Marloth Park Management Plan. - Nkomazi Local Municipality
Marloth Park Management Plan. - Nkomazi Local Municipality Marloth Park Management Plan. - Nkomazi Local Municipality
Plant community 3: The Themeda triandra – Acacia nigrescens Low bushland This plant community is found to dominate the drainage-line vegetation on Marloth Park. These drainage-lines are characterised by shallow, dark clays of the Bonheim and Arcadia soils forms. However, areas with Mayo, Sterkspruit and Shortlands soil forms can also be found. These soils are generally deep, with a high clay contents that results in poor infiltration and low drainage capabilities. The knob thorn Acacia nigrescens is dominant throughout this plant community. Two variations can be found in this community. The first is the Euclea divinorum – Acacia grandicornuta variation, restricted to drainage-lines and lower slopes. This variation is associated with the Sterkspruit soil form, where formation is attributed to mineral and clay particles illuviation from higher lying terrain areas. The second is the Dalbergia melanoxylon – Acacia nigrescens variation, found at slightly higher elevations but adjacent to the drainage-lines. The dominant trees species are knob thorn Acacia nigrescens and lowveld cluster leaf Terminalia prunioides. Other sub-dominant tree species include tree wisteria Bolusanthus speciosus, apple leaf Lonchocarpus capassa, russet bushwillow Combretum hereroense, red bushwillow Combretum apiculatum, common resin tree Ozoroa paniculosa and leadwood Combretum imberbe. The grass layer is dominated by blue buffalo grass Cenchrus ciliaris, with broad-leaved panicum Panicum deustum being sub-dominant. Other grass species include common carrot-seed grass Tragus berteronianus, Guinea grass Panicum maximum, sand quick Schmidtia pappophoroides, stinking grass Bothriochloa radicans, sawtooth love grass Eragrostis superba, long-awned three-awn Aristida stipitata and red grass Themeda triandra. The forbs layer consists of Kyphocarpa angustifolia, Tragus rupestris, Dicoma tomentosa, Abutilon austro-africanum, asparagus fern Protosparagus setaceus, Commelina erecta, dubbeltjie Tribulus terrestris, tall khaki weed Tagetes minuta and wildejakopregop Zinnia peruviana. Plant community 4: The Spirostachys africana – Balanites maughamii Low bushland This plant community is associated with the underlying gabbro geology, found as a band that runs through the river bend. Characteristic of this formation is the exposed quartzite rocks and relatively shallow soils. However, hybridisation with the surrounding granitic material can give rise to deeper soil formations. It is within this plant community that the unidentified Cyphostemma/Cissus plant species had been found. The tree species found in this plant community is associated with soils that typically have a higher clay contents. © Ecological Associates/ Marloth Park 31
The characteristic tree species are magic quarri Euclea divinorum, caterpillar bush Ormocarpum trichocarpum, weeping wattle Peltophorum africanum, green thorn Balanites maughamii, tamboti Spirostachys africana, Transvaal saffron Cassine transvaalensis, giant raisin Grewia hexamita, mallow raisin Grewia villosa and sickle bush Dichrostachys cinerea. The grass layer is dominated by broad-leaved panicum Panicum deustum and vinger grass Digitaria eriantha. Other grass specie include common carrot-seed grass Tragus berteronianus, long-awn three-awn Aristida stipitata subsp. stipitata, Guinea grass Panicum maximum and Lehmann’s love grass Eragrostis lehmanniana var. lehmanniana. The forbs found in this plant community include Commelina erecta, Cleome maculata, Tephrosia pupurea, Abutilon austro-africanum, flannel weed Sida cordifolia, Kyphocarpa angustifolia, spiny sida Sida alba, creeping sorrel Ocimum canum, wild foxglove Ceratotheca triloba and Crabbea hirsuta. Plant community 5: The Dichrostachys cinerea – Tragus berteronianus Low bushland This plant community is associated with marginally deeper soils that consist of the Hutton soil formation and the sandy alluvial soils deposited along the river. Classification is based on land-use, where historically these areas have been cultivated. Although these areas have been left fallow for a number of years, recovery is a slow process. Sickle bush Dichrostachys cinerea is the dominant tree species, and occur in high densities. Although considered a good species for fodder production, the high density is negatively affecting the herbaceous layer’s production level. Other trees include white raisin Grewia bicolor, common spike-thorn Gymnosporia buxifolia, buffalo thorn Ziziphus mucronata, apple leaf Lonchocarpus capassa, giant raisin Grewia hexamita, white-berry bush Flueggea virosa and caterpillar bush Ormocarpum trichocarpum. The dominant grass species are carrot seed grass Tragus berteronianus and Bushveld signal grass Urochloa mosambicensis. The sub-dominant grass is jungle rice Echinochloa colona. The forbs layer is characterised by the presence of Evolvulus alsinoides, flannel weed Sida cordifolia, Crabbea hirsuta, fishbone cassia Chaemacrista mimosoides, Pavonia burchellii, spiny sida Sida alba, Kyphocarpa angustifolia, Abutilon austro-africanum, wild cotton Gossypium herbaceum subsp. africanum, and poison apple Solanum panduriforme. This plant community has a relatively low diversity due to the high densities of sickle bush Dichrostachys cinerea. Furthermore, these trees have grown beyond the maximum browse height of most antelope species. It is recommended that sound ecological principles are applied in improving the production level of this plant community. It is also in this community that a small variation of note can be found. © Ecological Associates/ Marloth Park 32
- Page 1 and 2: Ecological Associates Environmental
- Page 3 and 4: THE ASSESSMENT OF AVAILABLE BROWSE
- Page 5 and 6: LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Location
- Page 7 and 8: LIST OF APPENDICES Appendix 1: A li
- Page 9 and 10: Three different scenarios are analy
- Page 11 and 12: Ecosystems disturbed by clearing op
- Page 13 and 14: INTRODUCTION Although only a few ve
- Page 15 and 16: Figure 1: Location of the Marloth P
- Page 17 and 18: GEOMORPHOLOGY Looking down from the
- Page 19 and 20: Figure 4: Geology of the Marloth Pa
- Page 21 and 22: Tonalitic granite and gneiss A sect
- Page 23 and 24: Figure 6: Soil depth of the Marloth
- Page 25 and 26: Figure 7: Land Types of the Marloth
- Page 27 and 28: Figure 8: Land use in the Marloth P
- Page 29 and 30: A 610.1 B 104.0 C 7.4 D 19.9 E 39.8
- Page 31 and 32: INTRODUCTION VEGETATION CLASSIFICAT
- Page 33 and 34: METHOD For an initial and broad sca
- Page 35 and 36: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Analysis and
- Page 37: The dominant grass species are broa
- Page 41 and 42: VELD CONDITION ASSESSMENT AND THE C
- Page 43 and 44: Degradation gradients are models th
- Page 45 and 46: The nearest grass species to each s
- Page 47 and 48: Calculation of grazing capacity The
- Page 49 and 50: Table 2: Contribution of ecological
- Page 51 and 52: Table 3: Grazing capacities for the
- Page 53 and 54: THE ASSESSMENT OF AVAILABLE BROWSE
- Page 55 and 56: X Y D1 Y Dimensional measurements:
- Page 57 and 58: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The browsing
- Page 59 and 60: Table 6: Browsing capacities for th
- Page 61 and 62: INTRODUCTION ESTIMATION OF HERBACEO
- Page 63 and 64: The resulting Large Stock Units are
- Page 65 and 66: INTRODUCTION GAME MANAGEMENT ON MAR
- Page 67 and 68: STOCKING RATES Current stocking The
- Page 69 and 70: Table 10: The current stocking dens
- Page 71 and 72: Recommendations on stocking rates C
- Page 73 and 74: High selectivity grazers Blue wilde
- Page 75 and 76: Waterbuck Kobus ellipsiprymnus Ogil
- Page 77 and 78: Space requirements: Kudu have range
- Page 79 and 80: Recommendation: The range requireme
- Page 81 and 82: Food preference: Steenbok utilise A
- Page 83 and 84: Table 12: The potential stocking de
- Page 85 and 86: Table 14: The potential stocking de
- Page 87 and 88: Table 15: The recommended stocking
The characteristic tree species are magic quarri Euclea divinorum, caterpillar bush<br />
Ormocarpum trichocarpum, weeping wattle Peltophorum africanum, green thorn Balanites<br />
maughamii, tamboti Spirostachys africana, Transvaal saffron Cassine transvaalensis, giant<br />
raisin Grewia hexamita, mallow raisin Grewia villosa and sickle bush Dichrostachys cinerea.<br />
The grass layer is dominated by broad-leaved panicum Panicum deustum and vinger grass<br />
Digitaria eriantha. Other grass specie include common carrot-seed grass Tragus<br />
berteronianus, long-awn three-awn Aristida stipitata subsp. stipitata, Guinea grass Panicum<br />
maximum and Lehmann’s love grass Eragrostis lehmanniana var. lehmanniana. The forbs<br />
found in this plant community include Commelina erecta, Cleome maculata, Tephrosia<br />
pupurea, Abutilon austro-africanum, flannel weed Sida cordifolia, Kyphocarpa angustifolia,<br />
spiny sida Sida alba, creeping sorrel Ocimum canum, wild foxglove Ceratotheca triloba and<br />
Crabbea hirsuta.<br />
<strong>Plan</strong>t community 5: The Dichrostachys cinerea – Tragus berteronianus Low bushland<br />
This plant community is associated with marginally deeper soils that consist of the Hutton soil<br />
formation and the sandy alluvial soils deposited along the river. Classification is based on<br />
land-use, where historically these areas have been cultivated. Although these areas have been<br />
left fallow for a number of years, recovery is a slow process.<br />
Sickle bush Dichrostachys cinerea is the dominant tree species, and occur in high densities.<br />
Although considered a good species for fodder production, the high density is negatively<br />
affecting the herbaceous layer’s production level. Other trees include white raisin Grewia<br />
bicolor, common spike-thorn Gymnosporia buxifolia, buffalo thorn Ziziphus mucronata,<br />
apple leaf Lonchocarpus capassa, giant raisin Grewia hexamita, white-berry bush Flueggea<br />
virosa and caterpillar bush Ormocarpum trichocarpum. The dominant grass species are carrot<br />
seed grass Tragus berteronianus and Bushveld signal grass Urochloa mosambicensis. The<br />
sub-dominant grass is jungle rice Echinochloa colona. The forbs layer is characterised by the<br />
presence of Evolvulus alsinoides, flannel weed Sida cordifolia, Crabbea hirsuta, fishbone<br />
cassia Chaemacrista mimosoides, Pavonia burchellii, spiny sida Sida alba, Kyphocarpa<br />
angustifolia, Abutilon austro-africanum, wild cotton Gossypium herbaceum subsp. africanum,<br />
and poison apple Solanum panduriforme.<br />
This plant community has a relatively low diversity due to the high densities of sickle bush<br />
Dichrostachys cinerea. Furthermore, these trees have grown beyond the maximum browse<br />
height of most antelope species. It is recommended that sound ecological principles are<br />
applied in improving the production level of this plant community. It is also in this<br />
community that a small variation of note can be found.<br />
© Ecological Associates/ <strong>Marloth</strong> <strong>Park</strong> 32
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