scholarly journals Urban nature conservation: vegetation of natural areas in the Potchefstroom municipal area, North West Province, South Africa

Koedoe ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
S.S. Cilliers ◽  
E. Van Wyk ◽  
G.J. Bredenkamp

This study on the natural and degraded natural vegetation of natural areas in the Potchefstroom Municipal Area, forms part of a research programme on spontaneous vegetation in urban open spaces in the North West Province, South Africa. Using a numerical classification technique (TWINSPAN) as a first approximation, the classification was refined by applying Braun-Blanquet procedures. The result is a phytosociological table from which 6 plant communities were recognised, which are subdivided in sub-communities and variants, resulting in 18 vegetation units. Some of these vegetation units are similar to communities described previously in natural areas. The presence of degraded natural communities suggests huge anthropogenic influences in certain areas. An ordination (DECORANA) scatter diagram shows the distribution of the plant communities along gradients which could be related to vegetation structure, altitude, soil depth, rockiness of soil surface, wetness or dryness of the habitat and number of introduced species. This study contributes to the compilation of a guideline for a conservation orientated management plan for the area, but also created a wealth of new knowledge of the reaction of indigenous plant species under disturbed conditions.

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 64-75
Author(s):  
Fortunate Mtshali Thobile ◽  
Ntanganedzeni Mapholi Olivia ◽  
Tebogo Ncube Keabetswe ◽  
Farai Dzomba Edgar ◽  
C. Matelele Tlou ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (32) ◽  
Author(s):  
Johannes Cornelius Jacobus Fourie ◽  
Tomasz J. Sanko ◽  
Cornelius Carlos Bezuidenhout ◽  
Charlotte Mienie ◽  
Rasheed Adegbola Adeleke

Surface water systems in South Africa are experiencing a major decline in quality due to various anthropogenic factors. This poses a possible health risk for humans. Here, we present the draft genome sequences of three Clostridium perfringens isolates obtained from a fecally polluted river system in the North West province of South Africa.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (22) ◽  
pp. 9562
Author(s):  
Abiodun Olusola Omotayo ◽  
Adeyemi Oladapo Aremu

Underutilised indigenous plants can support and strengthen the existing food system, as they are considered as socio-economically and environmentally appropriate. These plants generally adapt to marginal conditions, which is essential for a resilient agriculture and sustainable food systems. The current study relied on food security and indigenous plants data collected from some selected rural households from the North West Province of South Africa. The utilised data were collected through a multi-stage sampling technique with the aid of a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire, while descriptive methods Foster–Greer–Thorbecke (FGT) and binary logistic regression were used for data analysis. The models produced a good fit for the data, and the computed F-value was statistically significant (p < 0.01). The study examined socio-economic and food security status based on the knowledge and the perception of indigenous plants by the households. The incidence of food insecurity (θ0) was 0.4060, indicating that 40.6% of the participants were food insecure while 59.4% were food secured. Binary logistic regression results indicate that factors such as age, gender, educational attainment, inclusion of indigenous plants in diet, food expenditure, and access in the study area impacted results. It was also evident that the participants had considerable knowledge of indigenous plants. However, these indigenous plants were not cultivated or included in the diet by the majority of the participants. The formulation of appropriate holistic policies that support the incorporation of the indigenous plants into the food system is recommended.


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