Plantegroeistudies van die Klerksdorpse Munisipale gebied : 'n floristiese en fitososiologiese studie

Abstract

Vegetation studies in the Klerksdorp Municipal Area a Floristic and Phytosociological study.

The aim of this study is to compile a complete classification of the vegetation of this area in terms of floristic and structural composition and ecological interpretation of the habitat. The Klerksdorp Municipal Area is situated in the south eastern parts of the North West Province, South Africa and occurs in the Grassland biome, specifically in the Dry Sandy Highveld Grassland. Klerksdorp has a Bs-climate which is characterised by a precarious, warm, mild to half dry climate with summer rainfall. The study area is limited to the natural open spaces in the Klerksdorp Municipal Area which is not formally managed. The area is stratified in physiographic and physionomic homogenous areas. Three areas were investigated separately namely the ridges, the wetlands and the relatively flat areas. Each of the three areas' habitat was investigated and floristic surveys were carried out according to the Braun-Blanquet approach. A statistical classification, TWINSPAN and the BBPC-software package, were used for the classification of the data. The results obtained through the classification were refined with Braun-Blanquet procedures in order to identify ecological sound communities. The data were analysed further using DECORANA, in order to indicate some relationships between vegetation and habitat factors. The results of the three areas are presented in separate phytososiological tables. Plant communities were identified, informally named and thoroughly described. A

Plantegroeistudies in Klerksdorp Munisipale Gebied total of 36 plant communities , sub-communities and variants were identified and were summarised in a final synoptic table, from which 12 vegetation groups were identified. Five of these groups correlate with existing vegetation classes of the western-Transvaal Highveld and the other seven groups may represent undescribed vegetation classes for the Grassland Biome. Proposals for planning and management principals were made for the conservation of specific plant species and plantcommunities. This will ensure the sustainable development of natural areas in the urban environment.