A triangulation approach for assessing and mapping land degradation in the Lepellane catchment of the greater Sekhukhune District, South Africa

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-24
Author(s):  
Phumlani Nzuza ◽  
Abel Ramoelo ◽  
John Odindi ◽  
Jean-Marc Mwenge Kahinda ◽  
Lehman Lindeque
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Land Degradation

Can human-induced land degradation be distinguished from the effects of rainfall variability? A case study in South Africa

2007 ◽  
Vol 68 (2) ◽  
pp. 271-297 ◽  
Author(s):  
K.J. Wessels ◽  
S.D. Prince ◽  
J. Malherbe ◽  
J. Small ◽  
P.E. Frost ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Land Degradation ◽  
Rainfall Variability

Evaluating the role of soil physical properties on simulated land-atmosphere interactions over South Africa using coupled atmosphere-hydrological modeling

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhenyu Zhang ◽  
Patrick Laux ◽  
Joël Arnault ◽  
Jianhui Wei ◽  
Jussi Baade ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Physical Properties ◽  
Land Degradation ◽  
Land Surface ◽  
Soil Physical Properties ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Soil Database ◽  
Global Soil ◽  
The Impact

<p>Land degradation with its direct impact on vegetation, surface soil layers and land surface albedo, has great relevance with the climate system. Assessing the climatic and ecological effects induced by land degradation requires a precise understanding of the interaction between the land surface and atmosphere. In coupled land-atmosphere modeling, the low boundary conditions impact the thermal and hydraulic exchanges at the land surface, therefore regulates the overlying atmosphere by land-atmosphere feedback processes. However, those land-atmosphere interactions are not convincingly represented in coupled land-atmosphere modeling applications. It is partly due to an approximate representation of hydrological processes in land surface modeling. Another source of uncertainties relates to the generalization of soil physical properties in the modeling system. This study focuses on the role of the prescribed physical properties of soil in high-resolution land surface-atmosphere simulations over South Africa. The model used here is the hydrologically-enhanced Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF-Hydro) model. Four commonly used global soil datasets obtained from UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) soil database, Harmonized World Soil Database (HWSD), Global Soil Dataset for Earth System Model (GSDE), and SoilGrids dataset, are incorporated within the WRF-Hydro experiments for investigating the impact of soil information on land-atmosphere interactions. The simulation results of near-surface temperature, skin temperature, and surface energy fluxes are presented and compared to observational-based reference dataset. It is found that simulated soil moisture is largely influenced by soil texture features, which affects its feedback to the atmosphere.</p>

scholarly journals Unpacking Changing Multi-Actor and Multi-Level Actor Ties in Transformative Spaces: Insights from a Degraded Landscape, Machubeni, South Africa

Land ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 227
Author(s):  
Menelisi Falayi ◽  
James Gambiza ◽  
Michael Schoon
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Collective Action ◽  
Land Degradation ◽  
Network Evolution ◽  
Clustering Coefficient ◽  
Edge Density ◽  
Policy Outcomes ◽  
Local Municipality ◽  
Multi Level ◽  
Over Time

The loss of ecosystem services through land degradation continues to be a significant concern for policymakers and land users around the world. Facilitating collective action among various actors is regarded as imperative in halting land degradation. Despite extensive research on collective action, there have been few studies that continuously map social ties and detect network evolution as a way of enabling longitudinal analysis of transformative spaces. This paper seeks to examine the changing dynamics of multi-actor and multi-level actor ties over a period of two years in Machubeni, South Africa. To do this, we used social network analysis to detect continuities and/or discontinuities of multi-actor and multi-level actor ties over time. Overall, edge density, clustering coefficient, and reciprocity scores steadily increased over the two years despite a decline in the number of active organisations within the network. Our results demonstrate that the proportion of strong ties gradually increased over time across three governance networks. However, multi-level linkages between the local municipality and the local organisations remained weak due to a lack of trust and collaborative fatigue. While the transformative space has succeeded in enhancing collaboration and knowledge sharing between local organisations and researchers, further long-term engagement with government agencies might be necessary for promoting institutional transformations and policy outcomes, and building network resilience in complex polycentric governance systems.

scholarly journals Nature Divided: Land Degradation in South Africa

2003 ◽  
Vol 69 (1) ◽  
pp. 116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laco Mucina
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Land Degradation

South African Land Degradation Monitor (SALDI) – A German – South African SPACES collaboration to advance land degradation assessments

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jussi Baade ◽  
Andreas Kaiser ◽  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Land Degradation ◽  
Land Surface ◽  
Soil Degradation ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Automated System ◽  
Observation Data ◽  
Clean Water ◽  
Cooperative Research

<p>South Africa is greatly affected by land degradation, partly due to the high variability of its climatic conditions, the strong population growth and resulting economic demands. Thus reaching a number of SDGs, like achieving food security (#2), access to clean water (#6), and the sustainable use of terrestrial (#15) and marine (#14) resources represents a clear challenge under the present global change pressures. Land degradation has been linked in South Africa to the terms veld degradation and soil degradation and has been addressed by numerous measures. But there is still uncertainty on the extent of human induced land degradation as compared to periodic climate induced land surface property changes.</p><p>In cooperation with South African institutions and stakeholders (ARC-ISCW, SAEON, SANParks, SANSA, Stellenbosch University and University of the Free State, Equispectives Research and Consulting Services, Nuwejaars Wetlands SMA), the overarching goal of SALDi is to implement novel, adaptive, and sustainable tools for assessing land degradation in multi-use landscapes in South Africa. Building upon the state of the art in land degradation assessments, the project aims to advance current methodologies for multi-use landscapes by innovatively incorporating inter-annual and seasonal variability in a spatially explicit approach. SALDi takes advantage of the emerging availability of high spatio-temporal resolution Earth observation data (e.g. Copernicus Sentinels, DLR TanDEM-X, NASA/USGS Landsat program), growing sources of in-situ data and advancements in modelling approaches. Particularly, SALDi aims to:</p><ol><li>i) develop an automated system for high temporal frequency (bi-weekly) and spatial resolution (10 to 30 m) change detection monitoring of ecosystem service dynamics,</li> <li>ii) develop, adapt and apply a Regional Earth System Model (RESM) to South Africa and investigate the feedbacks between land surface properties and the regional climate,</li> </ol><p>iii)    advance current soil degradation process assessment tools for soil erosion, as this process represents an intrinsic limiting factor for biomass production and other regulating, supporting and provisioning ecosystem services, like providing clean water.</p><p>The aim of this presentation is to introduce this new cooperative research project to the EGU Community and to seek new opportunities for collaboration.</p>

EVIDENCE FOR LAND DEGRADATION FROM AEOLIAN SEDIMENT IN THE WEST-CENTRAL FREE STATE PROVINCE, SOUTH AFRICA

2012 ◽  
Vol 23 (6) ◽  
pp. 601-610 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. J. Holmes ◽  
D. S. G. Thomas ◽  
M. D. Bateman ◽  
G. F. S. Wiggs ◽  
M. Rabumbulu
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Land Degradation ◽  
Free State ◽  
The West ◽  
Free State Province ◽  
West Central ◽  
Aeolian Sediment

RECONSTRUCTING RECENT LAND DEGRADATION IN THE SEMI-ARID KAROO OF SOUTH AFRICA: A PALAEOECOLOGICAL STUDY AT COMPASSBERG, EASTERN CAPE

2012 ◽  
Vol 23 (6) ◽  
pp. 523-533 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. M. Mighall ◽  
I. D. L. Foster ◽  
K. M. Rowntree ◽  
J. Boardman
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Land Degradation ◽  
Eastern Cape ◽  
Semi Arid
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