Development of degradation models for Botsalana game reserve

Abstract

In this study, sites were selected t o deliberately represent the different levels o f degradation in Botsalano Game Reserve which is situated 30Km north of Mafikeng in the Lehurutshe region, Northwest Province, and 350Km from Johannesburg. Sites were chosen closer to water points, near old kraals, and under big trees to represent highly degraded sites, open grassland for moderate degradation and closer to camp sites, fences and offices to represent less degraded. Biomass, species composition and soil characteristics like soil colour, soil texture, cation exchange capacity and organic carbon percentages were compared for a total of 70 sites chosen. Integrated System for Plant Dynamics (ISPD ) was used to construct the degradation models by using DCA and DMOC ordination techniques, degradation models which showed the position of different site s on the degradation gradient were constructed. Biomass and degradation were compared using Spearman' s rank correlation coefficient which showed a negative correlation. Some species were also selected to be representative of either high, less or even moderately degraded areas. All the findings in this study show that some areas of the park need restoration especially those severely degraded areas, this can be done by re-seeding and protecting the areas by fences or de-stocking.