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The vegetation of the proposed coastal National Botanic Garden, East London

1988; Elsevier BV; Volume: 54; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/s0254-6299(16)31356-4

1727-9321

R.A. Lubke, Alison Strong,

Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies

The vegetation of the proposed National Botanic Garden in East London was sampled in 79 100-m2 quadrats and classified using TWINSPAN. Seven plant communities were identified, namely Acacia savanna, riverine forest, riverine thicket, coastal forest, coast scrub, dune margin scrub and a xerophytic community associated with the rocky promontories. DECORANA was used to determine the relationship between these communities and identified a gradient from the rocky promotories through dune margin scrub and coastal scrub to forest on the first axis and a gradient from Acacia savanna to forest on the second axis. Studies of aerial photographs and an old painting of the beach front showed that in this windy coastal environment the vegetation has remained stable for some time. Of the 71 families recorded, Poaceae and Asteraceae dominate the area in terms of genera and species numbers, although woody plants total more than 45% of the species. The trees and shrubs are distributed among the many families of the Tongoland – Pondoland floristic region, thus the area is floristically more subtropical than Cape. Alien vegetation covers a small area and with sound management can easily be eradicated. Recommendations are made for the conservation of the region, the construction of parking facilities, tea-rooms, picnic spots and carefully designed paths and boardwalks for the public to visit and learn more about the indigeous coastal flora. Die plantegroei van die voorgestelde Nasionale Botaniese Tuin te Oos-Londen is in 79 kwadrante van 100 m2 gemonster en d.m.v. TWINSPAN geklassifiseer. Sewe plantgemeenskappe is geïdentifiseer, nl. Acacia-savanne, rivieroewerwoud, rivieroewerruigte, kuswoud, duinrandstruikgewas en ’n xerofitiese gemeenskap wat met rotsagtige dele geassosiseer is. Die verwantskap tussen hierdie gemeenskappe is d.m.v. DECORANA bepaal en ’n gradient vanaf die rotsagtige dele deur duinrandstruikgewas en kusstruikgewas na woude op die eerste as en ’n gradient vanaf Acacia-savanne na woude op die tweede as. Ondersoek van lugfoto’s en ’n ou skildery van die strand, dui daarop dat in hierdie winderige kusomgewing, die plantegroei vir geruime tyd stabiel gebly het. Van die 71 families wat aangeteken is, domineer die Poaceae en Asteraceae die gebied wat genus- en spesiegetalle betref, alhoewel houtagtige plante meer as 45% van die spesies uitmaak. Die bome en struike word verteenwoordig deur baie families van die Tongoland – Pondoland floristiese streek en die gebied is dus floristies gesproke meer subtropies as Kaaps. Uitheemse plantegroei beslaan ’n klein gebied en met gesonde bestuur kan dit maklik uitgeskakel word. Aanbevelings word gemaak wat die bewaring van die gebied betref, asook vir die konstruksie van parkeergebiede, teekamers, piekniekplekke en sorgvuldig beplande paadjies en plankpaaie vir die publiek om die inheemse kusplantegroei te besoek en te bestudeer.