at the 30% and 60% RD levels. In contrast, the forbs were more affected at 15% RD while the grasses showed resilience up to 15% reduction in rainfall. The RUE was higher at 30% RD and 70 days RP in almost all three seasons, except in spring 2016/17. Our results show that herbaceous above ground biomass showed resilience up to 15% reduction but were affected more as the rainfall reduction exceeded 30%. The future predicted reduction in rainfall may result in domination of forbs and increaser grass species in the grassland.

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Stevens, L. B., J. Henri, M. Van Nierop, E. Van Staden, J. Lodder, and S. J. Piketh. "Towards the development of a GHG emissions baseline for the Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use (AFOLU) sector, South Africa." Clean Air Journal 26, no. 2 (December 3, 2016): 34–39. http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/2410-972x/2016/v26n2a11.

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South Africa is a signatory to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and as such is required to report on Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the Energy, Transport, Waste and the Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use (AFOLU) sectors every two years in national inventories. The AFOLU sector is unique in that it comprises both sources and sinks for GHGs. Emissions from the AFOLU sector are estimated to contribute a quarter of the total global greenhouse gas emissions. GHG emissions sources from agriculture include enteric fermentation; manure management; manure deposits on pastures, and soil fertilization. Emissions sources from Forestry and Other Land Use (FOLU) include anthropogenic land use activities such as: management of croplands, forests and grasslands and changes in land use cover (the conversion of one land use to another). South Africa has improved the quantification of AFOLU emissions and the understanding of the dynamic relationship between sinks and sources over the past decade through projects such as the 2010 GHG Inventory, the Mitigation Potential Analysis (MPA), and the National Terrestrial Carbon Sinks Assessment (NTCSA). These projects highlight key mitigation opportunities in South Africa and discuss their potentials. The problem remains that South Africa does not have an emissions baseline for the AFOLU sector against which the mitigation potentials can be measured. The AFOLU sector as a result is often excluded from future emission projections, giving an incomplete picture of South Africa’s mitigation potential. The purpose of this project was to develop a robust GHG emissions baseline for the AFOLU sector which will enable South Africa to project emissions into the future and demonstrate its contribution towards the global goal of reducing emissions.

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Cupido, C. N., W. M. M. Eddie, and L. R. Tiedt. "SYSTEMATIC AND ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF SEED COAT MORPHOLOGY IN SOUTH AFRICAN CAMPANULACEAE SENSU STRICTO." Edinburgh Journal of Botany 68, no. 3 (October 18, 2011): 351–71. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0960428611000291.

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The seed coat morphology of 50 species of Campanulaceae sensu stricto, representing all 10 South African genera, was studied by scanning electron microscopy to gauge its usefulness in the diagnosis of genera or to support clades. Possible correlations with life form (annual, herbaceous and woody perennial) and ecological requirements such as fire response, rainfall requirements, bedrock and soil preferences, as well as habitat (e.g. fynbos, strandveld, renosterveld, grassland and karoo), were also investigated. Patterns of variation are described and interpreted as conforming to two seed coat types: reticulate (Type 1) and striate/wavy (Type 2). Type 1 seeds are further divided into eight subtypes. Some general trends emerged; for example, Type 1 seeds occur in all major clades of wahlenbergioids, Type 1A with a smooth coarsely reticulate surface being predominant in fynbos taxa, all of which are woody perennials. Several of the Type 1 seeds, together with Type 2 seeds, also occur in species with wider ecological amplitude, for example in karoo, strandveld or montane grasslands. In Siphocodon there is remarkable disparity in seed type between species. These variations in seed type generally appear to accord with current knowledge of climatic changes and soil evolution during the Tertiary of South Africa, and may be useful indicators of generic emergence and mosaic speciation in the major lineages of wahlenbergioids. However, it was concluded that seed coat types do not correlate closely enough with specific ecological requirements or life forms to be of unequivocal predictive value. Also, apart from Merciera and Treichelia, they are of limited use as a diagnostic character for genera, but are useful for distinguishing species.

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Marean, Curtis W. "Implications of Late Quaternary Mammalian Fauna from Lukenya Hill (South-Central Kenya) for Paleoenvironmental Change and Faunal Extinctions." Quaternary Research 37, no. 2 (March 1992): 239–55. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0033-5894(92)90085-w.

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AbstractLate Quaternary paleoenvironmental data for East Africa are derived primarily from montane sources and thus we know little about the changing composition of East African savannas. Four archaeological sites at Lukenya Hill in the savanna of the Athi-Kapiti Plains of Kenya that date to the last 40,000 yr preserve a large mammalian fauna. The prehistoric hunters concentrated on migratory ungulates and virtually ignored the resident inselberg ungulates throughout the occupation. Faunas of the last glacial maximum are dominated by an extinct small alcelaphine antelope. Arid-adapted ungulates are present that are regionally absent historically, and Pelorovis is present as well. The small alcelaphine and arid-adapted ungulates are absent in the Holocene deposits. This suggests that there was an expansion of dry savannas during the last glacial maximum. The last glacial maximum aridity, combined with a lack of pastoral-set fires, would have resulted in a vegetative mosaic distinct from the present. Dry woody growth and dry and/or tall grass, all of which are poor forage for ungulates, would have been common where seasonally moist short grasslands are presently extant. These conditions favored the large-bodied, highly hypsodont species in Africa that became extinct with the onset of wet conditions during the early Holocene.

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Turpie, JK, T. O'Connor, A. Mills, and H. Robertson. "The ecological and economic consequences of changing land use in the southern Drakensberg grasslands, South Africa." South African Journal of Economic and Management Sciences 10, no. 4 (May 22, 2014): 423–41. http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/sajems.v10i4.1057.

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The grassland biome of the southern Drakensberg region of South Africa is characterized by a relatively rich floral biodiversity, including a high level of endemics. Land use in the area was traditionally dominated by livestock ranching based mainly on indigenous grassland that conserved biodiversity to some degree. Currently however, market demands and risk factors are shifting land use in the area to a matrix of beef, cropping, dairy and particularly, towards plantation forestry. A spreadsheet model was constructed to understand how expected land use conversion will likely influence the biodiversity, and consequently, the total economic value (TEV) of the area. Six scenarios of increasing dairy and forestry intensification were modelled that incorporated biophysical and legal constraints to development. Results indicate that enhanced development is likely to have significant negative biodiversity impacts including the reduction of the alpha diversity of the indigenous plants in the region, a diminished local invertebrate diversity, an increase in invasions, and could also jeopardize the long term survival of the rare Wattled Crane and Oribi. Furthermore, while the direct use value derived from agriculture and forestry increases with increasing development, its negative influence on the indirect value of water runoff, by far the greatest value of the area, is sufficient to potentially offset the benefits. Other major direct-use, indirect-use, option and existence values are also considered.

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Macfadyen, D. N., and B. K. Reilly. "The Dynamics of Buprestidae (Coleoptera) in Rocky Highveld Grasslands of Ezemvelo Nature Reserve, Gauteng, South Africa." Coleopterists Bulletin 67, no. 1 (March 2013): 7–15. http://dx.doi.org/10.1649/072.067.0116.

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Everson, Colin S., and Terry Everson. "The long-term effects of fire regime on primary production of montane grasslands in South Africa." African Journal of Range & Forage Science 33, no. 1 (January 2, 2016): 33–41. http://dx.doi.org/10.2989/10220119.2015.1124922.

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Wakeling, Julia L., Michael D. Cramer, and William J. Bond. "Is the lack of leguminous savanna trees in grasslands of South Africa related to nutritional constraints?" Plant and Soil 336, no. 1-2 (June 11, 2010): 173–82. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11104-010-0457-4.

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Oelofse, Myles, Torben Birch-Thomsen, Jakob Magid, Andreas de Neergaard, Ross van Deventer, Sander Bruun, and Trevor Hill. "The impact of black wattle encroachment of indigenous grasslands on soil carbon, Eastern Cape, South Africa." Biological Invasions 18, no. 2 (November 19, 2015): 445–56. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10530-015-1017-x.

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Jaars, Kerneels, Pieter G. van Zyl, Johan P. Beukes, Heidi Hellén, Ville Vakkari, Micky Josipovic, Andrew D. Venter, et al. "Measurements of biogenic volatile organic compounds at a grazed savannah grassland agricultural landscape in South Africa." Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 16, no. 24 (December 20, 2016): 15665–88. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-15665-2016.

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Abstract. Biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) play an important role in the chemistry of the troposphere, especially in the formation of tropospheric ozone (O3) and secondary organic aerosols (SOA). Ecosystems produce and emit a large number of BVOCs. It is estimated on a global scale that approximately 90 % of annual BVOC emissions are from terrestrial sources. In this study, measurements of BVOCs were conducted at the Welgegund measurement station (South Africa), which is considered to be a regionally representative background site situated in savannah grasslands. Very few BVOC measurements exist for savannah grasslands and results presented in this study are the most extensive for this type of landscape. Samples were collected twice a week for 2 h during the daytime and 2 h during the night-time through two long-term sampling campaigns from February 2011 to February 2012 and from December 2013 to February 2015, respectively. Individual BVOCs were identified and quantified using a thermal desorption instrument, which was connected to a gas chromatograph and a mass selective detector. The annual median concentrations of isoprene, 2-methyl-3-butene-2-ol (MBO), monoterpene and sesquiterpene (SQT) during the first campaign were 14, 7, 120 and 8 pptv, respectively, and 14, 4, 83 and 4 pptv, respectively, during the second campaign. The sum of the concentrations of the monoterpenes were at least an order of magnitude higher than the concentrations of other BVOC species during both sampling campaigns, with α-pinene being the most abundant species. The highest BVOC concentrations were observed during the wet season and elevated soil moisture was associated with increased BVOC concentrations. However, comparisons with measurements conducted at other landscapes in southern Africa and the rest of the world that have more woody vegetation indicated that BVOC concentrations were, in general, significantly lower for savannah grasslands. Furthermore, BVOC concentrations were an order of magnitude lower compared to total aromatic concentrations measured at Welgegund. An analysis of concentrations by wind direction indicated that isoprene concentrations were higher from the western sector that is considered to be a relatively clean regional background region with no large anthropogenic point sources, while wind direction did not indicate any significant differences in the concentrations of the other BVOC species. Statistical analysis indicated that soil moisture had the most significant impact on atmospheric levels of MBO, monoterpene and SQT concentrations, whereas temperature had the greatest influence on isoprene levels. The combined O3 formation potentials of all the BVOCs measured calculated with maximum incremental reactivity (MIR) coefficients during the first and second campaign were 1162 and 1022 pptv, respectively. α-Pinene and limonene had the highest reaction rates with O3, whereas isoprene exhibited relatively small contributions to O3 depletion. Limonene, α-pinene and terpinolene had the largest contributions to the OH reactivity of BVOCs measured at Welgegund for all of the months during both sampling campaigns.

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TRACY, JAMES L., and THOMAS O. ROBBINS. "Taxonomic revision and biogeography of the Tamarix-feeding Diorhabda elongata (Brullé, 1832) species group (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae: Galerucini) and analysis of their potential in biological control of Tamarisk." Zootaxa 2101, no. 1 (May 11, 2009): 1–152. http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.2101.1.1.

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The primarily Palearctic Diorhabda elongata species group is established for five Tamarix-feeding sibling species(tamarisk beetles): D. elongata (Brullé, 1832), D. carinata (Faldermann, 1837), D. sublineata (Lucas, 1849) REVISEDSTATUS, D. carinulata (Desbrochers, 1870), and D. meridionalis Berti & Rapilly, 1973 NEW STATUS. Diorhabdakoltzei ab. basicornis Laboissière, 1935 and D. e. deserticola Chen, 1961 are synonymized under D. carinulata NEWSYNONYMY. Illustrated keys utilize genitalia, including male endophallic sclerites and female vaginal palpi andinternal sternite VIII. Distribution, comparative biogeography, biology, and potential in biological control of Tamarix inNorth America are reviewed. Diorhabda elongata is circummediterranean, favoring Mediterranean and temperate forestsof Italy to western Turkey. Diorhabda carinata resides in warm temperate grasslands, deserts, and forests of southernUkraine south to Iraq and east to western China. Diorhabda sublineata occupies Mediterranean woodlands from Franceto North Africa and subtropical deserts east to Iraq. Diorhabda carinulata primarily inhabits cold temperate deserts ofMongolia and China west to Russia and south to montane grasslands and warm deserts in southern Iran. Diorhabdameridionalis primarily occupies maritime subtropical deserts of southern Pakistan and Iran to Syria. Northern climatypesof D. carinulata are effective in Tamarix biological control, especially in the Great Basin desert. Diorhabda elongata isprobably best suited to Mediterranean woodlands of northern California. Northern climatypes of D. carinata may be bestsuited for central U.S. grasslands. Diorhabda sublineata, D. meridionalis, and southern climatypes of D. carinata and D. carinulata may each be uniquely suited to areas of the southwestern U.S.

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Mercer, Madeleine J., Gidea P. van der Linde, and Gina Joubert. "Rhinitis (allergic and nonallergic) in an atopic pediatric referral population in the grasslands of inland South Africa." Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology 89, no. 5 (November 2002): 503–12. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s1081-1206(10)62089-3.

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Dlamini, P., C. Orchard, G. Jewitt, S. Lorentz, L. Titshall, and V. Chaplot. "Controlling factors of sheet erosion under degraded grasslands in the sloping lands of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa." Agricultural Water Management 98, no. 11 (September 2011): 1711–18. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2010.07.016.

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Cândido, Elisa Silva, Mohammad Vatanparast, Wanderleia de Vargas, Luísa M. P. A. Bezerra, Gwilym P. Lewis, Vidal F. Mansano, André O. Simões, et al. "Molecular phylogenetic insights into the evolution of Eriosema (Fabaceae): a recent tropical savanna-adapted genus." Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 194, no. 4 (August 9, 2020): 439–59. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/botlinnean/boaa059.

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Abstract Eriosema comprises c. 150 species and has a pantropical distribution and two centres of diversity, Africa and America. The species occur in tropical savannas and grasslands, including the cerrado in Brazil. They have adapted to these environments by developing specialized underground organs, and an abundance of trichomes. Here we present the first comprehensive molecular phylogenetic analysis of Eriosema, including species from its entire distribution range and generating 391 new DNA sequences. We sampled 140 species from nine genera of Cajaninae, of which 94 (60% of the genus) were Eriosema. Our analyses were based on the nuclear ITS and plastid rpl32 and trnQ regions, and used maximum likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetic analyses of individual and combined data sets. In all analyses, Eriosema was resolved as monophyletic, but its interspecific relationships are not well resolved. Rhynchosia is not monophyletic, and some African Rhynchosia spp. emerged together as sister to Eriosema. Our study supports the monophyly of Adenodolichos, Dunbaria, Flemingia and Cajanus, but Chrysoscias and Bolusafra formed a clade that is sister to a group of Rhynchosia spp. Paracalyx was resolved as paraphyletic and nested among African Rhynchosia spp. Divergence time analysis suggested that the Eriosema lineages diverged 6.5–10.7 Mya. Two major lineages have diversified in Eriosema, one including most of the African species (4.41–6.68 Mya), the other mainly composed of the South American cerrado species (3.56–5.78 Mya). These results revealed that Eriosema is a recent and tropical savanna-adapted group, and its diversification occurred in the late Miocene in parallel with the expansion of C4 grasslands.

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Woillez, M. N., G. Levavasseur, A. L. Daniau, M. Kageyama, D. H. Urrego, and M. F. Sánchez-Goñi. "Impact of precession on the climate, vegetation and fire activity in southern Africa during MIS4." Climate of the Past Discussions 9, no. 5 (September 17, 2013): 5391–438. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/cpd-9-5391-2013.

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Abstract. The relationships between climate, vegetation and fires are a major subject of investigation in the context of climate change. In southern Africa, fire is known to play a crucial role in the existence of grasslands and Mediterranean-like biomes. Microcharcoal-based reconstructions of past fire activity in that region have shown a tight correlation between grass-fueled fires and the precessional cycle, with maximum fire activity during maxima of the climatic precession index. These changes have been interpreted as the result of changes in fuel load in response to precipitation changes in eastern southern Africa. Here we use the general circulation model IPSL_CM5A and the dynamical vegetation model LPJ-LMfire to investigate the response of climate, vegetation and fire activity to precession changes in southern Africa during Marine Isotopic Stage 4. We perform two climatic simulations, for a maximum and minimum of the precession index, and use a statistical downscaling method to increase the spatial resolution of the IPSL_CM5A outputs over southern Africa and perform high-resolution simulations of the vegetation and fire activity. Our results show an anti-correlation between the North and South African monsoons in response to precession changes. A decrease of the precession climatic index leads to a precipitation decrease in the summer rainfall area of southern Africa. The drying of climate leads to a decrease of vegetation cover and fire activity. Our results are in qualitative agreement with data and confirm that fire activity in southern Africa is strongly dependent on the vegetation type.

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Andela, Niels, Guido R. van der Werf, Johannes W. Kaiser, Thijs T. van Leeuwen, Martin J. Wooster, and Caroline E. R. Lehmann. "Biomass burning fuel consumption dynamics in the tropics and subtropics assessed from satellite." Biogeosciences 13, no. 12 (June 28, 2016): 3717–34. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-3717-2016.

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Abstract. Landscape fires occur on a large scale in (sub)tropical savannas and grasslands, affecting ecosystem dynamics, regional air quality and concentrations of atmospheric trace gasses. Fuel consumption per unit of area burned is an important but poorly constrained parameter in fire emission modelling. We combined satellite-derived burned area with fire radiative power (FRP) data to derive fuel consumption estimates for land cover types with low tree cover in South America, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Australia. We developed a new approach to estimate fuel consumption, based on FRP data from the polar-orbiting Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and the geostationary Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI) in combination with MODIS burned-area estimates. The fuel consumption estimates based on the geostationary and polar-orbiting instruments showed good agreement in terms of spatial patterns. We used field measurements of fuel consumption to constrain our results, but the large variation in fuel consumption in both space and time complicated this comparison and absolute fuel consumption estimates remained more uncertain. Spatial patterns in fuel consumption could be partly explained by vegetation productivity and fire return periods. In South America, most fires occurred in savannas with relatively long fire return periods, resulting in comparatively high fuel consumption as opposed to the more frequently burning savannas in Sub-Saharan Africa. Strikingly, we found the infrequently burning interior of Australia to have higher fuel consumption than the more productive but frequently burning savannas in northern Australia. Vegetation type also played an important role in explaining the distribution of fuel consumption, by affecting both fuel build-up rates and fire return periods. Hummock grasslands, which were responsible for a large share of Australian biomass burning, showed larger fuel build-up rates than equally productive grasslands in Africa, although this effect might have been partially driven by the presence of grazers in Africa or differences in landscape management. Finally, land management in the form of deforestation and agriculture also considerably affected fuel consumption regionally. We conclude that combining FRP and burned-area estimates, calibrated against field measurements, is a promising approach in deriving quantitative estimates of fuel consumption. Satellite-derived fuel consumption estimates may both challenge our current understanding of spatiotemporal fuel consumption dynamics and serve as reference datasets to improve biogeochemical modelling approaches. Future field studies especially designed to validate satellite-based products, or airborne remote sensing, may further improve confidence in the absolute fuel consumption estimates which are quickly becoming the weakest link in fire emission estimates.

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Dugas, Daniel P., and Gregory J. Retallack. "Middle Miocene fossil grasses from Fort Ternan, Kenya." Journal of Paleontology 67, no. 1 (January 1993): 113–28. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022336000021223.

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At the well-known fossil mammal locality of Fort Ternan in southwestern Kenya, radiometrically dated at about 14 million years old (middle Miocene), fossil grasses have been preserved by nephelinitic sandstone in place of growth above a brown paleosol (type Onuria clay). Large portions of grass plants as well as fragments of leaves have revealed details of silica bodies, stomates, and other taxonomically important features under the scanning electron microscope. The computer database for grass identification compiled by Leslie Watson and colleagues was used to determine the most similar living grass genera to the five distinct kinds of fossil found. Two of the fossil species are assigned to Cleistochloa kabuyis sp. nov. and C. shipmanae sp. nov. This genus includes one species from low fertility dry woodland soils of New South Wales and Queensland and a second species from “raw clay soils” in western New Guinea. A third fossil species, represented by a large portion of a branching culm, is assigned to Stereochlaena miocenica sp. nov. This genus includes five species of low-fertility woodland soils in southeastern Africa. Both Cleistochloa and Stereochlaena are in the supertribe Panicanae of the subfamily Panicoideae. A fourth species is assigned to Distichlis africana sp. nov. and provides a biogeographic link between the single species of this genus now living in coastal grasslands in southeastern Australia and the 12 species of dunes and deserts found throughout the Americas from Patagonia and the West Indies to the United States and Canada. A fifth species is, like D. africana, in the subfamily Chloridoideae, but its stomata were not seen and it could belong to Cyclostachya, Pogoneura, or Polevansia. This earliest known wooded grassland flora in Africa is taxonomically unlike the modern grass flora of fertile volcanic African landscapes, and may have been recruited from an archaic grass flora of Gondwanan desert and lateritic soils.

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Jansen, R., R. M. Little, and T. M. Crowe. "Habitat utilization and home range of the redwing francolin, Francolinus levaillantii , in highland grasslands, Mpumalanga province, South Africa." African Journal of Ecology 38, no. 4 (December 2000): 329–38. http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2028.2000.00256.x.

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Armstrong, A. J., H. J. van Hensbergen, and H. Geertsema. "Evaluation of Afforestable Montane Grasslands for Wildlife Conservation in the North-Eastern Cape, South Africa. Part 1. Methods." South African Forestry Journal 171, no. 1 (December 1994): 7–20. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00382167.1994.9629845.

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