Marloth Park Management Plan. - Nkomazi Local Municipality

INTRODUCTION
VEGETATION CLASSIFICATION ON MARLOTH PARK
When exploiting an area for financial benefit, the preservation of the environment and
sustainability of natural resources must be assured, by implementing a sound management
plan and a monitoring programme to determine the effects of applied management techniques.
Sound ecological principles should be the basis for any effective planning.
A functional ecosystem is characterised by interaction between its abiotic and biotic
components, including a flow of energy and biochemical cycles. These components can be
measured qualitatively or quantitatively as variation in climate, geology, soil, drainage, water
regime, topography, animals, fire, and disturbance.
Vegetation is the base of the trophic pyramid in the ecosystem as it converts solar energy
through photosynthesis and makes this energy available for other organisms. Vegetation has a
huge influence on the ecosystem, and in itself is mainly driven and determined by the physical
and biological environmental factors of the ecosystem. Because of this, ecosystem types are
usually determined according to different vegetation types that are recognised by variation in
composition and structure.
In the different vegetation types smaller patterns are distinguished in the landscape indicating
different plant communities. These are defined as groups of associated plant species occurring
in their peculiar habitat characterised by a relatively uniform physiognomy or appearance. A
plant community, therefore, reflects local environmental and vegetation variation of an area.
Recording the habitat data such as soil, water regime, aspect, and geography as well as
species composition can facilitate the identification of a plant community. Major distinctions
for plant communities are made on the basis of physiognomy or growth form of the
vegetation, which are qualitative properties. Furthermore, a plant community can be
quantitatively described in terms of density, frequency, cover estimation and biomass yield.
The species composition of the plant community is determined by identifying all plant species
in a defined area that is considered to be representative of the vegetation. This is done as plant
communities represent homogenous vegetation units. Within each homogenous vegetation
unit, the probability to find a specific plant species at a definite place is more or less similar
for the whole community. Climate, landscape, soil and plant species composition in this area
are homogeneous to such extend that it will have the same grazing and browsing value, and
potential for plant biomass production.
© Ecological Associates/ Marloth Park 24