Vegetation ecology of the Southern Free State
Abstract
English: This study forms an integral part of the main long-term goal to compile a
. comprehensive synecological synthesis of the vegetation of the southern
Free State. (1) to identify, classify and ecologically interpret the plant communities in
the study area,
(2) to compile a comprehensive phytosociologicaJ and synecological
synthesis of the vegetation of the study area, including all the
phytosociological data compiled by other researchers in the southern Free
State, and
(3) to take part in compiling a comprehensive synecological synthesis of the
Grassland Biome.
Relatively little is known about the vegetation of the study area. The
main aim of the study was:
The study area is situated in the southern Free State, covers
approximately 27 000 km² and is bounded by latitude 29° South andlongitude 270 East. It is bounded by the Orange River in the south and by
the imaginary boundary between the Free State and Northern Cape Province
in the west.
The aims were achieved through compiling extensive phytosociological
surveys in the study area. The study area was stratified into relative
homogeneous units of major attributes such as geology, topography (land
form), physiognomy and dominant species. A phytosociological survey
according to Braun-Blanquet procedures as weU as habitat analysis were
being done. Data were being classified through the TWINSPAN program and
then refined by Braun-Blanquet procedures.
From the 2 370 relevés compiled in the southern Free State, 394 plant
communities were identified, classified and ecologically interpreted.
16 Major vegetation units were described from the 394 described plant
communities.
An ordination algorithm (DECORANA) was used to indicate the floristic
relationships among the vegetation units and make the classifications more
interpretable. The synecological synthesis of the vegetation of the southern Free State
plays an important role in compiling a comprehensive synecological and
syntaxonomical synthesis of the vegetation of the Grassland Biome of
southern Africa. Afrikaans:Hierdie studie vorm 'n integrale deel van die oorhoofse langtermyn doeI om
'n omvattende sinekologiese sintese van die Grasveldbioom van suidelike
Afrika daar te stel. Met die aanvang van die projek was daar relatief min
inligting oor die plantegroei van die gebied bekend. Die hoofdoel van hierdie
studie was:
(1) om die plantgemeenskappe in die studiegebied te identifiseer, te
klassifiseer en ekologies te interpreteer,
(2) om 'n omvattende fitososiologiese en sinekologiese sintese van die
plantegroei van die studiegebied daar te stel, insluitende alle
fitososiologiese data ingesamel deur ander navorsers in die suidelike
Vrystaat, en
(3) om 'n bydrae te lewer omtrent die daarstelling van 'n volledige
sinekologiese sintese van die Grasveldbioom.
Die studiegebied Is in die suidelike Vrystaat geleë, beslaan 'n totale
oppervlak.te van ongeveer 27 000 km² en word begrens deur die lengtegraad 29°Suid en breedtegraad 27°00s. Dit word begrens deur die
Oranjerivier in die suide en die denkbeeldige grens tussen die Vrystaat- en
Noord-Kaap Provinsie in die weste.
Die doelwitte is bereik deur ekstensiewe fitososiologiese opnames in die
studiegebied uit te voer. Die studiegebied is gestratifiseer volgens relatiewe
homogene eenhede van faktore soos geologie, topografie (terrein vorm),
fisionomie en dominante spesies. 'n Fitososiologiese ondersoek, volgens
Braun-Blanquet prosedures asook 'n habitat opname is uitgevoer. Die data is
deur middel van die TWINSPAN- program geklassifiseer en daarna deur die
Braun-Blanquet prosedures verfyn.
Uit die 2 370 relevés wat in die suidelike Vrystaat saamgestel is, is 394
plantgemeenskappe ge·(jentifiseer,. geklassifiseer, beskryf en ekologies
genterpreteer.Uit die omvattende fitososiologiese sintese van die 394 beskryfde
plantgemeenskappe van die suidelike Vrystaat is 16 hoofplantegroeitipes in
die studiegebied beskryf.
'n Ordeningsalgoritme (DECORANA) wat die floristiese verwantskappe
tussen die plantegroei-eenhede aandui, is gebruik om die klassifikasies aan
te vul.
Die sinekologiese sintese van die suidelike Vrystaat lewer 'n bydra tot die
uiteindelike doel, nl. om 'n volledige sinekologiese en sintaksonomiese
sintese van die Grasveldbioom in suidelike Afrika daar te stel.
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