Marloth Park Management Plan. - Nkomazi Local Municipality
Marloth Park Management Plan. - Nkomazi Local Municipality Marloth Park Management Plan. - Nkomazi Local Municipality
In contrast to the grazing capacity the stocking rate refers to the number of animals kept on a specific area over a specific period. This number results from management decisions, usually based on the calculation of productivity per land unit. Stocking rates are not necessarily sustainable. In an ecologically sound management system stocking rates are determined based on the ecological carrying capacity, i.e. the sum of the grazing and browsing capacities, and supported predator populations. Several approaches have been made to determine grazing capacity. The herbaceous phytomass method is based on available plant biomass, which in turn is based on the daily food requirements of a Large Stock Unit. Phytomass production is determined, either by direct harvesting techniques or the use of a disc pasture meter. The rainfall method relates mean annual rainfall to herbivore biomass data. This approach is only used as an approximation as local spatial and temporal variations are not accounted for. The combined veld condition and rainfall method is considered the most appropriate method since it considers both veld condition and long-term rainfall data. OBJECTIVES The objectives of this study are to: METHOD • Determine percentage frequencies of grass species composition • Determine the veld condition scores according to the Ecological Index Method • Determine the grazing capacities and recommended stocking rates based on the veld condition scores. Veld condition assessment In this study the Ecological Index Method is used to determine veld condition. The method is based on the comparison of sample sites in homogenous topographic-physiognomic units, with a benchmark site in a similar unit under the same environmental conditions. The benchmark site is considered to be representative of the potential of areas´ vegetation, based on limitations imposed by the climate, soil depth, soil type, topography, aspect and soil moisture ration. In the absence of a benchmark site, a survey site with the best potential, within a homogeneous topographic-physiognomic unit, can be used as a benchmark for comparison. Three survey sites within each homogenous topographic-physiognomic are chosen randomly, to collect baseline data using the Step-point Method. A total of 200 survey points are evaluated along a line transect that traverse the unit. © Ecological Associates/ Marloth Park 37
The nearest grass species to each survey point is then identified and recorded. Only grasses within a predetermined, maximum cut-off distance of 0.3 m are identified and recorded. A miss is noted if no grass species grows within the cut-off distance. This cut-off distance is determined prior to the onset of the Step-point survey to compensate for the exclusion of basal cover measurements. The frequency occurrence of each grass species is determined in each of the homogenous topographic-physiognomic units. Each grass species is then allocated to its respective ecological category, based on its reaction to grazing pressure and burning. As the grasses react to veld management actions or natural events such as fire or drought, as retrogressive succession, this is taken as the basis for the evaluation of the veld condition. Retrogressive succession follows certain patterns, where climax grasses, sub-climax grasses, perennial pioneer grasses, annual pioneer grasses, ephemerals and unpalatable invader species successively dominate plant communities. The grass species are classified into ecological categories based on the following criteria: • Decreasers, which are species that are dominant in veld in excellent condition and increase with under- or over-utilisation. • Increasers Ia, which are species that increase with moderate under-utilisation. • Increasers Ib, which are species that increase with minimal or absent defoliation. • Increasers IIa, which are species that are rare in veld in excellent condition and increase with moderate long-term overgrazing. • Increasers IIb, which are species that are rare in veld in excellent condition and increase with heavy long-term overgrazing. • Increasers IIc, which are species that are rare in veld in excellent condition and increase with excessive long-term overgrazing. • Invaders, which are species that are foreign to the plant community or increase aggressively. Species are allocated to the different categories on the basis of quantitative data gathered in long-term grazing trials. Where such data is not available, experienced pasture specialists classify species subjectively. As species reactions to grazing and other management actions might differ in varying environments due to different plant community composition and different patterns of competition, the allocation of a species to a specific category is dependent on the ecological zone. The percentage frequency of each ecological group is summed and then multiplied by its respective index values to obtain a veld condition score. According to its ecological value each ecological group is allocated a weighted index value. © Ecological Associates/ Marloth Park 38
- 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 and 38: The dominant grass species are broa
- Page 39 and 40: The characteristic tree species are
- Page 41 and 42: VELD CONDITION ASSESSMENT AND THE C
- Page 43: Degradation gradients are models th
- 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
- Page 89 and 90: The proteins may be less available
- Page 91 and 92: When urea is incorporated into a ph
- Page 93 and 94: Recommended intake for game is 150
In contrast to the grazing capacity the stocking rate refers to the number of animals kept on a<br />
specific area over a specific period. This number results from management decisions, usually<br />
based on the calculation of productivity per land unit. Stocking rates are not necessarily<br />
sustainable. In an ecologically sound management system stocking rates are determined based<br />
on the ecological carrying capacity, i.e. the sum of the grazing and browsing capacities, and<br />
supported predator populations. Several approaches have been made to determine grazing<br />
capacity. The herbaceous phytomass method is based on available plant biomass, which in<br />
turn is based on the daily food requirements of a Large Stock Unit. Phytomass production is<br />
determined, either by direct harvesting techniques or the use of a disc pasture meter. The<br />
rainfall method relates mean annual rainfall to herbivore biomass data. This approach is only<br />
used as an approximation as local spatial and temporal variations are not accounted for. The<br />
combined veld condition and rainfall method is considered the most appropriate method since<br />
it considers both veld condition and long-term rainfall data.<br />
OBJECTIVES<br />
The objectives of this study are to:<br />
METHOD<br />
• Determine percentage frequencies of grass species composition<br />
• Determine the veld condition scores according to the Ecological Index Method<br />
• Determine the grazing capacities and recommended stocking rates based on the<br />
veld condition scores.<br />
Veld condition assessment<br />
In this study the Ecological Index Method is used to determine veld condition. The method is<br />
based on the comparison of sample sites in homogenous topographic-physiognomic units,<br />
with a benchmark site in a similar unit under the same environmental conditions. The<br />
benchmark site is considered to be representative of the potential of areas´ vegetation, based<br />
on limitations imposed by the climate, soil depth, soil type, topography, aspect and soil<br />
moisture ration. In the absence of a benchmark site, a survey site with the best potential,<br />
within a homogeneous topographic-physiognomic unit, can be used as a benchmark for<br />
comparison.<br />
Three survey sites within each homogenous topographic-physiognomic are chosen randomly,<br />
to collect baseline data using the Step-point Method. A total of 200 survey points are<br />
evaluated along a line transect that traverse the unit.<br />
© Ecological Associates/ <strong>Marloth</strong> <strong>Park</strong> 37
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