Biogeochemical niche construction in the forest-fynbos mosaic of Jonkershoek Nature Reserve, South Africa

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dc.contributor.advisorKhomo, Lesegoen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorDalwai, Raheemen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2015-05-06T14:23:28Z
dc.date.available2015-05-06T14:23:28Z
dc.date.issued2014en_ZA
dc.descriptionIncludes bibliographical references.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractThe south-western Cape of South Africa is dominated by fynbos vegetation with patches of forest restricted to rock screes and stream banks owing to the more favourable moisture status of these microhabitats. A detailed analysis of soil underlying forest and fynbos vegetation in Jonkershoek Nature Reserve was investigated. A total of nine soil pits were dug in forest and on fynbos slopes with high and low gradients. Pits were analysed by depth examining texture while soil was also sent for x-ray fluorescent analysis and carbon and nitrogen analysis. Evidence for dust deposition varied spatially, although this could be a result of the rapid erosion experienced during winter. Soil properties, mainly texture and nutrient concentration differed distinctly between forest and fynbos. I argue that these differences are caused by topographical diversity and maintained by vegetation which influences nutrient enrichment via dust accumulation and plant litter decomposition. Thus I concluded that soil texture favours nutrient retention in forest soil more than in fynbos soil enhancing the disparity between nutrients in the respective environments. By influencing litter decomposition and aeolian inputs of dust, vegetation is responsible for modifying its niche increasing the difference between fynbos and forest patches.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationDalwai, R. (2014). <i>Biogeochemical niche construction in the forest-fynbos mosaic of Jonkershoek Nature Reserve, South Africa</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Biological Sciences. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/12765en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationDalwai, Raheem. <i>"Biogeochemical niche construction in the forest-fynbos mosaic of Jonkershoek Nature Reserve, South Africa."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Biological Sciences, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/12765en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationDalwai, R. 2014. Biogeochemical niche construction in the forest-fynbos mosaic of Jonkershoek Nature Reserve, South Africa. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Dalwai, Raheem AB - The south-western Cape of South Africa is dominated by fynbos vegetation with patches of forest restricted to rock screes and stream banks owing to the more favourable moisture status of these microhabitats. A detailed analysis of soil underlying forest and fynbos vegetation in Jonkershoek Nature Reserve was investigated. A total of nine soil pits were dug in forest and on fynbos slopes with high and low gradients. Pits were analysed by depth examining texture while soil was also sent for x-ray fluorescent analysis and carbon and nitrogen analysis. Evidence for dust deposition varied spatially, although this could be a result of the rapid erosion experienced during winter. Soil properties, mainly texture and nutrient concentration differed distinctly between forest and fynbos. I argue that these differences are caused by topographical diversity and maintained by vegetation which influences nutrient enrichment via dust accumulation and plant litter decomposition. Thus I concluded that soil texture favours nutrient retention in forest soil more than in fynbos soil enhancing the disparity between nutrients in the respective environments. By influencing litter decomposition and aeolian inputs of dust, vegetation is responsible for modifying its niche increasing the difference between fynbos and forest patches. DA - 2014 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2014 T1 - Biogeochemical niche construction in the forest-fynbos mosaic of Jonkershoek Nature Reserve, South Africa TI - Biogeochemical niche construction in the forest-fynbos mosaic of Jonkershoek Nature Reserve, South Africa UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/12765 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/12765
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationDalwai R. Biogeochemical niche construction in the forest-fynbos mosaic of Jonkershoek Nature Reserve, South Africa. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Biological Sciences, 2014 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/12765en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Biological Sciencesen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Scienceen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subject.otherConservation Biologyen_ZA
dc.titleBiogeochemical niche construction in the forest-fynbos mosaic of Jonkershoek Nature Reserve, South Africaen_ZA
dc.typeBachelor Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelHonours
dc.type.qualificationnameBSc (Hons)en_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
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