Original Research

The vegetation and floristics of the Nkhuhlu Exclosures, Kruger National Park

Frances Siebert, Holger C. Eckhardt
Koedoe | Vol 50, No 1 | a138 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/koedoe.v50i1.138 | © 2008 Frances Siebert, Holger C. Eckhardt | This work is licensed under Other
Submitted: 22 February 2008 | Published: 10 December 2008

About the author(s)

Frances Siebert, North West University, South Africa
Holger C. Eckhardt, SANParks, South Africa

Abstract

The need to conduct research on the impact of elephant on the environment prompted the construction of exclosures along two of the most important rivers in the Kruger National Park. Scientific research on these exclosures along the Sabie and Letaba rivers addresses how patterns of spatial and temporal heterogeneity of the riparian zone are affected by fire, flood and herbivory. To further assist this research programme, a vegetation survey was conducted at the Nkhuhlu exclosure site along the Sabie River to classify and map the vegetation of the area. This will provide baseline data to assess future changes in vegetation and floristic patterns due to small-scale environmental factors created by the presence/absence of herbivory and fire. Phytosociological data were analysed to identify plant communities and subsequent mapping units. Five plant communities, ten sub-communities and four variants were recognised and described in relation to prevailing soil forms. Differences in species richness, diversity and community structure of the plant communities are clearly articulated.

Keywords

Sabie River; biodiversity; savanna; riparian vegetation; vegetation mapping

Metrics

Total abstract views: 6786
Total article views: 6848

 

Crossref Citations

1. The Effects of Herbivory by a Mega- and Mesoherbivore on Tree Recruitment in Sand Forest, South Africa
D. D. Georgette Lagendijk, Robin L. Mackey, Bruce R. Page, Rob Slotow, Justin Wright
PLoS ONE  vol: 6  issue: 3  first page: e17983  year: 2011  
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0017983

2. Calibration of a hand-held instrument for measuring condensed tannin concentration based on UV- and red-excited fluorescence
Peter Scogings, Sithembile Siko, Robert Taylor
African Journal of Range & Forage Science  vol: 31  issue: 1  first page: 55  year: 2014  
doi: 10.2989/10220119.2013.858772

3. Browsing intensity of herbaceous forbs across a semi-arid savanna catenal sequence
F. Siebert, P. Scogings
South African Journal of Botany  vol: 100  first page: 69  year: 2015  
doi: 10.1016/j.sajb.2015.05.007

4. Influence of herbivores and trees on soil biochemical properties of a semi-arid savanna
Siviwe O. Malongweni, Johan van Tol
KOEDOE - African Protected Area Conservation and Science  vol: 65  issue: 1  year: 2023  
doi: 10.4102/koedoe.v65i1.1742

5. Climate‐Driven Vegetation Characteristics Shape Phytophagous and Carnivorous Insect Diversity in South African Savannahs
Fernando P. Gaona, Sylvain Delabye, Pavel Potocký, Valeriy Govorov, Jan Čuda, Llewellyn C. Foxcroft, Rafał Garlacz, Martin Hejda, Sandra MacFadyen, Tomasz Pyrcz, Klára Pyšková, Ondřej Sedláček, David Storch, Petr Pyšek, Robert Tropek
Journal of Biogeography  vol: 52  issue: 4  year: 2025  
doi: 10.1111/jbi.15076

6. Fire and herbivory shape soil arthropod communities through habitat heterogeneity and nutrient cycling in savannas
Joshua Thoresen, Marie-Liesse Vermeire, Zander Venter, Graeme Wolfaard, Jennifer Adams Krumins, Michael Cramer, Heidi-Jayne Hawkins
Global Ecology and Conservation  vol: 25  first page: e01413  year: 2021  
doi: 10.1016/j.gecco.2020.e01413

7. Does large herbivore removal affect secondary metabolites, nutrients and shoot length in woody species in semi-arid savannas?
P.F. Scogings, J. Hjältén, C. Skarpe
Journal of Arid Environments  vol: 88  first page: 4  year: 2013  
doi: 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2012.08.010

8. Herbaceous species diversity patterns across various treatments of herbivory and fire along the sodic zone of the Nkuhlu exclosures, Kruger National Park
Helga Van Coller, Frances Siebert, Stefan J. Siebert
Koedoe  vol: 55  issue: 1  year: 2013  
doi: 10.4102/koedoe.v55i1.1112

9. An Overview of Nitrogen Cycling in a Semiarid Savanna: Some Implications for Management and Conservation in a Large African Park
Corli Coetsee, Shayne Jacobs, Navashni Govender
Environmental Management  vol: 49  issue: 2  first page: 387  year: 2012  
doi: 10.1007/s00267-011-9779-0

10. Vegetation structure and spatial heterogeneity in the Granite Supersite, Kruger National Park
Beanelri B. Janecke
KOEDOE - African Protected Area Conservation and Science  vol: 62  issue: 2  year: 2020  
doi: 10.4102/koedoe.v62i2.1591

11. Medium-term interactive effects of herbivores and plant life form on the biochemistry of shallow sandy soils in a protected semi-arid savanna
Siviwe Odwa Malongweni, Johan van Tol
Environmental Systems Research  vol: 12  issue: 1  year: 2023  
doi: 10.1186/s40068-023-00320-9

12. No evidence for an elephant-termite feedback loop in Sand Forest, South Africa
D.D.G. Lagendijk, A.B. Davies, P. Eggleton, R. Slotow
Biological Conservation  vol: 203  first page: 125  year: 2016  
doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2016.08.028

13. Reflecting on research produced after more than 60 years of exclosures in the Kruger National Park
Corli Wigley-Coetsee, Tercia Strydom, Danny Govender, David I. Thompson, Navashni Govender, Judith Botha, Chenay Simms, Adolf Manganyi, Laurence Kruger, Jacques Venter, Cathy Greaver, Izak P. Smit
Koedoe  vol: 64  issue: 1  year: 2022  
doi: 10.4102/koedoe.v64i1.1674

14. Responses of woody vegetation to exclusion of large herbivores in semi‐arid savannas
PETER F. SCOGINGS, THERESE JOHANSSON, JOAKIM HJÄLTÉN, JUDITH KRUGER
Austral Ecology  vol: 37  issue: 1  first page: 56  year: 2012  
doi: 10.1111/j.1442-9993.2011.02249.x

15. The impact of herbivore exclusion on forb diversity: Comparing species and functional responses during a drought
Helga van Coller, Frances Siebert
African Journal of Ecology  vol: 58  issue: 2  first page: 236  year: 2020  
doi: 10.1111/aje.12676

16. The hard lives of trees in African savanna—Even without elephants
Corli Coetsee, Judith Botha, Madelon F. Case, Adolf Manganyi, Frances Siebert
Austral Ecology  vol: 48  issue: 3  first page: 532  year: 2023  
doi: 10.1111/aec.13283

17. Fire and herbivory drive fungal and bacterial communities through distinct above- and belowground mechanisms
M.-L. Vermeire, J. Thoresen, K. Lennard, S. Vikram, K. Kirkman, A.M. Swemmer, M. Te Beest, F. Siebert, P. Gordijn, Z. Venter, C. Brunel, G. Wolfaard, J.A. Krumins, M.D. Cramer, H.-J. Hawkins
Science of The Total Environment  vol: 785  first page: 147189  year: 2021  
doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147189

18. Differential phenolic profiles in six African savanna woody species in relation to antiherbivore defense
Dawood Hattas, Joakim Hjältén, Riitta Julkunen-Tiitto, Peter F. Scogings, Tuulikki Rooke
Phytochemistry  vol: 72  issue: 14-15  first page: 1796  year: 2011  
doi: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2011.05.007

19. Seasonal variations in nutrients and secondary metabolites in semi-arid savannas depend on year and species
Peter F. Scogings, Dawood Hattas, Christina Skarpe, Joakim Hjältén, Luthando Dziba, Alpheus Zobolo, Tuulikki Rooke
Journal of Arid Environments  vol: 114  first page: 54  year: 2015  
doi: 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2014.11.003

20. Herbaceous responses to herbivory, fire and rainfall variability differ between grasses and forbs
H. Van Coller, F. Siebert, P.F. Scogings, S. Ellis
South African Journal of Botany  vol: 119  first page: 94  year: 2018  
doi: 10.1016/j.sajb.2018.08.024

21. Floristic composition and species diversity of urban vegetation in Bloemfontein, Free State, South Africa
Mamokete N.V. Dingaan, Pieter J. Du Preez
Bothalia  vol: 47  issue: 2  year: 2017  
doi: 10.4102/abc.v47i1.2244

22. Deciduous sapling responses to season and large herbivores in a semi‐arid African savanna
PETER F. SCOGINGS, THANDEKA C. MAMASHELA, ALPHEUS M. ZOBOLO
Austral Ecology  vol: 38  issue: 5  first page: 548  year: 2013  
doi: 10.1111/j.1442-9993.2012.02454.x

23. Vegetation distribution along a granite catena, southern Kruger National Park, South Africa
Ettienne J. Theron, Andri C. van Aardt, Pieter J. du Preez
KOEDOE - African Protected Area Conservation and Science  vol: 62  issue: 2  year: 2020  
doi: 10.4102/koedoe.v62i2.1588

24. Mapping tree canopy thermal refugia for birds using biophysical models and LiDAR
Lara H. Strydom, Shannon R. Conradie, Izak P. J. Smit, Michelle Greve, Peter B. Boucher, Andrew B. Davies, Andrew E. McKechnie
International Journal of Biometeorology  vol: 69  issue: 10  first page: 2461  year: 2025  
doi: 10.1007/s00484-024-02833-z

25. Water availability, bedrock, disturbance by herbivores, and climate determine plant diversity in South-African savanna
Martin Hejda, Jan Čuda, Klára Pyšková, Guin Zambatis, Llewellyn C. Foxcroft, Sandra MacFadyen, David Storch, Robert Tropek, Petr Pyšek
Scientific Reports  vol: 12  issue: 1  year: 2022  
doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-02870-3

26. Biotic and abiotic connections on a granitic catena: Framework for multidisciplinary research
Beanelri B. Janecke, Johan van Tol, Izak P.J. Smit, Andri C. van Aardt, Edward S. Riddell, Maitland T. Seaman, Wijnand J. Swart, Pieter J. du Preez, Pieter A.L. le Roux
KOEDOE - African Protected Area Conservation and Science  vol: 62  issue: 2  year: 2020  
doi: 10.4102/koedoe.v62i2.1600

27. Herbaceous biomass–species diversity relationships in nutrient hotspots of a semi-arid African riparian ecosystem
Helga van Coller, Frances Siebert
African Journal of Range & Forage Science  vol: 32  issue: 3  first page: 213  year: 2015  
doi: 10.2989/10220119.2014.951394