Managing rivers for conservation and ecotourism in the Kruger National Park

1995 ◽  
Vol 32 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 227-233 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. J. Venter ◽  
A. R. Deacon
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
Good Condition ◽  
Kruger National Park ◽  
Rapid Expansion ◽  
Natural Environments ◽  
The West ◽  
The Past ◽  
Management Actions ◽  
Flow Through ◽  
Three Rivers

Six major rivers flow through the Kruger National Park (KNP). All these rivers originate outside and to the west of the KNP and are highly utilized. They are crucially important for the conservation of the unique natural environments of the KNP. The human population growth in the Lowveld during the past two decades brought with it the rapid expansion of irrigation farming, exotic afforestation and land grazed by domestic stock, as well as the establishment of large towns, mines, dams and industries. Along with these developments came overgrazing, erosion, over-utilization and pollution of rivers, as well as clearing of indigenous forests from large areas outside the borders of the KNP. Over-utilization of the rivers which ultimately flow through the KNP poses one of the most serious challenges to the KNP's management. This paper gives the background to the development in the catchments and highlights the problems which these have caused for the KNP. Management actions which have been taken as well as their results are discussed and solutions to certain problems proposed. Three rivers, namely the Letaba, Olifants and Sabie are respectively described as examples of an over-utilized river, a polluted river and a river which is still in a fairly good condition.

scholarly journals Notes on distribution and relative abundances of some animal species, and on climate in the Kruger National Park during prehistoric times

Koedoe ◽  
1989 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ina Plug
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
Animal Species ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Kruger National Park ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Animal Population ◽  
Faunal Remains ◽  
The Past ◽  
Relative Abundances ◽  
Insight Into

Faunal remains obtained from archaeological sites in the Kruger National Park, provide valuable information on the distributions of animal species in the past. The relative abundances of some species are compared with animal population statistics of the present. The study of the faunal samples, which date from nearly 7 000 years before present until the nineteenth century, also provides insight into climatic conditions during prehistoric times.

scholarly journals Avian Marine Vagrants to the Kruger National Park

Koedoe ◽  
1977 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
S.C.J. Joubert
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
National Park ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Kruger National Park ◽  
The West ◽  
Mozambique Channel ◽  
Stormy Weather

The Kruger National Park, Republic of South Africa, is situated within the descending plains adjoining the Mozambique coast to the eastand the Drakensberg Mountain escarpment to the west. Due to its situation the Park is also periodically subjected to stormy weather conditions, with varying intensities of rainfall and winds, accompanying thesummer cyclones in the Mozambique Channel.

A taxonomic revision of Maurocenia (Celastraceae), a Western Cape monotypic endemic

Bothalia ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. H. Archer ◽  
A. E. Van Wyk
Keyword(s):  
West Coast ◽  
National Park ◽  
Taxonomic Revision ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Restricted Range ◽  
Monotypic Genus ◽  
The West ◽  
The Past ◽  
Cape Peninsula ◽  
African Genus

A taxonomic account is given of the monotypic genus Maurocenia Mill. Maurocenia frangula Mill, has a restricted range and is endemic to the Cape Peninsula and the West Coast National Park. Western Cape. Maurocenia frangularia (L.)Mill., the species name and author citation widely used in the past, is incorrect. It is characterized by. among others, pendulous ovules and gynodioecy, rare states in the Celastraceae. Maurocenia is apparently most closely related to the southern African genus Lauridia Eckl. Zeyh.

scholarly journals The Phalaborwa Syenite Intrusions along the West-Central Boundary of the Kruger National Park

Koedoe ◽  
1986 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Frick
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
Basaltic Magma ◽  
Fractional Crystallisation ◽  
Kruger National Park ◽  
High Concentration ◽  
The West ◽  
West Central ◽  
Basaltic Magmas ◽  
Deformation Textures ◽  
The Relationship

The geology of the Phalaborwa Complex is described and emphasis placed on the distribution of the large number of syenite intrusions. The petrography of the different textural types of syenites is discussed and it is shown that porphyritic, granular, gneissic and hypidiomorphic syenites are present. The petrography shows that the deformation textures, which are present in some of the syenites, may have formed during the emplacement of syenitic magmas which contained a high concentration of crystals. The geochemistry of the syenites is discussed and it is shown that they were not derived from an alkali basaltic magma through fractional crystallisation, but that they may rather represent alkali basaltic magmas which were contaminated by granitic material. The mode of emplacement of the Phalaborwa Complex is discussed and the relationship between the pyroxenites is explained.

scholarly journals Indications of progressive desiccation of the Transvaal Lowveld over the past 100 years, and implications for the water stabilization programme in the Kruger National Park

Koedoe ◽  
1985 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
U. De V. Pienaar
Keyword(s):  
National Parks ◽  
National Park ◽  
Water Distribution ◽  
Summer Rainfall ◽  
Kruger National Park ◽  
Past Century ◽  
Precipitation Pattern ◽  
Aquatic Life ◽  
The Past ◽  
Artificial Water

All available rainfall statistics recorded for the Kruger National Park area since 1907, coupled with an analysis of all the historical climatological data on hand, appear to confirm the quasi-twenty-year rainfall oscillation in precipitation pattern for the summer rainfall area. This was first pointed out by Tyson & Dyer (1975). The dendrochronological data obtained by Hall (1976) from a study of growth rings of a very old yellowwood tree (Podocarpus falcatus) in Natal, also appear to indicate a superimposed, long-term (80-100 years) pattern of alternate below- average and above-average rainfall periods. The historical data relating to climate in the park, during the past century or two, seem to bear out such a pattern. If this can be confirmed, it will be an enormous aid not only in wildlife-management planning, but also to agriculturists, demographic planners and others. It would appear that the long, relatively dry rainfall period of 1860-1970, with its concomitant progressive desiccation of the @ area in question, has passed over into the next aboveverage rainfall era. This does not mean that there will be no further cataclysmic droughts during future rainfall trough periods. It is therefore wise to plan ahead to meet such contingencies. The present water distribution pattern in the park (natural plus artificial water) is conspicuously still well below that which pertained, during dry seasons, at the turn of the century, when the Sabi and Shingwedzi game reserves were proclaimed. It is the declared policy of the National Parks Board of Trustees to simulate natural regulating mechanisms as closely as possible. In consequence the artificial water-for-game program is a long way from completion. The large numbers of game animals in the park (including dominant species such as elephant Loxodonta africana and buffalo Syncerus coffer) can no longer migrate out of the area to escape natural catastrophes (such as the crippling droughts of 1911-1917, the 1930s, 1940s and 1960s), and a reliable supply of artificial water in all the areas where natural supplies have dried up since 1902 should be provided, to prevent an irreversible population crash of many animal species during future periods of protracted drought. Such a catastrophe could well spell the end of the park as a viable, self-sustaining wildlife sanctuary and destroy its well-established tourist industry. Special measures will have to be taken to safeguard the perennial rivers of the park and their unique aquatic life from the calamitous effects of progressive desiccation or serious pollution.

scholarly journals The current status of freshwater molluscs in the Kruger National Park

Koedoe ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
C.T. Wolmarans ◽  
K.N. De Kock
Keyword(s):  
Species Diversity ◽  
National Park ◽  
Kruger National Park ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Freshwater Molluscs ◽  
Freshwater Mollusc ◽  
Current Survey ◽  
Mollusc Species ◽  
Flow Through ◽  
Alien Invader

Surveys regarding the freshwater mollusc population of the Kruger National Park commenced before 1966 and was repeated in 1995, 2001 and recently in 2006. During this period the park was exposed to several droughts as well as floods, all of which could have had some influence on the various habitats in the park. Industrial developments and urbanisation near some of the major rivers outside the park, but which flow through the park, could also have a detrimental effect on the species diversity of the freshwater molluscs. The recent survey in 45 habitats included several dams and rivers. The survey was done to determine the current status of the mollusc species diversity. By comparing it with previous surveys, an attempt was made to establish the overall health of freshwater mollusc habitats. From the results it is clear that there was a drastic decrease in the mollusc species diversity in five of the habitats. Although there was a slight change in the species composition in some of the major rivers there was no difference in the number of species collected in these habitats. Tarebia granifera, an alien invader mollusc, was found in several rivers and dams. Gyraulus costulatus, Melanoides victoriae and Eupera ferruginea, which could not be found during the survey of 2001, were collected during the current survey.

scholarly journals Catchment properties in the Kruger National Park derived from the new TanDEM-X Intermediate Digital Elevation Model (IDEM)

2015 ◽  
Vol XL-7/W3 ◽  
pp. 293-300 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Baade ◽  
C. Schmullius
Keyword(s):  
Digital Elevation Model ◽  
National Park ◽  
Kruger National Park ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Earth Surface ◽  
The Past ◽  
Digital Elevation ◽  
Precision And Accuracy ◽  
Elevation Model ◽  
Reservoir Basin

Digital Elevation Models (DEM) represent fundamental data for a wide range of Earth surface process studies. Over the past years the German TanDEM-X mission acquired data for a new, truly global Digital Elevation Model with unpreceded geometric resolution, precision and accuracy. First processed data sets (i. e. IDEM) with a geometric resolution of 0.4 to 3 arcsec have been made available for scientific purposes. This includes four 1° x 1° tiles covering the Kruger National Park in South Africa. Here we document the results of a local scale IDEM validation exercise utilizing RTK-GNSS-based ground survey points from a dried out reservoir basin and its vicinity characterized by pristine open Savanna vegetation. Selected precursor data sets (SRTM1, SRTM90, ASTER-GDEM2) were included in the analysis and highlight the immense progress in satellite-based Earth surface surveying over the past two decades. Surprisingly, the high precision and accuracy of the IDEM data sets have only little impact on the delineation of watersheds and the calculation of catchment size. But, when it comes to the derivation of topographic catchment properties (e.g. mean slope, etc.) the high resolution of the IDEM04 is of crucial importance, if - from a geomorphologist’s view - it was not for the disturbing vegetation.

scholarly journals New Data on Phylogeography of the Boreal Owl Aegolius funereus in Eurasia

Zoodiversity ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 54 (6) ◽  
pp. 523-534
Author(s):  
Homel ◽  
Nikiforov ◽  
Kheidorova ◽  
Valnisty
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Genetic Differentiation ◽  
Rapid Expansion ◽  
The West ◽  
High Genetic Diversity ◽  
Aegolius Funereus ◽  
Population Genetic Differentiation ◽  
The Past ◽  
Boreal Owl ◽  
Mtdna Polymorphism

In the article the research’s results of phylogeography, genetic diversity, genetic structure and demographic characteristics of the Boreal Owl population in Eurasia are given. The first domain of control region of mtDNA is used as a genetic marker. The sample size was 59 specimens. The population of Boreal Owl is characteristic of high genetic diversity and it has signs of rapid expansion in the past as revealed by analysis of CR1 mtDNA polymorphism. Genetic differentiation between birds from the west and the east part of the species range is shown. The level of found population genetic differentiation isn’t high that can be explained by gene flow in the past and possible at the present time. We didn’t reveal any signs of genetic differentiation for Boreal Owl population according to subspecies (between A. f. funereus and A. f. pallens) which are distinguished for the studying area.

scholarly journals Bacterial diversity in the waterholes of the Kruger National Park: an eDNA metabarcoding approach

Genome ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 62 (3) ◽  
pp. 229-242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maxwell J. Farrell ◽  
Danny Govender ◽  
Mehrdad Hajibabaei ◽  
Michelle van der Bank ◽  
T. Jonathan Davies
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Communities ◽  
Bacterial Diversity ◽  
Bacterial Communities ◽  
National Park ◽  
Kruger National Park ◽  
Baseline Survey ◽  
Natural Environments ◽  
Essential Components ◽  
Conservation Concern

Bacteria are essential components of natural environments. They contribute to ecosystem functioning through roles as mutualists and pathogens for larger species, and as key components of food webs and nutrient cycles. Bacterial communities respond to environmental disturbances, and the tracking of these communities across space and time may serve as indicators of ecosystem health in areas of conservation concern. Recent advances in DNA sequencing of environmental samples allow for rapid and culture-free characterization of bacterial communities. Here we conduct the first metabarcoding survey of bacterial diversity in the waterholes of the Kruger National Park, South Africa. We show that eDNA can be amplified from waterholes and find strongly structured microbial communities, likely reflecting local abiotic conditions, animal ecology, and anthropogenic disturbance. Over timescales from days to weeks we find increased turnover in community composition, indicating bacteria may represent host-associated taxa of large vertebrates visiting the waterholes. Through taxonomic annotation we also identify pathogenic taxa, demonstrating the utility of eDNA metabarcoding for surveillance of infectious diseases. These samples serve as a baseline survey of bacterial diversity in the Kruger National Park, and in the future, spatially distinct microbial communities may be used as markers of ecosystem disturbance, or biotic homogenization across the park.

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