Vegetation patterns and plant reproductive processes in the succulent Karoo

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dc.contributor.advisorCowling, Richard Men_ZA
dc.contributor.authorEsler, Karen Joanen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2016-09-20T12:34:55Z
dc.date.available2016-09-20T12:34:55Z
dc.date.issued1993en_ZA
dc.description.abstractThis thesis focuses on vegetation patterns and plant reproductive processes at the Tierberg Karoo Research Centre (33°1 0'S, 22°17'E) in the semi-arid southern Succulent Karoo, South Africa. It begins with an investigation into the roles of soil properties and competition in explaining variation in species distributions. The aim was to investigate changes in soil properties associated with species turnover (replacement series). Patterns of species abundances have been attributed to cyclic succession driven by disturbance and inter-specific competition. Areas where dominant species replaced each other over apparent edaphic discontinuities were investigated to test the roles of soil properties and competition in explaining variation in species distributions. Only soil pH differed significantly across the gradients studied. However, inter-and intra-specific· competitive interactions were also inferred. It was concluded that species distribution patterns resulted from the combined effects of edaphic factors and competition. The bulk of the thesis focuses on the reproductive biology of key species in the cyclic succession in order to understand the demographic processes underlying these patterns. The vegetation model proposes that heuweltjies (or mima-like mounds) are the source of disturbance which initiates the successional process. A study of reproductive attributes of dominant species occurring on and off heuweltjies indicated that species occurring on heuweltjies had opportunistic life-history traits; seeds did not germinate readily and canopy seed banks were maintained. Species off heuweltjies had higher overall germination and did not maintain seed banks in the plant canopies. The differences in reproductive attributes were related to competition and disturbance.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationEsler, K. J. (1993). <i>Vegetation patterns and plant reproductive processes in the succulent Karoo</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Biological Sciences. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/21846en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationEsler, Karen Joan. <i>"Vegetation patterns and plant reproductive processes in the succulent Karoo."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Biological Sciences, 1993. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/21846en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationEsler, K. 1993. Vegetation patterns and plant reproductive processes in the succulent Karoo. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Esler, Karen Joan AB - This thesis focuses on vegetation patterns and plant reproductive processes at the Tierberg Karoo Research Centre (33°1 0'S, 22°17'E) in the semi-arid southern Succulent Karoo, South Africa. It begins with an investigation into the roles of soil properties and competition in explaining variation in species distributions. The aim was to investigate changes in soil properties associated with species turnover (replacement series). Patterns of species abundances have been attributed to cyclic succession driven by disturbance and inter-specific competition. Areas where dominant species replaced each other over apparent edaphic discontinuities were investigated to test the roles of soil properties and competition in explaining variation in species distributions. Only soil pH differed significantly across the gradients studied. However, inter-and intra-specific· competitive interactions were also inferred. It was concluded that species distribution patterns resulted from the combined effects of edaphic factors and competition. The bulk of the thesis focuses on the reproductive biology of key species in the cyclic succession in order to understand the demographic processes underlying these patterns. The vegetation model proposes that heuweltjies (or mima-like mounds) are the source of disturbance which initiates the successional process. A study of reproductive attributes of dominant species occurring on and off heuweltjies indicated that species occurring on heuweltjies had opportunistic life-history traits; seeds did not germinate readily and canopy seed banks were maintained. Species off heuweltjies had higher overall germination and did not maintain seed banks in the plant canopies. The differences in reproductive attributes were related to competition and disturbance. DA - 1993 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 1993 T1 - Vegetation patterns and plant reproductive processes in the succulent Karoo TI - Vegetation patterns and plant reproductive processes in the succulent Karoo UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/21846 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/21846
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationEsler KJ. Vegetation patterns and plant reproductive processes in the succulent Karoo. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Biological Sciences, 1993 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/21846en_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.otherBotanyen_ZA
dc.titleVegetation patterns and plant reproductive processes in the succulent Karooen_ZA
dc.typeDoctoral Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelDoctoral
dc.type.qualificationnamePhDen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
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